Effect of long‐term swine‐manure application on soil hydraulic properties and heavy metal behaviour

This study evaluated the effect of 13 years of swine‐manure application on the changes in soil hydraulic properties, and as associated physicochemical properties, with a focus on heavy metal mobility. Various soil hydraulic properties were measured, including soil water retention (SWR), saturated field hydraulic conductivity (K_fs) and unsaturated field hydraulic conductivity (K_funsat) using a disc infiltrometer. Heavy metal mobility was evaluated with a sequential extraction procedure. At 0–30 cm soil depth in the heavily manured plot (SMhigh plot), SWR at 0 to ?100 kPa was significantly larger than in plots amended with a standard amount of manure (SMstd plot) or with chemical fertilizer (CF plot). K_fs and K_funsat values in both manure‐amended plots were less than in the CF plot under dry soil conditions but greater than those of the CF plot under wet soil conditions. Furthermore, K_fs and K_funsat did not necessarily increase with manure application rates. On the other hand, high‐mobility metal fractions, such as the exchangeable fraction of Zn, and the CH₃CO₂Na‐extractable fraction of Zn and Mn, and the metal–organic complex fractions of Zn, Cu and Mn, increased with the greater manure application rate. In addition, low‐mobility metal fractions, the organically bound fractions of Zn, Cu and Mn in the high SM plot and the easily reducible metal oxide fraction of Mn in both manure‐amended plots were probably affected and released into high‐mobility fractions. This indicated that manure application changed the soil redox conditions by improving the soil structure, depending on the water content of soil pores. Despite the reduction of K_fs and K_funsat by heavy manure application, the transport of high‐mobility metal fractions with either surface water flow or infiltration water flow could be controlled by soil water content at the beginning of a rain or irrigation event.     

Influence of simulated rainfall on physical properties of a conventionally tilled loess soil

Rainfall simulations were conducted on a loess derived silt loam soil (Henan province, P.R. China) under conventional tillage. This tillage practice is widespread and involves the turning of the plough layer and the wheat stubble in July (primary tillage), followed by a secondary tillage operation in October. Soil samples were collected and in situ measurements were done before each rainfall simulation in order to analyse soil physical properties after successive simulated rainfall events. The purpose of this study was to determine rainfall induced changes in saturated hydraulic conductivity, bulk density, penetration resistance, water retention and soil erodibility. The results only showed significant differences in soil bulk density and erodibility when applying successive rainfall events. Penetration resistance and water retention (at matric potentials ≤ − 3 kPa) were not significantly affected and soil surface sealing was not observed. This was also confirmed by the infiltration measurements, where no significant differences in saturated hydraulic conductivity were found. From a soil conservation point of view, this study indicated that the primary tillage operation (i.e. ploughing at the beginning of July) is rather disadvantageous: the saturated hydraulic conductivity is not significantly affected, but the soil erodibility is considerably higher in comparison to a consolidated soil. Furthermore, the beneficial effects of the wheat stubble on soil and water conservation are lost by the tillage operation.     

Soil hydraulic properties of two loess soils in China measured by various field-scale and laboratory methods

Knowledge of hydraulic properties is essential for understanding water movement in soil. However, very few data on these properties are available from the Loess Plateau of China. We determined the hydraulic properties of two silty loam soils on agricultural land at sites in Mizhi and Heyang in the region. Undisturbed soil cores were collected from seven layers to one meter depth to determine saturated hydraulic conductivity, soil water retention curves and unsaturated hydraulic conductivity (by the hot-air method). Additional field methods (internal drainage and Guelph permeameter) were applied at the Heyang site to compare differences between methods. Soil water retention curves were flatter at Mizhi than at Heyang. Water contents at saturation and wilting point (1500 kPa) were higher at Heyang than at Mizhi. However, unsaturated hydraulic conductivity was lower at Heyang than at Mizhi, with maximum differences of more than six orders of magnitude. Nevertheless, the two soils had similar saturated hydraulic conductivities of about 60 cm day^− 1. Comparison between the methods showed that soil water retention curves obtained in the laboratory generally agreed well with the field data. Field-saturated conductivities had similar values to those obtained using the soil core method. Unsaturated hydraulic conductivities predicted by the Brooks–Corey model were closer to field data than corresponding values predicted by the van Genuchten model.     

Effect of Mulching with Vegetative Residues on Soil Water Erosion and Water Balance in an Oxisol Cropped by Cassava in East Cameroon

Soil water erosion is a major agricultural concern in tropical Africa with high precipitation and low soil fertility where Oxisols are generally distributed. A field experiment was conducted in east Cameroon during the rainy season in 2013 to investigate the effects of surface mulching with the residues of Imperata cylindrica on soil losses and surface runoff water generation in a cassava cropland on an Oxisol. Three treatments were established using two small plots for each treatment: bare plot (BA), cassava plot (CA) and cassava with mulch plot (CM). Soil loss and surface runoff water were measured, and water budgets of rainfall, surface runoff and soil moisture within rainfall events were measured in all treatment plots. Runoff coefficients in all treatment plots were suppressed below 8·0% because the large volume of large pores of surface soil of Oxisols contributed to the high drainage capacity over a rainy season even under wet soil moisture conditions. Total soil loss in CM was decreased by 49% compared with that in BA and CA, despite there not being a large difference in runoff water among treatments. These results suggest that surface mulching with the residues of I. cylindrica can substantially suppress soil losses caused by particle detachment by raindrops, while it maintain soil surface with originally high permeability in cassava croplands on Oxisols. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effect of termites and mulch on the physical rehabilitation of structurally crusted soils in the Sahel

The effectiveness of mulch and termite activity in the rehabilitation of the physical properties of crusted soil was studied in northern Burkina Faso (Province de Bam). A split plot design was used with three replications each being on one soil type. The soil types were Ferric Lixisol, Haplic Lixisol and Chromic Cambisol. The main factor was termite activity, and to this end dieldrin (0·50 kg a.i. ha⁻¹) was used to create plots without termite activity next to plots with termite activity. The subplots consisted of Pennisetum pedicellatum mulch, wood Pterocarpus lucens mulch and composite (wood+straw) mulch, applied at rates of 3, 6 and 4 t ha⁻¹, respectively. Two years after establishing the experiment, the combined effect of termite and mulch on the change in physical properties of the soil was measured. The parameters used for this assessment were porosity, saturated hydraulic conductivity and soil resistance to cone penetration. Soil water content was also measured. Termite activity was found to increase soil porosity, soil saturated hydraulic conductivity, improve soil water status and reduce soil bulk density and soil resistance to cone penetration. The only difference between bare plots and mulched plots without termites was in water content. This indicates that the mechanism whereby mulch improves the physical properties of crusted soil is mainly based on soil biology processes and to a limited extent on protecting soil against weather impact. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Runoff and soil erosion under rainfall simulation of Andisols from the Ecuadorian Páramo: effect of tillage and burning

In northern Ecuador, soils of high altitude grasslands (páramos) are mainly non-allophanic Andisols developed on Holocenic volcanic ash. These soils have a high water retention capacity and are the “water tank” of central Ecuador. To assess the effect of land use (burning and tillage) on soil hydrodynamic properties, rainfall simulation was conducted at two different sites. At Pichincha near Quito, the simulation was conducted on a recent volcanic ash soil comparing natural, tilled and burned plots. At El Angel, the simulation was conducted on a mature non-allophanic Andisol comparing natural, recently tilled and formerly cultivated plots.On natural plots, the infiltration rate was very high and sediment loss very low. Results for infiltration rate and runoff indicated that land use change on páramos increased runoff flow and reduced saturated hydraulic conductivity. Superficial reorganisation of the soil surfaces occurred on tilled plots at both sites. This crusting process was fast and resulted in surfaces with very low conductivity at Pichincha. The same processes seemed to be slower at El Angel. The soil surface of recent Andisols at Pichincha was prone to crusting whereas the mature Andisol, at El Angel, with a lower bulk density, was compacted when the kinetic energy of raindrops was high. Water repellency occurred after burning at Pichincha and following long natural air drying after tillage in the non-allophanic A horizon at El Angel. Water repellency combined with the low bulk density of soil aggregates explain the intensity of sediment losses in the abandoned soils after cultivation (Bare fallow plots). Erosion occurred in these areas through floating hydrophobic and stable aggregates.     

Grazing‐induced alterations of soil hydraulic properties and functions in Inner Mongolia,PR China

Increasing grazing intensities of sheep and goats can lead to an increasing degradation of grasslands. We investigated four plots of different grazing intensities (heavily grazed, winter‐grazed, ungrazed since 1999, and ungrazed since 1979) in Inner Mongolia, PR China, in order to study the effects of trampling‐induced mechanical stresses on soil hydraulic properties. Soil water transport and effective evapotranspiration under “heavily grazed” and “ungrazed since 1979” were modeled using the HYDRUS‐1D model. Model calibration was conducted using data collected from field studies. The field data indicate that grazing decreases soil C content and hydrophobicity. Pore volume is reduced, and water‐retention characteristics are modified, the saturated hydraulic conductivity decreases, and its anisotropy (vertical vs. horizontal conductivity) is influenced. Modeling results revealed higher evapotranspiration on the ungrazed site (ungrazed since 1979) compared to the grazed site (heavily grazed) due to wetter soil conditions, more dense vegetation, litter cover, and decreased runoff and drainage, respectively. Grazing modified the partitioning of evapotranspiration with lower transpiration and higher evaporation at the grazed site owing to reduced root water uptake due to reduced evaporation and a patchy soil cover.     

Tilth index: an approach to optimize tillage in rice–wheat system

This study was conducted to determine a tilth index from tillage induced soil physical properties and grain yield to optimize tillage in rice–wheat system. The experiment was conducted in a silty clay loam (Aquic hapludoll) associated with a shallow water table fluctuating between 0.02 and 0.96 m from the surface. Tillage treatments for rice were puddling by four passes of rotary puddler (PR), reduced puddling (ReP), conventional puddling (CP) and direct seeding without puddling (DSWP) in four replications. Tillage treatments for wheat were zero tillage (ZT) and conventional tillage (CT) superimposed over the plots of rice tillage treatments. Measurements were made of puddling index and specific volume (only in the rice season), bulk density, saturated hydraulic conductivity, infiltration rate, plasticity index, porosity and organic carbon in the rice and wheat seasons. Rice yield in the PR plots was highest and statistically equal to that in the ReP plots but wheat yield was highest in the DSWP plots under ZT condition and was statistically equal to that in the ReP plots.Tilth index (TI) was determined in two ways: one by the model suggested by Singh et al. [Trans. ASAE 35 (6) (1992) 1777] and the second by a proposed regression model. The proposed regression model utilizes soil physical properties having significant influence on crop yield. As per the Singh et al. model, wheat yield increased linearly with increasing TI from 0.75 to 0.89 but rice yield decreased with increasing TI from 0.67 to 0.81. Both TI and its relation with rice yield were contrary to their observations. The proposed regression model showed a value of TI in the range of 0.74–0.87 for rice soils and 0.86–1.0 for wheat soils as indicators of TI for optimum yields of rice and wheat. A high TI corresponds to low tillage both for rice and wheat. The optimum yield with minimum tillage operations coincided with TI obtained in ReP plots of rice and in ZT plots of wheat under ReP conditions. Results thus show that the quality of soil puddle obtained by half the efforts in PR and CP was sufficient for optimum yields of rice. Similarly, wheat sowing by zero-till drill in such a reduced puddling plots of rice was sufficient for optimum yields of wheat in Tarai soils associated with shallow water tables. The proposed regression model is simple and compatible to use in the existing crop growth models, such as in DSSAT 3.5, with suitable alterations.     

多因素作用下浑水入渗对土壤导水特性的影响

浑水土壤入渗具有复杂的上边界变化过程,其上边界导水能力的变化规律是研究浑水土壤入渗特性的重要基础。为研究浑水入渗形成致密层过程中导水率的变化情况,该研究进行了17组(9组正交试验处理,8组用于模型验证)浑水饱和土柱入渗试验,通过对试验结果进行多元回归构建多因素(浑水含沙率、黏粒含量及入渗时间)影响下砂土导水率动态模型;并结合浑水饱和土柱入渗特性进行合理假设,分别建立浑水砂壤土和粉壤土饱和土柱导水率动态模型并进行验证。结果表明:浑水含沙率、黏粒含量及入渗时间对砂土导水率影响极显著(P<0.01),入渗时间为砂土影响导水率变化的主要因素,其次为含沙率和黏粒含量;建立的砂土导水率动态模型决定系数为0.853,均方根误差为0.004 cm/min,表明该模型可客观反映各因素与导水率之间的关系;模型验证试验结果中均方根误差小于0.01 cm/min,相对误差绝对值均值小于7%,说明该导水率动态模型可靠性较高;砂壤土和粉壤土导水率动态模型决定系数分别为0.912和0.930,均方根误差分别为2×10^-3和5×10^-5 cm/min;模型验证中均方根...     

Influence of tillage and crop residue on soil physical properties and yields of rice and wheat under shallow water table conditions

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of tillage and residue incorporation on soil properties and yields of rice (Oryza sativa L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in rotation for 4 years on a silty clay loam of an Aquic Hapludoll with natural water table fluctuating between 0.05 and 0.97 m depth The rice experiment was laid out in split plot design with four levels of tillage, viz. conventional puddling (CP), puddling by four passes of rotavator (PR), reduced puddling by two passes of rotavator (ReP), and direct seeding without puddling (DSWP) and two levels of residue, viz. residue incorporation (RI) and residue removal (RR) in four replications. The treatments for wheat were zero tillage (ZT) and conventional tillage (CT) with RI and RR superimposed over the plots of rice. Tillage for rice increased puddling index and bulk density (BD) over the years. The increase was significantly higher in CP and PR than in ReP. In wheat season, BD was higher under ZT than under CT but the differences were not significant. Puddling decreased saturated hydraulic conductivity with time, which became significantly lower in CP and PR in the fourth year than in ReP in the first year. Infiltration rate (IR) also decreased with time and was lowest in CP and PR. In wheat season, IR was at par under ZT and CT. Rice yield in PR was maximum and at par with that in ReP. But wheat yield was lowest in PR and highest in DSWP, and was at par in DSWP and ReP. Thus, rice yields were optimum under ReP, in which changes in soil properties were least, and wheat yields were optimum both under ZT and CT in the DSWP and ReP plots of rice under shallow water table conditions of the silty clay loam.     

Isolation of endophytic Frankia from root nodules of Casuarina equisetifolia and infectivity of the isolate to host plants

Abstract

A method which uses the pressure head to predict unsaturated hydraulic conductivity is presented to calculate the soil water flux in a field. Hydraulic conductivities in the primary drying and wetting processes were measured with core samples in the laboratory and the hysteresis between the hydraulic conductivity and pressure head was taken into account. Hydraulic gradients were measured every hour with tensiometers installed in the field. This method was applied to analyze the water movement at 94-cm depth in Hydric Hapludands. Downward or upward flow of water by summing soil water fluxes was examined using the water balance method. Amounts of downward flow determined by our method after heavy rain in a wet soil were slightly larger in the soybean plot but smaller in the bare plot than those obtained by the water balance method due to non-uniform infiltration. Water balance equation which used values of upward flow across a 94-cm depth estimated reasonably well the evapotranspiration from the soybean plot and the evaporation from the bare plot during a dry period. Effect of initial soil water conditions on downward flux by rainfall was well monitored by our method.     

太行山区侧柏林地人工降雨下的入渗特性

对降雨入渗的研究是揭示华北地区水源地来水量变化研究的基础。运用人工模拟降雨,在2个2m2的径流小区(编号为P1、P2,坡度分别为19.6°,11.7°)上研究了太行山区侧柏林地的入渗特性,分析了雨强、土壤前期含水量和坡度对入渗的影响。结果表明:(1)入渗过程经历了供水控制阶段和剖面控制阶段,在供水控制阶段,降雨全部入渗,雨强越大,初始入渗率越大;在剖面控制阶段,表观入渗率逐渐降低并直至稳定,而P2小区的首场降雨中表观入渗率却呈现出"先降低后升高"的特点且供水控制阶段时间更短;(2)雨强越大,初始入渗率越大。在P1小区,表观稳定入渗率随雨强增大而增大,这一现象并没有在P2小区出现;(3)土壤前期含水量越大,供水控制阶段的时间越短;对比场次降雨下的土壤负压势变化表明湿润锋运动速度随土壤前期含水量的增加而增快;(4)坡度较大的P1小区(19.6°),其平均表观稳定入渗率较大(0.57mm/min),P2小区(11.7°)的平均表观稳定入渗率较小(0.35mm/min)。     

Spatial analysis of long‐term effects of different tillage practices based on penetration resistance

Measuring penetration resistance (PR) is a common technique for evaluating the effects of field management on soils. This study focuses on the effects of long‐term tillage on the spatial distribution of PR, comparing reduced and conventional tillage (CT) practices. The study site, located in Lower Saxony (Germany), has been subdivided into three plots, with one plot having been managed conventionally, whereas reduced tillage (RT) practices have been applied to the other two. In total, PR was measured at 63 randomly selected points. The PR data were stepwise interpolated using kriging with external drift. Core samples have been taken at 20 additional sites. The results show significant differences in PR between the different tillage practices. Within the conventionally managed plot, PR ranges to 2.3 MPa less in the topsoil than under RT. However, measured saturated hydraulic conductivity and amount of biopores at the depth of 30–35 cm are significantly greater under RT, indicating improved soil properties under RT. Comparisons between the headlands (HL) and the inner field point out the effects of intense field traffic in the HL, where maximum PR values of about 6 MPa have been measured. The spatial prediction of PR values show that long‐term effects of different tillage practices result in clearly structured patterns between CT and RT and the HL. Combining extensive PR measurements and point measurements of additional soil properties supports an adequate interpretation of PR data and can lead to fieldwide derivation of soil functions influenced by field management.     

Predicting deep drainage in the soil from soil properties and rainfall

Abstract. Simple predictions of deep drainage in the soil profile are often required for preliminary planning of land management where the cost of direct measurement is not warranted. Soil hydraulic conductivity and drainage of water below the root zone can be related to the salt content at the bottom of the root zone, assuming steady-state balances of water and salt. A physically based empirical model uses readily measured soil properties to predict the quantity of drainage below the root zone under varying regimes of water management and shows a good relationship with ponded infiltration rate.     

陕北水蚀风蚀交错区两种生物结皮对土壤饱和导水率的影响

该文以陕北水蚀风蚀交错区普遍发育的地表和地上两种生物结皮为研究对象，分别以3种非生物结皮（无结皮、物理结皮、去除生物结皮）为对照，使用盘式入渗仪测定其饱和导水率。结果表明：与无结皮土壤相比，两种类型生物结皮均可极显著降低土壤饱和导水率；与去除生物结皮土壤相比，两种类型生物结皮对土壤饱和导水率的降低均不显著；与有物理结皮发育的土壤相比，地表生物结皮对土壤饱和导水率的降低不显著，而地上生物结皮对土壤饱和导水率的降低显著。一方面，两种生物结皮对土壤饱和导水率均有明显降低作用，预示生物结皮在降雨活动中可能会增加径流、降低入渗，阻碍研究区水分亏缺条件下的植被恢复和生态与环境建设。另一方面，与不同的对照相比，生物结皮对土壤饱和导水率的影响截然不同，该结论可在一定程度上解释当前有关生物结皮影响土壤水分入渗方面所存在的分歧。     

基于线性源法与图像处理的土壤饱和导水率快速测量方法

土壤饱和导水率是计算土壤剖面水通量以及设计灌溉和排水系统的重要参数,其测量准确与否直接影响各类水文和水动力学模型的预测精度。然而,现有土壤饱和导水率测定方法费时费力,给土壤水动力学研究工作带来了诸多不便。为此,该研究提出了一种基于线性源入流法与手机图像处理相结合的土壤饱和导水率快速测量方法。该方法首先利用手机拍照获取图像记录充分供水条件下线性水流在土壤表面扩散的过程,图像经处理后计算出土壤表面湿润面积及其随时间的变化关系,然后根据线性源入流法估算的土壤稳态入渗率来测得土壤饱和导水率,并与传统的定水头标准法测得的饱和导水率进行对比。结果表明：图像经畸变校正与二值化处理之后计算出栓皮栎林区土壤、油松林区土壤和砂壤土表面湿润面积与时间具有较好的幂指数关系,决定系数R2分别为0.994、0.995和0.998;在此基础上,采用线性源入流法测量栓皮栎林区土壤、油松林区土壤和砂壤土的稳态入渗率（即土壤饱和导水率）分别为23.40±1.21、23.86±1.83和22.99±2.26 mm/h,同时使用定水头标准法测量三种土样得到的饱和导水率分别为24.41±1.53、24.26±0.37和23.81±0.10 mm/h,与定水头标准法相比,该研究提出的土壤饱和导水率测量方法的相对误差分别为4.14%、1.64%和3.42%。可见,该研究提出的测定方法较为合理、简便、准确,可为获取土壤饱和导水率提供一种新的测量手段,后续研究会将该方法用于野外环境下土壤饱和导水率的原位测定,并验证该方法的准确性。     

不同地表覆盖下冻融土壤入渗能力及入渗参数（英）

为了研究不同地表覆盖下冻融土壤入渗能力的差异和入渗参数的变化规律,进行了一系列裸地、地膜覆盖地和秸秆覆盖地土壤田间入渗试验。研究表明,冻土的入渗能力主要受冻层的控制,冻层是入渗水分的控制界面,土壤冻融特征差异是影响不同地表覆盖下土壤入渗能力大小的主导因素。冻融土壤的水分入渗过程可用三参数考斯加科夫土壤入渗经验模型描述。水分入渗开始 1 min内的累积入渗量大小随着冻层厚度和密实度的增加而减小,随着土壤冻融循环次数增加而增大;入渗能力的衰减率随着冻层厚度和密实度的增加而减小;稳定入渗率大小主要取决于土壤冻结状态和入渗锋面处的水力特性。三入渗参数均与土壤含水率和冻结深度有关,不同地表覆盖下的土壤入渗参数随着冻层深度的增加而减小,随着土壤的消融解冻而增大。该研究成果对农业生产实际和水土保持具有重要的指导意义。     

黄土高原粗质地土壤剖面水分运动与浅层地下水补给可能性模拟

黄土高原水土流失严重,生态环境脆弱,水资源短缺,地下水对保障区域社会经济发展和维持生态系统平衡具有重要意义,而该区的地下水转化和补给机制尚不明确。为探究黄土高原水蚀风蚀交错区土壤剖面深层水分运动及降水对浅层地下水补给的可能性,利用六道沟小流域分布的粗质地风沙土样地2013—2016年土壤剖面0~600 cm含水量数据,运用HYDRUS-1D模型对各土层水力参数进行反演和验证,并用于模拟样地土壤深剖面0~1 500 cm水分运移过程。结果显示,在平水年2014年(439 mm)和干旱年2015年(371 mm),0~600 cm土壤含水量生长季末与生长季初持平或略有亏缺;降水充沛年2013年(669 mm)和2016年(704 mm)土壤含水量生长季末远高于生长季初,降水入渗深度超过观测深度(600 cm)。深剖面水分运动模拟显示,2014年和2015年剖面含水量变化不明显,水分向深层运移微弱缓慢;但是,2013年和2016年降水可分别入渗运移至1 100 cm和1 200 cm深度,远超过样地上生长的旱柳根系区域,可能补给浅层地下水。在4年模拟期间,平均土壤蒸发为14.87 cm·a-1,平均植物蒸腾为33.70 cm·a-1,土壤水分主要以植物蒸腾形式损耗。在2个丰水年,得益于较充足的降水和粗质地风沙土壤的高入渗率,降水大量转化为土壤水快速向下入渗运移,模拟显示当年生长季末降水最深运移至1 200 cm,至年末已超过模拟深度(1 500 cm),水分继续运移可能补给浅层地下水。相关研究结果为黄土高原水蚀风蚀交错区地下水来源和补给机制提供理论依据。     

Measurement of Infiltration in Small Field Plots by a Portable Rainfall Simulator: Application to Trace-Element Mobility

Elevated concentrations of trace metals in soil can increase the risk of pollution to ecosystems and human health. This cannot be predicted solely from the total and/or extracted concentration of metals from soil samples, as movement of trace elements to the groundwater is also a result of the flow solution through the vadose zone. The rate at which trace elements move are not usually directly measurable, and thus it must be estimated taking into account water transport through the soil. Therefore, a field portable drop-former rainfall simulator has been designed and used to study trace-element mobility in small field plots. The rainfall simulator permits a wide range of variation in rainfall intensities and provides a homogeneous distribution of the simulated rain in a 0.25 m² plot with low cost per data collected and short time. Performance of the rainfall simulator has been evaluated and a preliminary assessment of the amount of pollutants present in the soil (As, Cu and Zn) that can reach groundwater via soil drainage is made by combining rainfall-simulation experiments with infiltration estimates based on a stochastic model of the local climate. The study was conducted in soils affected by the Aznalcóllar toxic spill in the Guadiamar river basin (Spain). Infiltration experiments reveal that the trace elements could be classified according to their mobility as As < Cu < Zn. The presence of high gravel content below this depth increased the amount of drainage and therefore the risk of groundwater pollution, especially with Zn, which was found below 50 cm depth.     

The effectiveness of bench-terracing and afforestation for erosion control on Raña sediments in central Spain

Bench-terracing and Pinus afforestation have been extensively adopted as a means of soil conservation in Spain. This paper questions the appropriateness of this technology to extensively gullied soils and sediments of the Raña formation of central Spain. Bench-terracing has markedly altered the characteristics of the surface soil horizon as compared with nearby undisturbed matorral (natural scrub) vegetation. The construction process and resultant bench-terrace morphology have imposed a new, more spatially structured pattern in soil properties giving enhanced opportunities for overland flow generation and erosion. The terracing has exposed subsurface Bt horizons on inner treads and lower risers, producing a very compact clay rich surface horizon, low in organic carbon and of poor structural stability. Despite subsoiling hydraulic conductivity is very low. Excavated soil material is ploughed sideways to partially bury the original surface horizon and form part of the next riser downslope. Downslope drainage on the terraces gives rise to soil moisture contents approaching saturation on the lower risers and treads. Consequently only small rainfall inputs are required to initiate ponding and overland flow generation on sloping treads. Rainfall simulation demonstrates the importance of antecedent soil moisture to runoff generation, and the role of vegetation and organic matter in retaining water. Erosion bridge measurements show that erosion rates on sloping treads are as high as those recorded on gully sidewalls. Gully sidewall erosion is also accelerated by runoff waters shed from terrace treads. Management of native matorral vegetation may provide a more sustainable approach to soil conservation than bench terracing with afforestation.