Land Degradation

Model description

The model approach is based on the concepts of susceptibility and sensitivity to water erosion. Susceptibility to water erosion is based on the current terrain erodibility and rainfall erosivity. Sensitivity to water erosion is concerned with the chance that water erosion will occur in the short term, accounting for the actual land use and land cover. Hence, the susceptibility to water erosion represents, in actual fact, the sensitivity of bare soil surfaces.

The susceptibility and sensitivity indices are calculated according to:

E_p = (R+T)/2 (1)
T = (SE+I_a)/2 (2)
E_a = E_p•V (3)

with:
R = rainfall erosivity index (-)
T = terrain erodibility index (-)
E_p = water-erosion susceptibility index (-)
SE = soil erodibility index (-)
I_a = relief index (-)
V = land-use pressure index (-)
E_a = water-erosion sensitivity index (-)

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• to  MNP references