Causes and consequences of soil erosion in northeastern Himalaya, 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.