Optimized allocation of forest restoration zones to minimize soil losses in watersheds

Getulio Fonseca Domingues; Gustavo Eduardo Marcatti; André Gustavo Dos Santos; Alexandre Simões Lorenzon; Lucas Arthur de Almeida Telles; Nero Lemos Martins de Castro; Kelly Oliveira Barros; Duberlí Geomar Elera Gonzáles; José Romário de Carvalho; Simony Marques da Silva Gandine; Sady Júnior Martins da Costa de Menezes; Alexandre Rosa Dos Santos; Carlos Antonio Alvares Soares Ribeiro

doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.110923

Optimized allocation of forest restoration zones to minimize soil losses in watersheds

J Environ Manage. 2020 Oct 1:271:110923. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.110923. Epub 2020 Jul 9.

Authors

Getulio Fonseca Domingues¹, Gustavo Eduardo Marcatti², André Gustavo Dos Santos³, Alexandre Simões Lorenzon⁴, Lucas Arthur de Almeida Telles⁵, Nero Lemos Martins de Castro⁶, Kelly Oliveira Barros⁷, Duberlí Geomar Elera Gonzáles⁸, José Romário de Carvalho⁹, Simony Marques da Silva Gandine¹⁰, Sady Júnior Martins da Costa de Menezes¹¹, Alexandre Rosa Dos Santos¹², Carlos Antonio Alvares Soares Ribeiro¹³

Affiliations

¹ Federal University of Viçosa/UFV, Department of Forest Engineering, Av. Peter Henry Rolfs; s/n, 36570-000, Viçosa, MG, Brazil; National Institute of the Atlantic Forest/INMA, Av. José Ruschi, 29650-000 Santa Teresa, ES, Brazil. Electronic address: getulio.floresta@gmail.com.
² Federal University of Viçosa/UFV, Department of Forest Engineering, Av. Peter Henry Rolfs; s/n, 36570-000, Viçosa, MG, Brazil. Electronic address: gustavomarcatti@gmail.com.
³ Federal University of Viçosa/UFV, Department of Computer Science, Av. Peter Henry Rolfs; s/n 36570-000, Viçosa, MG, Brazil. Electronic address: andre@dpi.ufv.br.
⁴ Federal University of Viçosa/UFV, Department of Forest Engineering, Av. Peter Henry Rolfs; s/n, 36570-000, Viçosa, MG, Brazil. Electronic address: alelorenzon@yahoo.com.br.
⁵ Federal University of Viçosa/UFV, Department of Forest Engineering, Av. Peter Henry Rolfs; s/n, 36570-000, Viçosa, MG, Brazil. Electronic address: lucasarthur36@gmail.com.
⁶ Federal University of Viçosa/UFV, Department of Forest Engineering, Av. Peter Henry Rolfs; s/n, 36570-000, Viçosa, MG, Brazil. Electronic address: nerolemos@yahoo.com.br.
⁷ Federal University of Viçosa/UFV, Department of Forest Engineering, Av. Peter Henry Rolfs; s/n, 36570-000, Viçosa, MG, Brazil. Electronic address: kellyobarros@yahoo.com.br.
⁸ Federal University of Viçosa/UFV, Department of Forest Engineering, Av. Peter Henry Rolfs; s/n, 36570-000, Viçosa, MG, Brazil. Electronic address: duberelera@gmail.com.
⁹ Federal University of Espírito Santo/UFES, Departmentof Rural Engineering, Alto Universitário, s/n, 29500-000, Alegre, ES, Brazil. Electronic address: jromario_carvalho@hotmail.com.
¹⁰ Federal University of Espírito Santo/UFES, Departmentof Rural Engineering, Alto Universitário, s/n, 29500-000, Alegre, ES, Brazil. Electronic address: marquesgandi@hotmail.com.
¹¹ Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro/UFRRJ, Three Rivers Institute, Av. Prefeito Alberto Lavinas, 1847, 25802-100, Centro, Três Rios, RJ, Brazil. Electronic address: sadymenezes@yahoo.com.br.
¹² Federal University of Espírito Santo/UFES, Departmentof Rural Engineering, Alto Universitário, s/n, 29500-000, Alegre, ES, Brazil. Electronic address: alexandre.santos@pq.cnpq.br.
¹³ Federal University of Viçosa/UFV, Department of Forest Engineering, Av. Peter Henry Rolfs; s/n, 36570-000, Viçosa, MG, Brazil. Electronic address: cribeiro@ufv.br.

PMID: 32778260
DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.110923

Abstract

Increase of water erosion is one of the main problems in watersheds all over the world and directly affects soil and water resources, causing economic and environmental losses. We proposed a combination of Genetic Algorithm and Erosion/Deposition modelling to allocate vegetation zones in order to reduce soil losses within watersheds. In this study, we have used Unit Stream Power Based Erosion Deposition (USPED) model to predict the spatial distribution of erosion and sediment deposition. Based on USPED estimates, Genetic Algorithm optimize site as well size of forest restoration zones in order to reduce soil losses. Proposed approach considered watershed entirely, in a cell-level optimization, to find the best possible arrangement of forest zones. For initial scenario, soil loss estimate was 2.045,55 ton. ha^-1. year^-1 and after optimization we achieved 52% reduction. Optimized forest zones formed connected and compacted patches, which enable field implementation. Methodology is also applicable to other watersheds around world.

Keywords: Combinatorial optimization; Geographic information systems; Precision forest restoration; Soil erosion.

MeSH terms

Conservation of Natural Resources*
Environmental Monitoring
Forests
Resource Allocation
Soil*

Substances

Soil