Erosion loss from any particular land use system. During the monsoon, due to high rainfall, upper soil layers get shifted with the flows of water, which is an intense problem for a particular land use. Due to this erosion, some important soil nutrients also move away from the soil layers. So, my question is how to measure it and know how much the actual loss was happening to this from the point of view of t/ha from a land cover?
Sujit Das
Soil loss due to erosion is most commonly measured using specially designated field plots, known as erosion plots. These are small, enclosed areas of land where the amount of water runoff and sediment washed away during rainfall events is observed, particularly during the monsoon season. After each rainfall, the collected sediment is measured and dried, and its mass is expressed in tons per hectare (t/ha). When direct field measurements are not possible, a mathematical model known as the USLE (Universal Soil Loss Equation) is used. This model takes into account several factors: rainfall intensity, soil erodibility, slope length and steepness, type of land cover, and soil conservation practices. The formula enables the estimation of annual soil loss, expressed in tons per hectare. In modern practice, technologies such as drones and satellite imagery are also used to monitor changes in vegetation and soil conditions over time. Based on all these data, an accurate picture can be formed of how much soil is actually being lost and what protective measures need to be implemented to reduce that loss.
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4.1: Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) - Geosciences LibreTexts
https://geo.libretexts.org/Workbench/Soil_and_Water_Conservation_Laboratory_Manual/04%3A_Predicting_Soil_Erosion/4.01%3A_Universal_Soil_Loss_Equation_(USLE)
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