Pedo-Geomorphic analysis of soil loss in the lateritic region of Rampurhat I block of Birbhum district, West Bengal and Shikaripara block of Dumka district, Jharkhand

Declining productivity of lateritic soil of India indicates land degradation, which occurs mostly through soil erosion and physical or chemical deterioration of soil. In the tropical wetdry type of morpho-climatic region (western Birbhum and Eastern Jharkhand districts of India), the primary process of soil erosion usually takes place when falling raindrops beat the bare soil surface in heavy storm. Rainsplash erosion, sheet and inter-rill erosion (overland flow), rill and gully erosion are considered as major forms of water erosion. Due to high erodibility of lateritic soil, bare soil cover (deforestation), high erosivity of monsoonal rainfall, low clay, moisture and organic matter content of soil, the study area (border area between Rampurhat I block of Birbhum district, West Bengal and Shikaripara block of Dumka district, Jharkhand) is very much susceptible to rill and gully erosion. So the present article is an attempt to quantify the soil loss and sediment yield of catchments of sample gullies under different forms of water erosion.