Estimating soil erosion utilizing geospatial method and revised universal soil loss equation (RUSLE) of Abu Ghraibat Watershed, Eastern Misan Governorate, Iraq

Maaroof, BF, Kareem, HH, Al-Zubaydi, JH, Al-Ansari, N, Aziz, MA, AL-Quraishy, DAA, Al-Hasani, B ORCID: 0000-0003-2189-4018, Abdellatif, M ORCID: 0000-0003-2314-3883, Carnacina, I ORCID: 0000-0001-5567-7180, Thannoun, RG, Al-Kubaisi, MS and Al-Maarofi, SS (2025) Estimating soil erosion utilizing geospatial method and revised universal soil loss equation (RUSLE) of Abu Ghraibat Watershed, Eastern Misan Governorate, Iraq. Scientific Reports, 15 (1). ISSN 2045-2322

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Abstract

This study examined the synergistic and independent effects of soil properties, vegetation cover, conservation practices, and slope on the spatial distribution characteristics of soil erosion in the Abu-Ghraibat watershed in 2024. Soil samples have been collected and analyzed in the laboratory, along with high-resolution satellite imagery, meteorological data, and digital elevation model (DEM) data. The findings indicate that soil erosion in the Abu-Ghraibat watershed in 2024 was minimal, with a progressively increasing severity from north to south. In the studied area, grassland accounts for over 50% of soil erosion, with regions with vegetation coverage > 30% as the primary contributors, all of which are influenced by slope. Moreover, the enhancement of vegetation in the lower strata of the basin and in grasslands, especially on slopes ranging from 10° to 45°, along with the conversion of sloping woodlands and grasslands into terraces, has proven an effective strategy for mitigating soil erosion in the Abu-Ghraibat watershed. The present study has demonstrated that the RUSLEGIS integrated model may serve as an effective instrument for quantitatively and spatially mapping soil erosion at the watershed level in the Abu-Ghraibat, while accounting for the provision of landscape services.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Abu ghraibat watershed; GIS; Geohazards; RUSLE; Soil degradation; 37 Earth Sciences; 41 Environmental Sciences; 3704 Geoinformatics
Subjects:	T Technology > TA Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General)
Divisions:	Civil Engineering and Built Environment
Publisher:	Springer Nature
Date of acceptance:	18 December 2025
Date of first compliant Open Access:	15 January 2026
Date Deposited:	15 Jan 2026 15:24
Last Modified:	15 Jan 2026 15:24
DOI or ID number:	10.1038/s41598-025-33403-x
URI:	https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/27916

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