Towards a Pan‐European Assessment of Land Susceptibility to Wind Erosion

Understanding spatial and temporal patterns in land susceptibility to wind erosion is essential to design effective management strategies to control land degradation. The knowledge about the land surface susceptible to wind erosion in European contexts shows significant gaps. The lack of researches, particularly at the landscape to regional scales, prevents national and European institutions from taking actions aimed at an effective mitigating of land degradation. This study provides a preliminary pan‐European assessment that delineates the spatial patterns of land susceptibility to wind erosion and lays the groundwork for future modelling activities. An Index of Land Susceptibility to Wind Erosion (ILSWE) was created by combining spatiotemporal variations of the most influential wind erosion factors (i.e. climatic erosivity, soil erodibility, vegetation cover and landscape roughness). The sensitivity of each input factor was ranked according to fuzzy logic techniques. State‐of‐the‐art findings within the literature on soil erodibility and land susceptibility were used to evaluate the outcomes of the proposed modelling activity. Results show that the approach is suitable for integrating wind erosion information and environmental factors. Within the 34 European countries under investigation, moderate and high levels of land susceptibility to wind erosion were predicted, ranging from 25·8 to 13·0 M ha, respectively (corresponding to 5·3 and 2·9% of total area). New insights into the geography of wind erosion susceptibility in Europe were obtained and provide a solid basis for further investigations into the spatial variability and susceptibility of land to wind erosion across Europe. © 2014 The Authors. Land Degradation and Development published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Mapping soil erosion risk in Rondônia,Brazilian Amazonia: using RUSLE,remote sensing and GIS

This article discusses research in which the authors applied the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE), remote sensing, and geographical information system (GIS) to the maping of soil erosion risk in Brazilian Amazonia. Soil map and soil survey data were used to develop the soil erodibility factor (K), and a digital elevation model image was used to generate the topographic factor (LS). The cover‐management factor (C) was developed based on vegetation, shade, and soil fraction images derived from spectral mixture analysis of a Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus image. Assuming the same climatic conditions and no support practice in the study area, the rainfall–runoff erosivity (R) and the support practice (P) factors were not used. The majority of the study area has K values of less than 0·2, LS values of less than 2·5, and C values of less than 0·25. A soil erosion risk map with five classes (very low, low, medium, medium‐high, and high) was produced based on the simplified RUSLE within the GIS environment, and was linked to land use and land cover (LULC) image to explore relationships between soil erosion risk and LULC distribution. The results indicate that most successional and mature forests are in very low and low erosion risk areas, while agroforestry and pasture are usually associated with medium to high risk areas. This research implies that remote sensing and GIS provide promising tools for evaluating and mapping soil erosion risk in Amazonia. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

SOIL SEED BANK CHARACTERISTICS BENEATH AN AGE SEQUENCE OF CARAGANA MICROPHYLLA SHRUBS IN THE HORQIN SANDY LAND REGION OF NORTHEASTERN CHINA

To understand how shrub cover affects the spatiotemporal patterns of the soil seed bank and to assess the role of vegetation in the restoration of desertified land in a semi‐arid region of China, we investigated the species composition and seed density of the soil seed bank under and outside the canopies over two seasons for an age sequence of Caragana microphylla shrubs in the Horqin Sandy Land region, Inner Mongolia. The results showed that a total of 24 plant species seeds were present in the soil seed bank, of which 20 were annuals or biennials. The seed densities in the soil seed bank were in the range of 830 – 13882·5 seeds m⁻² at 10 cm depth. Species richness in the soil seed bank did not increase as the shrubs aged, whereas the seed densities increased significantly. Five annual species: Setaria viridis, Eragrostis pilosa, Chenopodium acuminatum, Chenopodium glaucum and Corispermum acuminatum, contributed above 90 per cent of the seeds to the soil seed bank. On the basis of seed characteristics and seed reduction amount during the growing season, we concluded that it represents a mixture of persistent and transient seeds in different proportions. More seeds accumulated under the canopies than outside the mature shrub cover, but no significant difference was found the younger cover. These results suggest that shrub size and age had an important role in augmenting seed abundance of the soil seed bank but not the species richness. We confirmed the important effects of shrub cover on seed accumulation and vegetation recovery, especially the value of more mature age vegetation for countering land degradation. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Filling the European blank spot—Swiss soil erodibility assessment with topsoil samples

Soil erodibility, commonly expressed as the K‐factor in USLE‐type erosion models, is a crucial parameter for determining soil loss rates. However, a national soil erodibility map based on measured soil properties did so far not exist for Switzerland. As an EU non‐member state, Switzerland was not included in previous soil mapping programs such as the Land Use/Cover Area frame Survey (LUCAS). However, in 2015 Switzerland joined the LUCAS soil sampling program and extended the topsoil sampling to mountainous regions higher 1500 m asl for the first time in Europe. Based on this soil property dataset we developed a K‐factor map for Switzerland to close the gap in soil erodibility mapping in Central Europe. The K‐factor calculation is based on a nomograph that relates soil erodibility to data of soil texture, organic matter content, soil structure, and permeability. We used 160 Swiss LUCAS topsoil samples below 1500 m asl and added in an additional campaign 39 samples above 1500 m asl. In order to allow for a smooth interpolation in context of the neighboring regions, additional 1638 LUCAS samples of adjacent countries were considered. Point calculations of K‐factors were spatially interpolated by Cubist Regression and Multilevel B‐Splines. Environmental features (vegetation index, reflectance data, terrain, and location features) that explain the spatial distribution of soil erodibility were included as covariates. The Cubist Regression approach performed well with an RMSE of 0.0048 t ha h ha^?1 MJ^?1 mm^?1. Mean soil erodibility for Switzerland was calculated as 0.0327 t ha h ha^?1 MJ^?1 mm^?1 with a standard deviation of 0.0044 t ha h ha^?1 MJ^?1 mm^?1. The incorporation of stone cover reduces soil erodibility by 8.2%. The proposed Swiss erodibility map based on measured soil data including mountain soils was compared to an extrapolated map without measured soil data, the latter overestimating erodibility in mountain regions (by 6.3%) and underestimating in valleys (by 2.5%). The K‐factor map is of high relevance not only for the soil erosion risk of Switzerland with a particular emphasis on the mountainous regions but also has an intrinsic value of its own for specific land use decisions, soil and land suitability and soil protection.     

广东省土壤可蚀性现状及影响因素分析

土壤可蚀性是土壤侵蚀预报和土地利用规划的重要参数,本文采用EPIC(Erosion Productivity Im-pact Calculator)模型中土壤可蚀性因子K值为指标,利用第二次土壤普查资料,探讨广东省土壤可蚀性K值及分布特征,并绘制了广东省土壤可蚀性K值图,结果表明:广东土壤可蚀性K值为0.116~0.415,加权平均K值为0.25,主要分布在较低-中高可侵蚀性范围;以铁铝土为例,成土母质对土壤侵蚀影响是多因素的,由于母质的特性差异,母质所发育土壤可蚀性K值并不能完全代表其侵蚀危害性,从总体上看,土壤经过多年耕种,抗侵蚀能力明显下降。     

Assessing spatial variability and erosion susceptibility of soils in hilly agricultural areas in Southern Italy

Soil erosion is one of the main environmental problems in the Mediterranean area. This problem is becoming even more important especially in Italy, in the Apennines, where severe erosive processes occur due to the action of concentrated running water. The erodibility (K-Factor) of a soil, estimated using the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE), is a measure of its susceptibility to erosion and depends on several soil properties such as organic matter, texture and permeability and structure.To assess the spatial variability of soil properties and soil erodibility in hilly agricultural areas and to investigate the relationships between soil features and landscape morphodynamics, a detailed study in Molise region (southern Italy), in a small drainange basin located along its hilly Adriatic flank, was carried out. In this catchment, 63 topsoil samples (A horizons) were collected and 10 soil profiles, forming a catena crossing 3 land units, were sampled. The calculated K-Factors ranges between 0.012 and 0.048 t ha h ha⁻¹ MJ⁻¹ mm⁻¹ indicating a complex spatial distribution, due to the several local pedological and geomorphological factors affecting soil erodibility. The results give clear evidence about the relationships among soil characteristics, soil erodibility and landscape morpho-dynamics (land units).Comparing the soil loss rates estimated for the study area with those reported in literature, a good correspondence can be observed only for the more stable land unit, not characterized by intense erosive processes. The proposed methodology is suitable to highlight areas characterized by similar morphodynamics features, and comparable soil erodibility, for a more effective spatialization of K factor.     

Global assessment of land vulnerability to water erosion on a ½° by ½° grid

A simple methodology is presented for assessing the risk of water erosion at the global level. It uses a ½° latitude by ½° longitude soil database, developed at ISRIC, and auxiliary databases on climate and land cover with a similar spatial resolution. Area estimates are presented for (1) susceptible areas, as determined by rainfall erosivity, topography and soil erodibility, and (2) vulnerable areas as further determined by the pressure of current land use. Model output for vulnerability is evaluated against observed data on severity of soil degradation by water as presented on the map of human-induced soil degradation (GLASOD). Cross-tabulation of the vulnerability and GLASOD subsets gave a significant Cramer's correlation coefficient of 0·72 (P ≪ 0·005). Thus a fair geographic agreement was observed between the grid cells considered vulnerable to water erosion, under current conditions of land cover, and regions in which water erosion occurs currently. The qualitative model can serve to raise awareness on issues of soil degradation by water at the global level by identifying regions at risk, where more detailed studies are needed. However, it does not provide any information on the actual rate of erosion at the field scale, nor on the associated decrease in crop productivity and biodiversity. The study of productivity changes associated with water erosion, at different scales, is currently an important topic on ISRIC's research agenda.     

To What Extent Did We Change Our Soils? A Global Comparison of Natural and Current Conditions

The food security–climate change nexus rapidly gains momentum. Soil degradation plays an important role in this context while dealing with, for example, the productive capacity of our soil resources or carbon sequestration for climate change mitigation. However, little has been done to assess the pristine soil conditions despite the fact that these provide the basis to put changes into context. Various methodologies have been developed to assess the global distribution of current soil conditions. We used the S‐World methodology that was developed to generate global soil property maps for environmental modelling studies. Up till now, the S‐World methodology assessed current soil conditions by disaggregating the Harmonized World Soil Database using detailed information on climate, topography, land cover, and land use. This study used the S‐World methodology to derive global soil conditions under natural vegetation. A large number of natural areas around the globe were identified for which land cover, expressed by the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, could be successfully correlated to environmental conditions such as temperature, rainfall, and topography. Using this relation in regression kriging, the vegetation index under natural conditions was derived for the entire globe. Subsequently, the S‐World methodology was used to calculate the soil properties under natural land cover and absence of human land use. Soil property maps for natural and current conditions were compared and showed large local differences. The results indicate that there are major changes due to land cover and land use change and that these changes are concentrated on the globe. The results are the basis for future assessments on, for example, land degradation, food security, or the sustainable development goals. © 2017 The Authors. Land Degradation & Development Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.     

Soil erosion risk assessment using GIS and CORINE model: a case study from western Shiraz,Iran

This study employs the Coordination of Information on the Environment (CORINE) model with geographic information system to assess soil erosion risk for restoring and protecting areas within the Bonrod Zangane watershed, western Shiraz, Iran. Actual soil erosion risk was determined by combining two main parameters including potential soil erosion risk and vegetation cover. The potential soil erosion risk was generated by integrating soil erodibility, erosivity and slope parameters. Soil texture, depth and stoniness layers were overlaid to form a soil erodibility map. Modified Fournier index and Bagnouls–Gaussen aridity index were integrated to generate the erosivity layer. The slope classes also were generated from digital elevation model. In order to estimate vegetative land cover, the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) was used. The raster-based layers were then integrated to produce erosion risk map. The results showed that 34.7% of the study area has high and only 31.4% of the study area has low soil erosion risk. It is concluded that CORINE model can be used to delineate the soil erosion risk and also to discriminate the potential soil erosion risk areas.     

基于USLE的甘南川西北土壤侵蚀研究

甘南川西北位于黄河和长江上游源区,量化研究该区土壤侵蚀对河源区生态安全保障和地方经济可持续发展具重要意义。论文采用多种数据方法,基于USLE就甘南川西北2000—2015年间土壤侵蚀的时空分布特征及变化规律进行量化评估。结果表明:(1)降雨侵蚀力因子R值介于65~411(MJ·mm)/(hm²·h·a),高值区主要分布在东南部,空间分布与该区降雨格局基本一致;(2)土壤可蚀性因子K值介于0.19~0.41(t·hm²·h)/(hm²·MJ·mm),高值呈斑块状零星分布,与地带性土壤物化性状有关;(3)坡长坡度因子LS值介于0~8.24,高值主要分布在中北部高山地带,低值分布在东北部和西南部地形较平缓区域;(4)植被覆盖管理因子C值介于0~1,高值集中分布在研究区的西北部与西南部,与该区植被覆盖稀疏有关;(5)基于USLE的甘南川西北年侵蚀量为3.3×108 t/a,总体表现为轻度侵蚀;(6)2000—2015年间,研究区土壤侵蚀呈减弱态势,与增温背景下植被活动增强有关。     

Soil Surface‐Active Fauna in Degraded and Restored Lands of Northeast Brazil

Land degradation reducing vegetation cover may affect the soil surface‐active fauna because both aboveground and belowground invertebrates depend on complex plant communities. In this study, we evaluated the effect of land degradation and restoration on soil fauna in northeast Brazil. Sites differed in degradation status: native vegetation, moderately degraded land, highly degraded land, and land under restoration for 4 years. Araneae and Coleoptera densities were significantly higher in natural vegetation and restored land (8 ± 4 ind./trap and 41 ± 21 ind./trap, respectively) than in degraded lands (−73% and −81%, respectively). The density of Formicidae was significantly higher in natural vegetation (206 ± 181 ind./trap) than in highly degraded land (32 ± 24 ind./trap), while restored land (51 ± 10 ind./trap) and moderately degraded land (37 ± 14 ind./trap) did not differ significantly from the other degradation levels. The density of Orthoptera did not follow the aforementioned patterns, while invertebrate groups mostly had highest densities in natural land and restored land. Linear regressions showed a strong negative relation between faunal density and soil bulk density, and a positive relation with soil organic matter due to an increase in plant cover. Our results indicate that land degradation simplifies soil surface‐active invertebrate communities with pronounced decreases in the density of Araneae, Coleoptera, and Formicidae, but that land restoration practices may recover the density of soil fauna even after only 4 years. Araneae, Coleoptera, and Formicidae respond sensitively to land degradation and restoration practice and are suggested as indicator groups for restoration success. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

植被覆盖和降雨因子变化及对东北黑土区土壤侵蚀的影响

[目的]研究东北黑土区植被覆盖和降雨侵蚀力因子对土壤侵蚀时空变化的影响程度,为该区水土流失治理和可持续发展提供科学依据.[方法]运用修正后的通用土壤流失方程(RUSLE)得到了2000-2018年东北黑土区土壤侵蚀分布特征,并探究土壤侵蚀模数与因子时空分布变化规律,得出侵蚀模数对于植被覆盖和降雨侵蚀力因子变化的敏感性....     

Spatial Estimation of Soil Erosion Risk by Land‐cover Change in the Andes OF Southern Ecuador

Ecuador has the highest deforestation rate in South America, causing large‐scale soil erosion. Inter‐Andean watersheds are especially affected by a rapid increase of the population leading to the conversion of large areas of montane forest into pasture and cropland. In this study, we estimate soil erosion risk in a small mixed land‐use watershed in the southern Andes of Ecuador. Soil loss was estimated at a spatial resolution of 30 m, using the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) where the RUSLE factors were estimated on the basis of limited public available data. Land‐cover maps for 1976, 2008 and 2040 were created assuming increasing deforestation rates over the ensuing decades. Greater erosion rates are estimated for succession areas with agricultural cropland and pasture with maximum values of 936 Mg ha⁻¹ y⁻¹, where slopes and precipitation amounts are the greatest. Under natural forest vegetation, the estimated soil erosion rates are negligible (1·5 to 40 Mg ha⁻¹ y⁻¹) even at steep slopes and higher elevations where rainfall amounts and intensities are generally higher. When the entire watershed has undergone substantial deforestation in 2040, erosion values may reach 2,021 Mg ha⁻¹ y⁻¹. Vegetation cover is the most important factor for potential soil erosion. Secondary factors are related to rainfall (R‐factor) and topography (LS factors). Although the spatial predictions of potential soil erosion have only limited meaning for erosion risk, this method provides an important screening tool for land management and assessment of land‐cover change. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

基于RUSLE模型的黑龙江省2000-2010年土壤保持量评价

黑龙江省是我国重要的粮食产区,同时也是东北地区重点生态保护区,黑龙江省土壤保持量的研究对维持生态安全与可持续发展有重要作用。基于黑龙江省2000年、2005年和2010年的降雨、土壤、高程等数据,结合GIS空间分析方法,运用修订的通用土壤流失方程(RUSLE),估算了2000—2010年黑龙江省土壤保持量,并对其空间分布及变化趋势进行模拟分析。结果表明:2000—2010年,黑龙江省土壤保持能力整体增强,土壤保持量增加了5.34%,且除牡丹江和哈尔滨地区外,各行政区的土壤保持量均有所增加;各土地利用类型的年均单位面积土壤保持量以森林最多,为3 384.36 t·km-2·a-1,裸地最少,为177.17 t·km-2·a-1,10年来除农田和灌丛外,各土地利用类型的单位面积土壤保持能力均增强;2000—2010年黑龙江省高等级土壤保持量比例及低等级转化成高等级土壤保持量的面积都在提高,黑龙江省土壤保持能力10年来趋于好转。     

CHARACTERIZING VARIATIONS IN SOIL PARTICLE‐SIZE DISTRIBUTION ALONG A GRASS–DESERT SHRUB TRANSITION IN THE ORDOS PLATEAU OF INNER MONGOLIA,CHINA

The application of fractal geometry to describe soil degradation and dynamics is becoming a useful tool for better understanding of the performance of soil systems. In this study, four different land cover types, which represent a sequence of grass–desert shrub transition and a gradient of desertification, were selected, and soils at depths of 0–10, 10–20 and 20–40 cm were sampled in the Ordos Plateau of Inner Mongolia, PR China. The fractal theory was used to analyse the soil particle‐size distribution (PSD) and its variations. The results showed that (i) vegetation conversion and desertification significantly changed the soil PSD. During the desertification process, soil coarse fractions that ranged from 250 to 100 µm significantly increased, whereas fine fractions lower than 50 µm significantly decreased (p < 0·01); (ii) fractal model of the accumulative volume particle‐size distribution is appropriate, and fractal dimensions (D_m) of soil PSD significantly decreased along the sequence of grass–desert shrub transition; (iii) D_m is more sensitive to the desertification process, and therefore, we suggest D_m other than soil texture and soil organic carbon as a reliable parameter to reflect the soil environment change induced by desertification. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Optimization of land use structure and spatial pattern for the semi-arid loess hilly–gully region in China

The semi-arid loess hilly–gully region in China has an extremely vulnerable ecological environment. Inappropriate land use — crop farming, overgrazing, and plantation forestry - has worsened soil erosion, intensified water shortage, and hence impeded the ecological conservation and agricultural development of the entire region in the past. Optimizing land use and vegetation cover and spatial pattern is conducive to achieving both ecological and economic goals in terms of controlling soil erosion, using water resources rationally and raising agricultural productivity. Changchuan Watershed, a typical small catchment in the semi-arid loess hilly region, was selected as the case study area to analyze the impacts of land use and land cover structure and associated spatial pattern on soil erosion and water consumption in the Watershed, through field investigation and model simulation. Land use structure was optimized by multi-objective programming, using remote sensing (RS) and geographical information system (GIS) techniques, analytic hierarchical programming (AHP) and expert consultancy. The digitized optimum spatial pattern embodying rationally-proportioned land use structure was obtained through GIS-aided redistribution of land use types. The optimized land use structure re-apportioned woodlands, shrublands, grasslands, and croplands at 3.7%, 38.6%, 49.4%, and 6.3% of the land area respectively, compared to the current land use structure of 2.4%, 38.6%, 24.0%, and 12.6%, respectively, in the Changchuan Watershed. In the optimized land use spatial pattern, croplands are mainly located in the riverside plain and check-dammed valleys and grasslands are widely distributed in the lower reaches of the basin, while shrublands are appropriately established in the middle and upper reaches of the river. A comparative analysis shows that the optimized land use structure, with well-designed spatial pattern is able to reduce soil erosion, enhance the utilization of water resources and raise agricultural productivity.     

黑龙江省大庆地区植被和土壤碳氮储量的最新估算

利用1978年MSS多光谱数据、2008年中国资源卫星数据和野外实验数据,对黑龙江省土壤退化典型地区大庆地区的植被和土壤碳氮储量进行了估算。结果表明:大庆地区的植被平均碳密度1978年为0.58 kgm-2,2008年为0.67 kgm-2;土壤平均碳氮密度分别为(8.18±1.65)kgm-3和(0.37±0.11)kgm-3,土地覆被平均土壤碳氮密度分别为(7.53±2.16)kgm-3和(0.33±0.16)kgm-3。1978和2008年植被碳储量分别为9.38×106 t和1.04×107 t,30年期间植被碳储量增加了1.02×106 t;全区土壤总碳量为(1.65±0.33)×108 t,总氮量为(7.55±2.15)×106 t;全区土地覆被土壤总碳量为(1.52±0.44)×108 t,总氮量为(6.74±3.32)×106t。大庆地区的植被和土壤平均碳密度都低于中国的平均水平,应加强土地保护,防止土壤的进一步退化。     

Nomographic estimation and evaluation of soil erodibility under simulated and natural rainfall conditions

To evaluate soil erodibility under different land uses and to study the applicability of nomograph for estimation of soil erodibility a field experiment was conducted under both natural and simulated rainfall conditions under four land uses viz. barren, cultivated, grassland, and forest in the sub‐mountainous tract of Punjab (India). Measured soil erodibility (K) values varied from 0·33 to 0·67 under natural rainfall conditions and from 0·23 to 0·40 under simulated rainfall conditions. Among different land uses, measured K was in the order of barren > cultivated > grassland > forest soils. The values of the K estimated by nomograph were very low as compared to the observed values. The trends were also in contrast to these observed values of K under simulated and natural rainfall conditions. To modify nomograph equation, different ranges of aggregate sizes were correlated with soil loss. It was observed that water stable aggregates (WSA) <2 mm size had a significant correlation with soil loss under both natural (r = 0·88) and simulated (r = 0·76) rainfall conditions. So the nomograph equation was modified to include the M parameter based on WSA <2 mm size. The value of K estimated from the modified nomograph had a significant correlation with measured values of K under both the natural and simulated rainfall conditions. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Mapping and monitoring land degradation risks in the Western Brazilian Amazon using multitemporal Landsat TM/ETM+ images

Mapping and monitoring land degradation in areas under human‐induced stresses have become urgent tasks in remote sensing whose importance has not yet been fully appreciated. In this study, a surface cover index (SCI) is developed to evaluate and map potential land degradation risks associated with deforestation and accompanying soil erosion in a Western Brazilian Amazon rural settlement study area. The relationships between land‐use and land‐cover (LULC) types and land degradation risks as well as the impacts of LULC change on land degradation are examined. This research indicates that remotely sensed data can be effectively used for identification and mapping of land degradation risks and monitoring of land degradation changes in the study area. Sites covered by mature forest and advanced successional forests have low land degradation risk potential, while some types of initial successional forests, agroforestry/perennial agriculture and pasture have higher risk potential. Deforestation and associated soil erosion are major causes leading to land degradation, while vegetation regrowth reduces such problems. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

EFFECTS OF CONVERTING FOREST TO AVOCADO ORCHARDS ON TOPSOIL PROPERTIES IN THE TRANS‐MEXICAN VOLCANIC SYSTEM,MEXICO

In the present work, land cover and land use changes between 2003 and 2008 were assessed in the Cupatitzio River sub‐basin located in the Trans‐Mexican Volcanic System and Balsas Depression in Mexico. The effects of land cover conversion from temperate forest to avocado orchards on soil properties were determined. Land cover and land use databases were built for the years 1975, 2003, and 2008 using available cartographic information and interpretation of panchromatic SPOT images for the year 2008. Additionally, soil sampling was carried out in 16 representative sites in the higher parts of the sub‐basin, where avocado plantation dynamics have caused important changes in areas covered by temperate forests. Results show that (i) temperate coniferous and tropical low deciduous forests were reduced at an annual rate of 0·9 per cent (1, 001 ha y⁻¹) between 1975 and 2008; (ii) cropland areas expanded at an annual rate of 0·7 per cent between 1975 and 2008, representing a growth of 553 ha y⁻¹; (iii) wet soil aggregate stability, mechanical resistance to penetration and nitrate (N‐NO₃) concentration in the topsoil layer of Andosols were significantly affected by land use conversion to avocado orchards. Other soil properties such as organic matter, interchangeable K, and available P showed degradation tendencies. These results suggest the importance of implementing strategies for mitigating the accelerated process of transformation and degradation of natural resources in the Cupatitzio River sub‐basin. The implementation of programs for deforestation reduction should be a priority in the restoration strategy. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.