Research on urban flood risk has highlighted the need for more comprehensive flood risk assessments in low-income and vulnerable communities. This study aims to examine the causes, impacts and existing flood risk management measures in the Somali region of Ethiopia. The study used a mixed research methodology, including a cross-sectional survey, to collect original qualitative and quantitative data.. In addition to flood risk and vulnerability assessment, the study evaluated urban flood risk management measures through soil protection service curve number, production distribution network and supply chain risk management methods.The results suggest that flooding in Dolo-Ado is increasing due to heavy rainfall and flooding, as well as inadequate flood control measures and geographical location. Soil Conservation Service Curve Number analysis shows that the arid landscape of Dolo-ado is predominantly shrub and barren with significant differences in land cover types. The low infiltration capacity, high runoff potential and frequent heavy rainfall are the main factors contributing to the area's high soil vulnerability to flash floodsConsequently, qualitative results also confirm that this has resulted in extensive infrastructure damage, displacement, loss of livelihoods, ecosystem disruption and disruption to community life, as well as water and health problems. In addition, flood risks are more severe for vulnerable urban communities, impacting services, the economy and the environment. Therefore, inadequate preventive measures for effective supply chain management are urgent and crucial for resilience. This study implies that urban planning and policies should be changed and prioritize the integration of production distribution networks and flood risk management in the supply chain to effectively mitigate floods. Climate change-responsive and integrated urban planning, improved drainage systems, early warning, emergency planning and community engagement are critical for flood preparedness, adaptation and resilience and require further research and modeling techniques.

Investigating the natural propensity for land use is essential, especially in areas subject to intense human action. Using soil without considering its productive capacity can lead to underutilization or overutilization, resulting in inefficiency or severe damage. This study aimed to determine the land use capability at the Center for Agricultural Sciences (CCA) of the Federal University of S & atilde;o Carlos (UFSCar). By evaluating the morphological, physical, and chemical attributes of the soils, the land use capability was determined using the Land Use Capability System, which classifies soils according to their greatest limitation. It was found that the entire area falls into Group A, suitable for uses ranging from the preservation of fauna and flora to annual crops. However, there are differences in soil conservation needs observed among the classes. On the campus, class III predominates (94.14% of the total area), indicating areas with complex conservation and/or improvement problems; class II, with simpler issues, covers 2.31%, while 3.54% present serious soil conservation problems. In addition to the 23.78% of the area occupied by Permanent Preservation Area (APP) and Legal Reserve (RL), 67.59% of the area is being used appropriately, 3.54% above capacity, and 5.09% below. For overutilized areas, less intensive management or conservation designation, along with the implementation of recovery and erosion control practices, are recommended. Underutilized areas can be exploited to their full potential, while for adequately used areas, maintaining conservation practices is essential to ensure resource sustainability.

Purpose: Modifying soil surface conditions is essential in managing water and soil resources. Although the use of soil microorganisms in the bioengineering management in soil and water conservation has been confirmed, the controllability of the surface cracks morphometry on petroleum-contaminated soils using microorganisms has yet to be studied. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of inoculating soil microorganisms on changing the surface cracks' pattern of soil contaminated with petroleum.Materials and methods: In 2022, the studied soil was taken from Iran's Tehran Oil Refinery area from the top 30 cm of the earth's surface and transferred to the Rain and Erosion Simulation Laboratory of Tarbiat Modares University at the Faculty of Natural Resources. The predominant cyanobacteria of Microcoleus sp. Oscillatoria sp. Lyngbya sp. Nostoc sp, and Phormidium sp. bacteria of Bacillus sp. and Azetobacter sp. fungus of Penicillium oxalicum were identified, purified and proliferated. The study was conducted at a 0.5 x 0.5-m plot scale in two replications for four treatments. Uncontaminated and gasoil-contaminated soils, during one month, were inoculated by bacteria, cyanobacteria, and fungus. The soil was contaminated using 720 mL of gasoil evenly sprayed. The morphometric characteristics of soil surface cracks were investigated using the PCAS software.Results and discussion: Results indicated that soil microorganisms influence the soil cracking patterns. So, the mean area, length, and width of cracks increased by 99.55%, 50.90%, and 29.60% in uncontaminated plots inoculated with cyanobacteria compared to the control treatment. In gasoil treatment, fungus-inoculated soils performed better than control plots, and the mean area and length increased by 19.51% and 29.58%, respectively, while width decreased by 17.29%. Microorganisms caused the agglutination of aggregates by secreting enzymes and exopolysaccharides, stabilizing soil particles, generating cracks, covering the soil surface, and improving the soil's rheological properties.Conclusion: Finally, the results of the present study showed that modifying the surface of the petroleum-contaminated soil by inoculating soil microorganisms is a way to improve the hydrologic and rheologic characteristics of the soil.

Tropical semiarid regions are naturally prone to environmental damage. Human activity can worsen this situation. To understand how human actions affect the ecosystem, plan land use effectively, and establish targeted management practices, assessing environmental vulnerability is crucial. This study focuses on a sub-basin receiving water transfers from the S & atilde;o Francisco River in Brazil's semiarid region. Here, we map and evaluate how land use and occupation alter natural vulnerability. We also propose zoning strategies to support water resource management and implement sustainable development policies in the region. To achieve this, we conducted an integrated analysis of physical factors (soil types, geology, climate, vegetation, and landforms) and spatial land-use data using geographic information systems (GIS) and map algebra techniques. Map algebra allowed us to combine these various datasets within the GIS environment, enabling the creation of maps that synthesize both natural and environmental vulnerability across the study area. Following analysis of these vulnerability maps, our findings reveal a high level of vulnerability. The areas with high to very high degrees of natural vulnerability coincide with the places that have high slopes, high altitudes, Lithic Neosols, and thick vegetation. Furthermore, the interaction between environmental factors and human activity exacerbates vulnerability. Based on the environmental vulnerability assessment, we defined four environmental management zones. These zones require distinct protection measures and management approaches. As a method to potentially improve the basin's vulnerability scenario, soil conservation measures are recommended. This approach is highly relevant for managing land in tropical semiarid regions and, with adaptations to specific regional factors, can be applied globally.

There is an urgent demand to change our intensive crop production systems, replacing them with soil use and management systems that recover, preserve, or improve soil health and are environmentally sustainable, producing healthy and good-quality food. In this work, we compile and present strategies and public policies aimed toward soil and water conservation and food production in Brazil. The results presented may help Brazilian farmers adopt practices to recover, maintain, or improve soil health and politicians to create or modify public policies for healthy soil and food, without the necessity of increasing agricultural areas. Food insecurity was also addressed, with family farming playing an important role in food production and decreasing food insecurity. But these challenges need the combined efforts and engagement of the whole society.

Indian forests, having sixteen types of vegetation, provide various ecosystem services. Forests reduce water erosion of soil, reduce floods and conserve low river flow during dry seasons. Present study estimated annual sedimentation, texture, soil organic carbon control service of forests of India using the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) and Sediment Delivery Ratio (SDR) approach through GIS technique along with identifying important drivers responsible for erosion in forests. The soil erosion control service was based on five factors viz., rainfall erosivity, soil erodibility, slope, crop management, conservation practice factor and SDR across the various forest dominated river basins. Geo-detector modelling was performed to evaluate environmental drivers responsible for soil erosion. Valuation of soil control service of the India's forests was estimated based on damage and replacement cost method. Annual soil loss rate was maximum in Tropical Thorn Forest and in Ganga River basin. Maximum sediment control and SOC conservation against the soil erosion control service by India' forests were due to Tropical Dry Deciduous Forest with a total annual sedimentation control and SOC conservation of 33,056,560 tonnes and 3,31,115.06 tonnes, respectively. The conservative estimate of the economic value of soil conservation service by the forests of India was US$ 535.6 M with an average of 4.40 US$ ha-1 and a maximum share of value for Tropical Dry Deciduous Forest i.e. 294.18 million US$ and average maximum value for Littoral and Swamp Forest (28.91 US$ ha-1). The soil erosion in Tropical and Sub-tropical Forest was influenced by the interactive effects between NDVI and Bulk Density. In contrast, soil erosion in the temperate and alpine area was influenced by anthropogenic activity in combination with climatic factors. Present study accounts the role of India's forests for the soil conservation service and may provide inputs to implement forest and reservoir management strategies besides providing information for Integrated Watershed management and Catchment Treatment Plans.

Human actions can damage the ecosystems and affect the services depending on them, with ample detrimental consequences. In earlier studies, the Conservation Use Potential (PCU) framework proved useful in assessing the capacity for aquifer recharge, suitable land uses and resistance to erosion at the river basin scale. On the other hand, the joint analysis of PCU and land uses allowed identifying the adequacy of current uses in relation to suitability (natural uses) in various basins. This was especially useful from the management perspective in basins with environmental conflicts, where current uses differed from suitability, because the PCU indicated how and where the conflicts should be mitigated. Besides the use as management tool, the PCU has potential to shed light over environmental issues such as ecosystem services, but that was not tempted so far. The aim of this work was therefore to bridge that knowledge gap and frame the PCU ' s application from the standpoint of Ecosystem Services (ES) assessment. We demonstrated how the PCU could be used to improve provision (recharge), support (sustainable agriculture) and regulation (resistance to erosion) services in a specific basin with land use conflicts (the Upper Rio das Velhas basin, located in Minas Gerais, Brazil), through the planning of suitable uses. It was noted that the studied basin is mostly composed of Very Low, Low and Medium potentials. These classes occur because steep slopes, fragile soils and lithologies with high denudation potential and low nutrient supply dominate in the basin. On the other hand, urban sprawl has a negative impact on all ES, while maintaining agricultural areas with appropriate management can effectively regulate erosion. As per the current results, the premise of using the PCU as joint management -environmental tool was fully accomplished, and is recommended a basis for public policy design and implementation in Brazil and elsewhere.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Peak flow in watershed is important in designing and controlling soil erosion, as well as assessing the potential water yield. It also serves as a basis for assessing and managing the risk of environmental damage. However, there is no accurate information on peak flow to ensure sustainable management and conservation of Wuno Sub-Watershed in Palu Watershed which serves as a buffer for the capital of Central Sulawesi Province. Therefore, this study aimed to assess and determine the potential runoff and peak flows in watershed using soil conservation service-curve number. METHODS: Soil conservation service-curve number method was calculated to analyze rainfall from runoff as a function of cumulative rainfall, land use, soil type, and humidity. This method was developed by the United States Soil Conservation Service in 1972 and applied in this study with due consideration for several variables, including (a) land use classification and intensity for settlements, rice fields, plantations, rivers, etc., (b) basic physical conditions of the area such as rainfall and hydrology, as well as (c) classes of soil hydrology significantly influencing carbon-nitrogen value. FINDINGS: The result showed that carbon-nitrogen values for all types of land use or cover were in normal conditions from 5 to 25 years. Moreover, carbon-nitro en range was observed to have significantly large quantitative consequences on direct runoff. The trend showed the need for precision and effectiveness in planning watershed management and conservation. Soil conservation service also had a positive influence on land use, specifically runoff, as observed in carbon-nitrogen values for return periods of 2, 5, 25, and 100 years. However, several other factors were identified to influence land use such as land cover and soil texture. CONCLUSION: Soil Conservation Service presented an analysis of how land use affected runoff, specifically with a focus on carbon-nitrogen values. Land use was not only affected by carbon-nitrogen values but other factors such as land cover and geomorphometric properties. The trend showed the need for a more comprehensive exploration of soil conservation service-curve number method in accurately predicting runoff patterns in sub-watershed areas to ensure effective and sustainable management and conservation practices.

Under conditions of ongoing climate warming and increasing anthropogenic impact on land resources, the use of moisture-saving soil-protecting technologies becomes especially important. Snow cover is of great importance for agriculture, as it changes radiation and thermal balance of underlying surface, protecting soil from cooling and winter crops from freezing, accumulates winter precipitation, being the most important source of increasing soil moisture reserves in arid and subarid zones in spring. Winter precipitation accounts for up to 30% of the annual norm. Soil moisture reserves formed with their help take up to 42% in total water consumption for grain crop yield formation during wet summer and up to 75% during dry summer. This article aims to study the effect of different methods of snow retention and snow cover height on the yield of grain crops. An effective method of snow retention is leaving high stubble after harvesting winter and spring crops. Leaving stubble bushes with a height of 0.35-0.40 m and a width of 1.5 m every 4.5 m provides accumulation of a solid snow cover in steppe areas with a height of 0.30-0.35 m, which increases the yield of wheat. Waders provide a more uniform distribution of snow cover than forest strips. Climate change contributes to the fact that snow retention becomes an urgent problem not only in the dry steppe, but also to the north - even in the forest-steppe. Creation of snow retarders was done on Vetelny state farm, located in Balashovsky district in the western part of Saratov region, in the steppe zone, where chernozem soils prevail in the soil cover. In the autumn period, snow barriers were installed, and in the winter period, their effect on snow accumulation was studied. The study of the effect of snow barriers on soil moisture accumulation during the growing season of winter wheat was compared in the zones of dry steppe, steppe and forest-steppe. It was revealed that during regrowth of winter wheat the least amount of productive moisture stocks in 0-1.0 m soil layer was contained in dry steppe 1377 m(3).ha(-1), the highest in forest-steppe zone up to 1841 m(3).ha(-1). Snow retention increased the amount of moisture in the soil in the dry steppe, steppe and foreststeppe zone by 251, 151, 115-131 m(3).ha(-1), or 18, 10, 6-8%, respectively. Thus, rational use of winter precipitation is a significant reserve of agricultural landscape productivity increase, especially in dry-steppe areas.