Abstract
The importance of the soil degradation in the Mediterranean area, more particularly in Algeria, has revealed the need for a diagnosis of the erosion processes’ dynamism. In this context, the present work discusses the results obtained by different approaches (conventional methods, Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE), and fallout radionuclides (use of FRNs)). The use of nuclear techniques (FRNs) such as Cesium-137, Lead-210, and Beryllium-7 as tracers can provide an invaluable amount of information on rates of soil loss that is associated with sheet and rill erosion as well as on the redistribution and transfer of that sediment within the landscape. This work mainly presents the results obtained by the application of nuclear isotopes. In the Fergoug watershed study, the use of conventional and nuclear methods has led to converging results. The latter can be summarized as follows: sheet erosion from 1.5 to 10 t·ha−1·year−1 for bare soil and 0.1 to 4 t·ha−1·year−1 for cultivated soil. The use of the RUSLE method has shown that erosion is medium to very high (1 to 33 t·ha−1·year−1). Estimates of erosion by Cesium-137 (137Cs) provided a good understanding of the distribution of the isotope at the slope level and therefore of erosion. The erosion rate is from 26 to 42 t·ha-1·year-1, depending on the models used. On the other hand, sedimentation reached 35 and 55 t·ha-1·year-1 downstream of the slopes. The variation of 137Cs between transects and along the same transect is linked to erosion. The 137Cs method has provided a great deal of information and thus constitutes, by its accuracy and speed, an effective and valuable tool for assessing erosion for medium term (50 years) and monitoring the impacts of land use. It can enable one to overcome the various constraints and limits encountered in the various conventional approaches. It thus appears to be an essential alternative or an effective tool to supplement the conventional methods.
Similar content being viewed by others
Notes
*National Institute for Forest Research.
References
Arabi, M., & Roose, E. (1992). Water and soil fertility management (GCES). A new strategy to fight erosion in Algerian mountains. in : ISCO conference of Sydney. Proc 3: 341-347. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Water-and-soil-fertility-management-(G.C.E.S.)-a-to-Arabi-Roose/5bea1f02c44ab37ff5031d53495fd65435127f1c.
Azaiez, N. (2014). La dynamique géomorphologique actuelle dans le bassin versant de l’oued El Meleh Bou El Ajraf (Tunisie Centre-Orientale): cartographie et essai de quantification de l’érosion hydrique. Faculté des Sciences Humaines et Sociales de Tunis. Thèse du doctorat en géographie : option Géomorphologie. 296 p.
Azbouche, A. (2015). Développement d’une méthodologie d’analyse par spectrométrie gamma et par activation neutronique pour l’étude de la distribution des radio-traceurs et des terres rares dans le sol, PhD thesis, Université des Sciences et de la Technologie Houari Boumediene, Algiers, Algeria, Ref : 16/2 15-D/PH http://repository.usthb.dz/bitstream/handle/123456789/4445/TH8268.pdf.
Azbouche, A., Belamri, M., Hamoudi, A., Morsli, B., & Melzi, Z. (2017). Study of 137Cs redistribution in semi-arid land of western Algeria for soil loss assessment. Journal of Agriculture and Environment for International Development - JAEID, 1, 141–155 https://www.jaeid.it/index.php/JAEID/article/view/564.
Benchetrit, M. (1972). L’érosion actuelle et ses conséquences sur l’aménagement de l’Algérie. Paris :PUF 216 p. https://www.persee.fr/doc/medit_0025-8296_1973_num_15_4_1519.
Benmansour, M., Mabit, L., Nouira, A., Moussadek, R., Bouksirate, H., Duchemin, M., & Benkdad, A. (2013). Assessment of soil erosion and deposition rates in a Moroccan agricultural field using fallout 137Cs and 210Pb [Revue] (pp. 97–106). Elsevier Science: Journal of Environmental Radioactivity https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22898495/.
Bernard, C., Mabit, L., Wicherek, S., & Laverdière, M. R. (1998). Long-term soil redistribution in a small French watershed as estimated from cesium-137 data. Journal of EnvironmentalQuality, 27, 1178–1183 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/257943011.
Bonn, F. (1998). La spatialisation des modèles d’érosion des sols à l’aide de la télédétection des SIG : possibilité, erreurs et limites. Sécheresse,: 185-192. http://geoprodig.cnrs.fr/items/show/61158.
Bouguerra, H., Bouanani, A., Khanchoul, K., Derdous, O., & Tachi, S. E. (2017). Mapping erosion prone areas in the Bouhamdane watershed (Algeria) using the revised universal soil loss equation through GIS. Journal of Water and Land Development, 32, 13–23 https://www.itp.edu.pl/JWLD/files/Bouguerra-et-al.pdf.
Bou-Imajjane, L., & Belfoul, M. A. (2020). Soil loss assessment in Western High Atlas of Morocco: Beni Mohand watershed study case. Applied and Environmental Soil Science, Article ID, 6384176, 15 https://www.hindawi.com/journals/aess/2020/6384176/.
Boukheir, R., Girard, M. C., Shaban, A., Khawlie, M., Faour, G., & Darwich, T. (2001). Apport de la télédétection pour la modélisation de l’érosion hydrique des sols dans la région côtière du Liban. Télédétection, 2, 79–90 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228707207.
Collins, A.L., Walling, D.E., Sichingabula, H. M., & Leeks, G. J. L. (2001). Using Cs-137 measurements to quantify soil erosion and redistribution rates for areas under different land use in the upper Kaleya river basin, Zambia. Geoderma 3:29-323. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S001670610 10008
Demmak, A. (1982). Contribution à l’étude de l’érosion et des transports solides en Algérie septentrionale. Thèse de Docteur Ingénieur, Univ. Paris, France, 323 p. https://books.google.dz/books/about/Contribution_%C3%A0_l_%C3%A9tude_de_l_%C3%A9rosion_e.html?id=tSRUQwAACAAJ&redir_esc=y.
Eckelmann, W., Baritz, R., Bialousz, S., Bielek, P., Carré, F., Houšková, B., Jones, R.J.A., Kibblewhite, M.G., Kozak, J., Le Bas, C., Tóth, G., Tóth, T., Várallyay, G., YliHalla, M., & Zupan, M. (2006). Common criteria for risk area identification according to soil threats. European Soil Bureau Research Report No.20. EUR 22185 EN,94 p. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/290798278.
Evans, R. (2013). Assessment and monitoring of accelerated water erosion of cultivated land- when will reality be acknowledged? Soil Use and Management, 29(1), 105–118 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/263489554.
Fulajtar, E., Mabit, L., Renschler, C.S., & Lee ZhiYi, A. (2017). Use of 137Cs for soil erosion assessment. Soil and Water Management & Crop Nutrition Section, Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Austria http://www.fao.org/3/a-i8211e.pdf.
Gomer, D. (1992). Écoulement et érosion dans des bassins versants à sols marneux sous climat semi-aride méditerranéen. Eschborn (Allemagne) : GTZ-ANRH, 207 p. https://wocatpedia.net/wiki/%C3%89coulement_et_%C3%A9rosion_dans_des_petits_bassins-versants_%C3%A0_sols_marneux_sous_climat_semi-aride_m%C3%A9diterran%C3%A9en.
Heddadj, D. (1997). La lutte contre l’érosion en Algérie. Bull. Réseau Erosion, 17, 168–175 http://www.beep.ird.fr/collect/bre/index/assoc/HASH0140.dir/17-168-175.pdf.
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). (2014). Guidelines for using fallout radionuclides to assess erosion and effectiveness of soil conservation strategies, IAEA-TECDOC-1741. Vienna: IAEA https://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/Publications/PDF/TE-1741_web.pdf.
Laflen, J. M., Leonard, J. L., & Foster, G. R. (1991). WEPP: a new generation of erosion predicting technology. J. Soil and Water Conservation, 46, 34–38 http://www.ciesin.org/docs/002-215/002-215.html.
Laouina, A., Nafaa, R., Coelho , A.C., Chaker, M., Carvalho, T., Boule, AK., & Ferreira, A. (2000). Gestion des eaux et des terres et phénomènes de dégradation dans les collines de ksar el kebir, Maroc, Bull.Réseau Erosion 19-18 p. http://www.fao.org/3/a-x6209f.pdf.
Lin, W. T., Lin, C. Y., & Chou, W. C. (2006). Assessment of vegetation recovery and soil erosion at landslides caused by a catastrophic earthquake: a case study in Central Taiwan. Ecol Eng, 28(1), 79–89 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/222048436.
Mabit, L. (1999). Estimation de l'érosion hydrique des sols par la méthode du 137Cs. Application aux bassins versants de Vierzy (France) et Lennoxville (Québec). Thèse de doctorat, Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne, 257p. http://www.theses.fr/1999PA010504.
Mabit, L., Bernard, C., & Laverdière, M. R. (2007). Assessment of erosion in the Boyer River watershed (Canada) using 137Cs measurements and a GIS oriented sampling strategy. Catena, 2, 242–249 https://www.infona.pl/resource/bwmeta1.element.elsevier-1069dba2-8804-36dd-a05b-6729eee3f813.
Mabit, L., Benmansour, M., & Walling, D. E. (2008). Comparative advantages and limitations of falloutradionuclides (137Cs, 210Pb and 7Be) to assesssoilerosion and sedimentation. J. Environ.Radioact., 99, 1799–1807 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/259182119.
McHenry, J. R. (1968). Use of tracer technique in soil erosion research. Trans. ASAE, 11, 619–625.
Meddi, M., & Hubert, P. (2003). Impact de la modification du régime pluviométrique sur les ressources en eau du nord-ouest de l'Algérie. Hydrology of the Mediterranean and Semi-Arid Regions, pp., 229–235 http://hydrologie.org/redbooks/a278/iahs_278_229.pdf.
Morsli, B. (1996). Caractérisation, distribution et susceptibilité à l'érosion des sols de montagne-Cas des monts de Beni-Chougrane, Thèse de Magister INA El Harrach 176p.
Morsli, B. (2015). Ruissellement et érosion en zone de montagne, analyse des facteurs conditionnels cas des Monts de Beni Chougrane –Algérie, Thèse de Doctorat, Univ (170p). Algérie: Tlemcen http://www.dspace.univ-tlemcen.dz/bitstream/112/15061/1/Doc.Hyd.MORSLI.pdf.
Morsli, B., & Malla, R. (1995). Méthodologie et description de la dynamique du ravinement dans les monts de Beni Chougrane. Rapport INRF 10 p.
Morsli, B., Mazour, M., Mededjel, N., Hamoudi, A., & Roose, E. (2004). Influence de l’utilisation des terres sur les versants semi-arides du NO de l’Algérie. Sécheresse, 15(1), 96–104 https://horizon.documentation.ird.fr/exl-doc/pleins_textes/divers09-00/010033572.pdf.
Mouffadal, K. (2001). Les premiers résultats des parcelles de mesure des pertes en terre dans le bassin-versant de Oued Nakhla dans le Rif occidental. Bull. Réseau Erosion, 21, 244–254 http://www.beep.ird.fr/collect/bre/index/assoc/HASH877c.dir/21-244-254.pdf.
Moukhchane, M. (1999). Contribution à l’étude de l’érosion hydrique dans le Rif occidental. Applications des méthodes expérimentales du 137Cs et de la susceptibilité magnétique aux bassins versants Nakhla, El Hachef et Smir. Thèse D’état. Université Tétouan, Maroc : 260 p.
Probst, J. L., & Amiotte Suchet, P. (1992). Fluvial suspended sediment transport and mechanical erosion in the Maghreb (North Africa). Hydrol. Sci. J., 37, 621–637. https://doi.org/10.1080/02626669209492628.
Rakotavao, A. M. (2015). Carte paléontologique de Madagascar: inventaire et mise en valeur du patrimoine paléontologique. Thèse de Doctorat ,Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier.486p https://www.academia.edu/19122775/.
Rango, A., & Arnoldus, H. (1987). Aménagement des bassins versants. Cahiers techniques de la FAO, 1–11 http://www.fao.org/3/AD071F/AD071f00.htm.
Renard, K., Foster, GR., Weesies, G., McCool, DK., & Yoder, D. (1997). Predicting soil erosion by water; guide to conservation planning with the revised universal soil loss equation (RUSLE). ARS, USDA, Agricultural Handbook No 703. http://www.grr.ulaval.ca/gae_3005/References/Erosion/RUSLE/ah703_toc.pdf.
Risse, L. M., Nearing, M. A., Laflen, J. M., & Nicks, A. D. (1993). Error assessment in the universal soil loss equation. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 57(3), 825 https://pubag.nal.usda.gov/catalog/6588.
Roose, E. (1977). Erosion et ruissellement en Afrique de l’Ouest. Vingt années de mesure en parcelles expérimentales. Travaux et Documents (n° 78, p. 108). Paris: ORSTOM.
Roose, E., Chebbani, R., & Bouragaa, L. (2000). Ravinement en Algérie. Typologie, facteurs de contrôle, quantification et réhabilitation. Sécheresse, 11, 317–326 https://horizon.documentation.ird.fr/exl-doc/pleins_textes/pleins_textes_7/b_fdi_57-58/010024807.pdf.
Roslee, R., & Sharir, K. (2019). Soil erosion analysis using RUSLE model at the Minitod area, Penampang, Sabah, Malaysia. Journal of Physics: Conference Series 2019,12th Seminar on Science and Technology. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1358/1/012066.
Rouse, J. W., Haas, R. H., Schell, J. A., & Deering, D. W. (1994). Monitoring vegetation systems in the great plains with erts. In Third Earth Resources Technology Satellite- 1 Symposium, Greenbelt, NASA SP-351, 1974 (pp. 301–317) https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/19740022614.
Sadiki, A., Faleh, A., Navas, A., & Bouhlassa, S. (2007). Assessing soil erosion and control factors by the radiometric technique in the Boussouab catchment, Eastern Rif, Morocco. CATENA. Vol. 71. pp. 13-20. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Assessing-soil-erosion-and-control-factors-by-the-Sadiki Faleh/2ce3a3d6821bce59660a9e53facb4a2feef9cdd6.
Touaibia, B. (2010). Problématique de l’érosion et du transport solide en Algérie septentrionale. Sécheresse, 1, 1–6 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228656336.
Touaibia, B., Gomer, D., & Aidaoui, A. (2000). Estimation de l’index d’érosion de Wischmeier dans les micro bassins expérimentaux de l’Oued Mina en Algérie du Nord. Bulletin R. Erosion, 20, 478–484 http://www.beep.ird.fr/collect/bre/index/assoc/HASH01aa.dir/20-478-484.pdf.
Toumi, S. (2013). Application des techniques nucléaires et de la télédétection à l’étude de l’érosion hydrique dans le bassin versant de l’oued Mina. Thèse de Docteur de l’ENSH Blida Algérie, 200p. http://hydrologie.org/THE/TOUMI_S.pdf.
Walling, D. E., & Quine, T. A. (1990). Calibration of 137Cs measurements to provide quantitative erosion rate data. Land degradation and Rehabilitation, 2, 161–175. https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.3400020302.
Walling, D.E., & Quine, T.A. (1993). The use of fallout radionuclides in soil erosion investigations Nuclear techniques in soil-plant studies for sustainable agriculture and environmental preservation. Publication ST1/PUB/947. IAEA, Vienna, pp.597±619. https://inis.iaea.org/collection/NCLCollectionStore/_Public/26/056/26056390.pdf?r=1.
Walling, D. E., He, Q., & Quine, T. A. (1995). Use of cesium-137 and lead-210 as tracers in soil erosion investigations. IAHS Publ., 229, 163–172 http://hydrologie.org/redbooks/a229/iahs_229_0163.pdf.
Walling, D. E., He, Q., & Whelan, P. A. (2003). Using 137Cs measurements to validate the application of the AGNPS and ANSWERS erosion and sediment yield models in two small Devon catchments. Soil Tillage Res, 69, 27–43 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/222007183.
Wischmeier, W. H., & Smith, D. D. (1978). Predicting rainfall erosion losses-a guide to conservation planning. USDA-ARS, agriculture handbook No., 537, 58 p https://naldc.nal.usda.gov/download/CAT79706928/PDF.
Wischmeier, W. H., Johnson, C. B., & Cross, B. V. (1971). A soil erodibility nomograph for farm land and construction sites. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation, 26(1971), 189–193.
Zapata, F. (Ed.). (2002). Handbook for the assessment of soil erosion and sedimentation using environmental radionuclides (221pp). Dordrecht: Kluwer https://www.springer.com/gp/book/9781402010415.
Zhang, X. B., Higgitt, D. L., & Walling, D. E. (1990). A preliminary assessment of potential for using cesium-137 to estimate rates of soil erosion in the Loess Plateau of China. HS Journal, 35, 243–252. https://doi.org/10.1080/02626669009492427.
Zhang, X. B., Curtin, K. D., Sun, Y. A., & Wyman, R. J. (1999). Nested transcripts of gap junction gene have distinct expression patterns. J. Neurobiol., 40(3), 288–301 https://europepmc.org/article/med/10440730.
Zupanc, V., & Mabit, L. (2010). Nuclear techniques support to assess erosion and sedimentation processes: preliminary results of the use of 137Cs as soil tracer in Slovenia. Dela, 33, 21–36 https://repozitorij.uni-lj.si/IzpisGradiva.php?id=53585.
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank the General Directorate for Scientific Research and Technological Development of Algeria (DGRSDT) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which funded this study. We would also like to thank all the members of the research teams of the INRF, the CRNA, and the INSID Laboratory at Relizane (Western Algeria). Finally, the authors are also indebted to their colleague M. Adnane S. MOULLA (from CRNA) for his kind contribution in technically editing and improving the language.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Additional information
Publisher’s note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Badreddine, B., Mohammed, H., Boutkhil, M. et al. Assessment of erosion: use of nuclear techniques and conventional methods—case of the Fergoug watershed, Algeria. Environ Monit Assess 193, 55 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-020-08826-w
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-020-08826-w