Erosion susceptibility mapping in the Central-Eastern Region of São Paulo in the last few decades

Soil degradation has become a critical global environmental challenge as a result of rapid population growth, intensified erosion, and increased global warming. Depletion of nutrients, decreased infiltration, availability of water in the subsoil, silting, and eutrophication of surface water resources are directly associated with soil degradation. Water erosion is one of the primary causes of erosion. The principal objective of this study was to understand how climate change and land use have affected susceptibility to erosion in the central-eastern region of the state of São Paulo, Brazil, over the past few decades. Using the technique of multicriteria decision analysis and comparison of thematic layers in pairs, different factors that contribute to soil erosion were integrated in a GIS environment to map erosion hotspots. The results indicated increasing very high, high, and medium erosion susceptibility class percentage. Slope and soil types were the most sensitive factors; however, changes in land use, in particular, increased land cultivation and expanded areas highly susceptible to erosion in late 2019. The results of this study will assist in implementing soil conservation practices in such areas, reducing soil degradation, and increasing productivity.