3.2 The assessment of the C factor
The values of the C factor are crucial in assessing the risk of erosion as they indicate the degree of vegetative cover and soil protection. In our study, we found that the maximum value of C on our map was 0.29 for the Galite archipelago. This relatively low value suggests limited vegetative cover in this region.
This sparse vegetative cover can be attributed to several factors, such as arid environmental conditions, exposure to wind and erosion, as well as human activities like overgrazing or deforestation. Additionally, we noted that forest fires are likely to exacerbate this issue by destroying existing vegetation and further exposing the soil to erosion.
As a result, a maximum C value of 0.29 highlights the vulnerability of the Galite archipelago to erosion and underscores the importance of implementing conservation and restoration measures to enhance vegetative cover and protect the soil against the detrimental effects of erosion.( Figure 6)