Effect of Land use and Land Cover Change on Soil Erosion and Soil Organic Carbon Stock in Southeastern Tunisia

The study examines the impact of land use and land cover changes on soil erosion and soil organic carbon stock in southeastern Tunisia, focusing on the Oum El Ghram and Bou Said watersheds. The research used remote sensing, geographic information systems, the revised universal soil loss equation, and field measurements to assess changes over 25 years. The results showed significant transformations, including an increase in bare soil and a decrease in vegetation cover, leading to increased soil erosion. Soil organic carbon stock also declined, particularly in areas affected by intensive erosion and land degradation. The results obtained by the the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation model were validated using the Receiver Operating Characteristic curve, with an accuracy level of 84%. Similarly, validation using the Kappa coefficient demonstrated the high reliability of the Maximum Likelihood Classification method, with all classes achieving Kappa values exceeding 0.83. These findings underscore the complex relationship between land use and land cover changes, soil erosion, and soil organic carbon dynamics, highlighting the urgent need for sustainable land management practices. The study recommends reforestation, soil conservation techniques, and policy interventions to mitigate soil erosion and promote ecosystem resilience.