Title

Causes and consequences of soil erosion in northeastern Himalaya, India.

Authors

Choudhury, Burhan U.; Nengzouzam, Grace; Ansari, Meraj A.; Islam, Adlul

Abstract

The Northeastern Region of India, due to its geographical location in the eastern Himalaya, exhibits unique features of hilly terrain and abundant rainfall with wide spatial variability. Due to inappropriate and unsustainable land-use practices along the steep hill slopes, the region is prone to severe water erosion and soil loss. Only a few discrete, small-scale studies on measured soil loss in the region are available. Inadequate information at the regional level restricts devising site-specific soil and water conservation measures for the vulnerable areas of this region. To illustrate regional scenarios for future use, including projection studies, we have reviewed studies of soil loss in the region over the past three decades. The literature revealed significant variation in annual soil loss measured or estimated (range) across different land-use practices: traces to 229.5 t ha-1 yr-1 in shifting cultivation (jhum) and traces to 836.0 t ha-1 yr-1 in other non-jhum major land uses (agriculture, open forest and wasteland). The information generated will help prioritize research activities and in planning conservation measures for various stakeholders.

Subjects

HIMALAYA Mountains; INDIA; SHIFTING cultivation; WATER conservation; SOIL conservation; SOIL moisture; SCHEDULING; FOREST soils; SOIL erosion

Publication

Current Science (00113891), 2022, Vol 122, Issue 7, p772

ISSN

0011-3891

Publication type

Academic Journal

DOI

10.18520/cs/v122/i7/772-789