EUROSEM

European Soil Erosion Model

EUROSEM flow chart
Flow chart of the European Soil Erosion model

Introduction

The European Soil Erosion Model (EUROSEM) is a single-event, process-based model for predicting soil erosion by water from fields and small catchments. It was developed with funding from the European Commission during the late 1980s and 1990s and involved scientists from Europe and the US.

The model is based on a physical description of the erosion processes and operates for short time steps of about one minute. 

Model overview

EUROSEM has a modular structure with each process described by a series of mathematical expressions.

The water and sediment generated are routed over the land surface characterised as a series of interlinked uniform slope planes and channel elements

A series of interconnecting rectangles representing connected simulation elements

Information on vegetation, soil and topographical features is entered into the model which then simulates erosion patterns for individual rainfall events.

Current status and access to the code

EROSEM was last worked on by Lorenzo Borselli and Dino Torri in 2010. You can find out more about their work here. Prior to Lorenzo’s work the model was coded in Fortran 77 with the last work on the code taking place in 1998 and its last published use when the model was subjected to an uncertainty analysis in 2011. The 1998 code for the model, parameter files, documentation and user guide is available via a Github repository.  

EUROSEM publications

Botterweg, P., et al., The EUROSEM-GRIDSEM modeling system for erosion analyses under different natural and economic conditions. Ecological Modelling, 1998. 108(1-3): p. 115-129.

Cai, Q.G., et al., Evaluation of the EUROSEM model with single event data on steeplands in the three Gorges reservoir areas, China. Catena, 2005. 59(1): p. 19-33.

Folly, A., J.N. Quinton, and R.E. Smith, Evaluation of the EUROSEM model using data from the Catsop watershed, The Netherlands. Catena, 1999. 37(3-4): p. 507-519.

Kinnell, P.I.A., The European soil erosion model (EUROSEM): A dynamic approach for predicting sediment transport from fields and small catchments -Discussion. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 1999. 24(6): p.563-565.

Mati, B.M., R.P.C. Morgan, and J.N. Quinton, Soil erosion modelling with EUROSEM at Embori and Mukogodo catchments, Kenya. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 2006. 31(5): p. 579-588.

Morgan, R.P.C., et al., The European soil erosion model (EUROSEM): A dynamic approach for predicting sediment transport from fields and small catchments – Reply. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 1999. 24(6): p.567-568.

Morgan, R.P.C., J.N. Quinton, and R.J. Rickson, MODELING METHODOLOGY FOR SOIL-EROSION ASSESSMENT AND SOIL CONSERVATION DESIGN – THE EUROSEM APPROACH. Outlook on Agriculture, 1994. 23(1): p. 5-9.

Morgan, R.P.C., et al., The European Soil Erosion Model (EUROSEM): A dynamic approach for predicting sediment transport from fields and small catchments. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 1998. 23(6): p.527-544.

Morgan, R.P.C., Quinton, J.N., Smith, R.E., Govers, G., Poesen, J.W.A., Auerswald, K., Chisci, G., Torri, D., Styczen, M.E. and Folly, A.J.V. 1998. The European soil erosion model (EUROSEM): documentation and user guide, Silsoe College, Cranfield University, Silsoe, Bedford, UK.

Quinton, J.N., Reducing predictive uncertainty in model simulations: a comparison of two methods using the European Soil Erosion Model (EUROSEM). Catena, 1997. 30(2-3): p. 101-117.

Quinton, J.N., Krueger, T., Freer, J., Brazier, R.E. and Bilotta, G.S., 2011. A case study of uncertainty: Applying GLUE to EUROSEM. Handbook of Erosion Modelling (Eds R.P.C Morgan and M.A,Nearing), pp.80-97. Wiley-Blackwell, Oxford UK

Smith, R.E., D.C. Goodrich, and J.N. Quinton, DYNAMIC, DISTRIBUTED SIMULATION OF WATERSHED EROSION – THE KINEROS2 AND EUROSEM MODELS. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation, 1995. 50(5):p. 517-520.

Strauss, P., F. Konecny, and W.E.H. Blum, Rainfall input generation for the European Soil Erosion Model. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 1999. 3(2): p. 213-221.

Veihe, A. and J. Quinton, Sensitivity analysis of EUROSEM using Monte Carlo simulation I: hydrological, soil and vegetation parameters. Hydrological Processes, 2000. 14(5): p. 915-926.

Veihe, A., J. Quinton, and J. Poesen, Sensitivity analysis of EUROSEM using Monte Carlo simulation II: the effect of rills and rock fragments. Hydrological Processes, 2000. 14(5): p. 927-939.

Veihe, A., et al., Modelling of event-based soil erosion in Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Mexico: evaluation of the EUROSEM model. Catena, 2001.44(3): p. 187-203