Temporal Dynamics of Sediment Transport and Transient In‐channel Storage in a Highly Erodible Catchment

Elucidating the links between catchment and channel geomorphic processes helps the understanding of landscape evolution and the geomorphic development of river basins, and then the land degradation processes. In this study, we analyse suspended sediment dynamics and its relationship with rainfall, discharge and in‐channel sediment storage in a highly dynamic Mediterranean montane catchment (the River Isáben, Southern Pyrenees, NE Iberian Peninsula). The aim is to assess hydrological controls on and temporal patterns of the suspended sediment load. High loads in this basin occur as a consequence of intense erosion in badlands located in the middle of the catchment. This study focuses on a reach located downstream from the main badland areas, where rainfall, discharge (Q), sediment transport (SSC) and in‐channel sediment storage were monitored for a 1‐year period. Marked seasonality in water and sediment load was observed; whereas most of the discharge occurred in winter and spring, most of the sediment was transported during summer and autumn. Q‐SSC hysteretic loops revealed the importance of sediment availability (whether stored in the channel or originating from wider catchment source areas) in the river's sedimentary response. Clockwise loops dominated during winter and spring, whereas counter‐clockwise loops occurred mostly in summer and autumn, when in‐channel storage reached its maximum. There were significant correlations between rainfall intensity in the sediment source areas, in‐channel sediment storage and sediment yield. These correlations emphasize the importance of understanding sediment availability when analysing the temporal dynamics of sediment transport, especially in catchments where different source areas (slopes and riverbed) may contribute to the load to differing degrees and at different times of the year. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Morphological analysis and erosion rate evaluation in badlands of Radicofani area (Southern Tuscany — Italy)

Since 1988, geomorphologic research based on field surveys and photo-geological analysis, has been conducted in southern Tuscany (Italy), in areas characterised by very rapid morphological evolution. In the area outcrop Pliocene marine claystones uplifted during the Quaternary up to 750 m above sea level, now undergoing intense erosion processes, leading to considerable badlands formation. Morphodynamic analysis, conduced by direct and indirect measurements in a sample area, were taken in order to quantify the erosion rate in badland areas. The “Torrente Piantrafolla” sample area was chosen as representative of the study area; it was most recently monitored during the period Nov. 2000–Feb. 2004. At this time, morphographic and morphometric analyses carried out in selected measurement stations located on slopes, identified gravity as the main morphogenetic process responsible for slope shaping. The calanchi badland areas are characterised by constant and rapid shrinking of their edges resulting from landslides which occur in autumn and winter as a consequence of intense rainstorms. Selected measurement stations indicate an erosion rate value range from 5 to 7.5 cm/y. The comparison between 1976 and 1994 digital elevation models (DEM), obtained from photogrammetric restitution, indicated a mean erosion rate of about 5 cm/y in a nineteen year period. This value, considerably higher than the values measured in other Italian basins, indicate a very rapid evolution of the slopes, due mainly to small earth flows inside calanchi badlands.     

Mass movement and erosion hazard patterns by multivariate analysis of landscape integrated data: the Upper Orcia River Valley (Siena, Italy) case

A landscape integrated survey was carried out on the badlands area in the Upper Orcia River Valley (Siena, Italy). A methodology has been investigated to explain the soil response to dynamic and anthropic factors from an erosion hazard point of view.The Upper Orcia River Valley is one of the many neogenic basins linked to the Pliocene sea ingression, in Tuscany and all over Italy. Sediments are mainly fine silty-clay and the region is characterized by an estensive net of joints, faults and fractures due to the neotectonics in the area. The area is undergoing a fast land degradation characterized by “biancane” (domes), “calanchi” (very steep and deep gullies with a typical dendritic drainage net), gullies, several surficial erosional forms and mass movement phenomena (creeping, landslides, solifluctions and anthropic levelling).Seventeen Land Units and 46 Types were recognized according to the relationships between Elementary Landform and slope (EL), Hydrographic Net Patterns (HNP), River Bed (RB), Geomorphic Dynamics (GD), Erosion Forms (EF), Mass Movements (MM), vegetation and land use (VLU), Cultural Management systems (CM) and Morphological Sequences (MS). Lithology and soils were not taken into account as the former is to be considered almost homogeneous, while the latter are of the Entisols and Inceptisols orders (Soil Survey Staff, 1975) in the Typic Xerorthent and Xerochrept Subgroups. The soil pattern is mainly linked to geomorphic dynamics and appears extremely leopardized, every landform being characterized by various toposequences.PCA and clustering based on Euclidean distance (similarity measure) were utilized. A normalization of the variables to the standard deviation of the population was used. The previous PCA and Varimax rotation reduced the number of the variables from the original 9 to the 5 more weighing ones (1-2-5-6-7). Clusters were created to verify the Land Types groups as well as the possibility of unifying Land Units with the higher similarity level. The cluster analysis resulted in 15 groups that can well explain different land degradation patterns and which, in some cases, confirmed the Land System Analysis. The Authors came to the conclusion that multivariate analysis of landscape characteristics can only partially substitute the landscape integrated survey but can be considered a helpful means to analyse the distribution in the area of mass movements and erosion phenomena.     

Effects of cropland abandonment and afforestation on soil redistribution in a small Mediterranean mountain catchment

In slopes of Mediterranean mid-mountain areas, land use and land cover changes linked to the abandonment of cropland activity affect soil quality and degradation and soil redistribution; however, limited attention has been paid to this issue at catchment scale. This paper evaluates the effects of cropland abandonment and post-land abandonment management (through natural revegetation and afforestation) on soil redistribution rates using fallout ¹³⁷Cs measurements in the Araguás catchment (0.45 km², Central Spanish Pyrenees). A total of 52 soil core samples, distributed in a regular grid, from the first 30–40 cm and 9 sectioned reference samples were collected across the catchment and soil properties were analysed. Fallout ¹³⁷Cs was measured in a 5 cm sectioned references samples and in bulk grid samples. ¹³⁷Cs inventories were used to estimate soil erosion and deposition rates across the catchment. Results show that the highest erosion rates were recorded under sparsely vegetated sites in the badland area, while the lowest rates were found in the afforested area, but no significant differences were observed between the different uses and covers in soil redistribution rates likely due to a long history of human intervention through cultivation in steep slopes and afforestation practices. However, the recovery of the soil organic matter in afforested areas suggest that afforestation can reduce soil degradation at long-term scale. The information gained achieve a better understanding of soil redistribution dynamics and provide knowledge for effective land management after cropland abandonment of agroecosystems in Mediterranean mountain areas.     

Identification of eroded areas using remote sensing in a badlands landscape on marls in the central Spanish Pyrenees

Identification of erosion areas on a regional scale can be very useful for environmental planning, and can help reduce land degradation and sediment yield to streams and reservoirs. Remote sensing techniques were used to determine erosion and erosion risk areas in a badlands landscape in the Ésera River catchment (Spanish Pyrenees). The size, sparse vegetation cover, and high erosion level in the badlands, enabled good visual and digital discrimination relative to other land covers and surfaces. The maximum likelihood algorithm was used for obtaining a spectral distance map to the bare soil signature characteristic of badlands on marls. The ROC (receiver operating characteristic) curve analysis was applied to this map for obtaining an optimum classification of the badlands. Two alternative classification thresholds were set to determine erosion areas and areas at risk of erosion. Two classification performance statistics, the model's sensitivity and specificity, were calculated as a means of expressing the uncertainty–omission and commission errors–associated to both maps. Most erosion risk areas coincided with low vegetation cover surrounding the badland areas.     

Impacts of historical land use changes on erosion and agricultural soil properties in the Kali Basin at Lake Balaton, Hungary

Historical land use changes may have significant impact on erosion and agricultural soil properties, including soil degradation by acidification, nutrient leaching and organic matter depletion. The Kali Basin study area, a small catchment of high landscape value located in a national park at Lake Balaton, Hungary, with its historical agricultural records, together with the available unique historical land use data for the last 200 years, provides an opportunity to study and model impacts of historical land use changes on erosion and agricultural soil properties. Comparison of long-term land uses with present soil degradation indicator parameters showed that permanent arable land use has led to degradation of both the physical and chemical properties of soils in the Kali Basin. Application of the SEDEM/WATEM distributed erosion and sediment transport model showed that, despite the low overall sediment export from the catchment, land use changes introduced by property ownership and agricultural changes have decreased average soil erosion in the catchment but increased relative sediment export to Lake Balaton. This is due to changes in the land cover pattern that allow more sediment transported to the river system. The overall conclusion of this study is that besides the size and area proportion of land use types, land use pattern seems to be equally important in soil erosion and degradation processes, thus land use pattern is a key factor for landscape planning and development in the Kali Basin. A relationship between the sociological and agro-ecological reasons for the recorded land use changes is also shown in this study.     

Monitoring of soil erosion and assessment for contribution of sediments to rivers in a typical watershed of the Upper Yangtze River Basin

An assessment of the effectiveness of soil conservation practices is very important for watershed management, but the measurement over a small area does not necessarily represent the truth over a large area. Monitoring of soil erosion and analysis of sediment delivery were carried out in the Lizixi watershed (which is typical of the Upper Yangtze Basin, China), using remote sensing and a geographic information system (GIS). Land‐use and land‐cover maps were prepared by an interpretation of 1986 and 1999 images from SPOT and Landsat TM. Slope‐gradient maps were created from digital elevation model (DEM), while merged images of SPOT and Landsat TM were used to obtain land‐use information. The area of soil erosion was classified by an integration of slope gradients, land‐use types and vegetation cover rates, and soil erosion rates and their changes were calculated in a grid‐based analysis using an Erdas GIS. The change in sediment delivery ratio was estimated based on the changes in soil erosion rates from both monitoring and the truth survey. There was a reduction in soil erosion rate of 4·22 per cent during a 13‐year period after soil conservation practices were adopted in the Lizixi watershed. The amount of sediments transported into rivers has decreased by 51·08 per cent during the same period due to an integrated application of biological and engineering measures. The comparison of soil erosion severity between pre‐conservation and post‐conservation revealed that soil loss has been obviously diminished and the measures were quite effective. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Impacts of historical land use changes on erosion and agricultural soil properties in the Kali Basin at Lake Balaton,Hungary

Historical land use changes may have significant impact on erosion and agricultural soil properties, including soil degradation by acidification, nutrient leaching and organic matter depletion. The Kali Basin study area, a small catchment of high landscape value located in a national park at Lake Balaton, Hungary, with its historical agricultural records, together with the available unique historical land use data for the last 200 years, provides an opportunity to study and model impacts of historical land use changes on erosion and agricultural soil properties. Comparison of long-term land uses with present soil degradation indicator parameters showed that permanent arable land use has led to degradation of both the physical and chemical properties of soils in the Kali Basin. Application of the SEDEM/WATEM distributed erosion and sediment transport model showed that, despite the low overall sediment export from the catchment, land use changes introduced by property ownership and agricultural changes have decreased average soil erosion in the catchment but increased relative sediment export to Lake Balaton. This is due to changes in the land cover pattern that allow more sediment transported to the river system. The overall conclusion of this study is that besides the size and area proportion of land use types, land use pattern seems to be equally important in soil erosion and degradation processes, thus land use pattern is a key factor for landscape planning and development in the Kali Basin. A relationship between the sociological and agro-ecological reasons for the recorded land use changes is also shown in this study.     

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Forest Restoration and Check‐Dams to Reduce Catchment Sediment Yield

Reforestations and check‐dams are two commonly used measures to reduce soil erosion rates and sediment export from highly eroding catchments. Here, we evaluated the impact of the construction of 94 check‐dams and land use changes (caused by agricultural abandonment and reforestations) on sediment yield in the Upper Taibilla catchment (320 km², SE Spain) from 1956 to 2000. We combined land use change analysis, field surveys, and application of the WaTEM‐SEDEM erosion and sediment yield prediction model for nine scenarios combining land use maps (1956, 1987, and 2000) and different numbers of check‐dams throughout the catchment. Land use changes alone reduced sediment yield up to 14%, but in combination with check‐dams, the reduction in sediment yield reached 44 ± 6%. Sediment yield reduction was higher in smaller sub‐catchments, with, on average, a higher transport capacity than larger catchments, illustrating the scale dependency of human impacts on sediment fluxes and the buffer capacity of larger catchments. From an economical perspective, the construction of check‐dams was estimated to be more expensive than reforestation programs in the studied catchment, while adding more check‐dams did not always result in a proportional reduction of sediment yield. This indicates that optimizing check‐dam distribution relative to land use patterns is crucial to decrease catchment sediment yield. Check‐dams have a large and instantaneous impact on sediment yield over a restricted time period, while reforestations have important sustained effects at a lower economic cost. These contrasting effects require a careful evaluation for optimal effective catchment management. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Relative Contribution of Rill/Interrill and Gully/Channel Erosion to Small Reservoir Siltation in Mediterranean Environments

Reservoir siltation because of water erosion is an important environmental issue in Mediterranean countries where storage of clear surface water is crucial for their economic and agricultural development. The high density of gully systems observed in Mediterranean regions raises the question of their contribution to reservoir siltation. In this context, this study quantified the absolute and relative contributions of rill/interrill and gully/channel erosion in sediment accumulation at the outlet of small Tunisian catchments (0·1–10 km²) during the last 15 years (1995–2010). To this end, a fingerprinting method based on measurements of caesium‐137 and total organic carbon combined with long‐term field monitoring of catchment sediment yield was applied to five catchments in order to cover the diversity of environmental conditions found along the Tunisian Ridge and in the Cape Bon region. Results showed the very large variability of erosion processes among the selected catchments, with rill/interrill erosion contributions to sediment accumulated in outlet reservoirs ranging from 20 to 80%. Overall, rill/interrill erosion was the dominant process controlling reservoir siltation in three catchments whereas gully/channel erosion dominated in the other two catchments. We identified the presence of marly gypsum substrates and the proportion of catchment surface covered by soil management/conservation measures as the main drivers of erosion process variability at the catchment scale. These results provided a sound basis to propose guidelines for erosion mitigation in these Mediterranean environments and suggested to apply models simulating both rill/interrill and gully/channel erosion in catchments of the region. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Application of catchment scale sediment delivery model INCA-Sed to four small study catchments in Finland

The novel catchment scale erosion and sediment delivery model INCA-Sed was applied to four small study catchments in Finland. Three of these, the Mustajoki, Haarajoki and Luhdanjoki, are headwater catchments located in central Finland. The associated rivers have differing morphological characteristics varying from a ditch to a small river. Soil textures in the area are derived from moraine deposits and are largely sand and gravel. The Mustajoki and Haarajoki catchments are forested and only 10% of the area is under cultivation. In the Luhdanjoki catchment agricultural fields cover 40% of the area. The fourth study site, the Savijoki catchment, represents an intensively cultivated area in south-western Finland. Cultivated fields cover 40% of the catchment area, and they are located on clay soils along the river. The INCA-Sed model was able to capture both the correct magnitude and seasonal behaviour of suspended sediment concentrations in the rivers, as well as the correct magnitude of the sediment load derived from different land use classes. Small differences in river morphology and soil textures between the catchments have a significant influence on suspended sediment concentration in the rivers. Correct timing of suspended sediment concentration peaks is not, however, captured by the INCA-Sed model, which may be due to the stochastic nature of erosion and delivery processes at the catchment scale which are not taken into account in the parameter values used in the modelling. Parameter values were estimated from previous researches based on average process loads. The INCA-Sed model was, however, generally found to be a suitable tool for evaluating effects of land use change on erosion and sediment delivery in Finland as it correctly reproduces spatial and seasonal variations in sediment delivery, in addition to annual averages with spatial and temporal variations.     

Development of badlands and gullies in the Sneeuberg, Great Karoo, South Africa

The study aims to examine the origin and development of land degradation with particular emphasis on badland and gully systems in the Sneeuberg uplands of the Great Karoo. This is an area of semiarid extensive stock farming where land degradation in the form of rill and gully erosion has accompanied the replacement of grassland by shrub vegetation. Species diversity has declined and ground cover has been reduced, leading to a positive feedback loop which exacerbates the degradation. Many foot slopes developed in shales, clays and colluvium have extensive, incipient badland development with closely spaced gullying up to 1.5 m deep. In valley-bottom and valley-side depression locations gullies up to 8 m deep have developed, usually cut to bedrock through valley fills of mainly Holocene colluvium. Both badlands and gullies appear to have developed since European settlement and to be part of the same hydrological system with extensive areas of bare ground (badlands) feeding water to incising gullies. Experiments using simulated rainfall throw some light on current processes. Badland areas are active under high-frequency, low-magnitude rainfall events. Major gullies are likely to be the result of occasional, high-magnitude events, but these have not been observed. Overgrazing in the past is the most likely cause of the degradation.     

Changes in Agricultural Land Use Affecting Future Soil Redistribution Patterns: A Case Study in Southern Tuscany (Italy)

Land‐use changes (LUCs) can be defined as the result of the direct action of the stakeholders in a particular area and natural or human driving forces. LUCs can influence various processes within the landscape and can have an impact on landscape functions. An analysis of the impact of LUCs on landscape processes can help to focus future rural policies. LUCs in Mediterranean areas particularly affect landscape functions because of their agro‐pedoclimatical characteristics. The aims of this work are as follows: (i) to characterise LUCs in the last 11 years in a typical Mediterranean area, the Trasubbie river basin (southern Tuscany, Italy); (ii) to extrapolate these changes and create spatially explicit LUC scenarios for the near future; and (iii) to simulate how and where the predicted LUCs may affect soil redistribution. We carried out an analysis of LUCs within the study area and used the trends to propose alternative scenarios for 2013. For these years, we spatially allocated land use (using the Conversions of Land Use and its Effects model) and used a landscape process model (landscape process modelling at multi‐dimensions and scales) to assess soil redistribution patterns. Land use in the study area changed almost linearly between 1996 and 2007, with cereals and annual fodder crops decreasing, and vineyards, perennial pastures and land abandonment increasing. Our LUC scenario extrapolates these dynamics to make predictions for 2013. A comparison of LAPSUS results between LUC and baseline scenarios for 2013 showed an increase in terms of net soil loss and total erosion, and a decrease in terms of sediment delivery ratio. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Natural and artificial linkages and discontinuities in a Mediterranean landscape: Some case studies from the Durance Valley, France

Morphological linkages and discontinuities have been defined in both natural and anthropogenic terms. Such terms are considered useful in understanding the spatial and temporal roles of erosion from source areas, as indicated by linkages, when they are in operation, and by discontinuities, which act as storages or buffers in stabilizing landscapes. The latter slow erosion and promote conservation particularly in Mediterranean areas, where human impacts are thought to be more important than natural processes. These concepts are illustrated by reference to three case studies in the Durance Valley: in a part of a Mediterranean landscape, on a floodplain segment and along of the main channel. While there are major concerns in more semiarid parts of these seasonally dry zones, present conditions in the more humid south of France, supplied also by exotic upper catchments, are under less threat of degradation. This is until such times when water shortages may occur, due to changed regimes, as anticipated in the predicted global warming climate changes, and by the continuing development in this area.     

Multi‐scale analysis of soil erosion dynamics in Kwazulu‐Natal,South Africa

For a case study area in the Okhombe catchment in the province of KwaZulu‐Natal, South Africa, a multi‐scale analysis of soil erosion dynamics was performed. At sub‐catchment level, the dynamics of erosional features were investigated by means of aerial photographs. At site level, the changes in soil physical and chemical properties were investigated by means of a fence‐line contrast study. Attention was paid to both surface and subsurface erosion phenomena. The number of erosional features in the study area in 2000 was not substantially different from the number of features in 1945. At sub‐catchment level, an increase in the number of gullies was observed from 1975 to 2000 but this followed a substantial inactivation of most erosional features from 1962 to 1975. Increases in erosional activity in 1962 compared to 1945 were mainly related to abandoned cultivated fields. At site level, a significant decrease in soil C/N ratio was observed within the fenced site within three years. For the same site, total carbon, saturated hydraulic conductivity and bulk density were not significantly different for the topsoil inside the fenced area compared with outside. Subsurface erosion phenomena mainly occur in the communal grazing areas and are mostly related to transitions between permeable and less permeable layers. The complex relationships between soil erosion, land use change and climate might further be understood by involving local people in the development, monitoring and evaluation of alternative types of land use, which is also likely to facilitate future steps in controlled grazing management. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Identification of vulnerable areas for gully erosion under different scenarios of land abandonment in Southeast Spain

Abandonment of agricultural land is one of the main changes in Mediterranean land use. To mitigate runoff and erosion from abandoned land, it is necessary to identify locations that are vulnerable to erosion as a result of land abandonment. The objective of our study was to identify vulnerable areas for gully erosion using different scenarios of land abandonment in Southeast Spain. The study area was the Carcavo basin, a semi-arid catchment in the province of Murcia (Southeast Spain). A preliminary field survey confirmed the assumption that abandoned fields have more gully erosion compared to cultivated fields. This can be explained by the quicker concentration of runoff on abandoned land due to crust formation and reduced surface storage capacity. Next we simulated the spatial dynamics of land abandonment with a spatially explicit land use change model for the period 2004 to 2015 for four different land use change scenarios. The results of the simulation were used to identify vulnerable areas for gully erosion by a simple GIS-model based on the controlling factors of gully erosion. The potentially vulnerable areas for gully erosion increased for the different scenarios ranging from 18 ha to 176 ha. Most of the vulnerable areas are located around channel heads or along channel walls. The combination of more gully erosion on abandoned fields and an expected increase of land abandonment are potentially a big problem in relation to land degradation and reservoir sedimentation. The identification of vulnerable areas enables soil conservationists and engineers to mitigate gully erosion by applying preventive conservation practices.     

Regional assessment of soil erosion using the distributed model SEMMED and remotely sensed data

The soil erosion model for Mediterranean regions (SEMMED) is presented and used to produce regional maps of simulated soil loss for two Mediterranean test sites: one in southern France and one in Sicily. The model demonstrates the integrated use of (1) multi-temporal Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) images to account for vegetation properties, (2) a digital terrain model in a GIS to account for topographical properties and to assess the transport capacity of overland flow, (3) a digital soil map to assess the spatial distribution of soil properties, and (4) a limited amount of soil physical field data. The principle drawbacks of the model are that it does not account for soil particle detachment by overland flow nor for soil surface crusting. The model is most sensitive to the initial soil moisture storage capacity and the soil detachability index. The main advantages of SEMMED are that it simulates processes at a regional scale and, where possible, it uses available data sources such as remote sensing imagery, digital elevation models (DEM) and (digital) soil databases, which usually are not available for smaller catchment areas. Using SEMMED it is possible to produce regional maps of erosion assessments, which are of more practical use in land use planning and land management than simple extrapolations from small plot experiments.     

Continuing land degradation: Cause–effect in Ethiopia's Central Rift Valley

The Central Rift Valley (CRV) is one of the most environmentally vulnerable areas of Ethiopia. Most of the lowland in the CRV is arid or semiarid, and droughts occur frequently. We studied the dynamics of land use and cover and land degradation by analyzing Landsat data from 1973, 1985, and 2006 using Geographic Information Systems and remote sensing techniques. The analysis revealed that in the last 30 years, water bodies, forest, and woodland decreased by 15·3, 66·3, and 69·2 per cent, respectively; intensive cultivation, mixed cultivation/woodland, and degraded land increased by 34·5, 79·7, and 200·7 per cent. The major causes of land use and cover change (LUCC) and land degradation in the area were population and livestock growth in regions of limited resources, unsustainable farming techniques, the Ethiopian land tenure system and poverty. Lake level and area decline, and accelerated land degradation are the major environmental impacts of LUCC observed in the CRV. The environmental and socio‐economic consequences of LUCC and land degradation are far‐reaching. As a result of the expansion of land degradation over time, agricultural productivity has decreased and worsened food insecurity (shortages) and poverty in the Ethiopian CRV. In addition, if current trends in LUCC continue, Lake Abiyata will dry up by 2021. A detailed study of the degradation amount in relation to soil erosion, sediment yield to the lakes and catchment characteristics should be made using adaptable models; so as to guide the implementation of comprehensive and sustainable land use management by giving more attention to erosion prone areas. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The effect of environmental variables on soil characteristics at different scales in the transition zone of the Loess Plateau in China

As a result of human disturbance and topographic variability, land use mosaics are characteristic of the transition zone of the Loess Plateau in Shaanxi Province, China. Soils are particularly sensitive to change when land degradation processes are dominant. An understanding of the influences of environmental variables is required to inform land management and agricultural production. In this study the relationships between land type, topography and soil properties were analysed for Hengshan County at two different scales using detrended canonical correspondence analysis. The results show that variations in soil properties are strongly influenced by topography, land use and vegetation. Slope, elevation and aspect are also of importance at the county and small catchment scales of analysis. Though land use type proved to be of lesser importance than topographic factors, ANOVA analysis showed that there were significant differences in soil organic matter (SOM), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), available nitrogen, available potassium and clay %. Areas under vegetables had significantly higher SOM and TN content at the catchment scale. The results will enhance our ability to predict spatial and temporal changes in soils. In addition, it is shown that soil fertility could be improved by land reform and management in the hilly‐gully area.     

Assessing the costs of land degradation: a case study for the Puentes catchment,southeast Spain

Whereas many studies point out the economic benefits of controlling land degradation through sustainable land management (SLM) approaches, there is often a lack of local adoption of SLM techniques. Analysis of the local impacts and costs of land degradation is critical for understanding farmers' responses to land degradation. The objective of this paper is to analyse the local costs of land degradation in the Puentes catchment in southeast Spain. This catchment has been identified as particularly vulnerable to erosion, yet farmers show a general lack of interest in applying erosion control techniques. The paper subsequently analyses land degradation processes in the Puentes catchment, the income derived from agriculture and several other ecosystem services, and the local costs of land degradation. Erosion is widespread in the catchment, comprising sheet and rill erosion as well as gulley erosion. Relatively high erosion rates are encountered in cropland. The most important source of local income is irrigated agriculture, with revenues of up to €1350/ha y⁻¹. Dryland agriculture, hunting and herding provide additional income. The costs of erosion on cropland, calculated with a replacement method, vary from around €5/ha y⁻¹ on slopes between five per cent and ten per cent, to around €50/ha y⁻¹ on slopes between 30 per cent and 50 per cent. Except on the steepest slopes, these costs are relatively low for the farmers, which explains the limited application of erosion control techniques in the catchment. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.