Some environmental aspects of proposed hydro-electric schemes on the Zambezi River,Zimbabwe

Additional hydro-electric schemes on the Zambezi River, Zimbabwe, have been proposed to help meet that country's growing electricity demand. Preliminary environmental impact studies have shown that one of these schemes, at Mupata Gorge, poses a serious threat to the wilderness character and wildlife resources of the middle-Zambezi valley, while an alternative scheme, at Batoka Gorge, would entail much less environmental cost. Likely impacts of these schemes on mammals, birds, fish, terrestrial and aquatic vegetation, human health and other environmental aspects are discussed. It is recommended that further environmental research on Zambezi hydro-electric schemes be carried out on an international basis.     

Simple modelling to assess if offsets schemes can prevent biodiversity loss, using examples from Australian woodlands

Offset schemes are advocated as a way that continued development and environmental restoration can be achieved concurrently. We used a simple modelling approach to evaluate proposed offsets schemes, with scenarios that required offsetting the impacts of clearing woodlands either by revegetation of cleared land or by improving the habitat value of degraded woodland. Each simulation used the attribute table of a single GIS polygon layer to obtain data and record results. We investigated the likely consequences of these schemes for three groups of species with different foraging resource requirements: shrub-dependent; canopy-dependent and old tree-dependent. Only the shrub-dependent group, whose requirements could be rapidly grown, saw increases in suitable habitat in the landscape within our 30 year simulations. The habitat of the canopy-dependent group initially declined but began to increase towards the end of some simulations, while the old tree-dependent group’s habitat declined. When a simple measure of spatial configuration was considered further differences between the schemes were highlighted. The simulation results demonstrate that assessing only the eventual benefit score of a scheme can hide the losses sustained by some elements of biodiversity. We recommend this type of simple modelling approach as the first step in determining whether a proposed offsets scheme is worth investigating further. In particular, the ability to represent the scheme’s predicted consequences as maps and graphs assists decision makers in judging whether the scheme has sufficient merit to warrant a full assessment and subsequent implementation; or needs some adjustments to achieve its aims, or is seriously flawed.     

Variability in carbon sequestration potential in no-till soil landscapes of southern Ontario

Soil organic carbon (SOC) in Canadian agricultural soils plays an important role in the global cycle of C, and management can influence its fate. Although the scientific literature suggests that practicing no-till (NT) can sequester C, this is not always the case. Furthermore, there are many other factors including climate, management history, soil type and soil landscape processes that may affect the dynamics of SOC under NT. We measured the changes in SOC under NT in southern Ontario, at varying positions in the landscape in Gleyic and Orthic Luvisols at the end of a 15-year-period. Soil cores taken to depths beyond the solum, were segmented with depth, and total SOC was determined for each segment on an equivalent mass basis. When the entire soil column was considered, there was a loss of SOC in more profiles than there were gains. Furthermore, the erosion/deposition history at each landscape position appeared to influence the dynamics of SOC. In depression areas where A_p horizons were greater than 27 cm thick due to a history of soil deposition from upslope and local hydrology, there was a loss of total SOC after 15 years of NT. While where the A_p thickness was less than 27 cm, there were 18 profiles with SOC gains and 15 with net losses. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that the change in SOC after 15 years was negatively related to the initial total SOC content and positively related to mass of clay. The results of this study suggest that landscape position and erosion/deposition history play a significant role in the ability of NT soils to sequester SOC. Interpretations of long-term SOC monitoring studies must take into account the location of samples within fields if useful information is to be gained on C dynamics in agricultural soils.     

Conservation and landscape maintenance in Germany: Past,present, and future

Three main sources of landscape maintenance and nature conservation in Germany are identified: the British landscape garden, the official conservation activities, and a private association of nature park promoters. Among their achievements are the German Nature Conservation Act of 1935, the establishment of about fifty nature parks and one national park, a well-developed theory and practice of landscape planning, and three university departments of landscape architecture. The three sources, however, have not yet generated one comprehensive stream of activity, and they seem to lack a common basis of work. To overcome these difficulties, the author proposes a landscape strategy based on a pattern of ecosystems in different successional stages. The strategy is derived from the history of land-use in Central Europe and from the resulting Man-Nature relationships. They created a characteristic landscape pattern defined as the ‘European savanna’, the diversity of which provided for a high degree of ecological stability. The diversity can be maintained even in today's land-use, which consists of four main types. In a given area, one of these types is allowed to prevail, but there is repeated inclusion of the three other use-types in a finely-grained mixture. This should result in a diversified make-up of the landscape, which is both productive and ecologically stable enough to provide for an optimum natural environment of balanced Man-Nature relationships.     

Landscape-scale species richness of earthworms in the Porongurup Range,Western Australia: influence of aspect,soil fertility,and vegetation type

Indigenous Australian earthworms comprise a patchily collected taxon that is likely to have high diversity and pose difficulties for systems of biodiversity prediction or monitoring that use surrogates. This is because surrogates for earthworm diversity have scarcely been identified at landscape scales in Australian contexts. In the present paper we examine the diversity of earthworms in a 26 km² remnant of native vegetation. Comparison of diversity within the Porongurup Range to diversity of other earthworm faunas demonstrates the sampling intensities required to adequately sample regions of 10⁰–10¹ km². In addition diversity patterns were examined in relation to habitat as described by landscape context, vegetation cover and soil characteristics. Species accumulation in samples from the northern aspect of the Porongurup Range was less than expected from a random distribution of species. Combined Karri-, and Marri- and Karri-vegetated sites supported significantly more earthworm species on the southern aspect of the Porongurup Range than expected from accumulation in randomly ordered samples. Sites carrying Jarrah as the only dominant canopy had fewer earthworm species than would be expected from accumulation in randomly ordered samples. Jarrah overstorey sites and southern aspect Karri sites correspond to extremes in a continuum of soil and landscape characteristics. Earthworm responses to landscape and vegetation units in the region warrant further investigation.     

Description of Soil Evolution in Southern Mashhad City Using Jenny''s and Johnson and Watson-Stegner''s Conceptual Models

Conceptual models are suitable for describing internal relationships of complex systems, including soil. We used conceptual models, the Jenny's and Johnson and Watson-Stegner's models to understand the formation and evolution of soil. We studied 20 pedons in granitic hilly lands, loessial piedmont, and piedmont plain in southern Mashhad, northeast Iran. These soils were characterized by high levels of gypsum, especially in the granitic saprolites, which suggested the importance of the wind in shaping the soil structure. Jenny's model is a developmental and equilibrium model, which only describes the state of the soil formation factors and considers that each bioclimatic zone has a specific climax soil. It focuses on the genesis of the surface soil and is not suitable for buried soils and paleosols. Johnson and Watson-Stegner's model describes soil as a product of progressive and regressive processes due to horizonation or haploidization. Progressive processes during the last interglacial cycle created a well-developed paleosol with an argillic horizon in all landforms, except the piedmont plain. Developmental soil up-building by aeolian addition led to gypsum enrichment of the granitic saprolite. Erosion decreased soil thickness and exposed the argillic horizon. The Last Glacial Maximum led to greater deposition of loess, covering the paleosol. Humidity was higher during the early Holocene than today, leading to the development of a Bk horizon. This horizon was preserved in the stable surfaces of granitic hilly land and in the loessial piedmont, but buried on the piedmont plain via the deposition of alluvial sediments. Jenny's model could be used for current soil formation factors, whereas Johnson and Watson-Stegner's model required morphological characteristics of pedons for interpretation.     

Agro‐ecological classification and spatial demarcation of Western Europe: Results of an EU‐funded research programme

The paper presents a hierarchic system of agro‐environmental classification of regions and landscapes. At the highest level are agro‐climatic regions (AKR). Allocating soil data, these units are broken down to soil‐climatic regions (Boden‐Klima Regionen, BKR). The next level is defined by geological data, topography “typical patterns of land uses”; and results in landscape types (LT). The AKR are used to define the intensification level and the energy surplus of agro production. The BKR allow specific analysis of impacts to environment factors of farm production systems. In the LT, specific targets for sustainable production and landscape rehabilitation are developed. The results are proposals to refine European agro‐policy towards more environmentally oriented schemes. The data is also valid to control the positive environmental effects of farmers adaptation of schemes.     

Landscape analysis of dynamic soil erosion in Subtropical China: A case study in Xingguo County, Jiangxi Province

As a case study on landscape pattern analysis of soil erosion change, Xingguo County in Jiangxi Province, China, was once one of the most severely eroded regions in Subtropical China. However, its soil erosion has been completely controlled in recent years. This county was historically full of forest as well as waterways that were well protected and soil erosion was seldom seen even by the mid-19th century. However, large areas of forest were destroyed after that period due to over-logging, which resulted in excessive erosion, bare hills, and mountains devoid of vegetation. Fortunately, soil erosion in Xingguo has been controlled gradually since 1982 after the county was appointed as 1 of the 8 Key National Level Erosion Control Regions. In this study, a raster (grid) soil erosion map was collected on the basis of soil erosion intensity maps from 1958, 1975, 1982 and 2000 with the aid of GIS software (ARC/INFO). Over 10 landscape indices were calculated using FRAGSTATS software for landscape pattern analysis. A set of free spatial statistics that address a fundamental problem in GIS, and soil erosion distribution patterns and their changes in the county were quantitatively analyzed at the landscape and class levels, respectively. Moreover, transformations of soil erosion types from 1958 to 1975, 1975 to 1982, and 1982 to 2000 were also calculated using the CROSSTAB module in IDRISI software. Results showed that at the landscape level, heterogeneity of soil erosion decreased. This was supported by decreasing tendencies of patch indices SHDI (Shannon’s diversity index), SHEI (Shannon’s evenness index), and IJI (Interspersion and juxtaposition index). This indicates that most of the severely eroded soil types were transformed into non-apparently eroded or slightly eroded types. Meanwhile, at the class level, a consistent pattern was found where the surface areas of non-apparently eroded or slightly eroded lands increased, and moderately, severely, very severely and extremely eroded lands deceased. In general, soil erosion in Xingguo County experienced three pronounced phases during the study periods: the exacerbation phase (1958–1975), the alleviation phase (1975–1982), and the overall alleviation phase (1982–2000). By the year 2000, 74.6% of total territory of this county was covered by land with no significant soil loss, indicating that severe soil erosion had been substantially controlled.     

The particle-size distribution in soils: Problems of the methods of study,interpretation of the results,and classification

The analysis of literature sources and a database on soil physical properties collected by the Department of Soil Physics and Amelioration of Soils of the Faculty of Soil Science of Moscow State University made it possible to compare three major constituents of the particle-size distribution analysis (PSDA): (a) the classification of soil separates with respect to their sizes and the classification of soil textures, (b) the procedures used to prepare soil samples for the PSDA, and (c) the specificity of the determination of the particle-size distribution by different methods. It was shown that there are good physical and statistical grounds for the conversion of data on the particle-size distribution from the Russian classification system into other systems. Much larger problems are related to the pretreatment of soil samples for the PSDA. The diversity of existing methods, classification schemes, and technical devices based on different physical principles (sedimentation and laser diffractometry) should be taken into account in the analysis and quantitative conversion of particle-size distribution data from a given classification system into another system. The Russian classification of soil textures and soil particle-size groups developed by N.A. Kachinskii has certain advantages and can be easily converted into other systems. In the choice of a particular system, it is important to take into account the goals of the study. Agreement between soil scientists concerning the major constituents of the PSDA has to be reached.     

渭-库绿洲多尺度景观格局与盐度关系

中国盐渍化土壤面积大,分布广,对区域农业发展构成了严重的威胁。探索土壤景观格局与盐度的关系将有助于盐渍化监测和评估。该研究选择渭-库绿洲GF-1影像为数据源,结合研究区同期38个样点不同剖面土壤盐度数据,对样点缓冲区景观格局与土壤盐度做Pearson相关分析和逐步回归分析,揭示土壤盐度空间分布格局,探讨景观格局与盐度的定量关系。结果表明:1)水平方向上,土壤盐分高值区主要集中分布在绿洲东部荒漠地带和绿洲西部农牧交错区;垂直方向上,渭-库绿洲表层土壤盐渍化现象最为严重,其他各层土壤盐渍化情况相对较轻,盐渍化程度随着深度下降呈降低趋势;2)绿洲区域易受人类活动影响,景观破碎化程度高,而同一区域不同梯度下,随着缓冲距离的增加,区域景观类型增多、均质性降低、多样性增强;3)耕地利用数量指标能较好指示土壤盐度状况,而水体面积、盐渍地面积、其他用地面积、最大斑块指数(largest patch index,LPI)、蔓延度(contagion index,CONTAG)和分维数(perimeter-area fractal dimension,PAFRAC)对盐度影响相对较弱;4)除0~10 cm层外,自10~20 cm至80~100 cm层逐步回归方程的自变量中,耕地面积、水体面积和最大斑块指数LPI为负效应,而盐渍地面积、其他用地面积、CONTAG和PAFRAC为正效应,最优回归方程决定系数为0.537。该研究确定了渭-库绿洲土壤盐度的分异规律,以及不同盐度对绿洲景观格局的影响程度。研究结果可为西北干旱区绿洲土壤盐度预警提供理论依据,同时为干旱区景观格局研究提供一定的参考价值。     

东北黑土农业生态系统线虫多样性研究

The diversity and distribution patterns of soil nematode communities in phaeozem agroecosystems of Northeast China were assessed to evaluate nematode taxonomic diversity and functional diversity in relation to climatic condition and soil characteristics in human modified landscape.Along the latitudinal gradient,soil samples were collected from north (Hailun) to south (Gongzhuling) down to a depth of 100 cm with intervals of 0-20,20-40,40-60,60-80,and 80-100 cm.The nematode abundance and taxonomic diversity (generic richness) were lower at Hailun than at other sites,and higher values of evenness were observed at Hailun and Harbin than at Dehui and Gongzhuling.Nematode faunal analysis revealed that soil food web at Hailun was successionally more mature or structured,and the environment little disturbed,while at Harbin and Gongzhuling,the soil food web was degraded with stressed environment.The environmental variables relevant in explaining the patterns of nematode distribution and diversity in phaeozem agroecosystems,using canonical correspondence analysis (CCA),were the mean annual temperature,total nitrogen,electrical conductivity,mean annual precipitation,and other soil properties.Among these variables,the mean annual temperature was a relatively important factor,which could explain 29.05% of the variations in nematode composition.     

Distribution and dynamics of soil organic matter in an Antarctic dry valley

Terrestrial ecosystems in the Antarctic dry valleys function under extremely cold and dry climatic conditions that severely constrain C and N cycling and, like other polar regions, are likely to be sensitive to environmental change. To characterize the distribution and dynamics of soil organic C (SOC) and N in the various landscape elements of an Antarctic dry valley, we measured soil profile organic C and organic N stocks, inorganic N (NH₄-N and NO₃-N), soil CO₂ effluxes, water contents and soil temperatures in the Garwood Valley, a relatively small valley in southern Victoria Land. We also conducted laboratory measurements of basal respiration on soils collected from the Valley. SOC and respiration rates were low and SOC was highly stratified in the soil profile, with the largest values observed near the surface. Significant variations of SOC stocks and soil CO₂ effluxes were observed between landscape elements and spatial variability was closely related to the distance from the lake, the major site of primary production. The fastest rate of SOC turnover (residence time c. 30 years) was found in the soils at the lake edge, slower rates were found in landscape elements close to the lake (c. 52-67 years), and the slowest rates in other landscape elements (c. 84-123 years) further away. A mass balance of organic C indicates that the quantity of C fixed in the lake, accumulated on the lake edge, exposed and subsequently displaced on a 14-year basis can explain the near-surface SOC turnover within the entire valley. We conclude that the displacement of organic matter derived from the lake is an important external source for the microbial processes in these soils at a landscape scale. However, further investigations are needed in order to evaluate the importance of displaced C compared to other nutrients (e.g. N) on the spatial control of observed soil respiration rates.     

Pedodiversity and Its Significance in the Context of Modern Soil Geography

Methodological basics of the study and quantitative assessment of pedodiversity are discussed. It is shown that the application of various indices and models of pedodiversity can be feasible for solving three major issues in pedology: a comparative geographical analysis of different territories, a comparative historical analysis of soil development in the course of landscape evolution, and the analysis of relationships between biodiversity and pedodiversity. Analogous geographic concepts of geodiversity and landscape diversity are also discussed. Certain limitations in the use of quantitative estimates of pedodiversity related to their linkage to the particular soil classification systems and with the initial soil maps are considered. Problems of the interpretation of the results of pedodiversity assessments are emphasized. It is shown that scientific explanations of biodiversity cannot be adequately applied in soil studies. Promising directions of further studies of pedodiversity are outlined. They include the assessment of the functional diversity of soils on the basis of data on their properties, integration with geostatistical methods of evaluation of soil variability, and assessment of pedodiversity on different scales.     

A 60-years old field experiment demonstrates the benefit of leys in the crop rotation

In the 1950s, a long-term experiment was initiated at three locations in Northern Sweden. The treatments included four cropping systems, which differed in the number of years with leys or annual crops in the crop rotation. To create awareness of the experiment as a research resource for further scientific studies, we summarise the history (experimental design, materials and methods, main measurements) and scientific findings of the experiment, as well as reflect on its usefulness and opportunities for further studies. So far, scientific focus has been on the effects of cropping systems on soil characteristics. The main findings indicate that soil porosity and hydraulic conductivity were greater in cropping systems with a large proportion of ley, soil bulk density showed the opposite trend. In terms of chemical properties, cropping systems incorporating more ley also have greater soil organic carbon content than annual crops systems, and both soil carbon and N storage decrease over time in cropping systems with only annual crops. The effects of cropping system on crop yields and quality are areas for further investigation.     

A critical review of current methods in earthworm ecology: From individuals to populations

Earthworms play an important role in the functioning of many terrestrial ecosystems, and while their importance is frequently acknowledged significant challenges still remain in determining their operant roles within the soil. This lack of knowledge becomes increasingly important as the spatial scale of analysis increases from individuals to populations within the landscape. To effectively develop understanding, research techniques must be able to determine the effects that earthworms have on the soil system, as well as to establish how many and which species are present. A range of techniques are required to facilitate meaningful analysis from the micro-scale within a soil profile (e.g. drilosphere effects) to a field scale or landscape scale. Furthermore, an additional framework of understanding is required to investigate the role of earthworms in the biogeochemical cycles.By critically evaluating recent advances in methods and data analysis techniques in three areas of earthworm research we highlight that combinations of common approaches often offer the most significant insights into the functional roles of earthworms within a soil system. Through particular reference to earthworm sampling and identification, biochemical functions and persistent pollutant ecotoxicology of temperate ecosystems we emphasise how a range of investigation methods can be a hindrance to developing a whole-system level understanding. The complex and diverse nature of soil systems means that a traditional compartmentalised approach studying single species using a single research technique is no longer sufficient to gain further insights into the earthworm contribution to ecosystem goods and services delivered at the whole landscape scale. The integration of technologically advanced methods in combination with systems based modelling will be critical to develop landscape scale understanding of the functions of earthworms as individuals and as populations within in their ecosystems.     

Modeling soil organic carbon dynamics in Oxisols of Ibirubá (Brazil) with the Century Model

Introduction of conservation practices in degraded agricultural land will generally recuperate soil quality, especially by increasing soil organic matter. This aspect of soil organic C (SOC) dynamics under distinct cropping and management systems can be conveniently analyzed with ecosystem models such as the Century Model. In this study, Century was used to simulate SOC stocks in farm fields of the Ibirubá region of north central Rio Grande do Sul state in Southern Brazil. The region, where soils are predominantly Oxisols, was originally covered with subtropical woodlands and grasslands. SOC dynamics was simulated with a general scenario developed with historical data on soil management and cropping systems beginning with the onset of agriculture in 1900. From 1993 to 2050, two contrasting scenarios based on no-tillage soil management were established: the “status quo” scenario, with crops and agricultural inputs as currently practiced in the region and the “high biomass” scenario with increased frequency of corn in the cropping system, resulting in about 80% higher biomass addition to soils. Century simulations were in close agreement with SOC stocks measured in 2005 in the Oxisols with finer texture surface horizon originally under woodlands. However, simulations in the Oxisols with loamy surface horizon under woodlands and in the grassland soils were not as accurate. SOC stock decreased from 44% to 50% in fields originally under woodland and from 20% to 27% in fields under grasslands with the introduction of intensive annual grain crops with intensive tillage and harrowing operations. The adoption of conservation practices in the 1980s led to a stabilization of SOC stocks followed by a partial recovery of native stocks. Simulations to 2050 indicate that maintaining “status quo” would allow SOC stocks to recover from 81% to 86% of the native stocks under woodland and from 80% to 91% of the native stocks under grasslands. Adoption of a “high biomass” scenario would result in stocks from 75% to 95% of the original stocks under woodlands and from 89% to 102% in the grasslands by 2050. These simulations outcomes underline the importance of cropping system yielding higher biomass to further increase SOC content in these Oxisols. This application of the Century Model could reproduce general trends of SOC loss and recovery in the Oxisols of the Ibirubá region. Additional calibration and validation should be conducted before extensive usage of Century as a support tool for soil carbon sequestration projects in this and other regions can be recommended.     

Game Changer in Soil Science. The Anthropocene in soil science and pedology.

The venerable science of pedology, initiated in the 19^th century as the study of the natural factors of soil formation, is adapting to the demands of the Anthropocene, the geologic time during which planet Earth and its soils are transitioning from natural to human‐natural systems. With vast areas of soils intensively managed, the future of pedology lies with a renewed science that can be called anthropedology that builds on the pedology of the past but proceeds from “human as outsider” to “human as insider.” In other words, the human in pedology must shift from being a soil‐disturbing to soil‐forming agent. Pedology is well prepared to respond to the challenges of the Anthropocene, given the decades of research on human‐soil relations throughout human history and throughout the period of the Great Acceleration (Steffen et al., [76]). However, quantitative understanding of soil responses to the diversity of human forcings remains elementary and needs remedy.     

Proposal for a micromorphological classification of soil materials. I. A classification of the related distributions of fine and coarse particles

Quantitative solutions of the univariant soil-forming functions are reviewed. Lithofunctions are essentially of a comparative nature. Numerical solutions are possible if a coding of the parent material or its properties is made. The number of solutions of topofunctions and climofunctions is already considerable, though too few generally valid equations have been derived. These are required for the further development of the general solutions. Numerical solutions of true biotic functions are likely to remain exceptional and the biotic attributes are best considered as a dependent variable and property of the soil-ecosystem, like any of the soil properties.Several chronofunctions have been obtained for the initial stages of soil formation, and good graphical summaries for long-term soil development functions have been constructed, but strict numerical chronofunctions are rare because the difficulties in isolating and dating properly controlled sites. Runge's energy model uses incongruous terms whilst it essentially follows the tenets of the factorial system, but neglects the parent material (capacity) factor. Chesworth's weathering trend line does not disprove the absence of the steady state and his inference from this and his criticism of the state factor equation are essentially invalid.Because the number of degrees of freedom in the solution of the general soil formation function is rather large, the best way for advancing the solution of the state equation is by increasing the solutions of the univariant functions. It is suggested that the next step should be the preparation of a family of topofunctions, graphically or numerically, showing their change with time and on different parent materials or under different macroclimates. Computerized simulation models of such multivariate functions can then be prepared and compared with real data for further refinement and for pinpointing univariant functions or equations which are needed for the improvement of the solutions already obtained.Whereas the relevance of the univariant and multivariant functions of the state factors is in deriving the significant or major causal relationships, and thus explain or predict the distribution of soils in space and time, the computer simulation strategy can advance the quantification of the process-oriented models of soil dynamics.     

Multi-scale system approaches in agronomic research at the landscape level

Spatial multi-scale analyses of actual land use system performance as determined by spatial yield variability reveals the need for landscape research in agronomy. Main ‘drivers’ of spatial yield variability for five different crops in Honduras, Costa Rica and Ecuador were identified. It is demonstrated how they vary with spatial scales and that landscape-related factors often play a large and significant role in when the variability in yield is determined. These results indicate that landscape experiments in agronomy are relevant. Apart from empirical analysis, spatial–temporal explicit modeling of landscape process dynamics such as water and soil redistribution within a landscape can give insight in the performance of agronomic systems within a dynamic landscape context. For a case study in the South of Spain it is demonstrated how within a landscape this type of research can determine the on- and off-site effects of water and soil redistribution in agro-ecosystems. Only after a spatially explicit multi-scale system analysis and explorative landscape process modeling is completed, relevant agronomic landscape experiments can be designed.     

Erosion and deposition history derived by depth-stratigraphy of Cs and soil organic carbon

There are a number of uncertainties in the use of ¹³⁷Cs as a marker for deriving soil erosion rates. However, this should not limit other potential uses of this anthropogenic radionuclide in the study of soil landscape processes. This study outlines a sampling methodology which aids in the assessment of the history of erosion and depositional processes within a landscape unit. The depth distribution of ¹³⁷Cs and soil organic carbon (SOC) was utilized as a means of determining the erosion and depositional history of a conventionally tilled agricultural field in southern Ontario, Canada. Three transects oriented along the slope of a large field had five soil profiles excavated at the summit, sideslope, shoulder slope, footslope and toeslope landscape positions. The soils were sampled in 5 cm increments, and ¹³⁷Cs and SOC were determined on the samples. The results show that soil redistribution within landscape units of agricultural fields has been substantial both before and after fallout of ¹³⁷Cs to the soil surface. Soils in depositional areas contained significant ¹³⁷Cs and SOC at depths beyond which the plow can attain at present. This implies that a significant amount of carbon is being sequestered beneath the present plow layer, and the characterization of this pool must be considered in deriving the dynamics of SOC in agroecosystems.