Assessing the Impacts of Land Use and Climate Change on Soil and Water Resources in the Srepok Watershed, Central Highland, Vietnam

Soil and water resources in the world are currently under severe pressure due to human intervention and the changing of runoff patterns caused by climate and land use changes. Population growth and human activities have accelerated the speed of land use change, that in turn affect hydrological processes. In addition, climate change may affect many aspects of natural ecosystems. Hence, understanding of impacts of climate change and land use change on hydrological conditions is essential to enable more efficient soil and water resources development. In the same light, Srepok catchment, which is situated in the Central Highlands of Vietnam, is presently being challenged by many critical issues for soil and water resources management in the Srepok river basin (Government of Vietnam 2006).