Spatial variability of soil organic carbon stock in an olive orchard at catchment scale in Southern Spain

Orchards have a high potential for carbon sequestration. However, little research is available on the spatial variability at catchment scale and on the difference between the tree area and the lanes. We analyzed theik spatial variability of soil organic carbon stock, SOC_stock at 90 cm depth in an 8-ha catchment in Southern Spain with olives on a vertic soil. Results showed higher soil organic carbon concentration, SOC, in the tree area as compared to the lane up to 60 cm depth, but its impact on SOC_stock was negligible since it was compensated by the higher soil bulk density in the lane. SOC at different depths was correlated with that in the top 0–5 cm. The overall SOC_stock of the orchard was 4.14 kg m⁻², ranging between 1.8 and 6.0 kg m⁻². This SOC_stock is in the mid-lower range of values reported for olive orchards, measured at smaller scale, and similar to those other intensive field crops and agroforestry under comparable rainfall conditions. The spatial variability in SOC_stock was correlated to several geomorphological variables: elevation, cumulative upstream area, topographic wetness index, sediment transport index, and tillage erosion. Differences in SOC and SOC_stock are driven by the sediment redistribution downslope, mainly by tillage erosion, and higher soil water availability in lower areas allowing higher biomass production. These topographic indexes and the correlation between SOC in the topsoil and SOC_stock up to 90 cm should be further explored in other typology of olive orchards for facilitating the mapping of SOC_stock.     

Expanding protected areas beyond their terrestrial comfort zone: Identifying spatial options for river conservation

There has been very little consideration of freshwater ecosystems in identifying and designing protected areas. Recent studies suggest that protected areas hold enormous potential to conserve freshwater biodiversity if augmented with appropriate planning and management strategies. Recognizing this need, South Africa’s relevant government authority commissioned a spatial assessment to inform their national protected area expansion strategy. This study presents the freshwater component of the spatial assessment, aimed at identifying focus areas for expanding the national protected area system for the benefit of river biodiversity. Conservation objectives to guide the assessment aimed to improve representation of river biodiversity pattern and processes in both new and existing protected areas. Data to address these objectives were collated in a Geographic Information System (GIS) and a conservation planning algorithm was used as a means of integrating the multiple objectives in a spatially efficient manner. Representation of biodiversity pattern was based on achieving conservation targets for 222 river types and 47 freshwater fish endemic to South Africa. Options were also identified for representing coarse-scale biodiversity processes associated with free-flowing rivers and catchment-estuarine linkages. River reaches that, with only minor expansion of existing protected area boundaries, could be fully incorporated into the national protected area system were also identified. Based on this study, generic recommendations are made on how to locate, design and manage protected areas for river biodiversity: use appropriate planning units, incorporate both biodiversity pattern and process, improve planning and management of individual protected areas, incorporate a mixture of protection strategies, and embed planning into an ongoing research and implementation process.     

Relationships between rainfall characteristics and ephemeral gully erosion in a cultivated catchment in Sicily (Italy)

Recent research has shown a lack of long-term monitoring for detailed analysis of gully erosion response to climate characteristics. Measures carried out from 1995 to 2007 in a wheat-cultivated area in Raddusa (Sicily, Italy), represent one of the longest series of field data on ephemeral gully, EG, erosion. The data set collected in a surface area of almost 80 ha, permits analysis of the influence of rainfall on EG formation and development. Ephemeral gullies formed in the study area were measured on a yearly scale with a Post-Processing Differential GPS for length and with a steel tape for the width and depth of transversal sections. Ephemeral gully formation was observed for 8 years out of 12, which corresponds to a return period of 1.5 years. The measurements show strong temporal variability in EG erosion, in agreement with the rainfall characteristics. The total eroded volumes ranged between 0 and ca. 800 m³ year⁻¹, with a mean of ca. 420 m³ year⁻¹, corresponding to ca. 0.6 kg m⁻² year⁻¹. Ephemeral gully erosion in the study area is directly and mainly controlled by rainfall events. An antecedent rainfall index, the maximum value of 3-days rainfall (H_max3_d), is the rain parameter which best accounts for EG erosion. This index is used here as a simple surrogate for soil water content. An H_max3_d threshold of 51 mm was observed for EG formation. The return period of the H_max3_d threshold is almost the same as the return period for EG formation. Although a mean of seven erosive rain events were recorded in a year, EG formation and development generally occur during a single erosive event, similarly to other semiarid environments. The most critical period is that comprised between October and January, when the soil is wetter and the vegetation cover is scarce. Empirical models for EG eroded volume estimation were obtained using the data set collected at this site. A simple power-type equation is proposed to estimate the eroded volumes using H_max3_d as an independent variable. This equation shows an R² equal to 0.67 and a standard error of estimation of 0.79.     

Trends and controls of Holocene floodplain sedimentation in the Rhine catchment

Holocene floodplain sedimentation in the Rhine catchment is controlled by human and climate impacts. Intricate river behaviour modifies the fluvial response to the external impacts making cause–effect analysis difficult, especially on large spatial scales. To better understand the relative importance and interdependencies of external and internal controls, temporally resolved floodplain sedimentation rates are established using three different methods: i) floodplain storage studies on the trunk stream, ii) depth/age-analysis of overbank deposits from different parts of the catchment and iii) cumulative frequency distributions of ¹⁴C-ages from floodplain deposits from various parts of the catchment. The applied methodology strongly differs with the available temporal resolution and the size of the corresponding catchment. All three methods show a strong increase in sedimentation rate for more recent periods that can be linked to increasing human impact. Evidences for climate impacts and intricate river behaviour are less clear and hindered by insufficient temporal resolution of the currently available data.     

Managing natural resources of watersheds in the semi-arid tropics for improved soil and water quality: A review

Soil, water and production systems constitute the most important natural resources of a watershed in the rainfed agro-ecosystem; and for sustainability of the production systems they need to be in harmony with the environment. To learn from the past research, a review is made of literature on the impact of natural resource management practices on soil and water quality in the semi-arid tropical regions of India. The results from long-term on station field experiments show that an integrated use of soil and water conservation practices with balanced plant nutrition can not only sustain increased productivity but also maintain soil quality at the watershed or catchment level. Natural resource management practices that conserve soil and water also help to maintain surface and groundwater quality. The changes in soil and water quality, as impacted by natural resource management practices, need to be monitored and assessed on a continuing basis as the outcome of such research offers valuable opportunity for the implementation of corrective management practices, as and when needed.     

Managing contaminated sediments

While remediation and storage of contaminated dredged materials is a key issue at harbour sites, there is another type of sediment pollution problem, which mainly originates from large-scale dispersion of contaminants in flood-plains, dike foreshores and polder areas. In recent years, catastrophic cases of sediment contaminations have occurred in connection with the failure of tailing dams from mines. Unlike problems related to conventional polluted sites, the risks here are primarily connected with the transporting and depositing of contaminated solids in a catchment area, especially in downstream regions. A special example demonstrating the dispersion of highly contaminated sediments in a large catchment area will be shown from the so-called Chemistry Triangle of the upper Elbe River system, Germany. The Spittelwasser area, situated there, was chosen by the organisers of the international conference ConSoil 2000 for a case comparison and four expert teams from Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and the UK were invited to participate in this Case Study. Evaluation of the plan was done by members of the networks of NICOLE (Network for Industrially Contaminated Land) and CLARINET (Contaminated Land Rehabilition Network). In the study of the German team, five major groups of technical measures have been identified by the environmental authorities to be discussed in relation to the Spittelwasser case or for similar problem solutions in contaminated flood-plain areas. The team came to the conclusion that none of these techniques would be applicable as an individual measure. Instead, a stepwise approach combining different monitoring techniques and remediation measures was proposed. These would include point excavations of critical material, promotion of plant growth as an element for stabilising the soil and flood sediments, as well as the installation of sediment traps. At the Spittelwasser site, investigations are planned on the effects of natural attenuation processes of organic and inorganic contaminants in flood-plain sediments and soils. In the practice of this concept, non-destructive, ‘intrinsic’ bonding mechanisms and their temporal development have thus far found much less recognition compared to destructive processes such as biological degradation. Yet these so-called ‘diagenetic’ effects, which apart from chemical processes involve an enhanced mechanical consolidation of soil and sediment components by compaction, loss of water, and mineral precipitations in the pore space, may induce a quite essential reduction of the reactivity of solid matrices [see Part I ‘Improving Chemical and Biological Criteria’ (JSS - Journal of Soils and Sediments, Vol 1, No 1, pp 30-36)]. Part IV ‘Subaqueous Storage/Capping of Dredged Material’ will be published in JSS No. 4 (December issue).     

RESENSIES—REVIEWS

Results at harvesting are described of two comprehensive NPK fertilizer experiments with E. grandis on sites previously under wattle in the Natal Midlands. The experimental sites differ considerably in respect of physiography, climate, and soil. The difference in climate and soil are clearly evident from the respective analyses of soil samples from the sites, one soil of a dystrophic series belonging to the Griffin form, and the other a mesotrophic series of the Hutton form.

Except in one instance, nitrogen application showed no significant response, which is expected on these nitrogen-enriched soils of old wattle plantations. There is a tendency, which in one instance was significant, that nitrogen has a depressive effect on E. grandis, but this is ascribed to burning the transplants when the fertilizer is too concentrated and applied too close to the trees.

Superphosphate application on these sites gives highly profitable results, the additional net profit per ha being nearly R400 on the better site and at least R35 on the poorer site. The optimum application rate on the better site is not more than 130 g superphosphate (8,3% P) per tree, while the optimum rate on the poorer site might be as high as 260 g.

Significant responses to potash application are limited to mesotrophic soils and are of a curvilinear nature. This last phenomenon especially is difficult to explain, but is known to have occurred elsewhere.     

Interrelationships of Water Quality,Nutrients, and Major Ions in a Stream Draining a Mixed-Use Catchment,NW Spain

Major cations [calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), sodium (Na), potassium (K)], anions [nitrite (NO₂), nitrate (NO₃), choride (Cl), sulfate (SO₄)], dissolved copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn), total nitrogen (TN), dissolved phosphorous (DP), total phosphorus (TP), suspended solids (SS), chemical oxygen demand (COD), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and O₂ were analyzed in a small stream draining an agroforestry catchment located in northwest Spain. The mean concentrations found were relatively low compared to global “average” values. The results are consistent with the low population density and the nonintensive agriculture developed in the catchment. The nutrient balance offers relatively low loss rates for nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) (14.6% and 1.8%, respectively), although losses could have been underestimated by the use of regular sampling. Moreover, soil analysis reveals a possible P accumulation in cultivated fields of the catchment. Correlation analysis shows that components with a greater presence in fertilizers have generally positive correlations between them and with flow values. On the other hand, major ions show a negative correlation with discharge levels because their main sources have a geological origin.     

从幼儿到成年的流域水文模型及典型模型比较

本文将流域水文模型的发展过程分为幼儿期、少年期、成长期和成年期,并对各时期水文模型的特点、功能等进行了系统讨论.为便于突出不同发展阶段模型的特点、模块组成和计算方法,按集总式、半分布式、全分布式和模型集成系统将模型分类,对不同类型的典型模型进行了比较,其中集总式水文模型包括斯坦福(Standford)、流域水文模型IV(SWM.IV)、萨克拉门托(Sacramento)模型、水箱(Tank)模型、新安江模型、HEC-1模型、SWMM模型,半分布式模型包括HSPF模型、PRMS模型、HEC-HMS模型、TOPMODEL模型、SWAT模型,全分布式和模型集成系统包括MIKESHE、SHETRAN、IHDM、TOPKAPI、BASINS、HMS、WMS、SMS、MMS模型.鉴于水文模型在国际、国内正在成为流域水资源管理的重要工具,对模型发展及分类对比的分析,将有助干水文模型的进一步广泛应用.     

农村生活垃圾源头分流收集效果影响因素分析

为提高已在太湖地区农村示范运行的生活垃圾源头分流收集系统的有效分拣率，通过建立分拣人员个人决策（经济）模型．对相关的影响因素进行了分析。结果表明，各因素对有效分拣率影响的敏感度排序为：劳动力成本〉垃圾中可回收废品含量〉可回收废品单价〉垃圾处置成本〉垃圾中可堆肥垃圾含量。根据各因素的可调控性，建议采用由分拣人员定额包干垃圾处置成本的方式，以刺激分拣人员的积极性，从而提高有效分拣率。