Aggregate stability in range sandy loam soils Relationships with runoff and erosion

The spatial variability of soil aggregate stability and its relationship to runoff and soil erosion were examined in a catena of soils and vegetation in a semiarid environment at the Rambla Honda field site (Tabernas, Almería, SE Spain) to evaluate the validity of structural stability as a soil erosion indicator in sandy loam range soils. The influence of soil properties and topography on the variability of aggregate stability was also examined. Methods include: 1) aggregate stability assessment at 12 sites (3 repetitions per site) on the hillslope by two methods: a) aggregate size distribution by dry sieving b) water drop test; 2) soil organic carbon content; 3) particle size distribution determination; 4) terrain attributes derived from a digital elevation model (1-m resolution); 5) monitoring runoff and erosion for nearly 3 years in eight (10 × 2 m) plots distributed over the hillslope. Results: 41% of the average soil mass is formed by > 2-mm aggregates. However, wet aggregate stability is poor, with a mean (of a total of 1440 aggregates) of only 26 drop impacts necessary to break up a wet aggregate (pF = 1). Significant relationships were found in the number of water drops required for aggregate breakdown and runoff and erosion rates. However, no significant relationships between the mean weight diameter of aggregates under dry conditions and runoff or erosion rates were observed. The relationships of aggregates with other soil properties, hillslope position and proximity to plants are also analysed. The most significant correlation found was between the number of drop impacts and soil organic matter content. The stability of topsoil aggregates seems to be a valuable indicator of field-assessed runoff and inter-rill erosion of sandy loam range soils under semiarid conditions.     

Residue impacts on runoff and soil erosion for different corn plant populations

The year to year carry-over effects of biomass additions under different plant populations on runoff and erosion are unclear. The objective of this study was to quantify the impact of different plant populations on residue cover to elucidate the effects of residue cover on runoff and erosion. The residue management system involved shredding of corn (maize) biomass after harvest, incorporating the residue in the spring, and leaving the land fallow until it was no-till planted the following spring. Runoff and soil losses were measured on 18 runoff plots with plots arranged in two areas with each having three randomized treatments (0%, 50%, and 100% plant population) with three replications. The two areas were managed as a fallow/no-till corn rotation in two cycles of alternating years. Surface residue cover was highly dynamic with significant changes between cycles and seasons in response to the management practices. The annual soil losses were reduced by 47% and 54% for the 50% and 100% plant populations, respectively compared to the control. However, the annual soil loss even for the 100% plant population was still nearly seven times the tolerable soil loss limit of 7 ton ha⁻¹. The normal erosion protection afforded by no-till practices was lost by the incorporation of residue the previous year.     

Harvest intensity of aromatic shrubs vs. soil erosion: An equilibrium for sustainable agriculture (SE Spain)

In the Mediterranean Europe, where rainfall is scarce and irregular but often of high intensity, wild shrubs protect the soil against erosivity of raindrops. Moreover, some of these plants are the economic income for local farmers. Particularly in SE Spain, soil erosion is a core factor in environmental degradation attributed primarily to the cultivation practices and human pressure on the land. Over a four-year period, soil erosion and runoff were monitored in erosion plots on a mountainside, comparing four harvest intensities of four aromatic shrubs (Lavandula lanata L., Santolina rosmarinifolia L. Origanum bastetanum, and Salvia lavandulifolia V.): 0% (HI-0), 25% (HI-25), 50% (HI-50), and 75% (HI-75). Also, the fresh biomass and essential-oil content were quantified in each treatment. The erosion plots were located in Lanjarón (Granada, SE Spain) on the southern flank of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, on a 20% slope, and of 96 m² in area. The average soil loss for HI-0, HI-25, HI-50, and HI-75 during the study period was 144.6, 187.2, 256.0, and 356.0 kg ha^− 1, respectively, and runoff 2.6, 3.2, 3.4, and 4.7 mm, respectively. The lowest average soil erosion and runoff rates for the study period were recorded with plant cover of S. lavandulifolia V. 67.6 kg ha^− 1 and 1.3 mm, respectively. Since no significant differences were found between HI-25 and HI-50 for soil erosion and runoff, and harvest and distillation of wild-aromatic plants currently persists as an important economic activity in mountainous areas of the study zone, we recommend a rational harvest (HI-50), leaving the 50% of the plant biomass in the field (especially for sage and lavender) to avoid the soil degradation. In this sense, the harvest of 50% of fresh herb of sage, santolina, lavender, and oregano produced reasonable essential-oil yield of 12.7, 14.0, 19.7, and 18.3 L ha^− 1, respectively. The inappropriate harvest of aromatic plants and the intensity farming systems of mountain areas endanger land conservation, and there is an urgent need to implement appropriate land management which has a large-scale perspective but acts at the local level.     

不同土壤坡面细沟侵蚀差异与其影响因素

采用室内纯净水人工模拟降雨试验,在坡度为10°、15°、20°、25°坡面,土槽为5 m、10 m两种规格,对两种土壤((土娄)土与黄绵土)分别进行雨强为1.5 mm min-1,的降雨实验,利用三维激光扫描仪对每一场降雨后的坡面进行监测,分析不同坡度对细沟侵蚀的影响,比较两种土壤坡面细沟侵蚀的差异,以及其差异的影响因子.结果表明:(土娄)土土壤颗粒以粉粒与黏粒为主,粉粒占总质量的64.12％,黏粒为28.42％.黄绵土的土壤颗粒以粉粒为主占总质量的67.95％,黏粒与沙粒含量较少,黏粒占14.52％,沙粒占17.53％.在相同条件下,(土娄)土降雨过程中人渗缓慢,产流时间、坡面流速均快于黄绵土,跌坎出现时间也较早,使其更容易产生细沟.(土娄)土的径流量高于黄绵土,在降雨过程中,径流稳定时间较早.(土娄)土侵蚀量高于黄绵土,(土娄)土产沙率呈增加趋势,黄绵土含沙量变化不明显.从坡面细沟发育来看,(土娄)土坡面细沟成平行状分布,黄绵土细沟为较宽树枝状.     

Effects of 30-year-old Aleppo pine plantations on runoff,soil erosion,and plant diversity in a semi-arid landscape in south eastern Spain

Forest management policies in Mediterranean areas have traditionally encouraged land cover changes, with the establishment of tree cover (Aleppo pine) in natural or degraded ecosystems for soil conservation purposes: to reduce soil erosion and to increase the vegetation structure. In order to evaluate the usefulness of these management policies on reduced erosion in semi-arid landscapes, we compared 5 vegetation cover types (bare soil, dry grassland, shrublands, afforested dry grasslands and afforested thorn shrublands), monitored in 15 hydrological plots (8 × 2 m), in the Ventós catchment (Alicante, SE Spain), over 4 years (1996 to 1999). Each cover type represented a different dominant patch of the vegetation mosaic on the north-facing slopes of this catchment. The results showed that runoff coefficients of vegetated plots were less than 1% of the precipitation volume; whereas runoff in denuded areas was nearly 4%. Soil losses in vegetation plots averaged 0.04 Mg ha^− 1 year^− 1 and increased 40-fold in open-land plots. The evaluation of these forest management policies, in contrast with the natural vegetation communities, suggests that: (1) thorn shrublands and dry grassland communities with vegetation cover could control runoff and sediment yield as effectively as Aleppo pine afforestation in these communities, and (2) afforestation with a pine stratum improved the stand's vertical structure resulting in pluri-stratified communities, but reduced the species richness and plant diversity in the understorey of the plantations.     

呼伦贝尔市大兴安岭东麓黑土区土壤侵蚀研究

利用卫星遥感资料结合全国耕地地力调查与质量评价项目的实施,在内蒙古呼伦贝尔市大兴安岭东麓低山丘陵黑土区进行了土壤侵蚀现状调查研究,摸清了该地区土壤侵蚀现状。结果表明,该地区国土面积的29.83%、耕地面积的55.94%已经产生了水土流失,年流失表土层总量达916.74万t,已对当地人民的生产生活产生了严重影响。     

Evaluation of soil erosion protective cover by crop residues using vegetation indices and spectral mixture analysis of multispectral and hyperspectral data

Crop residues are efficient in reducing erosion and surface water runoff on agricultural soils. Evaluating the crop residue cover fraction and its spatial distribution is important to scientists involved in the modelling of soil erosion and surface runoff, and also to authorities wishing to assess soil conservation adoption by farmers. This study focuses on the evaluation of four remote sensing techniques to estimate the cover fraction of cereal crop residues (i.e., wheat and corn) from multispectral and hyperspectral measurements. These are the Soil Adjusted Corn Residue Index (SACRI), the Crop Residue Index Multiband (CRIM), the Normalized Difference Index (NDI) and the spectral mixture analysis technique (SMA). Field campaigns that were carried out by the FLOODGEN project in Sainte-Angèle-de-Monnoir, Québec, Canada and in the Pays-de-Caux located in the Normandy region of France, allowed us to gather digital photographs, spectra and other measurements to determine the actual ground cover fraction. A linear regression analysis between results derived from Landsat-5 TM simulated field spectra and the actual ground cover fractions showed best results for the CRIM on the Ste-Angèle-de-Monnoir study site (R² = 0.96), and equally good results for the Pays-de-Caux study site (R² = 0.94). Results were not as good when SMA was applied to the same Landsat-5 TM simulated field spectra with R² values of 0.70 and 0.68 for both sites, respectively. However, results improved significantly when SMA was applied to the hyperspectral data in which case the R² values increased to 0.92 for the Sainte-Angèle-de-Monnoir site and 0.89 for the Pays-de-Caux study site. Results obtained with the NDI and SACRI from both simulated TM and hyperspectral field spectra were not conclusive.     

Variation in soil chemical properties along toposequences in an arid region of the Levant

Detailed characterization of soils and their variation along different topography positions has not been investigated in depth for Mediterranean arid regions. There is a need to accurately understand the variation and the spatial distribution of soil properties within dry region of the Levant. Such understanding is required to optimize the use and management of scarce land and water resources. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of hillslope characteristics on the variation of selected soil chemical properties in an arid Mediterranean climate. At each of five selected transects four sites were chosen to represent four different topographic positions: summit, shoulder, backslope and toeslope. A soil profile was examined at each site and a representative sample from each horizon was withdrawn for chemical analyses. The analyses indicated that generally, the carbonate contents of the surface horizons decreased from higher to lower positions of the toposequence, the carbonate content increased with depth for profiles occupying the lower positions. This suggests more intense leaching within soil at lower positions. The effect of steepness and curvature on controlling the variation of soil properties was obvious at the summit and shoulder positions. Leaching process seems to hinder the effect of steepness and curvature for soils at lower positions. Lower positions receive runoff water and organic matter from upper positions, which complicate the relationship between landform shape and organic matter content. Continuous tillage resulted in lower organic matter contents for soils at lower positions. Higher pH values were reported for soils down along the transect due to the movement of soil material from upper hillslope positions. Electrical conductivity, exchangeable calcium and potassium contents decreased downslope due to higher moisture accumulation. However, no obvious relationship was found between the variation of pH or EC in one hand and the variation of steepness and curvature on the other. Potassium content was variable due to its greater mobility. The analyses indicated that variation in the soil CEC is governed by two factors: the leaching pattern, which is controlled by hillslope position, and the accumulation of Eolian carbonates at the soil surface. The distribution of iron oxides and types of clay minerals indicated more weathering in a descending direction and with soil depth, which is attributed to higher availability of soil moisture along the same direction. These relationships suggested systematic variation of chemical properties along toposequences in this arid environment.     

铁路工程建设中重塑坡面单元产流产沙规律研究

本文通过野外人工降雨试验的方法,对铁路工程建设中各主要坡面单元的产流产沙情况与原始坡面的产流产沙情况进行了比较研究。发现：（1）坡面产流：施工营地＞路堑边坡＞施工便道≈原始地面;（2）坡面产沙：路堑边坡＞施工便道＞施工营地≈原始地面。同时对工程中坡面产流产沙的因素进行了讨论,认为：（1）工程中重塑坡面单元上的产流主要受坡度和坡面土层的密实度等因素的影响,而坡面土壤前期含水量亏缺程度则是影响产流时间的关键因素;（2）重塑坡面单元上的侵蚀程度主要受坡面土层密实度、坡度以及受人为干扰土层的厚度等因素的影响。     

Extent of soil erosion and surface runoff associated with large-scale infrastructure development in Fujian Province, China

We examined runoff and sediment transport associated with large-scale construction projects in Fujian Province, China. Six experimental plots, comprised of four plot types, were designed to mimic typical conditions immediately following disturbance. It was found that natural vegetative cover reduces both runoff and erosion by approximately 36 and 7457 times over bare ground, and 16 and 1801 times over typically planted grasses, respectively. The increase in erosion associated with the replacement of native vegetation with bare ground or grasses due to large-scale infrastructure projects in Fujian from 1999 to 2004, amounted to an estimated loss of 1.76 × 10⁷ tonnes of top soil and 3.04 × 10⁸ m³ of surface runoff from the province during the bare soil construction phase, and an additional 4.25 × 10⁶ tonnes of top soil and 1.35 × 10⁸ m³ of surface runoff from the province associated with the first year of operation for each project. This has implications for frequency and occurrence of landslides and other geographic hazards, the transport of chemicals into waterways, the transport of goods through shipping passages, and the fertility of land in Fujian.     

矿区排土场边坡不同植被配置模式的控蚀效益研究

为研究不同植被配置模式对露天煤矿排土场边坡径流产沙的影响。以内蒙古永利煤矿恢复4 a的排土场边坡为研究对象,采用原位放水冲刷试验方法。以裸坡(BS)为对照,研究了递增型放水流量(5-10-15-20 L·min~(–1))条件下内蒙古永利煤矿排土场边坡不同植被配置模式(上坡冰草(面积占比30%)+下坡沙蒿(70%),C3H7;上坡冰草(70%)+下坡沙蒿(30%),C7H3;冰草,QC;冰草和沙棘混合配置,CG)的减水减沙效益。结果表明:(1)流量递增初期(0～9 min),径流率与侵蚀速率急剧增大,后波动减小。随着放水流量的递增,坡面径流率随产流历时的延长呈阶梯式增长,相对于首次放水流量(5 L·min~(–1))冲刷时,流量增大至10、15、20 L·min~(–1)防护坡面与未防护径流率差异缩小。侵蚀速率随放水流量的变化较径流率的变化趋势减小,且后期较大流量下,坡面侵蚀速率有下降趋势;(2)C3H7、C7H3、QC、CG配置模式坡面的减水和减沙效益分别为31.99%、18.72%、15.29%、34.36%和81.28%、87.29%、84.80%、58.73%。\"冰草-沙棘(CG)\"配置坡面和\"冰草-沙蒿(C7H3)\"配置坡面分别具有最优的减水效益和减沙效益;(3)坡面不同根系植被混合搭配时的减水减沙效益高于单一根系植被防护坡面,直根系与须根系植被合理配置具有更好的防护效果;(4)各坡面侵蚀速率和径流率呈极显著的幂函数(BS、C3H7、QC、CG)和线性(C7H3)关系。(5)坡面各植被配置模式在该区能较好地抵御持续暴雨径流的冲刷袭击。研究结果可为矿区合理进行生态恢复提供依据。     

黄土区薄厚层浮土土质道路降雨侵蚀过程差异

土质道路经长期碾压产生了大量浮土,加剧了道路侵蚀.本文通过人工模拟降雨试验,研究不同雨强及坡度条件下薄层1.0 cm和厚层4.0 cm浮土土质道路的产流产沙特征.根据侵蚀物质的差异,将浮土道路侵蚀过程分为单独浮土侵蚀阶段和浮土、道路混合侵蚀阶段.结果表明:(1)浮土侵蚀阶段、混合侵蚀阶段薄层浮土平均径流率为厚层浮土的1...     

Effect of vegetation cover on the hydrology of reclaimed mining soils under Mediterranean-Continental climate

Vegetation cover plays a major role in the restoration and stabilization of disturbed systems. The analysis of relationships between restored vegetation and soil hydrology has special relevance for the evaluation and operation of mining reclamation, particularly in Mediterranean-Continental environments, where climatic conditions restrict the development of continuous vegetation cover. The effect of herbaceous vegetation cover on soil hydrology was analysed by means of rainfall simulation (63 mm h^− 1; 0.24 m²) in reclaimed soils derived from opencast coal mining (a non-saline and clay-loam textured spoil) in central-eastern Spain. A total of 75 simulation experiments were conducted at three different times throughout the year (late winter, summer and autumn) to control the influence of seasonal climatic fluctuations. Sediment concentrations in runoff and the runoff coefficient decreased exponentially with vegetation cover, while increases in steady infiltration rates were obtained with vegetation cover. Additional delays in runoff responses (longer time to runoff start and stabilization) and increases in the wetting front depth were observed with vegetation cover. Seasonal variations in soil surface state and moisture strongly influenced hydrological responses; although the influence of season on the analysed hydrological responses was attenuated by vegetation cover, especially in the case of infiltration rates. We also determined a practical ground cover threshold for site restoration and evaluation of over 50% vegetation cover, which could help achieve an optimum biological control of hydrological soil responses in the studied environment.     

Uncertainty of factors determining runoff and erosion processes as quantified by rainfall simulations

Rainfall simulations at different scales have been used for understanding the influence of different factors on runoff generation and erosion. They are an accepted method for calibrating and validating physically based rainfall and erosion models. Nevertheless, it is proven that not only the patterns of rainfall are highly variable over space and time. Soil parameters responsible for runoff generation and erosion – e.g. infiltration capacity, soil moisture, aggregate stability – are highly variable, too. The results of more than 100 plot scale rainfall simulations on abandoned fields in different areas of Spain are analysed for identifying and quantifying factors affecting runoff and erosion processes. The variability of superficial runoff and suspended sediment yield is very high within most of the test areas, reaching values up to a runoff coefficient of 1 and yielding 130 g per experiment. Only within the semi-arid areas we can find a significant and high correlation between vegetation cover and sediment yield (and sediment concentration), whereas most of the other investigated surface parameters show no influence on runoff and erosion.     

不同植被类型对降雨径流和泥沙的影响

植被对控制水土流失、调节气候、减缓径流、削减洪峰有特别重要的作用。本文通过对乔木型、乔灌混交型、灌木型不同植被降水径流及泥沙观测,分析了不同植被类型对降水径流及泥沙的影响,为水土流失治理采用生物措施提供科学依据。     

Influence of vegetation recovery on water erosion at short and medium-term after experimental fires in a Mediterranean shrubland

This paper reports the influence that vegetation recovery has exerted on the soil behaviour to erosion by water during both the first and eight years after experimental fires. The work was carried out at La Concordia Experimental Station (Valencia, Spain), which includes nine plots (4 m wide × 20 m long) installed on a calcareous hillside representative of Mediterranean shrubland areas. In June 1995 a set of experimental fires were carry out at two intensity levels (high and moderate) with three plots replication for each treatment. The remaining three plots were used as the control. Rain events between June 1995 to June 1996 and from June 2002 to June 2003 were monitored and their effect on soil erosion processes determined. The vegetation changes (biomass amount and plant cover) for each studied period were also assessed.     

黄土区薄厚层浮土土质道路降雨侵蚀过程差异

我国黄土高原地区普遍存在用于农业和矿业生产运输的土质道路,土质道路因长期遭受人畜踩踏、车胎碾压产生了大量浮土,加剧了道路侵蚀。基于野外调查与室内人工模拟降雨试验,研究了不同雨强及坡度条件下不同浮土厚度（薄层1.0 cm、厚层4.0 cm）的土质道路降雨侵蚀产流产沙过程及水沙关系。根据侵蚀物质的差异,将浮土道路侵蚀过程分为单独浮土侵蚀阶段和浮土、道路混合侵蚀阶段。结果表明：（1）浮土侵蚀阶段、混合侵蚀阶段薄层浮土平均径流率变化范围为0.84~2.26、0.96~2.72 L·min-1,分别是厚层浮土的1.01倍~1.52倍、1.26倍~2.44倍。2.5 mm·min-1雨强时3个坡度下的平均次降雨产流量为43.44 L,较1.0、1.5和2.0 mm·min-1雨强分别增大82.05%、68.69%和37.36%。平均径流率和产流量与坡度之间的相关性均不显著;（2）混合侵蚀阶段16°坡面平均含沙量均值为227.30 g·L-1,是4°和8°的2.14倍和1.37倍。小雨强（1.0、1.5 mm·min-1）时厚层浮土次降雨产沙量较高,是薄层浮土的1.39倍~2.14倍;大雨强（2.0、2.5 mm·min-1）时薄层浮土次降雨产沙量较高,是厚层浮土的1.14倍~1.67倍。1.0 mm·min-1雨强时3个坡度下的平均次降雨产沙量为2.08 kg,分别占1.5、2.0和2.5 mm·min-1雨强的68.59%、27.50%、23.57%;（3）混合侵蚀阶段和次降雨过程薄层浮土含沙量与径流率相关性较厚层浮土均增强。浮土侵蚀阶段和混合侵蚀阶段薄厚层浮土道路产沙率和产流率相关性均达到显著水平,次降雨薄厚层浮土道路产沙量与产流量相关性均达到极显著水平。结果可为我国黄土区浮土道路侵蚀防治工作的开展提供科学依据。