Soil erossion assessment in neyyar wildlife sanctuary using geoinformatics

Soil erosion is the process of detachment, transportation and deposition of soil particles from land surface. Agencies or the energy sources involved in the process of soil erosion are mainly water, wind, sea waves, human beings and animals. Soil erosion is a growing problem in Western Ghats of Kerala and particularly in the Neyyar wild life sanctuary in southern western Ghats, with rich biodiversity. Soil erosion not only decreases biodiversity of the area, but also reduces the water availability. In the current study, an effort to predict potential annual soil loss has been conducted. For the prediction, the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) has been adopted with Geographical Information System framework. The RUSLE factors were calculated for the entire sanctuary. The R-factor was calculated from monthly and annual precipitation data. The K-factor was estimated using Soil survey of India data. The LS-factor was calculated from a 20-m digital elevation model. The C-factor was calculated using Remote Sensing techniques. The P-factor was assigned based on field observations and forest management strategies. Soil erosion is one of the most widespread forms of land degradation resulting from such changes in land use. The soil erosion process affects 11.4% of the national territory and has significant consequences for the forest ecosystem. The present paper assess quantitatively the soil erosion potential of Neyyar wildlife sanctuary using geo informatics.