Soil Erosion Issues Research Articles

Identifying the primary drivers of soil erosion through machine learning: A comparative analysis of three algorithms

ABSTRACT Machine learning is revolutionizing various fields by enabling sophisticated and efficient complex data analysis. This study leverages machine learning algorithms to address the critical issue of soil erosion in Uttar Pradesh, India. Soil erosion significantly impacts soil fertility, vital for the country's agricultural sustainability and economic stability. Effective soil erosion mitigation requires a detailed understanding of its contributing factors, which vary across different regions. In this research, we analyzed 15 factors influencing soil erosion using three machine learning algorithms: multiple linear regression, AdaBoost regression, and gradient boosting regression. Our findings revealed that slope is the most significant factor contributing to soil erosion. Among the algorithms, multiple linear regression demonstrated superior performance, providing the most accurate predictions with the lowest error rate. By harnessing the power of machine learning, this study underscores a transformative approach to environmental analysis and offers actionable insights for mitigating soil erosion. These findings can inform more effective soil conservation strategies, ultimately supporting sustainable agricultural practices and economic resilience in India.

Spatiotemporal distribution of global wind erosion over the past four decades

Abstract Wind erosion is a critical environmental issue that degrades land and air quality, affecting global ecosystems, agriculture, and human health. Yet, on the global scale, the long-term spatial variability and controlling factors of wind erosion remain highly uncertain. Here, we develop a high-resolution spatiotemporal dataset of global wind erosion from 1980 to 2020 using the Revised Wind Erosion Equation model, integrated with comprehensive meteorological, terrestrial ecology, and soil datasets. Our analysis indicates that wind erosion annually impacted 359 ± 25 petagrams of soils worldwide during this period. Approximately 70% of this erosion occurred in just ten countries, predominantly in Africa and the Middle East. Due to higher erosion intensities, pasturelands, accounting for 28% of all non-barren land use types, disproportionately contributed to 70% of the erosion in these areas. Furthermore, our analysis highlights an upward trend in global wind erosion over the past four decades, with affected areas expanding worldwide. Although our study reinforces that changing wind speeds and a drier climate are central factors impacting global wind erosion, we find that increasing erosion intensities in pasturelands may also exacerbate erosion in North Africa, South America, and East Asia. This has broad implications for soil erosion issues that impact food productivity, human health, and ecosystem stability. This research provides insights for developing wind erosion warnings and targeted mitigation strategies, supporting global efforts to combat environmental degradation and promote sustainable development.

Practical Calculation of Diaphragm Wall Deflection using Plaxis 3D Software

In this article, the mathematical models within the Plaxis 3D software were used to simulate and assess the deflection of diaphragm walls, comparing with data collected from a real project. This scientific and effective approach is crucial, as analyzing and simulating the excavation stages before constructing diaphragm walls for underground levels becomes essential for controlling wall displacement and preventing potential soil erosion issues in the surrounding deep excavation, which could have serious consequences for neighboring structures. The numerical modeling results demonstrate that the deflection of the diaphragm wall varies inversely with its thickness, but this variation is relatively small and quite compatible with the observed data

Integrated Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) and Geospatial Approach to Assess Soil Erosion in Machhu Sub-watershed, Morbi, India

Abstract Soil erosion is a severe and rapidly rising issue in many parts of the world due to human activities such as farming practices, land excavation for development and deforestation. Moreover, it can negatively impact water availability, agricultural growth, and ultimately, countries’ long-term economy. A quantitative and consistent land degradation assessment is vital for proper planning of soil conservation activities in a catchment or watershed. The Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) model is applied in this study to address the issue of soil erosion in the Machhu-sub watershed (24769.63 ha), located in Saurashtra, India. The landscape feature of the study area includes basalt type rock and water body. In this USLE model study we have used input parameters such as rainfall erosivity (R), soil erosivity (K), cover management (C), slope length and steepness (LS), and conservation practice (P) integrated with Geographical Information System (GIS) to analyze and obtain the estimated annual soil loss. Results indicated that the overall soil loss in the study area can be classified into five categories: Very Low (0-1), Low (1-3), Low moderate (3-5), Moderate (5-10), and High ( >10 tons/ha/year). The finding includes the overall soil potential loss of the Machhu sub-watershed is 14.90 tons/ha/year. Furthermore, 60.86 % of the agricultural area is affected by soil erosion. Therefore, the necessary soil conservation methods can be planned in the Machu-sub watershed area based on the USLE analysis. These findings may assist researchers, scientists, and policymakers in building a concrete strategy for sustainable development of not only study area but other catchments also.

Soil Erosion Characteristics in Tropical Island Watersheds Based on CSLE Model: Discussion of Driving Mechanisms

Previous research has primarily focused on soil erosion issues in arid and semi-arid regions, with a limited understanding of soil erosion mechanisms in tropical areas. Additionally, there is a lack of a holistic perspective to determine the spatial attribution of soil erosion. The conversion of tropical rainforests into economically driven plantations, like rubber and pulpwood, has resulted in distinct soil erosion characteristics in specific regions. To enhance our knowledge of soil erosion patterns and mechanisms in tropical regions, it is necessary to examine soil erosion in the three major watersheds of Hainan Island from 1991 to 2021, which encompass significant geographical features such as tropical island water sources and tropical rainforest national parks. The study employed the China Soil Loss Equation (CSLE) model, slope trend analysis, Pearson correlation analysis, land-use transfer matrix, and spatial attribution analysis to examine soil erosion under different scenarios. The research results indicate that scenarios driven by the combination of natural and human factors have the greatest impact on soil erosion changes in the entire study area. Co-driven increases affected 53.56% of the area, while co-driven decreases affected 21.74%. The 31-year soil erosion showed an overall increasing trend. Human factors were identified as the primary drivers of increased soil erosion in the Nandu River basin, while a combination of climate and anthropogenic factors influenced the decrease in soil erosion. In the Changhua River basin, climate and human activities contributed to the soil erosion increase, while human activities primarily caused the decrease in soil erosion. In the Wanquan River basin, climate intensified soil erosion, whereas human activities mitigated it. This study underscores the significant combined impact of human activities and natural factors on soil erosion in tropical regions. It emphasizes the importance of considering human-induced factors when implementing soil erosion control measures in tropical regions.

Soil Erosion Research Studies in the Age of Changing Climate

HIGHLIGHTSSoil erosion research has evolved over a century to address critical societal needs.This collection features 12 articles from the 2023 ASABE Soil Erosion Research Symposium.Links to Symposium proceedings and presentations are provided.Soil erosion modeling, methods, and measurement advances are highlighted from the collection.Abstract. This article introduces a collection of 12 articles featured from a decennial international American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) soil erosion research symposium in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, in January 2023. Over 130 engineers and scientists met to discuss current soil erosion issues, research techniques, and erosion prediction technologies. In addition to the meeting presentations and proceedings (116 abstracts or papers available online), twelve articles were published in a special collection in the ASABE journals. Information on the ASABE Soil Erosion Research Under a Changing Climate international symposium and details on the special collection of articles are provided in this paper. Articles are aggregated into soil erosion-related topical areas of modeling, methods, and measurement, and article highlights are presented. A common theme was the need for standardized measurements and methods to compare processes and impacts across geographic and climate regions and to assess model performance and prediction for extension of methods to other watersheds. Keywords: Erosion control, Hydrology, Sediment, Sedimentation, Soil conservation, Soil erosion modeling, Soil pollution, Water quality.

Erosion patterns, drainage dynamics, and their environmental implications: a case study of the hammamet basin using advanced geospatial and morphometric analysis

AbstractUnderstanding erosion patterns and drainage conditions is crucial for optimizing agricultural productivity and for addressing the challenges of wastewater treatment. To achieve this, we employed a comprehensive approach, combining the morphometric method with weighted sum and Geospatial techniques. Utilizing a 30-m-wide Digital Elevation Model (DEM), specifically the Aster DEM, and leveraging ArcGIS software, we meticulously delineated drainage systems and watershed boundaries. Through the application of standard formulas, we calculated areal, linear, and relief parameters to effectively rank and prioritize the sub-watersheds. Our examination led to the calculation of a composite factor, determined through an assessment of 18 morphometric criteria employing a weighted summation approach for each subcatchment. The outcomes of our research unveiled a wide range of compound factor values, spanning from − 0.128 to 9.28. This study underscores the pivotal role of the minimal compound factor value in determining the sustainability of sub-watersheds. As a practical illustration, we found that Basin 3 exhibited superior sustainability when compared to Basin 4, primarily attributable to soil erosion issues in the latter. Sub-watersheds were additionally grouped into classes according to their composite factor values, commonly characterized as highly favorable, favorable, intermediate, or unfavorable, providing insights into their vulnerability to erosion. Moreover, our research pinpointed Basin 4 and Basin 7 as highly vulner able to soil erosion, with a combined area of 294.9 km2. The implications for wastewater treatment are significant in these areas, as proper water and soil conservation techniques are imperative not only for the sustainable management of these lands but also for mitigating the environmental impact of the wastewater treatment process.

Evaluating soil erosion and determinants of farmers’ adoption of soil and water conservation measures in the Offa district, southern Ethiopia

Soil erosion is a significant environmental problem worldwide, particularly in developing countries agricultural area where it can lead to reduced soil fertility, decreased crop productivity, and even land degradation. This study explores the prevalence of soil erosion in the Wolaita area and the factors that hinder or promote the implementation of soil and water management (SWC) practices by farmers. Despite significant investment by the local government, the adoption rate of these practices remains low. Data from cross-sectional surveys were gathered from primary and secondary sources and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The study involved 378 sample households, including both adopters and non-adopters of soil and water conservation measures. A multinomial logistic regression model was utilized to investigate the factors influencing the adoption of physical conservation measures. The study found that most local farmers perceived soil erosion rates are high (43.54 %) and increasing. Some respondents had a medium perception (22.96 %) while others had a low perception (17.72 %). The results revealed that education, farm size, family size, livestock ownership, contact with extension workers, farming experiences, and land tenure security all positively and significantly influenced the adoption of conservation measures. The findings highlight the importance of sustainable conservation practices, comprehensive education and training for farmers, and the establishment of strong local institutions for credit accessibility and extension services. Additionally, fostering connections and knowledge-sharing among farm communities can enhance the adoption of soil and water conservation measures. The outcomes of this study will provide valuable insights for policymakers, researchers, and farmers to develop effective strategies to combat soil erosion and promote sustainable agriculture practices in the region. Overall, this study suggests that the local government and stakeholders must prioritize these strategies to address the critical issue of soil erosion in the Wolaita area.

Application of Perennial Sweet Pea in Soil and Water Conservation

To address the issue of soil erosion and limited economically valuable vegetation resources, perennial sweet peas were introduced to Hebei Province, China, and showed favorable biological attributes. Nevertheless, its specific efficacy within soil and water conservation endeavors requires further examination. This study selected four trial sites within Hebei Province to assess four-year-old perennial sweet peas’ soil and water conservation functionality. The findings underscored that cultivating perennial sweet pea plots on 9° disturbed slopes notably outperformed bare ground (CK) in their rainwater absorption capacity. Specifically, in the 0–20 cm soil layer, moisture increased from 10.51% to 17.39%, in the 20–40 cm layer from 10.63% to 17.25%, and in the 40–60 cm layer from 10.09% to 16.04%. The dense canopy formed by perennial sweet peas effectively intercepted 25–32% of precipitation. Fallen organic matter also demonstrated commendable water absorption features. During severe rain, the perennial sweet pea showcased a 90.4% runoff reduction and a notable sediment interception. Their deep and well-developed root system enhanced soil structure and infiltration. The outcomes of this study highlight the perennial sweet peas’ potential in soil erosion mitigation, rainwater retention, and soil improvement, which carries substantial implications for sustainable land management and ecosystem restoration initiatives. Furthermore, the successful introduction of perennial sweet peas could serve as a model for analogous ecological interventions in regions confronting similar challenges, offering holistic solutions to soil and water conservation in environmentally sensitive areas.

Soil Erosion in Taiwan

Soil erosion is a complex process involving material detachment, transportation (mainly by water, occasionally by wind), and eventual deposition when energy wanes. Human activities like tillage and construction can exacerbate soil erosion. Various forms of water erosion, such as sheet erosion, pedestal erosion, rills, piping, and gullying, are recognized. This pioneering study aims to comprehensively model water erosion across Taiwan at a 20 m spatial resolution, a departure from previous research focusing on smaller scales. Using the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) model, it seeks to examine the significant issue of soil erosion in Taiwan beyond agricultural areas and enable cross-regional comparisons. A large number of stations and the most recent data were used to establish the distributions of the rainfall runoff erosivity factor and the soil erodibility factor. In addition, we used the Google Earth Engine (GEE) to calculate the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and a locally derived empirical equation to compute the cover-management factor. The topographic factor was determined using the System for Automated Geoscientific Analyses (SAGA). The support practice factor was analyzed using two different methods using datasets on World Urban Areas and Global Urban Boundaries from the literature. The analysis showed that despite the difference in the support practice factor, Taiwan’s resulting average yearly soil erosion rates are very similar (200.7 Mg ha−1 year−1 and 207.4 Mg ha−1 year−1). The amounts were validated against five watersheds that were instrumented with erosion pins. With prediction ratios ranging from 1.04 to 1.82 across four of the five watersheds, our findings provide empirical support for the alignment of our model with soil erosion pin measurements, especially within the Tsengwen reservoir watershed. However, it is noteworthy that these results also exhibit a tendency towards conservative estimations in the remaining watersheds. Our calculated estimate, falling within the range of 201–207 Mg ha−1 year−1, plausibly represents the upper limit of mean soil erosion in Taiwan. This assertion is predicated on the deliberate omission of local soil conservation measures from our study, a decision necessitated by the absence of comprehensive and detailed island-wide data. Despite this limitation, our results instill confidence in the robustness of our methodological approach, thereby suggesting that our estimation of soil erosion in Taiwan provides a reliable approximation.

The Causes and Countermeasures of Soil Erosion of Karst Landform in Guizhou Province

Nowadays, soil erosion has become the focus of social attention. Due to topography, climate, precipitation, human activities, and other factors, this phenomenon is particularly serious in the Karst landform region. Therefore, this paper takes the classic Karst landform region of Guizhou as an example, dividing the karst landform into two different types, namely, the surface karst landform and the underground karst landform, with different positions as variables. Based on the previous data, systematic analysis of the causes of karst, and factors that promote soil erosion and water runoff in corresponding regions. Looking into the future, the issue of soil erosion in the kalandforms still needs to be changed. For the countermeasures, drainage facilities can optimize runoff, and forestry technology could affect vegetation. However for the long run method for generation after generation, people's awareness should be fundamentally raised. Thus, the most economical way to deal with this is to increase the government and relative department limitations.

Prioritising sub-watersheds using morphometric analysis, principal component analysis, and land use/land cover analysis in the Kinnerasani River basin, India

Abstract Due to the depletion of natural resources including land and water as a result of rapid population increase, industrialisation, and urbanisation, effective resource management is essential for long-term development. The Kinnerasani Watershed in Telangana State was chosen for the research based on morphological analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), and land use/land cover (LULC) analysis in this study. A catchment's morphometric characteristics, PCA, and LULC analysis can be estimated using geographic information system (GIS) and remote sensing (RS) approaches. The watershed generated 24 sub-watersheds (SWs) in all (SW1–SW24). SWs were ranked using morphometric features, PCA, and LULC features. To determine the final priority of SWs, several morphometric characteristics, including linear, shape, and relief aspects, have been estimated for each SW and given ranks based on compound parameter values. To prioritise SWs, the PCA was used to extract five parameters from morphometric characteristics. The LULC analysis used four characteristics to prioritise the SWs. SW3, SW9, and SW12 have been prioritised for morphometric analysis; SW2 and SW3 have been prioritised for PCA; and SW17, SW19, SW23, and SW24 have been prioritised for LULC analysis. The common SWs within each priority according to three different methodologies are SW4, SW6, SW10, SW13, SW15, and SW21. The results show that the high-priority locations have greater runoff and soil erosion issues, so it is essential to design and implement watershed management techniques such as check dams, construction of farm ponds, and construction of earthen embankments in these areas. The decision-making authorities might use the findings to plan and implement watershed management initiatives to minimise soil erosion in high-priority locations.

Watershed prioritization using morphometric analysis by MCDM approaches

Due to the highly complex nature of human and ecological systems, soil erosion has increased considerably. Therefore, understanding watersheds and future forecasting circumstances using a watershed approach must be developed significantly on a spatial dimension. It's crucial to understand the watershed's key zones with a lineage of soil erosion as they undergo stream displacement and soil erosion issues. So, there is a need for proper soil and water management treatments to overcome continuous soil loss by runoff and other ecological problems in the Pindar watershed. In this study, an attempt has been made to explore several morphometric characteristics of the Pindar River watershed, which is located in the Uttarakhand districts of Chamoli and Bageshwar, using Geographic Information System (GIS) and remote sensing techniques for prioritizing the sub-watersheds in order to develop a suitable management plan to combat land degradation in order to assist in future management and conservation by four Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) techniques, viz., Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (FAHP), Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) and VIseKriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje (VIKOR). Finally, the performance of MCDM prioritization techniques was evaluated. For this purpose, 13 morphometric characteristics, including basic, linear, form, and landscape, were extracted and analyzed using an SRTM DEM with a spatial resolution of 30 m. Sub-watersheds' prioritization revealed that, according to the AHP, FAHP, TOPSIS, and VIKOR models, sub-watershed 26 is the most prone to erosion. The findings demonstrated that morphometric criteria are highly effective at identifying erosion-prone locations. The evaluation of the MCDM approaches has been done based on the percentage of changes and the intensity of the changes. The results indicated that the FAHP, with a change percentage of 71.21, has more efficiency and accuracy than the VIKOR, AHP, and TOPSIS methods, with 62.89%, 62.88%, and 62.12%, respectively. The results of the evaluation of the intensity of changes showed that the FAHP model had the highest rate of change (1.22), whereas the AHP, TOPSIS, and VIKOR methods, with the intensity of changes of 1.09, 1.09, and 1.07, placed in the next rank. Concerning the values of the percentage of changes and the intensity, it can be stated that the FAHP model has been more accurate than the other models.

Land use change affects water erosion in the Nepal Himalayas.

Soil erosion is a global environmental threat, and Land Use Land Cover Changes (LUCC) have significant impacts on it. Nepal, being a mountainous country, has significant soil erosion issues. To examine the effects of LUCC on water erosion, we studied the LUCC in Sarada, Rapti and Thuli Bheri river basins of Nepal during the 1995–2015 period using the Remote Sensing. We calculated the average annual soil loss using the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation and Geographical Information System. Our results suggest that an increase in the agricultural lands at the expense of bare lands and forests escalated the soil erosion through the years; rates being 5.35, 5.47 and 6.03 t/ha/year in 1995, 2007 and 2015, respectively. Of the different land uses, agricultural land experienced the most erosion, whereas the forests experienced the least erosion. Agricultural lands, particularly those on the steeper slopes, were severely degraded and needed urgent soil and water conservation measures. Our study confirms that the long term LUCC has considerable impacts on soil loss, and these results can be implemented in similar river basins in other parts of the country.

Countries and the global rate of soil erosion

Soil erosion is a major threat to food security and ecosystem viability, as current rates are orders of magnitude higher than natural soil formation. Governments around the world are trying to address the issue of soil erosion. However, we do not know whether countries have much actual control over their soil erosion. Here, we use a high-resolution, global dataset with over 35 million observations and a spatial regression discontinuity design to identify how much of the global rate of soil erosion is actually affected by countries and which country characteristics, including their policies, are associated with this. Overall, moving just across the border from one country to the next, the rate of soil erosion changes on average by ~1.4 t ha−1 yr−1, which reveals a surprisingly large country effect. The best explanation we find is countries’ agricultural characteristics. Soil erosion threatens food production and ecosystems. This study finds that soil erosion rates change significantly at national borders, probably reflecting agricultural characteristics that vary among countries.

The main influencing factors of soil mechanical characteristics of the gravity erosion environment in the dry-hot valley of Jinsha river

AbstractThe dry-hot valley region counts as one of the most eco-sensitive zones in China, the issue of soil erosion is critical in regional ecological environment, soil mechanical property is one of the primary factors confining the occurrence of erosion, and it is attached crucial significance to in ascertaining the characteristics and principal factors of soil mechanics, and how to prevent and control soil erosion in arid red soil area of dry-hot valley. Through monitoring field location and directly shearing, the soil mechanical characteristics and the primary influencing factors of the mass erosion environment in the basin were ascertained. As the result indicates: (1) The soil moisture content, cohesion and internal friction angle are evidently correlated with each other abiding by power function, the relationship among soil cohesion, internal friction angle and volume moisture content goes as:$$\begin{array}{} \displaystyle c=80.107e^{-5.451\frac{{\it\omega}}{1.64\,+\,{\it\omega}}},\phi=65.646{\rm e}^{-3.325\frac{\omega}{1.64\,+\,\omega}}; \end{array}$$(2) The soil being large in pore radius vary in number and distribution evidently with structure and destruction degree (P<0.05). Soil aggregation was also significantly different (P<0.05), with the increasing of structural failure rate, the shear strength of soil decreased, and the probability of damage was increased as the external load increaseing. (3) The disintegration of soil can be effectively decelerated, and anti-disintegration ability of soil can be enhanced by the root system. The impact exerted by plant root system on shear strength of soil decreased as soil got deeper, more than a certain depth can be ignored; the impact exerted by plant root system on small-scale gravitational erosion was particularly evident, whereas the impact exerted by large-scale mass erosion was comparatively small. The ability of plant roots to optimize soil resistance was primarily through the roots shorter than 2 mm, the effective fibrous roots in the soil of the Leucaena Benth and the Dodonaea angustifolia were comparatively small, and the root of the herbaceous plants was comparatively large.

Soil Loss Estimation based on RUSLE along the Central Hunter Valley Region, NSW, Australia

ABSTRACT Soil erosion by water has been a major problem since man introduced agriculture in the landscape. Soil erosion is a common hazard which is steadily increasing as a result of human activities in many parts of the world. Hunter Valley of NSW is located in subtropical eastern Australia. The region is known for its diversity in landscape that includes wide floodplains, extensive estuarine wetlands, undulating country, escarpments and rugged sandstone gorges. The region is also well known for wine production. The Hunter Valley has a long history of soil erosion following the European settlement 150 years ago. Currently there have been renewed human activities in the south central part of the region for coal mining, leading to clearance of vegetation and disturbance of soil. The present study addresses the issue of soil erosion in a part of Hunter Region by employing the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE, Renard et al., 1977) model. The results indicate that the average annual soil loss from the area is 0.7 kg/m2/year, which is well beyond the tolerance limit of the soil. Statistical relationships between soil loss and each parameter of the RUSLE equation were obtained and it was found that C factor has significant influence on the average soil loss in the area. An overall picture that emerges out of the study is that the region is continuing to suffer as a result of disturbance in natural environment from the historical times till present.

Physics of soil erosion at the microscale

We focus here on the major and still relevant issue of soil erosion by fluid flows, and more specifically on the determination of both a critical threshold for erosion occurrence and a kinetics that specifies the rate of eroded matter entrainment. A state-of-the-art is first proposed with a critical view on the most commonly used methods and erosion models. It is then discussed an alternative strategy, promoting the use of model materials that allow systematic parametric investigations with the purpose of identifying more precisely the local mechanisms responsible for soil particle erosion and ultimately quantifying both critical onsets and kinetics, possibly through existing or novel empirical erosion laws. Finally, we present and discuss several examples following this methodology, implemented either by means of experiments or numerical simulations, and coupling erosion tests in several particular hydrodynamical configurations with wisely selected mechanical tests.

Simulation of land use scenarios in the Camboriú River Basin using the SWAT model

ABSTRACT Changes in the Earth’s landscape have been the focus of much environmental research. In this context, hydrological models stand out as tools for several assessments. This study aimed to use the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) hydrological model to simulate the impact of changes in land use in the Camboriú River Watershed in the years 1957, 1978, and 2012. The results indicated that the SWAT model was efficient in simulating water flow and sediment transport processes. Thus, it was possible to evaluate the impact of different land use scenarios on water and sediment yield in the catchment. The changes in land use caused significant changes in the hydro-sedimentological dynamic. Regarding flow, the effects of land use changes were more pronounced at both ends of the curve representing duration of flow. The worst scenario was identified for the year 2012, which saw the highest peak discharges during flood events and lowest flows during the dry season. Concerning soil erosion, the highest values were identified for sub-basins that were predominantly covered by rice paddies and pastures; this was attributed mainly to surface runoff and changes in land use (represented by C-USLE). Overall, the Camboriú River Basin did not experience severe soil erosion issues; however, it was found that changes in land use related to soil and climate characteristics may increase soil degradation, especially in years with high precipitation levels.

Hubungan Konservasi Tanah dan Air Dengan Komoditas yang Diusahakan, Struktur Pendapatan Serta Karakteristik Rumah Tangga (Kasus DAS Cimanuk dan Citanduy)

Sustainable agricultural development cannot be separated from the issue of soil erosion. This research shows that soil erosion is associated with sources of income of the households in the area, commodities being cultivated and demographic characteristics of the household. The higher the proportion of household income from agricultural activities, particularly dryland farming, the higher the erosion in the area. In general, this research suggests that an integrated and comprehensive policy on both commodity and natural resource management and agricultural and non-agricultural, Sectors development is required to solve soil and water conservation problems.