Effect of ground‐cover type on surface runoff and subsequent soil erosion in Champagne vineyards in France

This study was conducted in Champagne vineyards in France, and the objectives were to compare the main cultivation practices in Champagne vineyards and to specify the conditions required for the optimum effect of inter‐row grass cover on runoff and erosion in experimental plots of 0.25 m² under simulated rainfall. Three types of ground cover were studied. In the bark‐and‐vine‐prunings plots, the runoff coefficient (RC) ranged from 1.3 to 4.0% and soil losses were <1 g/m²/h. In the bare soil (BS) plot, the highest RC of the study was found (80.0%) and soil losses reached 7.4 g/m²/h. In the grass cover plots, the RC and amount of eroded soil were highly variable: the RCs ranged from 0.4 to 77.0%, and soil losses were between less than 1 and 13.4 g/m²/h. Soil type, soil moisture, slope and agricultural practices did not account for the variability. In fact, the density of grass cover in the wheel tracks explained a portion of this variability. The lack of grass in the centre of the inter‐row allowed for a preferential flow and created an erosion line in the wheel tracks where the soil was compacted. This study showed that grass cover in a vineyard was not necessarily sufficient to reduce surface runoff and prevent soil erosion. To be effective, the grass cover must be dense enough in the wheel tracks of agricultural machinery to avoid RCs close to the RC achieved with BS.     

南方花岗岩红壤区不同土地利用类型坡地产流与侵蚀产沙研究

基于自然坡面径流小区,分析了南方花岗岩红壤区5种典型土地利用下坡面地表径流与侵蚀产沙规律.结果表明,不同地类地表径流与侵蚀产沙分异规律明显.裸露荒地、坡耕地、早地和疏林地的地表径流分别是典型林分林地的1 354.9%,1 099.9%,712.3%和285.4%;不同地类土壤侵蚀强度排序为裸露荒地＞坡耕地＞旱地＞疏林地＞典型林分林地,说明植被能较好地调蓄地表径流和减少侵蚀产沙.在不同降雨强度和雨型条件下,不同土地利用的坡面产流与侵蚀产沙也表现出显著的差异.裸露荒地、坡耕地、旱地、疏林地是研究区主要的侵蚀产沙地类.基于径流小区次降雨条件下径流和侵蚀产沙观测资料,建立了不同地类坡面径流与侵蚀产沙的回归方程.     

Impacts of soil tilth on the effectiveness of biological geotextiles in reducing runoff and interrill erosion

The effectiveness of a surface cover material (e.g. geotextiles, rock fragments, mulches, vegetation) in reducing runoff and soil erosion rates is often only assessed by the fraction of the soil surface covered. However, there are indications that soil structure has important effects on the runoff and erosion-reducing effectiveness of the cover materials. This study investigates the impact of soil pre-treatment (i.e. fine tilth versus sealed soil surface) on the effectiveness of biological geotextiles in increasing infiltration rates and in reducing runoff and interrill erosion rates on a medium and steep slope gradient. Rainfall was simulated during 60 min with an intensity of 67 mm h⁻¹ on an interrill erosion plot having two slope gradients (i.e. 15 and 45%) and filled with an erodible sandy loam. Five biological and three simulated geotextiles with different cover percentage were tested on two simulated initial soil conditions (i.e. fine tilth and sealed soil surface). Final infiltration rates on a sealed soil surface (7.5–18.5 mm h⁻¹) are observed after ca. 10 min of rainfall compared to ca. 50 min of rainfall on an initial seedbed (16.4–56.7 mm h⁻¹). On the two tested slope gradients, significantly (α = 0.05) smaller runoff coefficients (RC) are observed on an initial seedbed (8.2% < RC < 59.8%) compared to a sealed soil surface (75.7% < RC < 87.0%). On an initial seedbed, decreasing RC are observed with an increasing simulated geotextile cover. However, on an initial sealed soil surface no significant effect of simulated geotextile cover on RC is observed. On a 15% slope gradient, calculated b-values from the mulch factor equation equalled 0.054 for an initial fine tilth and 0.022 for a sealed soil surface, indicating a higher effectiveness of geotextiles in reducing interrill erosion on a fine tilth compared to a sealed soil surface. Therefore, this study demonstrates the importance of applying geotextiles on the soil surface before the surface tilth is sealed due to rainfall. The effect of soil structure on the effectiveness of a surface cover in reducing runoff and interrill erosion rates, as indicated by the results of this study, needs to be incorporated in soil erosion prediction models.     

Plant‐compositional effects on surface runoff and sediment yield in subalpine grassland

Soil erosion such as sheet erosion is frequently encountered in subalpine grassland in the Urseren Valley (Swiss Central Alps). Erosion damages have increased enormously in this region during the last 50 y, most likely due to changes in land‐use practices and due to the impact of climatic changes. In order to estimate the effect of vegetation characteristics on surface runoff and sediment loss, we irrigated 22 pasture plots of 1 m² during 1 h at an intense rain rate of 50 mm h^–1 in two field campaigns using a portable rain simulator. The rain‐simulation plots differed in plant composition (herb versus grass dominance) and land‐use intensity but not in plant cover (>90%) nor in soil conditions. Prior to the second rain‐simulation campaign, aboveground vegetation was clipped in order to simulate intense grazing. The generated surface runoffs, sediment loss, relative water retention in the aboveground vegetation, and changes in soil moisture were quantified. Runoff coefficient varied between 0.1% and 25%, and sediment loss ranged between 0 and 0.053 g m^–2. Thus, high infiltration rates and full vegetation cover resulted in very low erosion rates even under such extreme rain events. Surface runoff did not differ significantly between herb‐ and grass‐dominated plots. However, clipping had a notable effect on surface runoff in the test plots under different land‐use intensity. In plots without or with intensive use, surface runoff decreased after clipping whereas in extensively used plots, surface runoff increased after the clipping. This opposite effect was mainly explained by higher necromass and litter presence at the extensively used plots after the clipping treatment. The results obtained here contribute to a better understanding of the importance of vegetation characteristics on surface‐runoff formation, thus, on soil‐erosion control. Overall, we delineate vegetation parameters to be crucial in soil‐erosion control which are directly modified by the land‐use management.     

Control of Rainfall-Induced Soil Erosion with Various Types of Polyacrylamide (8 pp)

Background   Several types of organic polymers with various molecular weights and surface charges are produced for various industrial and agricultural purposes, and recent studies have shown that high molecular weight anionic polymers are the most effective in reducing runoff and soil loss. However, anionic polyacrylamide (PAM) is marketed under various commercial names with variable molecular weight and length according to its chemistry (Barvenik 1994). Consequently, its interactions with soil and efficiency in reducing soil erosion are expected to vary. Moreover, types of PAM other than those recommended for erosion control may also be effective in reducing soil erosion. Objectives   The objective of this research is to test the influence of 9 types of polyacrylamide (PAM) on water infiltration and soil loss of an arid silt loam soil under simulated rainfall conditions. Method  logy. Nine types of organic polymers varied in surface charge, ranging from +20 to –75, and molecular weight ranging from very low to very high were used in this study. Soil plots with dimensions of 60 cm by 120 cm having moderate slope of3 to 5% were constructed in the field and equipped with runoff collection installations. A specific type of PAM was spread on soil plots at a rate of 10 kg/ha. Rainfall was supplied from a drip type rainfall simulator at constant intensity and duration of 80 mm/h and 50 min, respectively. Runoff, infiltration and soil loss were measured for each plot subjected to a specific type of PAM and compared to control plots. Results and Conclusions   Land application of PAMs significantly increased infiltration prior to runoff but had insignificant effect on total infiltration volume and final infiltration rate under the present experimental conditions. Experimental results confirmed that anionic polymers were more effective in reducing soil loss than that of non-ionic or cationic polymers. In fact the cationic, low molecular weight and low surface charge non-ionic PAMs had insignificant effect on soil loss. High molecular weight anionic PAM with 30% surface charge (A-130) was more effective(46% reduction) than those having a high molecular weight and a lower surface charge of 20% (A-110 and A-120) with an aver-age soil loss reduction of 24%. The PAM A-836, described assoil erosion polymer with 20% surface charge and high molecular weight, reduced soil erosion by 41%. Unexpectedly, the anionic PAM with low molecular weight but very high surface charge was also effective in reducing soil loss (47% reduction). Recommendations and Outlook   Land application of PAM improves water infiltration and highly reduces soil erosion thus improving agricultural production. Application of PAM could be the only viable way to improve arid land farming. It seemed that various types of PAMs, other than those specifically produced for erosion protection can be used to combat soil erosion. This means that farmers in poor countries can use any type of PAM that is available to them to improve agricultural production.     

Effects of rainfall intensity and slope gradient on the dynamics of interrill erosion during soil surface sealing

Soil erosion during rainfall is strongly affected by runoff and slope steepness. Runoff production is drastically increased when a seal is formed at the soil surface during rainfall. Therefore, a complex interaction exists between soil erosion and surface sealing. In this study, the dynamics of interrill erosion during seal formation is studied under different simulated rainfall and slope conditions. A sandy soil was exposed to 70 mm of rainfall at two intensities, 24 mm h^− 1 and 60 mm h^− 1, and five slope gradients, from 5% to 25%. Infiltration, runoff and soil loss rates were monitored during rainfall. Final infiltration rates increased with slope gradient at both rainfall intensities, this effect being stronger for the higher intensity. Cumulative runoff at the end of the rainfall event was lower as slopes were steeper, while an opposite trend was obtained for soil loss. For the 5% and the 9% slopes, the sediment concentration in runoff reached quickly a stable value during the whole rainfall event, while it reached a peak value before declining for the higher slopes. The peak value and its timing were rainfall intensity dependent. Soil erodibility during seal formation was evaluated using two empirical multiplication-of-factors type models. It seems that slope and rainfall erosivity are accounted for only partly in these models. For mild slope gradients below 9%, the value of K_i estimated by means of the two expressions becomes practically constant shortly after runoff apparition. Consequently, the estimates resulting from this type of expressions remain valuable from the practical point of view.     

Heterogeneity in soil hydrological response from different land cover types in southern Spain

This paper reports results from the analysis of the soil hydrological response to simulated rainfall in a cork oak forest in Los Alcornocales Natural Park (SW Spain). Four different soil/vegetation units were selected for the field experiments: [1] cork oak woodland, [2] heathland, [3] grassland, and [4] cork oak/olive tree mixed forest. Rainfall simulations tests were performed on circular plots of 1256.6 cm² at an intensity of 56.5 mm h^− 1 for 30 min.Marked differences in the hydrological behavior of the studied vegetation types were observed after the rainfall simulations. The soils under woodland showed low runoff rates and coefficients. The highest runoff rates were measured on the heath and grass-covered parts of the hillslope. Water repellency of the soil, measured from water drop penetration tests, reduced infiltration (especially under the heathland), and seems to be the cause of fast ponding and runoff generation during the first stages of rainstorms.The mosaic of different patterns of hydrological response to rainfall, such as runoff generation or infiltration, is governed by the spatial distribution of vegetation and its influence on the soil surface.     

坡地开垦的径流泥沙响应

Land use and land cover change is a key driver of environmental change. To investigate the runoff and erosion responses to frequent land use change on the steep lands in the Three Gorges area, China, a rainfall simulation experiment was conducted in plots randomly selected at a Sloping Land Conversion Program site with three soil surface conditions: existing vegetation cover, vegetation removal, and freshly hoed. Simulated rainfall was applied at intensities of 60 (low), 90 (medium), and 120 mm h 1 (high) in each plot. The results indicated that vegetation removal and hoeing significantly changed runoff generation. The proportion of subsurface runoff in the total runoff decreased from 30.3% to 6.2% after vegetation removal. In the hoed plots, the subsurface runoff comprised 29.1% of the total runoff under low-intensity rainfall simulation and the proportion rapidly decreased with increasing rainfall intensity. Vegetation removal and tillage also significantly increased soil erosion. The average soil erosion rates from the vegetation removal and hoed plots were 3.0 and 10.2 times larger than that in the existing vegetation cover plots, respectively. These identified that both the runoff generation mechanism and soil erosion changed as a consequence of altering land use on steep lands. Thus, conservation practices with maximum vegetation cover and minimum tillage should be used to reduce surface runoff and soil erosion on steep lands.     

东北薄层黑土区作物轮作防治坡面侵蚀的效果与C值研究

作物轮作通过影响通用土壤流失方程(USLE)中作物覆盖和管理因子C值的变化和改良土壤性质而减少坡面土壤侵蚀。基于东北薄层黑土区连续6年大豆—红小豆轮作和裸露休闲坡面小区的径流泥沙和降雨资料,分析了2011—2016年研究区侵蚀性降雨特征,探讨了作物轮作防治坡面土壤侵蚀的效果,研究了作物轮作C值的年内和年际动态变化。结果表明:研究区所有侵蚀性降雨皆发生在5—10月,其降雨量占全年降水量的32.5%～68.1%,且年内和年际分布不均。对于5°坡度的裸露小区,土壤侵蚀主要发生在6—8月,坡面径流量和土壤流失量分别为48.4mm和1 388.2t/(km~2·a);对于5°坡度的作物轮作小区,土壤侵蚀主要发生在5—7月,坡面径流量和土壤流失量分别为19.5mm和166.7t/(km~2·a)。与裸露休闲小区相比,作物轮作小区可使黑土坡面年径流量和土壤流失量减少59.7%和88.0%。大豆—红小豆轮作措施的多年平均C值为0.12,其中大豆作物的C值为0.04,变化范围0.007～0.080;红小豆作物的C值为0.38,变化范围0.28～0.46。大豆和红小豆作物的C值月变化分别为0.01～0.24和0.01～0.80,呈先减少后增加的变化趋势。大豆—红小豆轮作对东北薄层黑土区坡面土壤侵蚀防治有明显效果,研究结果可为薄层黑土区土壤侵蚀定量评价和预报模型的建立提供基础数据。     

Aggregate stability as an indicator of soil susceptibility to runoff and erosion; validation at several levels

The evaluation of soil susceptibility to runoff and water erosion in the field is often expensive or time-consuming. Several authors have reported that susceptibility is linked to aggregate stability, whose determination is far easier. However, this susceptibility has generally been deduced from rainfall simulation experiments on sieved soil samples, whose behaviour is not always representative of field-scale phenomena. Our aim was to extend the validity of relationships between soil aggregation and erosion through comparisons of topsoil aggregate stability and field-assessed susceptibility to runoff and erosion.Susceptibility to runoff and erosion was determined at several levels: first, on a southern French Regosol, through measurements of runoff and soil loss from 1-m² microplots under simulated rainfall; second, from 100- to 800-m² runoff plots on a Nitosol in Benin, a Ferralsol in Cameroon and a Regosol in Mexico (with additional data on Syria from the literature); and finally, soil susceptibility to erosion was determined through semi-quantitative assessment of the frequency of erosion features on vineyard hillsides in southern France. Aggregate stability was determined by immersion in water and wet-sieving of 2-mm sieved, air-dried 0- to 10-cm soil samples, which actually tests aggregate resistance to slaking.Under simulated rainfall, runoff depth and soil loss after 30 min were negatively correlated with topsoil content in stable macroaggregates (>0.2 mm). On runoff plots, 3-year runoff rate and soil loss were negatively correlated with topsoil aggregate stability, especially stable macroaggregate content; these correlations were improved when slope gradient and climate aggressiveness were considered in addition to aggregate stability. On vineyard hillsides, the frequency index of erosion features was negatively correlated with topsoil content in stable macroaggregates, especially in the absence of conservation practices.These results confirm that aggregate stability is a relevant indicator of soil susceptibility to runoff and erosion, especially in Mediterranean and tropical areas where intense rainfall is frequent. They also confirm that simple laboratory determination can provide data closely correlated with those resulting from field investigations.     

Erosion rates and nutrient losses affected by composted cattle manure application in vineyard soils of NE Spain

Land preparation for mechanisation in vineyards of the Anoia–Alt Penedès region, NE Spain, has required major soil movements, which has enormous environmental implications not only due to changes in the landscape morphology but also due to soil degradation. The resulting cultivated soils are very poor in organic matter and highly susceptible to erosion, which reduces the possibilities of water intake as most of the rain is lost as runoff. In order to improve soil conditions, the application of organic wastes has been generalised in the area, not only before plantation but also every 3–4 years at rates of 30–50 Mg ha^− 1 mixed in the upper 30 cm.These organic materials are important sources of nutrients (N and P) and other elements, which could reduce further fertilisation cost. However, due to the high susceptibility to sealing of these soils, erosion rates are relatively high, so a higher nutrient concentration on the soil surface increases non-point pollution sources due to runoff.The aim of this study is to analyse the influence of applied composted cattle manure on infiltration, runoff and soil losses and on nutrients transported by runoff in vineyards of the Alt Penedès–Anoia region, NE Spain. In the two plots selected for the analysis, composted cattle manure had been applied in alternate rows 1 year previous to the study. In each plot soil surface samples (0–25 cm) were taken and compared to those of plots without manure application. The study was carried out at laboratory scale using simulated rainfall. Infiltration rates were calculated from the difference between rainfall intensity and runoff rates, and the sediment and total nitrogen and phosphorus were measured for each simulation. In addition, the influence of compost was investigated in the field under natural rainfall conditions by analysing the nutrient concentration in runoff samples collected in the field (in the same plots) after seven rainfall events, which amount different total precipitation and had different erosive character.Compost application increases infiltration rates by up to 26% and also increases the time when runoff starts. Sediment concentration in runoff was lower in treated (13.4 on average mg L^− 1) than in untreated soils (ranging from 16.8 to 23.4 mg L^− 1). However, the higher nutrient concentration in soils produces a higher mobilisation of N (7–17 mg L^− 1 in untreated soils and 20–26 mg L^− 1 in treated soils) and P (6–7 mg L^− 1 in untreated soils and 13–19 mg L^− 1 in treated soils). A major part of the P mobilised was attached to soil particles (about 90% on average) and only 10% was dissolved. Under natural conditions, higher nutrient concentrations were always recorded in treated vs. untreated soils in both plots, and the total amount of N and P mobilised by runoff was higher in treated soils, although without significant differences. Nutrient concentrations in runoff depend on rainfall erosivity but the average value in treated soils was twice that in untreated soils for both plots.     

Interactions between soil properties and moisture content in crust formation, runoff and interrill erosion from tilled loess soils

Soil-surface seals and crusts resulting from aggregate breakdown reduce the soil infiltration rate and may induce erosion by increasing runoff. The cultivated loess areas of northwestern Europe are particularly prone to these processes.Surface samples of ten tilled silty loamy loess soils, ranging in clay content from 120 to 350 g kg⁻¹ and in organic carbon from 10 to 20 g kg⁻¹, were packed into 0.5 m² plots with 5% slopes and subjected to simulated rainfall applied at 30 mm h⁻¹. The 120 minutes rainfall events were applied to initially field-moist soil, air-dried soil and rewetted soil to investigate the effect of soil moisture content prior to rainfall. Runoff and eroded sediments were collected at 5 minutes intervals. Aggregate stability of the soils was assessed by measuring particle-size distribution after different treatments.All soils formed seals. Runoff rates were between 70 and 90% by the end of the rainfall event for field-moist plots. There were large differences between soil runoff rates for the air-dried and rewetted plots. Interrill erosion was associated with runoff, and sediment concentration in runoff readily reached a steady-state value. Measurements of aggregate stability for various treatments were in good agreement with sealing, runoff and erosion responses to rainfall. Runoff and erosion were lower for air-dried plots than for field-moist plots, and were either intermediate or lowest for rewetted plots, depending on soil characteristics. Soils with a high clay content had the lowest erosion rate when they were rewetted, whereas the soil with a high organic-carbon content had the lowest erosion rate in air-dry conditions. The results indicate the complexity of the effect of initial moisture content, and the interactions between soil properties and climate.     

Ephemeral gully erosion by preferential flow through a discontinuous soil-pipe

Subsurface flow through soil-pipes can contribute to ephemeral gully erosion but these soil-pipes are cut-off when tillage fills in the gully. The objective was to determine the effect of flow through discontinuous soil-pipes on ephemeral gully erosion. Experiments were conducted on 150 cm long by 100 cm wide soil beds with an artificial soil-pipe at the upper end that extended 50 cm into the soil immediately above a water-restricting horizon. The combination of rainfall with pipe flow produced extensive (63 kg) soil losses by mass wasting. The mode of mass wasting appeared to be sudden, cataclysmic pop-out failures. Total soil loss by sheet erosion with rainfall and pipe flow combined (13.6 kg) was four times higher than by rainfall alone (3.4 kg). Under rainfall with pipe flow, soil loss by mass wasting was nearly 20 times higher than sheet erosion from rainfall alone. Soil conservation practices that treat surface runoff process alone may be ineffective if subsurface flow is contributing.     

Erosion rates and nutrient losses affected by composted cattle manure application in vineyard soils of NE Spain

Land preparation for mechanisation in vineyards of the Anoia–Alt Penedès region, NE Spain, has required major soil movements, which has enormous environmental implications not only due to changes in the landscape morphology but also due to soil degradation. The resulting cultivated soils are very poor in organic matter and highly susceptible to erosion, which reduces the possibilities of water intake as most of the rain is lost as runoff. In order to improve soil conditions, the application of organic wastes has been generalised in the area, not only before plantation but also every 3–4 years at rates of 30–50 Mg ha^− 1 mixed in the upper 30 cm.These organic materials are important sources of nutrients (N and P) and other elements, which could reduce further fertilisation cost. However, due to the high susceptibility to sealing of these soils, erosion rates are relatively high, so a higher nutrient concentration on the soil surface increases non-point pollution sources due to runoff.The aim of this study is to analyse the influence of applied composted cattle manure on infiltration, runoff and soil losses and on nutrients transported by runoff in vineyards of the Alt Penedès–Anoia region, NE Spain. In the two plots selected for the analysis, composted cattle manure had been applied in alternate rows 1 year previous to the study. In each plot soil surface samples (0–25 cm) were taken and compared to those of plots without manure application. The study was carried out at laboratory scale using simulated rainfall. Infiltration rates were calculated from the difference between rainfall intensity and runoff rates, and the sediment and total nitrogen and phosphorus were measured for each simulation. In addition, the influence of compost was investigated in the field under natural rainfall conditions by analysing the nutrient concentration in runoff samples collected in the field (in the same plots) after seven rainfall events, which amount different total precipitation and had different erosive character.Compost application increases infiltration rates by up to 26% and also increases the time when runoff starts. Sediment concentration in runoff was lower in treated (13.4 on average mg L^− 1) than in untreated soils (ranging from 16.8 to 23.4 mg L^− 1). However, the higher nutrient concentration in soils produces a higher mobilisation of N (7–17 mg L^− 1 in untreated soils and 20–26 mg L^− 1 in treated soils) and P (6–7 mg L^− 1 in untreated soils and 13–19 mg L^− 1 in treated soils). A major part of the P mobilised was attached to soil particles (about 90% on average) and only 10% was dissolved. Under natural conditions, higher nutrient concentrations were always recorded in treated vs. untreated soils in both plots, and the total amount of N and P mobilised by runoff was higher in treated soils, although without significant differences. Nutrient concentrations in runoff depend on rainfall erosivity but the average value in treated soils was twice that in untreated soils for both plots.     

黄土丘陵区不同坡度下土壤有机碳流失规律研究

通过野外径流小区观测与采样分析,研究了自然降雨条件下坡度对土壤有机碳流失的影响.结果表明:在黄土丘陵区,随着坡度增加(10°～30°),其侵蚀强度(A)变化趋势为:A_20°>A_30°>A_15°>A_10°>A_25°,表明在20°和25°之间存在着临界坡度;土壤有机碳流失的变化趋势与侵蚀强度一致,可见有机碳流失主要受侵蚀强度的影响.土壤侵蚀造成了泥沙中有机碳的富集,其平均富集比为2.27～3.74,且富集比随着侵蚀强度和坡度增大而减小.土壤有机碳流失程度与降雨特征值PI₃₀呈幂函数关系.减少地表径流和土壤侵蚀是降低土壤有机碳流失的关键.     

密云水库上游流域次降雨坡面产流产沙特征

以北京市密云县石匣小流域为研究区,利用2006-2010年连续5 a的坡面径流试验小区观测资料,运用统计方法,分析了密云水库上游流域的降雨、产流产沙特征以及在不同土地利用和不同坡度条件下,降雨量、降雨强度与产流、产沙之间的关系。结果表明:1)该研究区域水土保持治理措施实施的关键时间为每年的7、8月份,当降雨量大于10 mm时,应注意采取水土保持措施;2)在裸地、耕地和林地条件下,高雨量、中雨强型降雨为导致产流、产沙的主要雨型,在草地条件下,中雨量、高雨强型降雨为导致产流、产沙的主要雨型;3)中雨量高雨强型降雨条件下,林地的减流效益最好,低雨量低雨强型降雨和高雨量中雨强型降雨条件下,耕地的减流效益相对较低,草地和林地的减流效益差异不大;在3种不同雨型条件下,耕地、草地和林地的减沙效益差别不大;4)裸地条件下,降雨量与产流量间的关系更为密切,尤其在14.4°坡面下相关性最高;耕地条件下,产流量与降雨量的相关性较好,产沙量则与降雨强度的相关性较好,11.4°的坡面产流量、产沙量与降雨因子间的相关系数最高;草地条件下,降雨强度与产流量间的关系较为密切;林地条件下,产流量、产沙量与降雨因子间的相关性均不显著。研究结果可为密云水库上游水土保持措施及农业面源污染管理措施的科学实施提供依据。     

降雨侵蚀因子和植被类型及覆盖度对坡耕地土壤侵蚀的影响

为探讨降雨和植被对辽西褐土区农耕坡地土壤侵蚀的影响,2006-2010年采用坡面径流小区观测法研究了天然降雨条件下降雨侵蚀因子、植被覆盖度、植被类型对坡耕地地表径流量、土壤侵蚀量的影响。设5°和10°两个坡度水平,以甘薯和谷子为供试作物,2006-2007年对照区为天然荒草地,2008-2010年为裸坡地。结果表明,甘薯地径流量和侵蚀量与降雨量(R)、最大30 min雨强(I_(30))、R×I(平均雨强)、R×I_(30)正相关显著(P0.05);裸坡地径流量与R、R×I_(30)正相关显著(P0.05),侵蚀量与I_(30)、R×I_(30)正相关显著(P0.05),与降雨量相关不显著(P0.05)。甘薯地和裸坡地的径流量和侵蚀量与平均降雨强度正相关均不显著(P0.05)。回归分析表明,降雨量主要影响径流量,最大30 min雨强主要影响侵蚀量。中、高雨强下,侵蚀量与径流量显著正相关(P0.01)。甘薯地径流量和侵蚀量与植被覆盖度呈显著负指数关系(P0.05)。5°坡耕地,不同植被类型侵蚀量为甘薯地荒草地谷子地;10°坡耕地,荒草地侵蚀量总体最少。多元回归分析表明,对土壤侵蚀的影响为地表径流降雨侵蚀力(R×I_(30))植被覆盖度。通过连续5 a坡面径流小区观测,初步探明降雨和植被对辽西褐土区农耕坡地土壤侵蚀的影响,可为该区坡耕地土壤侵蚀的有效防治提供一定的理论依据和技术支撑。     

Quantifying spatial distribution of interrill and rill erosion in a loess at different slopes using structure from motion (SfM) photogrammetry

The spatial distribution of interrill and rill erosion is essential for unravelling soil erosion principles and the application of soil and water conservation practices. To quantify interrill and rill erosion and their spatial development, four 30-min rainfalls at 90 mm h^?1 intensity were consecutively simulated on runoff plots packed with a loess at six slopes of 10°, 15°, 20°, 25°, 30° and 35°. The soil surface was measured using the structure from motion (SfM) photogrammetry upon each simulation run, and the runoff and sediment samples were collected and measured at every 10 min. Rills did not develop until the third simulation run. During the initial two runs, the lower third section was more severely eroded than the upper and middle thirds along the slope direction, yet the interrill erosion was statistically uniform from left to right. Rills tended to emerge by both sidewalls and in the lower portion in the third run. The corresponding rill erosion increased with slope from 10° to 20° and then decreased for the slopes steeper, which was consistent with the slope trend of the sediment yield directly measured. The rills expanded substantially primarily via head retreat and to a lesser extent via sideward erosion after receiving another 30-min rainfall. Rill erosion contributed 69.3% of the total erosion loss, and shifted the critical slope corresponding to the maximum loss from 20° to 25°. These findings demonstrate the significance of rill erosion not only in total soil loss but also in its relation to slope, as well as the effectiveness of SfM photogrammetry in quantifying interrill and rill erosion.     

The effect of land management practices on soil erosion and land desertification in an olive grove

The need for reliable estimates of soil loss under different land management practices (LMPs) is becoming imperative in the Mediterranean basin to inform decisions on more effective strategies for land management. The effect of LMPs on soil erosion and land degradation has been investigated using experiments from November 2008 to November 2011 in an olive grove in central Crete (Greece). The study area was on sloping land with soils formed on marl deposits which are vulnerable to desertification because of surface runoff and tillage. The experimental design included three treatments with two replicates (3 × 5 m experimental plots) corresponding to the following LMPs: (i) no tillage–no herbicide application, (ii) no tillage–herbicide application and (iii) ploughing to 20 cm perpendicular to the contours. The following variables were monitored: surface water runoff, sediment loss, soil temperature at 10 cm, soil moisture content at depths of 20 and 50 cm, as well as selected climatic variables. The results show that the no tillage–no herbicide management practice gave the lowest sediment loss (1.44–4.78 g/m²/yr), the lowest water runoff (1.8–11.5 mm/yr), the greatest amount of water stored in the soil, the lowest soil temperature and the lowest desertification risk compared with the other treatments. Tillage resulted in the greatest sediment loss (13.6–39.2 g/m²/yr) and surface runoff (16.5–65.0 mm/yr), and an intermediate amount of water stored in the soil. In addition, this treatment led to the loss of soil thickness of 3.7 mm/yr because of ploughing. The results demonstrate the high risk of desertification in the investigated region and the methodology can be used in other Mediterranean areas as an assessment framework for evaluating land degradation and the impact of land management on soil erosion.     

Soil management effects on runoff and soil loss from field rainfall simulation

Soil erosion from agricultural lands is a serious problem on the Chinese Loess Plateau. In total, 28 field rainfall simulations were carried on loamy soils under different management practices, namely conventional tillage (CT), no till with mulch (NTM), reduced tillage (RT), subsoiling with mulch (SSM), subsoiling without mulch (SS), and two crops per year (TC), to investigate (i) the effects of different soil management practices on runoff sediment and (ii) the temporal change of runoff discharge rate and sediment concentration under different initial soil moisture conditions (i.e. initially dry soil surface, and wet surface) and rainfall intensity (85 and 170 mm h^− 1) in the Chinese Loess Plateau. NTM was the best alternative in terms of soil erosion control. SSM reduced soil loss by more than 85% in 2002 compared to CT, and its effects on runoff reduction became more pronounced after 4 years consecutive implementation. SS also reduced considerably the runoff and soil loss, but not as pronounced as SSM. TC resulted in a significant runoff reduction (more than 92%) compared to CT in the initial ‘dry’ soil, but this effect was strongly reduced in the initial ‘wet’ soil. Temporal change of runoff discharge rate and sediment concentration showed a large variation between the different treatments. In conclusion, NTM is the most favorable tillage practices in terms of soil and water conservation in the Chinese Loess Plateau. SSM can be regarded as a promising measure to improve soil and water conservation considering its beneficial effect on winter wheat yield.