Landscape pattern analysis using GIS and remote sensing to diagnose soil erosion and nutrient availability in two agroecological zones of Southern Mali

Background Soil is a basic natural resource for the existence of life on earth, and its health is a major concern for rural livelihoods. Poor soil health is directly associated with reduced agricultural land productivity in many subSaharan countries, such as Mali. Agricultural land is subjected to immense degradation and the loss of important soil nutrients due to soil erosion. The objective of the study was to diagnose the spatial distribution of soil erosion and soil nutrient variations under diferent land use in two agroecological zones of Southern Mali using the Geographical Information System (GIS) software, the empirically derived relationship of the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation, in-situ soil data measurement and satellite products. The soil erosion efect on agricultural land productivity was discussed to highlight the usefulness of soil and water conservation practices in Southern Mali. Results The results of the land use and land cover change analysis from 2015 to 2019 revealed signifcant area reductions in water bodies, bare land, and savanna woodland for the beneft of increased natural vegetation and agricultural land. There was signifcant variation in the annual soil loss under the diferent land use conditions. Despite recordings of the lowest soil erosion rates in the majority of the landscape (71%) as a result of feld-based soil and water conservation practices, the highest rates of erosion were seen in agricultural felds, resulting in a reduction in agricultural land area and a loss of nutrients that are useful for plant growth. Spatial nutrient modelling and mapping revealed a high defciency and signifcant variations (p