Exploring and Modeling the Spatial Variability of Soil Erosion in Tana Basin, Northwestern Ethiopia
Soil degradation exacerbates the depletion of soil resources and poses a threat to agricultural productivity and environmental sustainability. To address this issue, initiatives focusing on soil and water conservation (SWC) were carried out in the Tana Basin watershed located in Ethiopia. However, t...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2024-01-01
|
| Series: | Applied and Environmental Soil Science |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2024/2102727 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850234671308210176 |
|---|---|
| author | Derege Tsegaye Meshesha Anteneh Wubet Belay Gizachew Ayalew Tiruneh Enyew Adgo Tiringo Yilak Alemayehu M. Chandrakala José Miguel Reichert |
| author_facet | Derege Tsegaye Meshesha Anteneh Wubet Belay Gizachew Ayalew Tiruneh Enyew Adgo Tiringo Yilak Alemayehu M. Chandrakala José Miguel Reichert |
| author_sort | Derege Tsegaye Meshesha |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Soil degradation exacerbates the depletion of soil resources and poses a threat to agricultural productivity and environmental sustainability. To address this issue, initiatives focusing on soil and water conservation (SWC) were carried out in the Tana Basin watershed located in Ethiopia. However, their spatial distribution, status, and effects of SWC activities on soil erosion were not evaluated in the entire study watershed. Thus, a revised universal soil loss equation (RUSLE) was adopted to identify soil erosion prone areas and evaluate the effect of SWC activities on soil erosion in Ethiopia. The finding shows the average soil loss of the catchment is 18.65 t/ha/year (moderate), and the detached and transported soil is 7934 tons/year. By implementing bunds in croplands and restricting grazing in degraded bushlands, it is feasible to reduce current soil erosion by 47% of the overall soil loss. The catchment area shows varying degrees of soil erosion, with a minimal rate in some areas, while others experience slight, moderate, severe, and very severe rates of soil loss, which make up 15.5%, 13.3%, 12.8%, and 10.9%, respectively. The prediction efficiency of the RUSLE using ground-measured soil erosion data results (R2 = 0.90) revealed reliability. Consequently, the initial situation (soil bund and enclosure) results in a 47% reduction in erosion, the second situation involves increased expenses in materials and labor by 53% compared to the first scenario, and the third situation converts all deteriorated bushlands into forest land by 10%. Therefore, recommended SWC practices should be adopted in the Kecha and similar watersheds to minimize soil erosion and sustain soil productivity. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-1666a210c3cb4dbaae9e4804108334c9 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1687-7675 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Applied and Environmental Soil Science |
| spelling | doaj-art-1666a210c3cb4dbaae9e4804108334c92025-08-20T02:02:33ZengWileyApplied and Environmental Soil Science1687-76752024-01-01202410.1155/2024/2102727Exploring and Modeling the Spatial Variability of Soil Erosion in Tana Basin, Northwestern EthiopiaDerege Tsegaye Meshesha0Anteneh Wubet Belay1Gizachew Ayalew Tiruneh2Enyew Adgo3Tiringo Yilak Alemayehu4M. Chandrakala5José Miguel Reichert6Department of Natural Resource ManagementDepartment of Natural Resource ManagementCollege of Agriculture and Environmental SciencesDepartment of Natural Resource ManagementCollege of Agriculture and Environmental SciencesNational Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use PlanningNuclear Energy DepartmentSoil degradation exacerbates the depletion of soil resources and poses a threat to agricultural productivity and environmental sustainability. To address this issue, initiatives focusing on soil and water conservation (SWC) were carried out in the Tana Basin watershed located in Ethiopia. However, their spatial distribution, status, and effects of SWC activities on soil erosion were not evaluated in the entire study watershed. Thus, a revised universal soil loss equation (RUSLE) was adopted to identify soil erosion prone areas and evaluate the effect of SWC activities on soil erosion in Ethiopia. The finding shows the average soil loss of the catchment is 18.65 t/ha/year (moderate), and the detached and transported soil is 7934 tons/year. By implementing bunds in croplands and restricting grazing in degraded bushlands, it is feasible to reduce current soil erosion by 47% of the overall soil loss. The catchment area shows varying degrees of soil erosion, with a minimal rate in some areas, while others experience slight, moderate, severe, and very severe rates of soil loss, which make up 15.5%, 13.3%, 12.8%, and 10.9%, respectively. The prediction efficiency of the RUSLE using ground-measured soil erosion data results (R2 = 0.90) revealed reliability. Consequently, the initial situation (soil bund and enclosure) results in a 47% reduction in erosion, the second situation involves increased expenses in materials and labor by 53% compared to the first scenario, and the third situation converts all deteriorated bushlands into forest land by 10%. Therefore, recommended SWC practices should be adopted in the Kecha and similar watersheds to minimize soil erosion and sustain soil productivity.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2024/2102727 |
| spellingShingle | Derege Tsegaye Meshesha Anteneh Wubet Belay Gizachew Ayalew Tiruneh Enyew Adgo Tiringo Yilak Alemayehu M. Chandrakala José Miguel Reichert Exploring and Modeling the Spatial Variability of Soil Erosion in Tana Basin, Northwestern Ethiopia Applied and Environmental Soil Science |
| title | Exploring and Modeling the Spatial Variability of Soil Erosion in Tana Basin, Northwestern Ethiopia |
| title_full | Exploring and Modeling the Spatial Variability of Soil Erosion in Tana Basin, Northwestern Ethiopia |
| title_fullStr | Exploring and Modeling the Spatial Variability of Soil Erosion in Tana Basin, Northwestern Ethiopia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploring and Modeling the Spatial Variability of Soil Erosion in Tana Basin, Northwestern Ethiopia |
| title_short | Exploring and Modeling the Spatial Variability of Soil Erosion in Tana Basin, Northwestern Ethiopia |
| title_sort | exploring and modeling the spatial variability of soil erosion in tana basin northwestern ethiopia |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2024/2102727 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT deregetsegayemeshesha exploringandmodelingthespatialvariabilityofsoilerosionintanabasinnorthwesternethiopia AT antenehwubetbelay exploringandmodelingthespatialvariabilityofsoilerosionintanabasinnorthwesternethiopia AT gizachewayalewtiruneh exploringandmodelingthespatialvariabilityofsoilerosionintanabasinnorthwesternethiopia AT enyewadgo exploringandmodelingthespatialvariabilityofsoilerosionintanabasinnorthwesternethiopia AT tiringoyilakalemayehu exploringandmodelingthespatialvariabilityofsoilerosionintanabasinnorthwesternethiopia AT mchandrakala exploringandmodelingthespatialvariabilityofsoilerosionintanabasinnorthwesternethiopia AT josemiguelreichert exploringandmodelingthespatialvariabilityofsoilerosionintanabasinnorthwesternethiopia |