| Title: | Spatial and temporal responses of soil erosion to climate change impacts in a transnational watershed in Southeast Asia |
| Authors: | Giang, P.Q., L.T. Giang and K. Toshiki |
| Year: | 2017 |
| Journal: | Climate |
| Volume (Issue): | 5(1) |
| Pages: | |
| Article ID: | 22 |
| DOI: | 10.3390/cli5010022 |
| URL (non-DOI journals): | |
| Model: | SWAT |
| Broad Application Category: | pollutant only |
| Primary Application Category: | climate change |
| Secondary Application Category: | sediment loss and transport |
| Watershed Description: | 22,000 km^2 Upper Ca River, which drains portions of northeast Lao PDR and northwest Vietnam. |
| Calibration Summary: | |
| Validation Summary: | |
| General Comments: | |
| Abstract: | It has been widely predicted that Southeast Asia is among the regions facing the most severe
climate change impacts. Despite this forecast, little research has been published on the potential
impacts of climate change on soil erosion in this region. This study focused on the impact of climate
change on spatial and temporal patterns of soil erosion in the Laos–Vietnam transnational Upper
Ca River Watershed. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) coupled with downscaled global
climate models (GCMs) was employed for simulation. Soil erosion in the watershed was mostly
found as “hill-slope erosion”, which occurred seriously in the upstream area where topography is
dominated by numerous steep hills with sparse vegetation cover. However, under the impact of
climate change, it is very likely that soil erosion rate in the downstream area will increase at a higher
rate than in its upstream area due to a greater increase in precipitation. Seasonally, soil erosion is
predicted to increase significantly in the warmer and wetter climate of the wet season, when higher
erosive power of an increased amount and intensity of rainfall is accompanied by higher sediment
transport capacity. The results of this study provide useful information for decision makers to plan
where and when soil conservation practice should be focused. |
| Language: | English |
| Keywords: | climate change; modelling; soil erosion; spatial; temporal |