Soil erosion is one of the major threats to soil sustainability and a global environmental issue causing serious losses of the fertile upper layer of soil, affecting land productivity. Among natural processes and human activity factors, the highest sensitivity of soil loss rate is related to climate changes, as well as land cover/land use transformations. The aim of our paper is to assess the efficacy of various land cover and land use management practices under current climate conditions, as a decision‐making indicator in searching for sustainable soil‐use solutions. The approach is focused on two complementary case studies from the non‐arable hilly area of Romanian Subcarpathians and it is based on aggregating and processing Earth Observation (EO) techniques together with the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) equation. The workflow follows three stages: (1) the assessment of the present‐day status of soil erosion, as baseline scenario; (2) the analysis of historical soil erosion dynamics within the last 35 years; and (3) the prediction of soil loss rates in different scenarios of changed conditions related to land cover management and support practices against erosion. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of human interventions in soil erosion prevention, mitigation, or conservation. Soil‐improving management through vegetative measures and soil practices, like grazing management and mulching/manure application, together with forest recovery on eroded slopes may reduce soil loss rates by 50%–70%. However, abandoning the land and allowing the environment to change uncontrollably is a regional‐specific strategy that could accelerate soil erosion on the slopes that are already affected, while decelerating on the others by forest and shrubs regrowth. The significance of our research is related to the identification of the optimal soil use strategies that balance the local communities' economic interests with the effectiveness of sustainable soil management practices, thereby assisting in the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as indicators for a sustainable future.

中文翻译：

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基于 RUSLE 的可持续土壤管理情景：罗马尼亚喀尔巴阡山地区的案例研究


土壤侵蚀是土壤可持续性的主要威胁之一，也是全球环境问题，导致肥沃的上层土壤严重流失，影响土地生产力。在自然过程和人类活动因素中，土壤流失率的最高敏感性与气候变化以及土地覆盖/土地利用转变有关。我们论文的目的是评估当前气候条件下各种土地覆盖和土地利用管理实践的有效性，作为寻找可持续土壤利用解决方案的决策指标。该方法侧重于罗马尼亚喀尔巴阡山脉非耕地丘陵地区的两个互补案例研究，基于地球观测（EO）技术以及修订后的通用土壤流失方程（RUSLE）方程的汇总和处理。工作流程分为三个阶段：（1）评估当前土壤侵蚀状况，作为基线情景； （2）近35年历史土壤侵蚀动态分析； (3) 与土地覆盖管理和侵蚀支持措施相关的条件变化的不同情景下的土壤流失率预测。结果证明了人类干预措施在预防、缓解或保护土壤侵蚀方面的有效性。通过植被措施和土壤实践（如放牧管理和覆盖/施肥）进行土壤改良管理，再加上侵蚀山坡上的森林恢复，可以将土壤流失率减少 50%–70%。然而，放弃土地并允许环境发生不可控制的变化是一种针对特定区域的策略，可能会加速已受影响斜坡上的土壤侵蚀，同时通过森林和灌木的再生来减缓其他斜坡的土壤侵蚀。 我们研究的意义在于确定最佳土壤利用策略，平衡当地社区的经济利益与可持续土壤管理实践的有效性，从而帮助实现联合国可持续发展目标（SDG）作为指标可持续的未来。