Assessing soil erosion risk using USLE with GIS and SWAT for Thassos Island, Greece

Περίληψη

Soil erosion is a natural geological process but today is one of the most important environmental threats in the world because it is accelerated due to the human activities and the climate change. The Mediterranean Basin is a very prone region to erosion as the climate change effects are already visible. In addition, it is high populated it receives millions of tourists every year. The aim of this study is the spatial and quantitative assessment of the soil losses on Thassos Island, a typical Mediterranean island that receives thousands of tourists every summer. The assessment was conducted with two methodologies: the Universal Soil Loss Equation and the Soil and Water Assessment Tool. The final results of the two methodologies were the creation of the soil erosion maps of the island based on both methodologies. The erosion maps were classified in eight categories of different erosion rates. Both maps indicated the areas of high erosion risk that are dangerous. These areas must be further evaluated in order to mitigate the erosion.