Tropentag, September 10 - 12, 2025, Bonn "Reconciling land system changes with planetary health"

Assessment of soil erosion in northeastern Mexico as an indicator of ecosystem health

Autonomous University of Nuevo León, Faculty of Forestry Sciences, Mexico

Abstract

This study assesses soil erosion within the Potosí River sub-basin in northeastern Mexico, employing the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) to quantify key factors: rainfall erosivity (R), soil erodibility (K), slope length and steepness (LS), and land cover and conservation practices (CP). Precipitation data from 11 hydrometeorological stations, spanning 2000 to 2020, were analysed to determine the mean annual rainfall and to perform regression analyses for estimating rainfall energy and intensity, thereby calculating daily and annual R-factors.
The study area encompasses approximately 1,200 km², with the main river channel extending 322 km. Modelling results indicate that the northern region exhibits the highest erosion rates, ranging from 943 to 1,240 tons per hectare per year (t/ha/year). Central areas demonstrate lower erosion rates, between 97 and 330 t/ha/year, while intermediate values (550–751 t/ha/year) are observed in zones adjacent to the Potosí River. Agricultural and livestock activities are identified as primary contributors to soil erosion, showing a strong correlation with increased soil loss.
The hydrometric station with the most soil loss is "El Pastor", decreasing in Carmen de los Elizondo and Cabezones; the stations that identify a low soil loss are Cieneguilla, San Roberto and La Poza. This evaluation is essential to generate a model of annual soil loss in tn/ha/year with a resolution of 30m and to identify the areas that require the application of restoration techniques.The information processing consisted of the generation of rasters on the Google Earth Engine platform.
The application of erosion assessment models like USLE is essential for evaluating ecosystem health. These models facilitate the development of mitigation strategies in the context of climate change and escalating pressures on natural resources to meet the demands of a growing population.

Keywords: Conservation practices, ecosystem health, land degradation, Potosí River sub-basin, rainfall erosivity, soil erosion, USLE

Contact Address: Reynaldo De Leon Valladares, Autonomous University of Nuevo León, Faculty of Forestry Sciences, Espana 110, 67755 Linares, Mexico, e-mail: reynaldo.devuanl.edu.mx