Soil Water Erosion Modeling in Tunisia Using RUSLE and GIS Integrated Approaches and Geospatial Data

Soil erosion is an important environmental problem that can have various negative consequences, such as land degradation, which affects sustainable development and agricultural production, especially in developing countries like Tunisia. Moreover, soil a major around the world because of its effects on fertility by nutriment loss siltation water bodies. Apart from this, most serious type several regions both locally globally. This study evaluated regional risk through derivation appropriate factors, using Revised Universal Loss Equation (RUSLE), was applied to establish map whole Tunisian territory identify vulnerable areas country. The RUSLE model considers all factors playing role processes, namely erodibility soils, topography, use, rainfall erosivity, anti-erosion farming practices. equation is, thus, implemented under Geographic Information System (GIS) “Arc GIS Desktop”. results indicated Tunisia has erosion, showing 6.43% total area country affected very high rate, estimated at more than 30 t/ha/year, 4.20% mean annual losses, ranging 20 t/ha/year. eroded were identified southwestern, central, western parts spatial be used decision support document guide decision-makers towards better management provide opportunity develop strategies for prevention control global scale