Soil erosion map to be compiled with help of satellite imaging and AI
The Department of Landscape Ecology scientists are among the winners of Russian Science Foundation grants.
“The problem of water erosion of arable lands is one of the main challenges to the sustainable development of the country’s agricultural industry,” comments project lead, lead researcher of the Carbon Balance Laboratory, associate professor of the Department of Landscape Ecology Zhanna Buryak. “Despite a slight decrease in the rate of water erosion in certain regions associated with climate change and the nature of land use, this type of land degradation remains the most common in the agricultural zone of Russia.”
For large- and medium-scale assessments of soil erosion at the regional level, KFU ecologists proposed using automated digital soil mapping methods as an alternative to the traditional visual approach to compiling soil maps.
“Our project is aimed at developing a methodology for automated mapping of the degree of erosion of arable soils in Tatarstan, studying the spatial and temporal patterns of its dynamics and assessing the natural and anthropogenic prerequisites for erosive degradation,” says Buryak.
According to the scientist, during the implementation of the project, an advanced methodology for mapping soil erosion will be developed and implemented, based on the use of remote sensing data and artificial intelligence methods.
“Our approach combines satellite multispectral images, soil spectral indices, and extensive field soil survey data,” the grantee explains. “For the first time in Russia, an automated assessment of the areas of eroded soils with varying degrees of erosion will be conducted at the provincial level, which will allow us to identify areas of significant erosion degradation with high accuracy.”
Along with a unique method for mapping soil erosion, the project will create maps of the degree of soil erosion in the Republic of Tatarstan, covering the periods of 1985-1990 and 2019-2024, and establish patterns in the spatio-temporal dynamics of the degree of erosion of arable soils over 35 years.
“We also plan to create a specialized geographic information system and a thematic geographic portal with open access so that information can be used by professionals in nature management when making management decisions at the regional level,” continues Buryak.
The results are also planned to be used for the development of specialized courses for students of Ecology and Nature Management, Soil Science, Geography, Hydrometeorology, Cartography and Geo-Informatics.