Open AccessVegetation cover modelling for soil erosion control in agricultural watershed
Author(s) -
Agung Prasetyo,
Chandra Setyawan,
Ngadisih,
R. Tirtalistyani
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
iop conference series. earth and environmental science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1755-1307
pISSN - 1755-1315
DOI - 10.1088/1755-1315/653/1/012033
Subject(s) - universal soil loss equation , environmental science , vegetation (pathology) , erosion , hydrology (agriculture) , watershed , surface runoff , erosion control , cover crop , soil conservation , dryland salinity , wepp , soil retrogression and degradation , deforestation (computer science) , land use , land cover , agriculture , soil science , soil biodiversity , agroforestry , soil loss , soil fertility , soil water , geology , geography , ecology , geotechnical engineering , medicine , archaeology , pathology , computer science , biology , paleontology , machine learning , programming language
Vegetation has an important role in surface runoff and soil erosion control. Deforestation, especially in the upstream watersheds, has increased land degradation problems, mainly in the form of soil erosion. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of vegetation cover for soil erosion control in an agricultural watershed. Soil erosion calculation was performed using Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) model. While spatial analysis tools of Arc GIS 10.3 were used for soil erosion-vegetation correlation modelling. Five parameters such as rainfall erosivity (R), soil erodibility (K), length-slope factor (LS), crop management factor (C) and conservation practices factor (P) used to assess soil erosion in the existing condition. Those parameters were presented in grids cell of land units with 30 meters resolution. Five scenarios of vegetation cover such as 10%, 15%, 20%, 25% and 30% were used for the modelling. The result showed the increase of vegetation cover from the existing condition from 4.8% to 30% can significantly reduce about 76% of soil erosion. Preservation of about 30% vegetation cover in the upstream area of the watershed, enables farming practices with a low risk of soil erosion. The findings of this study provide a fundamental base for conservative farming concept development.