Land degradation modelling in inaccessible mountainous areas in the tropics

Abstract

Land degradation processes in hilly areas are often directly related to land cover changes. At the same time, many hilly areas in the tropics are inaccessible and thus lack proper data. As a result, data scarcity is a crucial problem when trying to assess soil erosion. In this paper a method is described showing the use of digital elevation, remote sensing and field measurement techniques for deriving necessary land cover and topographic parameters as required for erosion modelling. The study shows that field measurements help in accurate estimation of cover factor. Similarly, the incorporation of DEM-derived parameters such as upslope catchment area and flow direction network in erosion modelling helps to identify the dominant erosion process active in the area. This makes the formulation of sound conservation measures for minimising soil losses and reducing off-site erosion effects in low lying areas much easier.