Utilizing New and Innovative Tools to Mitigate Surficial Erosion in Mediterranean Environments
Öz
Abstract
Aim of study: Soil erosion is a serious environmental problem since it can have major impacts on the human society. Climate change is only expected to exacerbate soil erosion. The aim of this study was to use new technologies to measure more accurately and address holistically soil erosion mitigation in Greece.
Area of study: The study area was on Thasos Island, Greece that has flat and steep slope areas, different types of land-uses and frequent wildfires that allowed to assess soil erosion under different conditions.
Material and Methods: Soil erosion was estimated at two different scales (micro and macroscale). For the miscrocale, different sensors along with the use of ultrasonic technology were employed to measure erosion and other influencing factors. For the macroscale, firstly a soil loss equation in GIS was utilized. In addition, an Integrated Information System was developed for stakeholders.
Main results: A new tool that measures accurately and continuously soil erosion was developed. The Automated Soil Erosion Monitoring System (ASEMS) can monitor and store important environmental variables at a specific location (microscale). The variables it measured were: i) soil erosion/deposition (ground level changes), ii) soil moisture, iii) soil temperature, iv) rainfall and v) air temperature. Finally, an Integrated Information System (I2S) that allowed to mitigate soil erosion for large areas (macroscale) was developed.
Highlights: New tools (ASEMS and I2S) and a calibrated equation in GIS were developed that could be utilized by government agencies in Greece to accomplish sustainable, effective and cost-efficient mitigation of soil erosion. These tools are also applicable in other regions of the Mediterranean.
Anahtar Kelimeler
Ultrasonic Sensor,Integrated Information System,Erosion Models,Erosion Risk Maps,Climate Change
Kaynakça
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