Assessment of soil erosion dynamics and implications for sustainable land management: A case study using the RUSLE model

The current research aimed to evaluate the severity and distribution of soil erosion in a Swat district, Pakistan, which is vital for sustainable land management and conservation efforts. This study focused on key parameters affecting soil erosion: the length factor (L), slope factor (S), crop manag...

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Main Authors: Lu Zhang, Muhammad Haseeb, Zainab Tahir, Aqil Tariq, Khalid F. Almutairi, Walid Soufan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: KeAi Communications Co., Ltd. 2025-06-01
Series:International Journal of Sediment Research
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1001627924001380
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author Lu Zhang
Muhammad Haseeb
Zainab Tahir
Aqil Tariq
Khalid F. Almutairi
Walid Soufan
author_facet Lu Zhang
Muhammad Haseeb
Zainab Tahir
Aqil Tariq
Khalid F. Almutairi
Walid Soufan
author_sort Lu Zhang
collection DOAJ
description The current research aimed to evaluate the severity and distribution of soil erosion in a Swat district, Pakistan, which is vital for sustainable land management and conservation efforts. This study focused on key parameters affecting soil erosion: the length factor (L), slope factor (S), crop management factor (C), rainfall erosivity factor (R), soil erodibility factor (K), and support practice factor (P). Various parameters were quantified via RS data from Sentinel-2 imagery and processed with geographical information system (GIS) tools. The values of these parameters ranged from 0.00% to 38.86%, 0 to 1, 547 to 773 MJ·mm·ha−1·year−1, 0.24–0.33 MJ·mm·ha−1·year−1 and 0.10–1.00, respectively. On the basis of these estimates, the total annual potential soil loss was approximately 173,816 t·ha−1·year−1 with extreme erosion rates exceeding 10,000 t·ha−1·year−1 in specific locations. The study categorized the soil erosion risk into five classes, ranging from very low to extreme, enabling the identification of areas requiring immediate attention and intervention. The findings of this study provide valuable insight for land management and conservation planning while also contributing to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 2 (Zero Hunger) by identifying areas where soil erosion poses a significant threat to food security. The current study underscores the importance of addressing soil erosion to promote sustainable land use and conservation strategies, ensuring long-term agricultural productivity and environmental health.
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publisher KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.
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spelling doaj-art-152c56ad5f8046e7ac87c7f690d5fb142025-08-20T01:50:30ZengKeAi Communications Co., Ltd.International Journal of Sediment Research1001-62792025-06-0140338539910.1016/j.ijsrc.2024.12.001Assessment of soil erosion dynamics and implications for sustainable land management: A case study using the RUSLE modelLu Zhang0Muhammad Haseeb1Zainab Tahir2Aqil Tariq3Khalid F. Almutairi4Walid Soufan5College of Earth Sciences, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin 541004, ChinaDepartment of Space Science, University of the Punjab, Lahore 54780, PakistanDepartment of Space Science, University of the Punjab, Lahore 54780, PakistanDepartment of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture, College of Forest Resource, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762-9690, USA; Corresponding author.Plant Production Department, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi ArabiaPlant Production Department, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi ArabiaThe current research aimed to evaluate the severity and distribution of soil erosion in a Swat district, Pakistan, which is vital for sustainable land management and conservation efforts. This study focused on key parameters affecting soil erosion: the length factor (L), slope factor (S), crop management factor (C), rainfall erosivity factor (R), soil erodibility factor (K), and support practice factor (P). Various parameters were quantified via RS data from Sentinel-2 imagery and processed with geographical information system (GIS) tools. The values of these parameters ranged from 0.00% to 38.86%, 0 to 1, 547 to 773 MJ·mm·ha−1·year−1, 0.24–0.33 MJ·mm·ha−1·year−1 and 0.10–1.00, respectively. On the basis of these estimates, the total annual potential soil loss was approximately 173,816 t·ha−1·year−1 with extreme erosion rates exceeding 10,000 t·ha−1·year−1 in specific locations. The study categorized the soil erosion risk into five classes, ranging from very low to extreme, enabling the identification of areas requiring immediate attention and intervention. The findings of this study provide valuable insight for land management and conservation planning while also contributing to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 2 (Zero Hunger) by identifying areas where soil erosion poses a significant threat to food security. The current study underscores the importance of addressing soil erosion to promote sustainable land use and conservation strategies, ensuring long-term agricultural productivity and environmental health.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1001627924001380Land managementSwat district: remote sensing & geographic information system (GIS)Revised universal soil loss equation (RUSLE)Soil erosion
spellingShingle Lu Zhang
Muhammad Haseeb
Zainab Tahir
Aqil Tariq
Khalid F. Almutairi
Walid Soufan
Assessment of soil erosion dynamics and implications for sustainable land management: A case study using the RUSLE model
International Journal of Sediment Research
Land management
Swat district: remote sensing & geographic information system (GIS)
Revised universal soil loss equation (RUSLE)
Soil erosion
title Assessment of soil erosion dynamics and implications for sustainable land management: A case study using the RUSLE model
title_full Assessment of soil erosion dynamics and implications for sustainable land management: A case study using the RUSLE model
title_fullStr Assessment of soil erosion dynamics and implications for sustainable land management: A case study using the RUSLE model
title_full_unstemmed Assessment of soil erosion dynamics and implications for sustainable land management: A case study using the RUSLE model
title_short Assessment of soil erosion dynamics and implications for sustainable land management: A case study using the RUSLE model
title_sort assessment of soil erosion dynamics and implications for sustainable land management a case study using the rusle model
topic Land management
Swat district: remote sensing & geographic information system (GIS)
Revised universal soil loss equation (RUSLE)
Soil erosion
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1001627924001380
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