Reducing floods impact: Indian researchers develop method to curb soil erosion, landslides
Reducing floods impact: Indian researchers develop method to curb soil erosion, landslides
Shimla
As heavy rainfall continues to wreak havoc in Himalayan states, researchers have found that natural vegetation and added fibres of Indian goose grass can transform an intense erosion zone into one with practically ‘no erosion’.
The study has been conducted by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Mandi to examine the potential of plants and fibres in combatting soil erosion.
The researchers, associate professors Dr Kala Venkata Uday and Dr Arnav Bhavsar Vinayak measured the impact of bioengineering against soil erosion.
The bioengineering solution concluded that plant roots can reduce erosion by stabilizing soil and preserving biodiversity.
The innovative tests on rainfall effects on erosion were conducted at IIT Mandi’s cost-effective lab and it highlighted bioengineering success.
Dr Arnav Bhavsar Vinayak said “Image analysis works well for small areas like road embankments, slopes, and short natural stretches.
But for bigger areas, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and remote-sensing imaging are better.
Our approach which uses contour detection and filling, is better than existing techniques that are often complex and costly.”
The study published in the Journal of Soil and Sediments showed that natural vegetation roots and added fibres can work together to significantly improve soil cohesion.
The type of soil, moisture content, and reinforcement collectively influence erosion rates, offering insights into soil conservation strategies.
This multidisciplinary approach, combining bioengineering and image analysis, provides a promising path for addressing the challenge of soil erosion.
It shows how natural vegetation and added fibres of Indian goose grass can transform an intense erosion zone into one with practically ‘no erosion’.
The fibre or plants and their amount will depend on the type of erosion (caused by splashes or runoff) and the form of erosion (sheet or rill).
Such research aims to make erosion control methods more effective and promote the use of natural materials.
In terms of the practical implications and future work, Dr K V Uday said the simple method has gauged the effectiveness of nature-based erosion mitigation solutions.
“Our method can differentiate between splash-induced erosion and runoff-induced erosion, a capability lacking in current methodologies.
Also, numerical studies help enhance specific strategies for soil erosion control in larger fields,” he added.
Notably, soil erosion, a complex global environmental issue, has garnered significant worldwide attention.
The FAO-led Global Soil Partnership reports an annual erosion of a staggering 75 billion tonnes of soil worldwide with an estimated annual loss of US$400 billion.
This issue hits home in India, where nearly 60% of land faces soil erosion.
Approximately 145 million hectares of land in the country demand immediate conservation efforts from a reported total area of 305.9 million hectares.
It has far-reaching consequences as lost soil fertility, less water-holding capacity, lower crop yields, increased runoff and environmental damage due to sedimentation in water bodies.
Additionally, soil erosion destabilizes the ground, making it more susceptible to landslides on steep slopes.
