Journal of Environmental Biology

Soil erosion assessment using geographical information system (GIS) and remote sensing (RS) study from Ankara-Guvenc Basin, Turkey

Orhan Dengiz*¹, Tugrul Yakupoglu¹ and Oguz Baskan²

¹Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Ondokuz Mayis University - 55139, Samsun-Turkey

²Soil and Water Resources, Ankara Research Institute, Ankara -06172, Turkey

(Received: September 05, 2007; Revised received: January 02, 2008; Accepted: February 12, 2008)

Abstract: The objective of this research was to assess vulnerable soil erosion risk with qualitative approach using GIS in Ankara-Guvenc Basin. The study area is located about 44 km north of Ankara and covers 17.5 km². The selected theme layers of this model include topographic factor, soil factors (depth, texture, impermeable horizon) and land use. Slope layer and land use-land cover data were prepared by using DEM and Landsat-TM satellite image. According to land use classification, the most common land use type and land cover are rangeland (50.5%) then, rainfed (36.4%), week forest land (3.2%), irrigated land (0.7%) and other various lands (rock out crop and lake) (9.2%). Each land characteristic is also considered as a thematic layer in geographical information systems (GIS) process. After combination of the layers, soil erosion risk map was produced. The results showed that 44.4% of the study area is at  high soil erosion risk, whereas 42% of the study area is insignificantly and slightly susceptible to erosion risk. In addition, it was found that only 12.6% of the total area is moderately susceptible to erosion risk. Furthermore, conservation land management measures were also suggested for moderate, high and very high erosion risk areas in Ankara-Guvenc Basin.  

Key words: Erosion risk assessment, Land degradation, Geographical information systems (GIS), Remote sensing (RS)

PDF of full length paper is available with author (* odengiz@omu.edu.tr)

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