Potential of pine forest in controlling soil erosion in Himalayan region - Investigation using fallout radionuclide (137Cs) measurements

The Himalayas possess a distinctive topography owe to the dynamic interplay of tectonic activity, geological erosion and sedimentation, glacial processes, and climatic influences over the millions of years. The rugged, steep terrain and poor land management make it more prone to water erosion, negat...

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Main Authors: Anu David Raj, Suresh Kumar, Sankar Mariappan, K.R. Sooryamol, Justin George Kalambukattu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-01-01
Series:Evolving Earth
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950117224000013
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author Anu David Raj
Suresh Kumar
Sankar Mariappan
K.R. Sooryamol
Justin George Kalambukattu
author_facet Anu David Raj
Suresh Kumar
Sankar Mariappan
K.R. Sooryamol
Justin George Kalambukattu
author_sort Anu David Raj
collection DOAJ
description The Himalayas possess a distinctive topography owe to the dynamic interplay of tectonic activity, geological erosion and sedimentation, glacial processes, and climatic influences over the millions of years. The rugged, steep terrain and poor land management make it more prone to water erosion, negatively impacts the soil, affecting the goods and services supported by the soil ecosystems. Traditional methods used in soil erosion assessment face limitations when dealing with topographically complex hillslopes. The use of Fallout Radionuclide (FRN) -137Cs provides a feasible alternative for measurement of soil erosion in the region with such topography. However, there is lack of 137Cs-based soil erosion studies in the north-west Himalayas. Pine (Pinus roxburghii) is the predominant forest type in the Himalayas, offering numerous benefits to both natural ecosystems and human beings. In this study, we selected a typical steep hillslope covered with pine forest in the Himalayas for soil erosion assessment. The study measured 137Cs reference inventory of 1409 Bq m−2 in the landscape. Importantly, the concentration of 137Cs along the hillslope positions showed a significant variation attributed to topographic variability. Topographic factors, such as the slope shape and gradient, were identified as the major governing parameters of soil erosion in the hilly and mountainous region. The net soil erosion rate over hillslope positions revealed highest at upper hillslope followed by ridge, middle and valley hillslope positions. The net soil erosion rate under the pine forest ranged from 8.0 to 14.6 t ha−1 yr−1, with an average rate of 9.9 t ha−1 yr−1. Erosion rate over the hillslope positions were found in accordance to the soil loss tolerance limit (SLTL) except for the upper hillslope, indicating it as critical slope position requires to adopt suitable conservation measures. The study signifies the role of the forest in mitigating soil erosion and, in turn, conserving soil resources. The findings provide crucial insights and guidance to land managers and decision-makers, emphasizing the necessity of conserving and restoring forests in the Himalayas.
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institution Kabale University
issn 2950-1172
language English
publishDate 2024-01-01
publisher Elsevier
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series Evolving Earth
spelling doaj-art-4ba6b6cd852d4e9dbaabd70130f84f482024-12-12T05:24:58ZengElsevierEvolving Earth2950-11722024-01-012100031Potential of pine forest in controlling soil erosion in Himalayan region - Investigation using fallout radionuclide (137Cs) measurementsAnu David Raj0Suresh Kumar1Sankar Mariappan2K.R. Sooryamol3Justin George Kalambukattu4Agriculture and Soils Department, Indian Institute of Remote Sensing, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Dehradun, India; Forest Research Institute, Deemed to be University, Dehradun, India; Corresponding author. Indian Institute of Remote Sensing, Dehradun, India.Agriculture, Forestry and Ecology Group, Indian Institute of Remote Sensing, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Dehradun, IndiaIndian Institute of Soil and Water Conservation (IISWC), Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Dehradun, IndiaIndian Institute of Soil and Water Conservation (IISWC), Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Dehradun, IndiaAgriculture and Soils Department, Indian Institute of Remote Sensing, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Dehradun, IndiaThe Himalayas possess a distinctive topography owe to the dynamic interplay of tectonic activity, geological erosion and sedimentation, glacial processes, and climatic influences over the millions of years. The rugged, steep terrain and poor land management make it more prone to water erosion, negatively impacts the soil, affecting the goods and services supported by the soil ecosystems. Traditional methods used in soil erosion assessment face limitations when dealing with topographically complex hillslopes. The use of Fallout Radionuclide (FRN) -137Cs provides a feasible alternative for measurement of soil erosion in the region with such topography. However, there is lack of 137Cs-based soil erosion studies in the north-west Himalayas. Pine (Pinus roxburghii) is the predominant forest type in the Himalayas, offering numerous benefits to both natural ecosystems and human beings. In this study, we selected a typical steep hillslope covered with pine forest in the Himalayas for soil erosion assessment. The study measured 137Cs reference inventory of 1409 Bq m−2 in the landscape. Importantly, the concentration of 137Cs along the hillslope positions showed a significant variation attributed to topographic variability. Topographic factors, such as the slope shape and gradient, were identified as the major governing parameters of soil erosion in the hilly and mountainous region. The net soil erosion rate over hillslope positions revealed highest at upper hillslope followed by ridge, middle and valley hillslope positions. The net soil erosion rate under the pine forest ranged from 8.0 to 14.6 t ha−1 yr−1, with an average rate of 9.9 t ha−1 yr−1. Erosion rate over the hillslope positions were found in accordance to the soil loss tolerance limit (SLTL) except for the upper hillslope, indicating it as critical slope position requires to adopt suitable conservation measures. The study signifies the role of the forest in mitigating soil erosion and, in turn, conserving soil resources. The findings provide crucial insights and guidance to land managers and decision-makers, emphasizing the necessity of conserving and restoring forests in the Himalayas.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950117224000013Soil redistribution rateHillslopeForestRadiotracerSoil loss tolerance limit
spellingShingle Anu David Raj
Suresh Kumar
Sankar Mariappan
K.R. Sooryamol
Justin George Kalambukattu
Potential of pine forest in controlling soil erosion in Himalayan region - Investigation using fallout radionuclide (137Cs) measurements
Evolving Earth
Soil redistribution rate
Hillslope
Forest
Radiotracer
Soil loss tolerance limit
title Potential of pine forest in controlling soil erosion in Himalayan region - Investigation using fallout radionuclide (137Cs) measurements
title_full Potential of pine forest in controlling soil erosion in Himalayan region - Investigation using fallout radionuclide (137Cs) measurements
title_fullStr Potential of pine forest in controlling soil erosion in Himalayan region - Investigation using fallout radionuclide (137Cs) measurements
title_full_unstemmed Potential of pine forest in controlling soil erosion in Himalayan region - Investigation using fallout radionuclide (137Cs) measurements
title_short Potential of pine forest in controlling soil erosion in Himalayan region - Investigation using fallout radionuclide (137Cs) measurements
title_sort potential of pine forest in controlling soil erosion in himalayan region investigation using fallout radionuclide 137cs measurements
topic Soil redistribution rate
Hillslope
Forest
Radiotracer
Soil loss tolerance limit
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950117224000013
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