Dataset Information

An assessment of the global impact of 21st century land use change on soil erosion.

ABSTRACT: Human activity and related land use change are the primary cause of accelerated soil erosion, which has substantial implications for nutrient and carbon cycling, land productivity and in turn, worldwide socio-economic conditions. Here we present an unprecedentedly high resolution (250 × 250 m) global potential soil erosion model, using a combination of remote sensing, GIS modelling and census data. We challenge the previous annual soil erosion reference values as our estimate, of 35.9 Pg yr-1 of soil eroded in 2012, is at least two times lower. Moreover, we estimate the spatial and temporal effects of land use change between 2001 and 2012 and the potential offset of the global application of conservation practices. Our findings indicate a potential overall increase in global soil erosion driven by cropland expansion. The greatest increases are predicted to occur in Sub-Saharan Africa, South America and Southeast Asia. The least developed economies have been found to experience the highest estimates of soil erosion rates.

SUBMITTER: Borrelli P

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5722879 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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An assessment of the global impact of 21st century land use change on soil erosion.

Borrelli Pasquale P Robinson David A DA Fleischer Larissa R LR Lugato Emanuele E Ballabio Cristiano C Alewell Christine C Meusburger Katrin K Modugno Sirio S Schütt Brigitta B Ferro Vito V Bagarello Vincenzo V Oost Kristof Van KV Montanarella Luca L Panagos Panos P

Nature communications 20171208 1

Human activity and related land use change are the primary cause of accelerated soil erosion, which has substantial implications for nutrient and carbon cycling, land productivity and in turn, worldwide socio-economic conditions. Here we present an unprecedentedly high resolution (250 × 250 m) global potential soil erosion model, using a combination of remote sensing, GIS modelling and census data. We challenge the previous annual soil erosion reference values as our estimate, of 35.9 Pg yr<sup> ...[more]

PMID: 29222506

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Project description:Soil erosion is a critical global challenge that degrades land and water resources, leading to reduced soil fertility, pollution of water bodies, and sedimentation in hydraulic structures and reservoirs. In Ethiopia, where agriculture forms the backbone of the economy, unplanned LULC changes have intensified soil erosion, posing a significant threat to food security and sustainable development. In the Holota watershed of Ethiopia, rapid population growth and urbanization have accelerated unplanned land use and land cover (LULC) changes, significantly affecting soil erosion patterns. This study aims to assess the spatiotemporal changes in LULC and their impact on soil erosion from 2000 to 2050. Using Landsat imagery from 2000, 2010, and 2020, supervised classification with the maximum likelihood algorithm was applied in Google Earth Engine (GEE) to map five LULC classes: forest, cropland, built-up areas, shrubland, and grassland. The future LULC for 2050 was predicted using the CA-Markov chain model. Soil erosion for 2020 and 2050 LULC maps was estimated using the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE). Results indicate that annual soil loss in the watershed was 13.3 t ha - 1 yr - 1 in 2020, increasing to 15.9 t ha - 1 yr - 1 by 2050. Cropland, built-up areas, and grassland are expected to be the major contributors to future soil erosion, while forest and shrubland are likely to play a mitigating role. The novelty of this research lies in its integration of cutting-edge remote sensing technologies, such as GEE and the CA-Markov model, to predict the combined impact of LULC changes on soil erosion in a data-scarce region, providing actionable insights for conservation planning in Ethiopian highlands. These findings offer essential guidance for conservation planners to implement sustainable land management practices aimed at reducing soil erosion, including promoting forest restoration, adopting contour farming, and enforcing land use regulations to limit the expansion of cropland and built-up areas in erosion-prone zones.

Dataset Information

An assessment of the global impact of 21st century land use change on soil erosion.

Publications

An assessment of the global impact of 21st century land use change on soil erosion.

Similar Datasets

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