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Causes and consequences of soil erosion in northeastern Himalaya, India


Affiliations
1 Division of System Research and Engineering, ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Umiam 793 103, India
2 ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Manipur Centre, Imphal 795 004, India
3 Natural Resource Management Division (ICAR), Krishi Anusandhan Bhavan, Pusa, New Delhi 110 012, India
 

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.

Keywords

Hilly terrain, land degradation, land-use practices, soil loss, water conservation.
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  • Causes and consequences of soil erosion in northeastern Himalaya, India

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Authors

Burhan U. Choudhury
Division of System Research and Engineering, ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Umiam 793 103, India
Grace Nengzouzam
Division of System Research and Engineering, ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Umiam 793 103, India
Meraj A. Ansari
ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Manipur Centre, Imphal 795 004, India
Adlul Islam
Natural Resource Management Division (ICAR), Krishi Anusandhan Bhavan, Pusa, New Delhi 110 012, India

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.

Keywords


Hilly terrain, land degradation, land-use practices, soil loss, water conservation.

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv122%2Fi7%2F772-789