Assessment of Water-Induced Soil Erosion as a Threat to Natura 2000 Protected Areas in Crete Island, Greece

Water erosion is a major threat to biodiversity, according the European Commission’s Soil Thematic Strategy, as it negatively affects soil structure, fertility and water availability for plants. The island of Crete (Southern Greece) has been characterized biodiversity hotspot including several Natura 2000 (N2K)-protected areas. aim this study was model loss rate in regarding species richness, habitat types their conservation status, well MAES (Mapping Assessment Ecosystem Services) ecosystem types. To end, RUSLE prediction implemented, using freely available geospatial data cloud-computing processes. estimated average area 6.15 t ha−1 y−1, while there no significant difference between terrestrial N2K (6.06 y−1) non-N2K (6.19 Notably, natural habitats principal importance (referred “priority” areas), Annex I Directive 92/43/EEC, are threatened by with an mean annual equal 8.58 y−1. It also notable that grasslands, heathland shrubs sparsely vegetated areas experienced highest rates among identified results showed serious N2K-protected Therefore, need systematic spatiotemporal monitoring implementation mitigation measures.