A review of soil erosion modeling by R/USLE in Morocco: Achievements and limits

Abstract

Soil erosion is a major cause of land degradation. It can be estimated with several models, such as empirical, conceptual and physical based. One of the empirical models used worldwide nowadays for soil erosion assessment is the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) and its updated form, the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE). In Morocco, this model is being used to assess and quantify soil loss by water erosion. In spite of this, it was noted that limited studies employed correctly this important tool. The goal of this review paper was to identify potential usage of R/USLE models in Morocco. This was done by evaluating the conducted studies concerning these models and main gaps and challenges were determined accordingly. Improvement options and future requirements for using R/USLE models were recommended. In order to assess the statues of the R/USLE models applications, the 56 published documents related to R/USLE models conducted in Morocco during the first use till 2020 were collected and reviewed. These publications covered five main areas. The main benefits as well as gaps of the conducted studies were discussed for each area. Current concerns, need of future studies as well as related recommendations and suggestions were also presented.

The Effect of Erosion Control Practices on the Vulnerability of Soil Degradation in Oued EL Malleh Catchment using the USLE Model Integrated into GIS, Morocco

“…Comparing this result with simulated values demonstrates that the USLE model underestimates the soil erosion in the Oued El Malleh watershed. This finding is in agreement with [59][60][61].…”

The estimation of water erosion with RUSLE and deposition model: A case study of the Bin El-Ouidane dam catchment area (High Atlas, Morocco)

“…The spatial estimation approach of RUSLE is used in many studies to quantify the average annual soil losses due to water erosion, including in Mediterranean or semiarid areas (Al Zitawi, 2006;Kouli, Soupios and Vallianatos, 2008;Khemiri and Jebari, 2021). In line with the Kingdom's erosion control program, the model is also preferred for studies in Morocco (Meliho et al, 2016;Hara et al, 2020;Manaouch, Zouagui and Fenjiro, 2021).…”

Simulation and prediction of soil loss using the RMMF and CA-Markov models in the Upper Tana River basin, Kenya

“…The model has advantages of being simple, parameters availability and being relatively too easy to use. Like any other model, it faced the limitations of being event unresponsive and providing only annual soil loss estimates while at the same time ignoring the processes of rainfall and runoff and their relationship to soil erosion (Manaouch et al, 2021). The Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation was later developed which was a revised version of the USLE to facilitate accurate estimation of soil loss for both cropland and rangeland areas (Igwe et al, 2017).…”