The soil loss by water erosion at the European part of Russia

A quantitative assessment of the potential soil erosion on arable land in the European part of Russia (EPR) was carried out. The total area of arable land of the EPR is about 650,000 km². The majority of the population of Russia lives here - about 95 million people. The level of generalization of work is regional and corresponds to a scale of 1: 500,000.

As a research method, mathematical modeling based on modified for Russia’s natural conditions USLE equation for calculating potential soil loss from erosion. Another leading method for assessing soil erosion and presenting results is GIS. A raster model of data presentation was used in the calculations, including a model of slope angles, slope lengths, soil erodibility, erosive rainfall potential, water reserves in snow, intra-annual redistribution of rainfall, and land use types.

New data have been obtained on the value of soil erosion losses during melt and storm runoff periods and total annual losses. An electronic map of soil erosion losses on arable lands of the European part of Russia has been compiled, which allows determining spatial features of soil erosion rates.

The average soil erosion losses, taking into account the soil-protective coefficients of agricultural crops for the study area, are 4.04 t / ha per year. In annual soil losses due to erosion, storm 3.78 prevails, soil loss from melt water is almost an order of magnitude less - t / ha 0.26. About half of the territory is located in conditions under which the soil loss does not exceed 0.5 t / ha per year.

The rate of potential soil erosion on arable land in the European part of Russia naturally decreases in the direction from the taiga-forest to the steppe landscape zone. The band of maximum potential soil erosion of the west-east sub-latitudinal strike is clearly distinguished, confined to the subzone of mixed and broad-leaved forests with very high plowing. A comparative analysis of our data and data obtained in the mid-1980s showed a reduction in soil loss from water erosion in all landscape zones. In addition, a comparative analysis of the data obtained by us and the data for the European Union was carried out, which showed that the soil losses on the EPR are slightly higher.