Assessing soil erosion and sediment yield in the Bou Rouina watershed (Northeast of Algeria): a RUSLE-SDR modeling approach
ABSTRACT Evaluating soil erosion is vital due to its significant environmental and societal impact. This research addresses the scarcity of measured data on soil erosion in North Africa by introducing a methodology using the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) and the sediment delivery rati...
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Associação Brasileira de Recursos Hídricos
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Revista Brasileira de Recursos Hídricos |
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| Online Access: | http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S2318-03312025000100213&lng=en&tlng=en |
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| author | Zineb Youcef Khodja Kamel Khanchoul Robert Altschul Abdeldjalil Belkendil Zahra Djamai |
| author_facet | Zineb Youcef Khodja Kamel Khanchoul Robert Altschul Abdeldjalil Belkendil Zahra Djamai |
| author_sort | Zineb Youcef Khodja |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACT Evaluating soil erosion is vital due to its significant environmental and societal impact. This research addresses the scarcity of measured data on soil erosion in North Africa by introducing a methodology using the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) and the sediment delivery ratio (SDR) to estimate soil erosion and sediment yield. Serving as an illustrative example and case study, this study contributes to the broader context of erosion research in subhumid regions. Key factors including rainfall erosivity (R-factor), soil erodibility (K-factor), slope length-steepness factor (LS-factor), and vegetation coverage factor (C-factor) were computed and mapped using GIS tools. Validation of the generated soil erosion map was performed using Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis. Results showed mean values of rainfall erosivity at 148.02 MJ.mm.ha-1.h-1.yr-1 and soil erodibility at 0.034 t.ha.h.ha−1.Mj−1.mm−1. Steeper slopes exhibited higher LS-values exceeding 20, with a notable positive impact of vegetation coverage factor contributing approximately 16% to mitigating soil erosion. The mean annual soil loss was 6.81 t∙ha−1∙yr−1 with an SDR of about 45%, resulting in a sediment yield of 3.07 t∙ha−1∙yr−1. The Williams and Berndt model emerged as the most suitable for estimating SDR, with an AUC value of 0.736, indicating good accuracy. This study underscores the importance of using modeling frameworks to better understand erosion and sediment processes and guide sustainable conservation practices. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4c97c19ddf14468f861a37762b904365 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2318-0331 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Associação Brasileira de Recursos Hídricos |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Revista Brasileira de Recursos Hídricos |
| spelling | doaj-art-4c97c19ddf14468f861a37762b9043652025-08-20T01:54:38ZengAssociação Brasileira de Recursos HídricosRevista Brasileira de Recursos Hídricos2318-03312025-05-013010.1590/2318-0331.302520240030Assessing soil erosion and sediment yield in the Bou Rouina watershed (Northeast of Algeria): a RUSLE-SDR modeling approachZineb Youcef Khodjahttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-4868-5160Kamel Khanchoulhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-2721-6309Robert Altschulhttps://orcid.org/0009-0000-0557-9259Abdeldjalil Belkendilhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-9247-848XZahra Djamaihttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-5832-9680ABSTRACT Evaluating soil erosion is vital due to its significant environmental and societal impact. This research addresses the scarcity of measured data on soil erosion in North Africa by introducing a methodology using the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) and the sediment delivery ratio (SDR) to estimate soil erosion and sediment yield. Serving as an illustrative example and case study, this study contributes to the broader context of erosion research in subhumid regions. Key factors including rainfall erosivity (R-factor), soil erodibility (K-factor), slope length-steepness factor (LS-factor), and vegetation coverage factor (C-factor) were computed and mapped using GIS tools. Validation of the generated soil erosion map was performed using Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis. Results showed mean values of rainfall erosivity at 148.02 MJ.mm.ha-1.h-1.yr-1 and soil erodibility at 0.034 t.ha.h.ha−1.Mj−1.mm−1. Steeper slopes exhibited higher LS-values exceeding 20, with a notable positive impact of vegetation coverage factor contributing approximately 16% to mitigating soil erosion. The mean annual soil loss was 6.81 t∙ha−1∙yr−1 with an SDR of about 45%, resulting in a sediment yield of 3.07 t∙ha−1∙yr−1. The Williams and Berndt model emerged as the most suitable for estimating SDR, with an AUC value of 0.736, indicating good accuracy. This study underscores the importance of using modeling frameworks to better understand erosion and sediment processes and guide sustainable conservation practices.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S2318-03312025000100213&lng=en&tlng=enWadi Bou RouinaNortheast of AlgeriaSoil lossRUSLESediment delivery ratioSediment yield |
| spellingShingle | Zineb Youcef Khodja Kamel Khanchoul Robert Altschul Abdeldjalil Belkendil Zahra Djamai Assessing soil erosion and sediment yield in the Bou Rouina watershed (Northeast of Algeria): a RUSLE-SDR modeling approach Revista Brasileira de Recursos Hídricos Wadi Bou Rouina Northeast of Algeria Soil loss RUSLE Sediment delivery ratio Sediment yield |
| title | Assessing soil erosion and sediment yield in the Bou Rouina watershed (Northeast of Algeria): a RUSLE-SDR modeling approach |
| title_full | Assessing soil erosion and sediment yield in the Bou Rouina watershed (Northeast of Algeria): a RUSLE-SDR modeling approach |
| title_fullStr | Assessing soil erosion and sediment yield in the Bou Rouina watershed (Northeast of Algeria): a RUSLE-SDR modeling approach |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessing soil erosion and sediment yield in the Bou Rouina watershed (Northeast of Algeria): a RUSLE-SDR modeling approach |
| title_short | Assessing soil erosion and sediment yield in the Bou Rouina watershed (Northeast of Algeria): a RUSLE-SDR modeling approach |
| title_sort | assessing soil erosion and sediment yield in the bou rouina watershed northeast of algeria a rusle sdr modeling approach |
| topic | Wadi Bou Rouina Northeast of Algeria Soil loss RUSLE Sediment delivery ratio Sediment yield |
| url | http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S2318-03312025000100213&lng=en&tlng=en |
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