Abstract
In urban and industrial landscapes, soil degradation directly affects the quality of agricultural land, ecosystem sustainability, and infrastructure. Therefore, mapping soil erosion and quantitatively assessing its intensity are important components of land resource management. Soil erosion is one of the major environmental processes leading to land degradation in urbanized and industrial areas. This paper examines the spatial distribution and intensity of soil erosion within the territory of Ust-Kamenogorsk, East Kazakhstan. Objective. To assess the spatial patterns and intensity levels of soil erosion in Ust-Kamenogorsk using the RUSLE (Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation) model. Materials and Methods. 1) calculation of R, K, LS, C, and P factors based on remote sensing and open spatial data; 2) modeling of average annual soil loss for 2014 and 2024; 3) analysis of the spatial distribution of soil erosion categories (0–75, 75–150, 150–225, 225–300, and ≥300 t/ha/year); 4) assessment of temporal changes in erosion processes and identification of erosion-prone areas. Results and Discussion. The modeling results showed the predominance of low soil erosion rates: the proportion of areas belonging to the 0–75 t/ha/year category was 68 % in 2014 and 64 % in 2024. Significant changes were observed in the medium and high erosion categories: the share of the 75–150 t/ ha/year category slightly decreased (from 19 % to 18 %), whereas the 150–225 t/ha/year and 225–300 t/ha/year categories increased from 6 % to 7 % and from 3 % to 4 %, respectively. The most significant changes were observed in high-risk erosion zones: the proportion of areas with soil losses ≥150 t/ha/year increased from 13 % in 2014 to 18 % in 2024, while the highest category (≥300 t/ha/year) increased from 3 % to 7 %. Conclusion.