Impact of Climate and Land Use Land Cover Changes on Soil Erosion
Rajendra Prasad Singh
Abstract
Climate changeClimate change and land use land cover (LULC) changes are recognised as two of the most significant causes of environmental change. Climate changeClimate change and LULC changes are related to one another. Land use change may drive climate changeClimate change, and a changing climate may result in land cover changes. Climate changeClimate change and LULC changes are believed to influence soil erosionSoil erosion. This chapter analyses the impacts of climate and LULC changes on soil erosion. The causes and effects of climate changeClimate change on precipitation, temperature, solar radiationSolar radiation, atmospheric CO2 concentrations, and radiative forcing are discussed. The chapter includes the impacts of climate changeClimate change on soil characteristics, vegetation cover, runoffRunoff, floods, and droughts and extends the impacts of these changes on water andWind erosion wind erosionErosionwind. The chapter explores the human alterations of LULC changes in terms of changes in the forest cover, alterations in agricultural lands, increase in urban areas, and decrease in wetland areas. The influence of the LULC changes on soil erosion and sediment production processes is discussed. Also, the combined impact of climate and LULC changes on soil erosionSoil erosion is explored, and mitigation strategies like sustainable land management practices and appropriate policy incentives to conserve soil are discussed.