Mapping Soil Erodibility over India

Abstract

Soil erosion is a major environmental problem worldwide, and almost half of India’s total geographical area is susceptible to it. The Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) has been widely used globally to estimate soil erosion, and Soil erodibility factor, denoted by K-factor, is an essential component of RUSLE. Although previous studies have assessed soil erodibility in India, they have been limited to small scales such as watersheds or districts. A national scale assessment of soil erodibility doesn’t exist and is critical to developing a systematic understanding of soil erosion over India. In this study, we estimated soil erodibility factors over India using RUSLE Nomograph and Environmental Policy Integrated Climate (EPIC) model approaches at a high resolution of 250 m. Our results showed that the K-factor estimated using the Nomograph approach was more accurate than the observed soil erodibility factors. Additionally, we developed erodibility indices such as CR (Clay Ratio), MCR (Modified Clay Ratio), and CLOM (Critical Level of Organic Matter) to assess their sensitivity with respect to soil erodibility factors. Finally, we created a susceptibility to erosion map over India using CLOM index classification. The national average soil erodibility factor for India is estimated to be 0.028 t-ha-h/ha/MJ/mm. Histosols soil type is the least susceptible to erosion, while Xerosols soil type is most susceptible among the prevalent soil classes in India. This is the first national-scale mapping of soil erodibility over India, providing an essential asset for soil conservation and erosion management planning by experts.