Erosion Potential Assessment using Open Source Geographical Resources Analysis Support System (GRASS) for Langkawi Island, Malaysia
Mohammad Firuz Ramli
Faculty of Environmental Studies, University Putra Malaysia
Mohd Kamil Yusoff
Faculty of Engineering, University Putra Malaysia
Saari Mustapha
Faculty of Engineering, University Putra Malaysia
Choo Siet Mei
Faculty of Environmental Studies, University Putra Malaysia
要旨
The Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) was used to predict the soil erosion hazard for Langkawi Island, Malaysia. The RUSLE was applied within the Geographical Resources Analysis Support System (GRASS), the open source Geographic Information System (GIS). Secondary raster data affecting erosion namely: rainfall erosivity; soil erodibility; cover management; conservation practices; and slope length and steepness were used to generate soil erosion map. The results predicted that about 58% of the Langkawi are subjected to very low to moderate erosion potential and another 42% to the high to extreme erosion potential. Although further studies are needed, it is clearly demonstrated the effectiveness of open source GIS in generating quantitative information on soil erosion studies.
