A review of the (Revised) Universal Soil Loss Equation ((R)USLE): with a view to increasing its global applicability and improving soil loss estimates

Abstract

Abstract. Soil erosion is a major problem around the world because of its effects on soil productivity, nutrient loss, siltation in water bodies, and degradation of water quality. By understanding the driving forces behind soil erosion, we can more easily identify erosion-prone areas within a landscape to address the problem strategically. Soil erosion models have been used to assist in this task. One of the most commonly used soil erosion models is the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) and its family of models: the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE), the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation version 2 (RUSLE2), and the Modified Universal Soil Loss Equation (MUSLE). This paper reviews the different sub-factors of USLE and RUSLE, and analyses how different studies around the world have adapted the equations to local conditions. We compiled these studies and equations to serve as a reference for other researchers working with (R)USLE and related approaches. Within each sub-factor section, the strengths and limitations of the different equations are discussed, and guidance is given as to which equations may be most appropriate for particular climate types, spatial resolution, and temporal scale. We investigate some of the limitations of existing (R)USLE formulations, such as uncertainty issues given the simple empirical nature of the model and many of its sub-components; uncertainty issues around data availability; and its inability to account for soil loss from gully erosion, mass wasting events, or predicting potential sediment yields to streams. Recommendations on how to overcome some of the uncertainties associated with the model are given. Several key future directions to refine it are outlined: e.g. incorporating soil loss from other types of soil erosion, estimating soil loss at sub-annual temporal scales, and compiling consistent units for the future literature to reduce confusion and errors caused by mismatching units. The potential of combining (R)USLE with the Compound Topographic Index (CTI) and sediment delivery ratio (SDR) to account for gully erosion and sediment yield to streams respectively is discussed. Overall, the aim of this paper is to review the (R)USLE and its sub-factors, and to elucidate the caveats, limitations, and recommendations for future applications of these soil erosion models. We hope these recommendations will help researchers more robustly apply (R)USLE in a range of geoclimatic regions with varying data availability, and modelling different land cover scenarios at finer spatial and temporal scales (e.g. at the field scale with different cropping options).