Integrating Mean Weight Diameter and Environmental Sensitivity Index for Modeling Soil Erosion Risk and Land Degradation in Soils under Different Agricultural Land Uses

Abstract

The study area is located between latitudes (36°42′24.52″ N – 36°24′38.40″ N) and longitudes (43°38′14.98″ E – 43°22′14.58″ E), covering an area 1245 km². The elevation ranges from 283 to 1015 m above sea level. The climate classified as a transitional zone between semi-arid and Mediterranean climates. Twenty-five sites were selected within the study area. Approximately 2 kg of soil was collected per site, with samples carefully selected to ensure homogeneity. The samples were then transported to the laboratory, air-dried, gently crushed using a wooden hammer, and sieved through a 2 mm mesh sieve. Subsequently, they were stored in plastic containers for further physical and chemical analyses. Laboratory analyses included the determination of soil organic matter, calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) content, and particle size distribution, and Environmental Sensitivity Index equations were applied.The results indicated that the dominant soil textures in the study area ranged from clay to clay loam.. This variability is primarily attributed to differences in soil organic matter content and calcium carbonate levels, which reached maximum values of 2.28% and 37.2%, respectively. Furthermore, the results revealed relatively uniform sorting values across most sites, indicating a generally homogeneous particle size distribution, except for site, which exhibited a high sorting value of 2.420, reflecting poorer sediment uniformity. The study demonstrates that both water and wind erosion processes in the region are controlled by a complex interaction of natural and anthropogenic factors acting simultaneously, which significantly influence soil stability and susceptibility to detachment and transport.