Short-term gully retreat rates over rolling hill areas in black soil of Northeast China

Soil loss has become one severe problem in black soil areas of Northeast China after several decades of cultivation. Gully erosion is one of its main components. In this study, short-term gully retreat was monitored from 5 active gullies selected in representative black soil area during April 2002 to June 2004, using differential global positioning system (GPS). With the support of geographic information system (GIS), multitemporal digital elevation models (DEM) were constructed from the data collected by GPS and then used for further analysis. This presents a new method to compute the retreat rate of gully heads and the rate of soil losses caused by gully erosion. The results indicate that the average volumetric retreat rate was 729.1 m³ year^− 1, corresponding with an average linear retreat rate of 6.2 m year^− 1 in gully head and planimetric changes of 323.6 m² year^− 1 during the two monitored years, but more erosion took place during the second and third monitored period compared to the first. The erosion by freeze thawing and snowmelt accounts for a large percent. And this will be emphasized when rainfall is added in spring. If only considering the third monitored period, the conservatively estimated retreat rate by freeze thawing and snowmelt (i.e. before rainy season) may even reach 8.6 m year^− 1 in gully head, with a volumetric rate of 120.9 m³ year^− 1 and planimetric changes of 173.6 m² year^− 1. These results reveal that gully erosion is a great threat in the study area and conservation measures are urgently needed. Based on the analysis of multi-temporal DEM, one conceptual model for gully developing in black soil of Northeast China is proposed, which is supported by the data.     

Historical evolution of permanent gullies in the Myjava Hill Land, Slovakia

The Myjava Hill Land is part of the area with the highest density of permanent gullies in Slovakia (up to 11 km km⁻²). Gullies are often 10–15 m deep, and occasionally extend >20 m. The pattern and density of gullies have been controlled primarily by the original land use from the pre-collectivization era. Old maps and historical sources indicate two to three periods of gully formation. The central part of the area, settled between the second half of the 16th and the beginning of the 19th centuries, was affected by gully formation in two periods, the first between the end of the 16th century and the 1730s and the second roughly between the 1780s and 1840s. Marginal parts of the study area to the west and south–west, which were settled earlier, may have been affected by disastrous gullying as early as the 14th century. Gullies were formed during periods of extensive forest clearance and expansion of farmland, but the triggering mechanism of gullying was extreme rainfalls during the Little Ice Age. However, periods of gully formation in the Myjava Hill Land were not fully synchronous with the well-known phases of gullying in other central European countries.     

Gully incision as a key factor in desertification in an arid environment, the Negev highlands, Israel

Gully incision has been eroding the alluvial sediments and loess soils deposited and developed along the valleys in the arid and semiarid regions of Israel. This phenomenon is critical in the arid regions of the Negev Highlands where the agricultural fields, the main floral biomass and the areas which have the highest grazing value, are limited to narrow valleys filled with redeposited loessial sediments. The headcut migration and gully development in the region were studied between 1990 and 2001 in three representative drainage basins (Zipporim, Revivim and Sekher). During flood events, the runoff penetrates the alluvial cover of the valleys, forming vertical headcuts, which gradually retreat up the valley. The runoff is channeled into narrow gullies, preventing the floodwater from spreading over the whole width of the valley. The change in irrigation efficiency along the valleys is reflected in a sharp estimated drop of 70–90% in the floral biomass, causing the reduction of the range value by 83–99%. During the monitoring time interval (1990–2001), the linear gully retreat in the study area ranged between 12.3 and 250 m an average rate of 1.12–22.7 m year^{− 1} for each gully head. The process is accompanied by erosion of soil, which has high agricultural and range value. The total soil losses in these sites ranged between 800 and 9000 m³ at an average rate of 81–818 m³ year^{− 1} for each gully head, which is equivalent to 121–1227 Mg year^{− 1}. During the monitoring period, approximately 0.11–0.87 ha of land lost its agricultural and range value in each basin under study, at an average rate of 0.01–0.079 ha year^{− 1}. Since the Byzantine period (1400 BP), approximately 6.5 ha, which is 10% of the land that had high agricultural and range value in the Zipporim valley, lost its value due to gully erosion. No recovery effects of the gully channels were found in the nearby region. The soil erosion is generated by a long-term natural dynamic change in the soil / rock ratio evolving within the drainage basins through time since the termination of the last glacial phase. The loessic sediments, originally deposited within the drainage basins during the late Pleistocene glacial stage, are being removed under the present Holocene climate in several erosion stages. This ongoing phenomenon is causing degradation of soil and biomass and is severely reducing the agricultural and range potential of the region. These parameters indicate that an ongoing process of desertification is active in the arid environment of the Negev Highlands, and is advancing in proportion to the headcut retreat rates in the region. The soil erosion and headcut retreat have been active in the Negev Highlands for the last few millennia. If these processes continue in the future, the Negev Highlands region will lose its agricultural potential within a few millennia. However, the fact that the ancient inhabitants of the region implemented successful long-term land conservation techniques already 3000 years ago, implies that a sustainable land management policy can be adapted to the Negev Highlands, as well as to other semi-arid regions in the Middle East.     

Ex-post evaluation of erosion control measures in southern Mali

As part of an impact study of a soil and water conservation (SWC) project in southern Mali, the effect of erosion control measures on soil erosion was evaluated. In one village, a baseline situation from 1988 was compared with the situation in 2003, after farmers had installed stone rows, live fences and grass strips, and had started cultivating across to the slope. This comparison showed a spectacular decrease in gully volume in cultivated fields of 87%, from 58 to 8 m³ ha⁻¹. Estimated annual soil loss decreased with 77% from 42 to 10 t ha⁻¹ year⁻¹. However, baseline data on erosion gullies were not available for other villages. In the absence of baseline data, a simple ‘with–without’ comparison does not allow a correct evaluation because farmers install erosion control measures especially in fields with more erosion. Two alternative methods were used: a reconstructed baseline and a virtual time series. Using the reconstructed baseline, looking not only at active gullies but also at (partly) reclaimed gullies, we concluded that line interventions, gully interventions, and a combination of both, reduced the proportion of active gullies by 48%, 47% and 70%, respectively. Using a virtual time series, comparing erosion in fields with erosion control measures installed in different years, we concluded that erosion gradually decreased by 50% during the 3 years after installation of erosion control measures. In a separate study, we found a positive effect of gully interventions and sowing across to the slope in reducing sheet erosion. A reduction of the slope of the sowing direction by 1% reduced the cover of runoff deposit of coarse sand with 8%. Although a documented baseline is preferred, both a reconstructed baseline and a virtual time series are useful tools and make ex-post evaluations more relevant than a simple with–without comparison.     

The cost of soil erosion in vineyard fields in the Penedès–Anoia Region (NE Spain)

On-site and off-site environmental impacts of runoff and erosion are usually stressed in order to bring to the public's attention the importance and implications of soil erosion. However, few studies are aimed at calculating the economic implications of erosion, this being the message that farmers and/or policy makers understand best. In this current work we estimated the cost of erosion in vineyards in the Penedès–Anoia region (NE Spain), in which high intensity rain storms (> 80–100 mm h^− 1) are frequent. Modern plantations in the region consist of trained vines, usually planted perpendicular to the maximum slope direction. Broadbase terraces are interspersed between vine rows to intercept surface runoff and convey it out of the field. Part of the sediment generated above these terraces is deposited in them and other parts are either deposited beyond the boundaries of the fields or are exported to the main drainage network. High intensity rainfall produces heavy soil losses (up to 207 Mg ha^− 1 computed in an extreme event in June 2000, which had a maximum intensity in 30-min periods of up to 170 mm h^− 1). To estimate the cost of erosion in vineyard fields of this region, two important aspects were considered. These were a) the cost incurred by the maintenance of the broadbase terraces, drainage channels and filling of ephemeral gullies and b) the cost incurred by the loss of fertilisers (mainly N and P) caused by erosion. According to farmers' records, the former was estimated at 7.5 tractor-hour ha^− 1 year^− 1 (as average), which comprises 5.4% of the income from grape sales. Regarding N and P losses, nutrients exported by runoff were 14.9 kg ha^− 1 N and 11.5 kg ha^− 1 of P, which, if compared to the annual intakes, represent 6% and 26.1% of the N and P respectively. In economic terms, the replacement value of the N and P lost represents 2.4% for N or 1.2% for P of the annual income from the sale of the grapes.     

Land use change and gully formation over the last 200 years in a hilly catchment

Gully erosion can be widely observed on cultivated hillslopes in Hungary. Loose sediments covering two thirds of the total area of the country are prone to gully erosion.A detailed study of gully formation was carried out in the Rakaca catchment (58 km²), northeastern Hungary. The objectives include (1) a detailed survey of the present gullies, (2) an explanation of differences in gully distribution within the catchment, (3) clarification of the role of influencing factors like slope gradient, vegetation cover and soil type and (4) a study of changes of gully distribution and development in time over the last 200 years based on the comparison of topographic maps.The present gully distribution was first surveyed by applying 1:10 000 topographic maps and aerial photographs. The total length of the network is 70.9 km, i.e. 1.22 km/km². Distribution inhomogeneities within the catchment can well be explained by differences in slope gradient and vegetation cover.The rate of increase of the gully length per unit area (1 km²) calculated for different time periods shows the following trends: (1) until 1860, when more than 50% of the catchment was forested, it was 5 m year⁻¹ km⁻²; (2) between 1860 and 1920, when forest area dropped to almost 25% and agricultural land use was extended to slopes steeper than 25%, it still remained at roughly 5 m year⁻¹ km⁻²; (3) after 1920, with 24–25% forest cover and with the extension of farming activity to the steepest slopes, it reached 10 m year⁻¹ km⁻².It could be shown that gully erosion on cultivated slopes leads to the development of gully systems in 50–60 years even if slope gradient is below 12%.To prevent further development of gully systems, it is suggested that at least 30% of the area should be forested and slopes steeper than 17% should not be cultivated at all.     

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.     

Slope and rainfall effects on the volume of sediment yield by gully erosion in the Souar lithologic formation (Tunisia)

The Souar lithologic formation in semi-arid Tunisia is undergoing severe gully erosion which is threatening soil and water resources. Soil conservation strategies have focused more on terracing than on gully control techniques, since the contribution of gully sediment yield in the overall soil loss from watersheds is unknown. The paper reports investigations into the sediment yield provided by head-cut as well as sidewall–floor erosion of first order gullies on gentle and steep slope catchments underlined by the Souar lithologic formation. We measured mean field sediment volumes evacuated by different headward reaches of 10 and 9 gullies located on gentle and steep slope catchments, respectively. Two equations between the length of the gully head cutting and the corresponding volume of evacuated sediment were established. The treatment with a Geographic Information System (Arc View) of air photographs of six flights from 1952 to 2000 allowed the calculation of the volume of sediment provided both by head cutting and gully sidewalls–floor erosion through the following up of gully extension in eight catchments during the five periods separating the dates of these flights. Total gully erosion was on average 1.66 m³ ha^− 1 year^− 1 for the gentle slopes and 5.603 m³ ha^− 1 year^− 1 for the steep slopes. Sidewalls–floor contribution in total erosion was on average 81.5% for the gentle slopes and 77.8% for the steep slopes. We found out that the mean annual rainfall resulting from 40 mm daily rainfall threshold explained better the variation of annual head cutting sediment yield for these five periods than any other annual rainfall resulting from lower daily rainfall thresholds. Two equations between these two variables were established both for gentle and steep slope catchments.     

Medium-term gully headcut retreat rates in Southeast Spain determined from aerial photographs and ground measurements

This paper deals with gully retreat rates at different time scales, whereby the short-term time scale may span a time interval of 1–5 years, the medium-term time scale a time interval of 5–50 years, and the long-term time scale a time interval of more than 50 years. An analysis of high-altitude aerial photographs in combination with ground measurements allowed us to quantify volumetric gully-head retreat rates for 12 permanent gullies in Southeast Spain (Guadalentin and Guadix study areas) over a 40–43 year time interval (medium-term time scale). This resulted in an average retreat rate (V_e) of 17.4 m³ year⁻¹. A power relationship between drainage-basin area (A) and medium-term volumetric gully-head retreat rate, V_e=0.069A^0.380 (R²=0.51, n=21), was found by combining the gully-head retreat rates obtained in this study with those obtained by a dendrochronological method. The exponent (b) and the coefficient of determination (R²) of the power relationships V_e=aA^b increases from the short-term to the long-term time scale, expressing the increasing importance of drainage-basin area in gully development with time. Considerable differences between gully-head retreat rates measured at the short and medium-term time scales at individual gullies showed the importance of land-use changes and unsuccessful management practices on gully-head retreat, and the episodic nature of gully-head retreat when piping and tension cracking are involved. Higher gully-head retreat rates are obtained at the medium-term time scale compared to the short-term time scale but the differences are not significantly different at α=10%. The medium-term methods tend to measure proportionally more high gully retreat rates, but less extreme values compared to the short-term method. This is explained by a more equal distribution of extreme rainfall events both in space and time at a longer-term time scale, and hence a higher probability of measuring the average effect of both small and extreme rainfall events at each gully.     

Rill and gully development during an extreme winter runoff event in Norway

Erosion on agricultural fields in Norway has earlier been reported to be mainly sheet and minor rill erosion. Exceptional rainfall events during January and February (230% of 30 years monthly mean) in 1990 led to extreme runoff and widespread erosion also on areas normally not considered to have a high erosion risk. This study presents the results of a field survey in three counties where rills and ephemeral gullies were measured after this event. Shifting weather conditions with freezing and thawing had given frozen subsoil. Topsoil conditions varied from ice- and snow-covered surface to thawed surface with frozen subsoil. In one of the areas with a high clay content, only the upper topsoil layer was unfrozen during this event. Extended sheet erosion and smaller rills occurred. In the southernmost locations, more of the topsoil profile was unfrozen. Combined with a high silt/sand content, more severe rilling and ephemeral gullies developed. Gullies developed down to the depth of the drainpipes in all locations. This erosion equals soil losses of more than 100 tons ha⁻¹ or 8–9 mm soil lost from the entire field area. Different mechanisms for gully development were registered. Gullies developed as enlarged rills with headward migration and sidewall sloughing. Knickpoints in the slope could also lead to gully development. Concentrated water flow entering the field from farmyards, roads, neighbouring fields and woods could be the starting point for uncontrolled rilling and ephemeral gullying. The combination of frozen subsoil, saturated soil with low strength and intense rainfall led to gully development also on areas with gentle slopes, especially sandy soils. Management practices like crop cover, tillage and lack of surface water control highly influenced the development of gullies.     

A method for dendrochronological assessment of medium-term gully erosion rates

A method based on dendrochronology to estimate gully erosion rates was developed as an alternative of traditional methods for assessing medium-term gully retreat rates, such as field monitoring of headcuts or aerial-photo interpretation of gully retreat. The method makes use of trees or parts of a tree affected by gully erosion revealing information on the history of the erosion process by datable deviations of their normal growth pattern, hence defined as ‘datable objects’. These include roots exposed by erosion; browsing scars made by ungulates on exposed roots or on above-ground parts of fallen trees; exposed and dead root ends; root suckers; stems, branches and leading shoots of fallen trees; and a sequence of trees within a gully. The method is based on the differentiation between three main conditions depending on the relation between the dynamics of the datable object (part of the tree) and the development of the gully. The first condition implies that the datable object was created before erosion of the gully volume to be dated, e.g. exposed tree roots. According to the second condition, the datable object developed as an immediate consequence of the erosion event, e.g. growth reactions of a fallen tree. The third condition implies that the datable object was created some time after the erosion event took place, e.g. trees colonising the gully bed. Each principle has consequences for the accuracy and the correct interpretation of the estimated erosion rate, i.e. whether the true erosion rate is underestimated, exact or overestimated. In spite of methodological limitations and dendrochronological dating problems, the method was successfully applied in southeast Spain. Conservative estimations of gully-head retreat rate resulted in an average medium-term (3–46 years) value of 6 m³ year⁻¹ (n=9). For gully sidewall processes, the average minimum erosion rate per unit sidewall length amounted 0.1 m³ year⁻¹ m⁻¹ (n=9). A strong correlation was found between the headcut retreat rate (v_m(ortho), m³ year⁻¹) and the drainage–basin area (A, m²) of the gullies, expressed by v_m(ortho)=0.02A^0.57 (R²=0.93, n=9). Comparing the findings from this study with those obtained by short-term headcut retreat monitoring suggests a high reliability of the estimated retreat rates, supporting the applicability of the developed dendrochronological method.     

Geomorphological investigation on gully erosion in the Rift Valley and the northern highlands of Ethiopia

Gully erosion phenomena are very common in Ethiopia. They affect large areas with different morphological, pedological and climatic characteristics. The amount of soil loss due to gullying has become a very serious problem in the recent decades as it was associated to remarkable depletion of cultivated land. Field investigations on gully morphology and its genetic processes were carried out in two study areas of Ethiopia, representative of different geo-environmental conditions: the Lakes Region in the Rift portion north of Shashamene and the area surrounding the town of Mekele in Tigray.Two main types of gullies were identified on the basis of their morphological and hydraulic geometry characteristics: (1) discontinuous gullies which generally develop on low gradient slopes (1–5° on average) and the hydraulic radius of which increases from an upstream minimum to a maximum, at approximately their mid length, and decreases again to a relative minimum at their downstream end; and (2) stream gullies, formed by deep erosion processes typically migrating upslope. In order to investigate the main causes originating the different types of gullies, shear stress data were collected in the field from their hydraulic geometry. Hypotheses on the mechanisms responsible for both discontinuous and stream gullies development and for their different characteristics are discussed considering the pattern of shear stress variation in the downstream direction.     

The WEELS model: methods, results and limitations

Within the European Union (EU)-funded Project ‘Wind Erosion on European Light Soils’ (WEELS), a model was designed and implemented with the aim of predicting the long-term spatial distribution of wind erosion risks in terms of erosion hours and wind-induced soil loss. In order to ensure wide applicability, the model structure consists of a modular combination of different approaches and algorithms, running on available or easily collected topographic and climatological data input. Whereas the ‘WIND’, ‘WIND EROSIVITY’ and ‘SOIL MOISTURE’ modules combine factors that contribute to the temporal variations of climatic erosivity, the ‘SOIL ERODIBILITY’, ‘SURFACE ROUGHNESS’ and ‘LAND USE’ modules predict the temporal soil and vegetation cover variables that control soil erodibility. Preliminary simulations over a 29-year period for the Barnham site (UK) (1970–1998) and a 13-year period for the Grönheim site (Germany) (1981–1993) generally resulted in a higher erosion risk for the English test site, where the total mean soil loss was estimated at 1.56 t ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ and mean maximum soil loss at about 15.5 t ha⁻¹ year⁻¹. The highest rates exceeded 3 t ha⁻¹ in March, September and November. On the northern German test site, the total mean soil loss was 0.43 t ha⁻¹ year⁻¹. The highest erosion rates were predicted in April when they can exceed 2.5 t ha⁻¹. The total mean maximum soil loss at this site of about 10.0 t ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ corresponds to a loss of about 0.65 mm. Predictions based on a land use scenario for the German site revealed that the erosion risk could be reduced significantly by changing land use strategies.     

Erosion rates and nutrient losses affected by composted cattle manure application in vineyard soils of NE Spain

Land preparation for mechanisation in vineyards of the Anoia–Alt Penedès region, NE Spain, has required major soil movements, which has enormous environmental implications not only due to changes in the landscape morphology but also due to soil degradation. The resulting cultivated soils are very poor in organic matter and highly susceptible to erosion, which reduces the possibilities of water intake as most of the rain is lost as runoff. In order to improve soil conditions, the application of organic wastes has been generalised in the area, not only before plantation but also every 3–4 years at rates of 30–50 Mg ha^− 1 mixed in the upper 30 cm.These organic materials are important sources of nutrients (N and P) and other elements, which could reduce further fertilisation cost. However, due to the high susceptibility to sealing of these soils, erosion rates are relatively high, so a higher nutrient concentration on the soil surface increases non-point pollution sources due to runoff.The aim of this study is to analyse the influence of applied composted cattle manure on infiltration, runoff and soil losses and on nutrients transported by runoff in vineyards of the Alt Penedès–Anoia region, NE Spain. In the two plots selected for the analysis, composted cattle manure had been applied in alternate rows 1 year previous to the study. In each plot soil surface samples (0–25 cm) were taken and compared to those of plots without manure application. The study was carried out at laboratory scale using simulated rainfall. Infiltration rates were calculated from the difference between rainfall intensity and runoff rates, and the sediment and total nitrogen and phosphorus were measured for each simulation. In addition, the influence of compost was investigated in the field under natural rainfall conditions by analysing the nutrient concentration in runoff samples collected in the field (in the same plots) after seven rainfall events, which amount different total precipitation and had different erosive character.Compost application increases infiltration rates by up to 26% and also increases the time when runoff starts. Sediment concentration in runoff was lower in treated (13.4 on average mg L^− 1) than in untreated soils (ranging from 16.8 to 23.4 mg L^− 1). However, the higher nutrient concentration in soils produces a higher mobilisation of N (7–17 mg L^− 1 in untreated soils and 20–26 mg L^− 1 in treated soils) and P (6–7 mg L^− 1 in untreated soils and 13–19 mg L^− 1 in treated soils). A major part of the P mobilised was attached to soil particles (about 90% on average) and only 10% was dissolved. Under natural conditions, higher nutrient concentrations were always recorded in treated vs. untreated soils in both plots, and the total amount of N and P mobilised by runoff was higher in treated soils, although without significant differences. Nutrient concentrations in runoff depend on rainfall erosivity but the average value in treated soils was twice that in untreated soils for both plots.     

Use of landslide-dammed lake deposits and pollen tracing techniques to investigate the erosional response of a small drainage basin in the Loess Plateau, China, to land use change during the late 16th century

A major landslide that occurred in 1569 in the Huangtuwa gully catchment within the Rolling Loess Plateau region of China, resulted in the creation of a landslide-dammed lake at the outlet of the small 0.1 km² tributary valley of the Houxiaotan Gully. All the sediment transported to the outlet of this catchment was deposited in the lake. After about 30 years the dam failed and the lake deposits were dissected as the stream cut down to its former base level. Substantial remnants of the sediment deposits that accumulated over the ca. 30 year period are, however, preserved as terraces near the outlet of the catchment and a vertical section through these sediment deposits was investigated using stratigraphic and pollen tracing techniques. Individual flood couplets could be clearly distinguished and these permitted the establishment of a chronology for the sediment deposits and the estimation of the sediment yields associated with individual events and individual years. Pollen analysis undertaken on samples collected from the individual flood couplets also provided information on the variation of the pollen content of the sediment and the proportion of Artemisia pollen during the period represented by the deposits. Interpretation of the information assembled from the sediment section has made it possible to reconstruct the erosional history of the Houxiaotan catchment during the 31 year period following the landslide. The average sediment yield of the catchment in the late 16th century was very similar to its present-day sediment yield. The sediment yield from the catchment and the relative contribution of the inter-gully areas, as compared to the gully system, declined immediately after the landslide as a result of abandonment of the cultivated land within the catchment. The restoration of cultivation in the catchment after about 17 years resulted in an increase in sediment yield from ca. 9000 t km^− 2 yr^− 1 to ca. 30,000 t km^− 2 yr^− 1 and a substantial increase in the proportion of sediment contributed by the cultivated inter-gully areas. Scope exists to apply a similar approach to the sediment deposits that accumulated in other former landslide-dammed lakes within the Rolling Loess Plateau region of China, in order to develop an improved understanding of the erosion history of the region.     

西藏中南部侵蚀沟形态无人机航测与传统地面测量的对比分析

[目的]分析无人机和传统地面方法测量侵蚀沟形态的差异,研究无人机影像提取西藏地区侵蚀沟形态的适宜性,以期准确、快速获取西藏地区沟蚀参数,为该地侵蚀沟快速调查与防治提供基础资料。[方法]选取6个研究地点20条侵蚀沟,对实地测量与无人机正射影像提取的沟长、沟宽进行对比分析。[结果]与实地测量相比,影像提取侵蚀沟沟长的平均偏差集中在2%～5%;沟宽的平均偏差集中在0～40%,其中实测沟宽范围在400～1 000 cm时,提取值和实测值的偏离程度最低。在6个研究地点中,影像提取值的偏离程度和侵蚀沟所处位置没有明显的关系。沟缘土质、沟缘线附近的植被及放牧对沟缘的踩踏是影响侵蚀沟形态提取的主要因素。[结论]无人机遥感可为西藏地区沟蚀监测提供便捷、可靠的数据源。     

Hydrological pathway and source area of nutrient losses identified by a multi-scale monitoring in an agricultural catchment

The objectives of the study were to identify principal hydrological pathways and source areas of N and P losses by multi-scale monitoring and to estimate total nutrient losses from the catchment. An agricultural catchment with rain-fed agriculture and irrigated paddy fields in subtropical China was monitored with regularly sampling, together with intensive sampling during and after rain storms. Regular weekly sampling showed that the N concentrations in the overland flows from the upland and paddy fields were higher than those from the streams, but lower than those in the subsurface waters. The N concentration, on average, was 10.0 mg L^− 1 in the well and 1.7 mg L^− 1 in the spring water, the former was 10.2 times as high as that in the stream waters (1.0–1.5 mg L^− 1). Nitrogen and P in the overland flows originated dominantly in particulate forms from the uplands (over 70%) and in dissolved forms from the paddy fields. Inorganic N and P dominated in the streams and subsurface waters. The intensive sampling allowed us to establish flow-nutrient concentration relationships and to extrapolate nutrient losses during rainstorms without regular sampling. The extrapolation increased the estimated nutrient losses by about 30% to 50%. The average total nutrient losses within three water years were estimated as 21 kg N ha^− 1 yr^− 1 and 1 kg P ha^− 1 yr^− 1, accounting for 9.5% and 1.4% of chemical N and P fertilizers applied to the catchment after subtracting the nutrient inputs with irrigation and rainfall. The estimation showed that paddy fields were as important as the uplands in terms of nutrient losses. These results suggest that control of soil erosion and excessive irrigation could be effective to reduce nutrient export through overland flow and subsurface flow.     

Evaluating gully erosion using Cs and Pb/Cs ratio in a reservoir catchment

Water erosion in the hilly areas of west China is the main process contributing to the overall sediment of the Yellow River and the Yangtze River. The impact of gully erosion in total sediment output has been mostly neglected. Our objective was to assess the sediment production and sediment sources at both the hillslope and catchment scales in the Yangjuangou reservoir catchment of the Chinese Loess Plateau, northwest China. Distribution patterns in sediment production caused by water erosion on hills and gully slopes under different land use types were assessed using the fallout ¹³⁷Cs technique. The total sediment production from the catchment was estimated by using the sediment record in a reservoir. Sediment sources and dominant water erosion processes were determined by comparing ¹³⁷Cs activities and ²¹⁰Pb/¹³⁷Cs ratios in surface soils and sub-surface soils with those of sediment deposits from the reservoir at the outlet of the catchment. Results indicated that landscape location had the most significant impact on sediment production for cultivated hillslopes, followed by the terraced hillslope, and the least for the vegetated hillslope. Sediment production increased in the following order: top>upper>lower>middle for the cultivated hillslope, and top>lower>upper>middle for the terraced hillslope. The mean value of sediment production declined by 49% for the terraced hillslope and by 80% for the vegetated hillslope compared with the cultivated hillslope. Vegetated gully slope reduced the sediment production by 38% compared with the cultivated gully slope. These data demonstrate the effectiveness of terracing and perennial vegetation cover in controlling sediment delivery at a hillslope scale. Averaged ¹³⁷Cs activities and ²¹⁰Pb/¹³⁷Cs ratios in the 0–5 cm surface soil (2.22–4.70 Bq kg⁻¹ and 20.70–22.07, respectively) and in the 5–30 cm subsoil (2.60 Bq kg⁻¹ and 28.57, respectively) on the cultivated hills and gully slopes were close to those of the deposited sediment in the reservoir (3.37 Bq kg⁻¹ and 29.08, respectively). These results suggest that the main sediment sources in the catchment were from the surface soil and subsoil on the cultivated slopes, and that gully erosion is the dominant water erosion process contributing sediment in the study area. Changes in land use types can greatly affect sediment production from gully erosion. An increase in grassland and forestland by 42%, and a corresponding decrease in farmland by 46%, reduced sediment production by 31% in the catchment.     

Short-term bank gully retreat rates in Mediterranean environments

In this study, short-term headcut retreat was monitored from 46 active bank gullies, selected in the Guadalentin and the Guadix basin in Southeast Spain. The measurements were carried out manually using an orthogonal reference system fixed by erosion pins around the gully heads, between April 1997 and April 1999 with a 1-year interval. The average volumetric retreat rate for all gullies was 4.0 m³ year⁻¹, corresponding with an average linear retreat rate of 0.1 m year⁻¹, but more erosion took place during the first monitored year (1997–1998) compared to the second (1998–1999). An interplay of spatial variations in rainfall distribution and tension crack activity is assumed to be responsible for the important difference in annual headcut retreat, compared to the small difference in annual rainfall amounts. Statistical analysis showed that the present drainage-basin area (A_p) was the most important topographical factor explaining average gully headcut retreat rate, both in terms of annual eroded volume (V_e) and annual linear retreat (R_l), and expressed by the power relationships V_e=0.04A_p^0.38 (R²=0.39) and R_l=0.01A_p^0.23 (R²=0.39). The V_e–A_p relationship was compared with the relationship between original drainage-basin area (A_o) and total eroded bank gully volume (Vol), i.e. Vol=1.71A_o^0.60 (R²=0.65). The importance of runoff generation from a drainage basin is shown by the positive correlation of linear headcut retreat and the runoff curve number (CN), representative for the conditions in the drainage basin. High CN values tend to coincide with higher annual eroded volumes in the relationship between present drainage-basin area (A_p) and annual eroded volume (V_e), but this effect was not observed in the relationship between original drainage-basin area (A_o) and total eroded bank gully volume (Vol). Stepwise multiple regression selected the relevant environmental parameters explaining annual eroded volume and linear retreat. In both equations, the present drainage-basin area explained the largest part of the variation. The CN was selected as another common parameter. Height of the headcut was the second most important variable explaining annual eroded volume, indicating the role of energy transfers and undercutting at the headcut. Linear retreat was further explained by the average slope of the present drainage-basin area, representing the effect of decreasing transmission losses and increasing flow velocity with steeper catchment slopes, and by the sand content, decreasing the cohesion of the soil material, promoting soil fall and headcut retreat. Spatial extrapolation of the measured volumetric retreat rate of 4.0 m³ year⁻¹ revealed that active bank gully heads contribute up to 6% of the sediment yearly filling up the Puentes reservoir. Estimated gully ages (i) based on the ergodic principle, and (ii) by linear extrapolation of actual gully retreat rates in the past, range between 63 years and 1539 and between 64 and 1720 years, respectively. The high correlation between the gully ages estimated by the two methods is attributed to the fact that most gullies have not reached the evolutionary stage of significantly declining retreat rates. Since medium-term gully retreat rates are more dependent on drainage-basin area compared to the short-term retreat rates obtained in this study, the estimated gully ages represent maximum values, assuming that present land-use and climate conditions prevailed over the last two millennia.