Improving Soil E rosion Prevention in Greece with New Tools

Abstract

Unsustainable anthropogenic activities such as agriculture and urbanization have caused excessive erosion rates that exceed soil formation rates. The Mediterranean region has and continues to experience severe erosion because of the inappropriate agricultural management, overgrazing, deforestation, wildfires, land abandonment, intense road construction and other construction activities. The forecasted increase of intensive rainfall events and prolonged drought periods due to climate change, will enhance surface runoff and sediment transport capacity. The objective of this study was to develop new tools to help land managers mitigate erosion in the country of Greece. One of the tools was a new sensor (ASEMS) that is based on the physical properties of ultrasound to detect erosion locally with great accuracy (1 mm), while simultaneously measuring precipitation, soil moisture, and soil and air temperature. The other tool was the development of the Soil Erosion Integrated Information System (SE-I2S) that enables land managers through a series of questions to understand if they are facing erosion problems and what type of erosion. This tool can be applied to large areas. Overall, both new tools are user friendly and help land managers mitigate soil erosion cost-effectively.