Spatio-Temporal Patterns of Soil Erosion and Sediment Yield in the UPNM Catchment

This study investigates the issue of soil erosion which, a persistent threat to ecosystem stability. In this study, the Geographic Information System (GIS) technology was integrated with the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) model and a Sediment Delivery Ratio (SDR) to determine annual soil erosion and sediment yield within the Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia (UPNM) catchment. The necessary information parameters for the model were generated, such as soil erosivity (R), soil erodibility (K), slope length and steepness (LS), land cover (C), and practise of land management (P) by preparing varied input datasets in ArcGIS software. The final maps were calculated through applying raster calculator in ArcGIS. The results reveal that in 2016, the study area experienced high soil loss at a rate of 1.5328 ton/ha/year, accompanied by a notable sediment yield of 0.5324 ton/ha/ year. However, significant progress in erosion management was observed by 2021, leading to a reduced annual soil loss rate of 0.9437 ton/ha/year and a lower sediment yield of 0.3278 ton/ha/year. The findings highlight a positive correlation between soil erosion and sediment yield, underscoring the direct relationship between these two variables. Generally, valuable insights from these findings can be gained for effective erosion management and conservation strategies in the region.

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