Skip to main content

Main menu

  • Home
  • Content
    • Current Issue
    • Early Online
    • Archive
    • Subject Collections
  • Info For
    • Authors
    • Reviewers
    • Subscribers
    • Advertisers
  • About
    • About JSWC
    • Editorial Board
    • Call for Research Editor
    • Permissions
    • Alerts
    • RSS Feeds
    • Contact Us

User menu

  • Register
  • Subscribe
  • My alerts
  • Log in
  • My Cart

Search

  • Advanced search
Journal of Soil and Water Conservation

  • Register
  • Subscribe
  • My alerts
  • Log in
  • My Cart
Journal of Soil and Water Conservation

Advanced Search

  • Home
  • Content
    • Current Issue
    • Early Online
    • Archive
    • Subject Collections
  • Info For
    • Authors
    • Reviewers
    • Subscribers
    • Advertisers
  • About
    • About JSWC
    • Editorial Board
    • Call for Research Editor
    • Permissions
    • Alerts
    • RSS Feeds
    • Contact Us
  • Follow SWCS on Twitter
  • Visit SWCS on Facebook
Research ArticleRESEARCH SECTION

Soil erosion assessment in Ethiopia: A review

L. Tamene, W. Abera, B. Demissie, G. Desta, K. Woldearegay and K. Mekonnen
Journal of Soil and Water Conservation March 2022, 77 (2) 144-157; DOI: https://doi.org/10.2489/jswc.2022.00002
L. Tamene
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
W. Abera
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
B. Demissie
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
G. Desta
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
K. Woldearegay
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
K. Mekonnen
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • Article
  • Figures & Data
  • References
  • Info & Metrics
  • PDF
Loading

Abstract

Soil erosion is a critical problem affecting rural livelihoods in Ethiopia. Large numbers of studies have been undertaken to identify critical areas of soil loss and prioritize conservation options. With the advancement of geospatial analysis techniques, the use of spatially distributed soil erosion assessment options has become increasingly common. The lack of database and documentation related to soil erosion assessment undermines coordination leading to duplication of efforts and in some instances generating contradictory results. The purpose of this study is to (1) review existing knowledge related to the extent and spatial distribution of soil erosion, (2) document the associated methods employed to assess soil erosion, and (3) assess the spatio-temporal dynamics of soil erosion and the determinant factors in Ethiopia. The review shows that there are about 170 peer-reviewed papers published in scientific journals related to soil erosion in Ethiopia. In those scientific articles, 15 different approaches were used to assess soil loss and sediment yield at different scales. Considering the data set, soil loss rate in Ethiopia varies between 0 and 220 t ha–1 y–1, and sediment yield ranges between 2 and 70 t ha–1 y–1. Based on the database, the national average gross soil erosion rate is estimated to be 38 t ha–1 y–1, while the net sediment yield is about 26 t ha–1 y–1. Generally, the observed gross soil loss is slightly lower than the mean value from cultivated lands reported in previous estimates (42 t ha–1 y–1) by Hurni (1993). The estimate made using the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation gives the highest soil loss (51 t ha–1 y–1), while that based on field-survey approaches gives the lowest (20 t ha–1 y–1). The highest average net soil loss rate (40 t ha–1 y–1) is obtained using plot-level measurements, while the lowest (18 t ha–1 y–1) is obtained using the AGricultural Non-Point Source pollution model. The highest average soil erosion rate is observed in the moist agro-ecological zone (57 ± 7.8 t ha–1 y–1), while the lowest is obtained in the submoist (23.6 ± 2.7 t ha–1 y–1) following the arid zone (28.8 ± 6.5 t ha–1 y–1). The wide range of soil erosion estimates imply spatio-temporal dynamics of soil erosion in the country, which is mainly a reflection of heterogeneity of the various sites, mainly associated with different values of cover and management factors. Such knowledge can enable making informed conservation decisions by focusing on critical hotspots.

Key words
  • agroecology
  • conservation prioritization
  • land degradation
  • modeling
  • sediment yield
  • soil erosion factors
  • © 2022 by the Soil and Water Conservation Society
View Full Text

This article requires a subscription to view the full text. If you have a subscription you may use the login form below to view the article. Access to this article can also be purchased.

Log in using your username and password

Forgot your user name or password?

Purchase access

You may purchase access to this article. This will require you to create an account if you don't already have one.
PreviousNext
Back to top

In this issue

Journal of Soil and Water Conservation: 77 (2)
Journal of Soil and Water Conservation
Vol. 77, Issue 2
March/April 2022
  • Table of Contents
  • Table of Contents (PDF)
  • About the Cover
  • Index by author
  • Front Matter (PDF)
Print
Download PDF
Article Alerts
Sign In to Email Alerts with your Email Address
Email Article

Thank you for your interest in spreading the word on Journal of Soil and Water Conservation.

NOTE: We only request your email address so that the person you are recommending the page to knows that you wanted them to see it, and that it is not junk mail. We do not capture any email address.

Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas.
Soil erosion assessment in Ethiopia: A review
(Your Name) has sent you a message from Journal of Soil and Water Conservation
(Your Name) thought you would like to see the Journal of Soil and Water Conservation web site.
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
10 + 8 =
Solve this simple math problem and enter the result. E.g. for 1+3, enter 4.
Citation Tools
Soil erosion assessment in Ethiopia: A review
L. Tamene, W. Abera, B. Demissie, G. Desta, K. Woldearegay, K. Mekonnen
Journal of Soil and Water Conservation Mar 2022, 77 (2) 144-157; DOI: 10.2489/jswc.2022.00002

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero
Request Permissions
Share
Soil erosion assessment in Ethiopia: A review
L. Tamene, W. Abera, B. Demissie, G. Desta, K. Woldearegay, K. Mekonnen
Journal of Soil and Water Conservation Mar 2022, 77 (2) 144-157; DOI: 10.2489/jswc.2022.00002
Reddit logo Twitter logo Facebook logo Mendeley logo
  • Tweet Widget
  • Facebook Like
  • Google Plus One

Jump to section

  • Article
    • Abstract
    • Materials and Methods
    • Results and Discussion
    • Summary and Conclusions
    • Acknowledgements
    • References
  • Figures & Data
  • Info & Metrics
  • References
  • PDF

Related Articles

  • No related articles found.
  • Google Scholar

Cited By...

  • No citing articles found.
  • Google Scholar

More in this TOC Section

  • Rice producer enrollment and retention in a USDA regional conservation partnership program in the southern United States
  • Benefits, barriers, and use of cover crops in the western United States: Regional survey results
  • Microbial respiration gives early indication of soil health improvement following cover crops
Show more Research Section

Similar Articles

Keywords

  • agroecology
  • conservation prioritization
  • land degradation
  • modeling
  • sediment yield
  • soil erosion factors

Content

  • Current Issue
  • Early Online
  • Archive
  • Subject Collections

Info For

  • Authors
  • Reviewers
  • Subscribers
  • Advertisers

Customer Service

  • Subscriptions
  • Permissions and Reprints
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy

SWCS

  • Membership
  • Publications
  • Meetings and Events
  • Conservation Career Center

© 2023 Soil and Water Conservation Society