An Assessment of Soil Erosion using RUSLE Model: A Case Study from the Marmara Region

Soil resource is essential for livelihood of human being. Soil erosion is one of the most serious natural problem affected by land degradation, agricultural and other human induced activities, such as climate change, particularly the changed precipitation trend. The aim of the study is applying the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) with the help of remote sensing and geographic information system techniques to calculate soil loss and to map soil erosion of the Marmara Region of Turkey in the changing climate conditions between 1989 and 2017, and also to make future projection of soil erosion for the years between 2020 and 2049. This model is composed of variety of factors associated with climate, vegetation, soil and topography. The results of the study showed that according to the two scenarios of the Regional Climate Model RCP 4.5 (optimistic), and RCP 8.5 (pessimistic), the future soil loss of the Marmara Region in the changing rainfall events is higher than the results of the historical data. The soil loss results for the time interval 2020-2049 of the scenario RCP8.5 is 61% higher than the results of the scenario RCP4.5. Also, the soil loss results of the historical data of the Regional Climate Model showed that the soil loss range from 0 to 24,298 Mg. ha-1. year—1 during the time interval 1989 – 2017 in the Marmara Region, and also the average soil loss is 12,2 Mg. ha-1. year—1 .