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Monthly RUSLE soil erosion risk of Swiss grasslands
Journal
Journal of Maps
Volume
15
Number
2
Pages / Article-Number
247-256
Keywords
Soil loss, modelling, revised universal soil loss equation, Switzerland
Abstract
This study presents the first mapping of soil erosion risk modelling based on the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) at a sub-annual (monthly) temporal resolution and national scale (100 m spatial resolution). The monthly maps show highest water erosion rates on Swiss grasslands in August (1.25 t ha -1 month -1 ). In summer, the mean monthly soil loss by water erosion is 48 times higher than the mean soil loss in winter. Considering the annual average fraction of green vegetation cover of 54%, the predicted soil erosion rate for the Swiss national grassland area would add up to a total eroded soil mass of 5.26 Mt yr -1. The RUSLE application with an intact 100% vegetation cover would largely reduce the soil loss to an average annual rate of 0.14 t ha -1 year -1 . These findings clearly highlight the importance to consider and maintain the current status of the vegetation cover for soil erosion prediction and soil conservation, respectively.