Soil water erosion in Morocco: a systematic review of modelling and prediction techniques

Soil water erosion and sediment movement significantly impact the environment, particularly reducing soil fertility, agricultural production capacity, and water quality. It is therefore crucial to understand these processes and their impacts, especially in a Mediterranean and semi-arid area such as Morocco. This review clarifies the models and techniques applied in Morocco, focusing on the nature of the data used, the models implemented, and the spatial distribution of studies at the national level. By highlighting their strengths and limitations, it provides valuable guidance to improve the selection and application of modeling approaches suited to the Moroccan context. To this end, the methodology was based on a systematic literature review and bibliometric analysis, providing an exhaustive study of 84 relevant peer-reviewed articles published between 2000 and 2023. The results indicate the following: (i) 67% of the study areas cover less than 200,000 ha; (ii) most modelling applications are concentrated in the Rif (35.71%), Western Meseta (30.95%), and High Atlas (20.23%), followed by the Middle Atlas (8.33%), Anti-Atlas (3.57%), and Eastern Meseta (1.19%); (iii) the highest number of publications was recorded in 2023; (iv) the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) is the most frequently used model; and (v) comparative analysis shows that the Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) and the Lisem Integrated Spatial Earth Modeller (LISEM) are among the most effective models for simulating soil erosion. These findings highlight the need to enhance erosion modelling in Morocco through improved data accessibility and the integration of high-resolution datasets.