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Assessment of Land Cover Change and Its Impact on Changes in Soil Erosion Risk in Nepal

Author

Listed:
  • Kabir Uddin

    (International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, Kathmandu 44703, Nepal)

  • Mir Abdul Matin

    (International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, Kathmandu 44703, Nepal)

  • Sajana Maharjan

    (International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, Kathmandu 44703, Nepal)

Abstract

Land cover change is a critical driver for enhancing the soil erosion risk in Nepal. Loss of the topsoil has a direct and indirect effect on human life and livelihoods. The present study provides an assessment of the decadal land use and land cover (LULC) change and consequent changes in the distribution of soil erosion risk for the years, 1990, 2000, and 2010, for the entire country of Nepal. The study attempted to understand how different land cover types change over the three decades and how it has changed the distribution of soil erosion risks in Nepal that would help in the development of soil conservation priority. The land cover maps were produced using geographic object-based image analysis (GEOBIA) using Landsat images. Soil erosion patterns were assessed using the revised universal soil loss equation (RUSLE) with the land cover as the input. The study shows that the forest cover is the most dominant land cover in Nepal that comprises about 6,200,000 ha forest cover. The estimated annual erosion was 129.30 million tons in 1990 and 110.53 million tons in 2010. The assessment of soil erosion dynamics was presented at the national, provincial, and district level. District wise analysis revealed that Gulmi, Parbat, Syangja, and the Tanahu district require priority for soil conservation.

Suggested Citation

  • Kabir Uddin & Mir Abdul Matin & Sajana Maharjan, 2018. "Assessment of Land Cover Change and Its Impact on Changes in Soil Erosion Risk in Nepal," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-20, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:12:p:4715-:d:189585
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Sanjay Jain & Sudhir Kumar & Jose Varghese, 2001. "Estimation of Soil Erosion for a Himalayan Watershed Using GIS Technique," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 15(1), pages 41-54, February.
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    5. Bhaskar Shrestha & Qinghua Ye & Nitesh Khadka, 2019. "Assessment of Ecosystem Services Value Based on Land Use and Land Cover Changes in the Transboundary Karnali River Basin, Central Himalayas," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-19, June.
    6. Bin Huang & Zaijian Yuan & Mingguo Zheng & Yishan Liao & Kim Loi Nguyen & Thi Hong Nguyen & Samran Sombatpanit & Dingqiang Li, 2022. "Soil and Water Conservation Techniques in Tropical and Subtropical Asia: A Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-19, April.
    7. Gezahegn Weldu Woldemariam & Arus Edo Harka, 2020. "Effect of Land Use and Land Cover Change on Soil Erosion in Erer Sub-Basin, Northeast Wabi Shebelle Basin, Ethiopia," Land, MDPI, vol. 9(4), pages 1-25, April.
    8. Cláudia M. Viana & Jorge Rocha, 2020. "Evaluating Dominant Land Use/Land Cover Changes and Predicting Future Scenario in a Rural Region Using a Memoryless Stochastic Method," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-28, May.
    9. Milena Gocić & Slavoljub Dragićević & Aleksandar Radivojević & Nataša Martić Bursać & Ljiljana Stričević & Milan Đorđević, 2020. "Changes in Soil Erosion Intensity Caused by Land Use and Demographic Changes in the Jablanica River Basin, Serbia," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-12, August.
    10. Antonio Minervino Amodio & Dario Gioia & Maria Danese & Nicola Masini & Canio Alfieri Sabia, 2023. "Land-Use Change Effects on Soil Erosion: The Case of Roman “Via Herculia” (Southern Italy)—Combining Historical Maps, Aerial Images and Soil Erosion Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-15, June.
    11. Tanja Srejić & Sanja Manojlović & Mikica Sibinović & Branislav Bajat & Ivan Novković & Marko V. Milošević & Ivana Carević & Mirjana Todosijević & Marko G. Sedlak, 2023. "Agricultural Land Use Changes as a Driving Force of Soil Erosion in the Velika Morava River Basin, Serbia," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-27, March.
    12. Chathura Palliyaguru & Vindhya Basnayake & Randika K. Makumbura & Miyuru B. Gunathilake & Nitin Muttil & Eranga M. Wimalasiri & Upaka Rathnayake, 2022. "Evaluation of the Impact of Land Use Changes on Soil Erosion in the Tropical Maha Oya River Basin, Sri Lanka," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-33, December.
    13. Chunying Ning & Rajan Subedi & Lu Hao, 2023. "Land Use/Cover Change, Fragmentation, and Driving Factors in Nepal in the Last 25 Years," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-19, April.

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