Application of remote sensing observations as APEX model input for estimating soil erosion

Soil erosion is one of the processes responsible for water and soil quality deterioration and is impacted by local soil and land cover conditions. One of the primary functions of land cover is to protect the soil and prevent land degradation by water and wind erosion [1]. Recent interest in biofuel energy production can compromise soil quality due to increased removal of crop residue to be used as source of biofuel feedstocks. Knowledge of the impact of human-induced changes to land cover is critical to developing ecosystem-based management approaches to address these issues.