Applications and limitations of chernobyl radiocaesium measurements in a carpathian erosion investigation,Poland

The bomb-test fallout radionuclide caesium-137, has found increasing application in geomorphological investigations of soil erosion. Comparatively little work has investigated the potential for using ¹³⁴Cs and ¹³⁷Cs derived from the 1986 Chernobyl accident. Results are reported from an agricultural foothill environment in the Beskidy Mountains of southern Poland. The high degree of spatial variability associated with Chernobyl fallout deposition poses considerable limitations on the potential for using radiocaesium measurements to elucidate detailed patterns of soil loss. Despite this problem, the redistribution of radiocaesium from field plots to terrace edges suggests a means for estimating the overall budgets for sediment transfer on cultivated slopes.     

Use of fallout Cs in investigations of overbank sediment deposition on river floodplains

River floodplains have been recognised as important sinks for storing suspended sediment and associated contaminants mobilised from the upstream catchment. However, information on contemporary rates of overbank sedimentation is difficult to obtain using conventional methods. Measurements of the ¹³⁷Cs content of floodplain sediments provide an alternative approach to obtaining; estimates of medium-term rates (ca. 40 years) of overbank sediment deposition. The ¹³⁷Cs approach requires only a single site visit and minimum sample preparation. Furthermore, it is capable of providing information on spatial patterns of sediment deposition on floodplains, which is needed to improve our understanding of the processes involved in overbank flow and sediment deposition. This paper reviews the basis for using ¹³⁷Cs measurements in floodplain sedimentation studies and presents improved procedures for interpreting ¹³⁷Cs profiles in floodplain sediments and for obtaining estimates of sedimentation rates from single measurements of the total. ¹³⁷Cs inventories of bulk sediment cores. The results obtained from a case study undertaken on the floodplain of the River Stour, Dorset, UK, are presented.     

Quantification of accelerated soil erosion using the environmental tracer caesium-137

The principal objective of this investigation was to quantify erosion rates for five agricultural fields in three separate study areas in Saskatchewan. The radionuclide tracer caesium-137 (¹³⁷Cs) was used to quantify net erosion and net deposition within the landscape over a 30-year period. Uneroded (native) sites were used to establish the mean background level of ¹³⁷Cs in each of the study areas. The assumption being that agricultural sites with ¹³⁷Cs areal activities greater than the native site were subject to deposition, and sites with ¹³⁷Cs less than the native control site were subject to erosion. A linear proportionality model was used to convert the loss or gain of ¹³⁷Cs to net soil erosion or deposition. Results have indicated that accelerated (anthropogenic) erosion has been commonplace on arable land in Saskatchewan, even on near-level fields (< 1.3 degrees). The net integrated sediment output from the five agricultural fields ranged from — 0.6 t th⁻¹ y⁻¹ to — 6.8 t ha⁻¹ y⁻¹ (where negative values represent erosion). What is more alarming is that between 40 and 75 per cent of all sites sampled within individual fields had erosion rates in excess of the generally accepted rate of soil formation (1.0 t ha⁻¹ y⁻¹). Also, in one highly eroded field (Crystal Springs medium sloping site) 65 per cent of the sites sampled exceeded the upper tolerable erosion rate of 11.0 t ha⁻¹ y⁻¹. These results indicate significant degradation of the non-renewable soil resource has occurred over the past 30 years and is still presently active. Land degradation by accelerated erosion would result in reductions in effective rooting depth, soil moisture holding capacity, essential nutrient stores, and would adversely effect the physical structure of the topsoil. The major reason for accelerated erosion on arable land in Saskatchewan is the practice of summer fallowing, where the field is left in a ‘bare’ state and repeatedly tilled every second or third year. During a fallow period, or prior to crop emergence during a cropping year, fields are subject to wind and water erosion. On near-level fields wind would be the dominant transport agent, while on sloping fields inter-rill and rill erosion would be the primary forces of erosion. It is suggested that the appropriate conservation farming response would be to increase application of surface mulches and possibly to decrease the frequency of summer fallowing. Without such efforts long-term sustainable agricultural production in the Prairies of Canada is considered to be a tenuous land use practice.     

黄土高原切沟空间分布特征

在区域尺度研究切沟空间分布特征,对黄土高原切沟防治及黄河中游水土保持工作具有重要意义。研究以系统抽样的方法布设256个小流域抽样单元,基于Google Earth亚米级遥感影像,采用人工目视解译的方法,对黄土高原切沟空间分布特征展开研究,结果表明：(1) 92个抽样单元存在切沟,占抽样单元总数35.94%。黄土高原切沟密度均值为1.47 km/km²,以小切沟为主。切沟长度、宽度、距分水岭距离均值分别为43.53 m, 6.30 m, 71.19 m。(2)黄土高原切沟主要分布在400 mm等降雨量线附近,尤其是延安及其以西至固原一带,榆林及其以北至东胜一带,小切沟分布与切沟总体分布基本一致,大切沟分布相对分散,在天水—定西一带最为突出。(3)黄土高原切沟所在坡面目前土地利用类型主要为草地(48.51%)、耕地(29.76%)、林地(17.27%)。研究可为黄土高原侵蚀沟分区治理规划提供理论依据。     

Caesium-137 fallout depth distribution in different soil profiles and significance for estimating soil erosion rate

Caesium-137 (¹³⁷Cs) has been widely used for the determination of soil erosion and sediment transport rate. However, depth distribution patterns of ¹³⁷Cs in the soil profile have not been considered. As a result, the erosion rates may be over-estimated or underestimated. This paper presents the depth distribution of ¹³⁷Cs fallout in different soil profiles using published data. Three types of depth distribution functions of ¹³⁷Cs are given by using statistical regression methods, the exponential type, the peak type and the decreasing type (including uniform distribution). Relationships between ¹³⁷Cs loss and soil erosion rate are given by introducing the regression functions. The influence of depth distribution of ¹³⁷Cs on the estimation of the soil erosion rate was simulated. Simulation results showed that very different soil erosion rates could be deduced for different depth distributions when ¹³⁷Cs loss is the same, which indicates that the depth distribution pattern should be considered when soil erosion is estimated by using ¹³⁷Cs. Simulation results also suggested that it is most important to determine the depth distribution of ¹³⁷Cs near the soil surface and the annual relative loss of ¹³⁷Cs by using the depth distribution of ¹³⁷Cs as a criterion to estimate the soil erosion rate.     

Caesium-137 dating applied to slackwater flood deposits of the Llobregat River, NE Spain

During a palaeoflood study of the Llobregat River (NE Spain), analysis of ¹³⁷Cs was carried out on slackwater flood deposits to obtain an improved flood chronology for the most recent flood sediments. At the Monistrol study reach, ¹³⁷Cs was measured in flood deposits preserved in valley side rock alcoves, with a range of ¹³⁷Cs concentrations of 2.80–10.06 mBq/g measured. The ¹³⁷Cs was associated with sediment mobilised from the upstream catchment by erosion and transported to the alcoves during floods. The onset of measured caesium activity in the sedimentary profiles permitted the deposits to be divided between those from floods that occurred before the mid-1950s and those from events after this period. Combining the information derived from the slackwater flood stratigraphy, the minimum discharge estimates associated with the flood deposits, ¹³⁷Cs analysis and the instrumental peak discharge series, it was possible to identify the particular flood events responsible for the majority of the slackwater flood units. At Vilomara, however, ¹³⁷Cs activity was measured in palaeoflood deposits dated to the Late Bronze Age and located at an elevation not reached by the floodwaters of the largest modern events. The data from this site indicated that the ¹³⁷Cs was not associated with sediments transported by floods but was rainfall-derived, the rainwater reaching the deposits through fissures in the rock. To ensure the successful application of caesium dating to slackwater flood deposits preserved within rock alcoves, or caves, some general guidelines are proposed. The technique is best applied: (1) when there is a sedimentary profile of greater than 1 m depth; (2) when the profile is sampled away from zones affected by direct percolation or springwater entering the alcove; and (3) where there are various levels of contrasting textures within the profile.     

Investigating the effects of afforestation on soil erosion and sediment mobilisation in two small catchments in Southern Italy

Annual soil losses in southern Italy can exceed 100–150 t ha^− 1 year^− 1. Where erosion on agricultural land is particularly severe, land use change and afforestation are frequently seen as the most appropriate means of reducing erosion risk. However, the overall effectiveness of afforestation in reducing soil erosion remains uncertain, due to the poor development of the forest cover in some areas, leading to significant areas with sparse tree cover, and the erosional impact of forest harvesting, which commonly involves clearcutting. The study reported here addresses this uncertainty and focuses on two small catchments (W2 and W3) located in Calabria, southern Italy, for which measurements of suspended sediment yield are available. Both the catchments originally supported a rangeland vegetation cover and they were planted with eucalyptus trees in 1968. Currently, only catchment W3 supports a continuous forest cover. In catchment W2 the forest cover is discontinuous and there is a significant area of the catchment (ca. 20%) where the tree cover is sparse and the vegetation cover is dominated by natural grasses. Two additional erosion plots were established within catchment W2 in 1991, in order to explore the effect of the density of the tree cover on soil erosion. Information on the sediment yields from the two catchments and the plots for 10 storm events that occurred during the period December 2005–December 2006 and associated information on the ¹³⁷Cs and excess ²¹⁰Pb of the sediment, have been used to investigate the effectiveness of afforestation in reducing sediment mobilisation and net soil loss from the catchments involved. The results demonstrate that the areas of greatest soil loss are associated with the slopes where the tree cover is discontinuous, and that forest harvesting by clearcutting causes significant short-term increases in sediment mobilisation and sediment yield. These findings, which are consistent with previous work undertaken within the same area, emphasize the importance of vegetation cover density in influencing rates of soil loss in the study catchments. The study also provided a useful demonstration of the potential for using measurements of the ¹³⁷Cs and ²¹⁰Pb_ex content of sediment, in combination with more traditional sediment monitoring, to investigate sediment sources and to compare the sediment dynamics of catchments subjected to different land management practices.     

甘肃省黄土高原典型小流域侵蚀沟道特征

[目的]对甘肃省黄土高原典型小流域侵蚀沟道的分级分类进行简要研究,为进一步推动该区水土保持和生态治理工作提供理论基础。[方法]在甘肃省第一次全国水利普查结果的基础上,运用GIS技术,采用地貌几何定量数学模型分级方法,定量化分级沟道,并从地质、地貌、大小以及形状对侵蚀沟道进行分类,由此来推断黄土高原区侵蚀沟道的特征。[结果]甘肃黄土高原典型小流域侵蚀沟道主要以Ⅰ级沟道为主,其中丘陵沟壑区主要以半开析、中度割裂、半主沟型为主;高塬沟壑区主要以半开析、中度割裂、支沟型为主。[结论]丘陵沟壑区第五副区沟壑狭窄陡峭,沟道破碎化程度高,水土流失量高,治理难度大,沟道难以利用。     

Soil erosion and redistribution on cultivated and uncultivated land near las bardenas in the central Ebro river Basin,Spain

The semiarid regions of Spain, including the central part of the Ebro River basin, are under threat due to desertification. Severe erosion, as a result of poor land management, has led to degradation of the soil resource, and there is a clear need for quantitative erosion rate data to evaluate the problem. This study aimed to examine the potential for using caesium-137 to identify the patterns and rates of soil erosion and redistribution within this semiarid environment. Samples for the determination of caesium-137 were collected from uncultivated slopes and cultivated valley floor sites near the head and outlet of a small representative basin in the Las Bardenas area. The measured patterns of caesium-137 mobilization, redistribution and export provide a semiquantitative indication of the variation in erosion within the study site. Calibration of the caesium-137 measurements, taking account of the differing behaviour of radiocaesium on cultivated and uncultivated land, allows estimation of the actual rates of erosion and deposition involved. The results show (1) the erosion rates on the cultivated land (1.6–2.5 kg m⁻² yr⁻¹) are typically more than five times those seen on the uncultivated land (0.2–0.4 kg m⁻² yr⁻¹), and (2) erosion on the uncultivated land is significantly less severe at the head of the basin than at the outlet. Study of the vegetation cover suggests that lower growing shrubs and grasses may be more effective in reducing erosion in this environment than trees.     

黄土高原沟壑区沟坡地苹果优质丰产栽培技术体系

确立了黄土高原沟壑区沟坡地为优质苹果生产地带 ,建立起沟坡道路防蚀体系 ,春栽改秋栽 ,量化施肥、灌水、修剪 ,生态防治病虫害 ,加强优果生产和采后处理等是黄土高原沟壑区沟坡地带优质苹果生产的主要技术措施。     

Use of caesium-137 data for validation of spatially distributed erosion models: the implications of tillage erosion

Validation of spatially distributed models using spatially distributed data represents a vital element in the development process; however, it is rarely undertaken. To a large extent, this reflects the problems associated with assembling erosion rate data, at appropriate temporal and spatial scales and with a suitable spatial resolution, for comparison with model results. The caesium-137 (¹³⁷Cs) technique would appear to offer considerable potential for meeting this need for data, at least for longer timescales. Nevertheless, initial attempts to use ¹³⁷Cs for model validation did not prove successful. This lack of success may be explained by the important role of tillage erosion in redistributing soil within agricultural fields and, therefore, contributing to the ¹³⁷Cs-derived soil redistribution rates. This paper examines the implications of tillage erosion for the use of ¹³⁷Cs in erosion model validation and presents an outline methodology for the use of ¹³⁷Cs in model validation. This methodology acknowledges and addresses the constraints imposed by the need to: (1) separate water and tillage erosion contributions to total soil redistribution as represented in ¹³⁷Cs derived rates; (2) account for lateral mixing of ¹³⁷Cs within fields as a result of tillage translocation; (3) simulate long-term water erosion rates using the model under evaluation if ¹³⁷Cs-derived water erosion rates are to be used in model validation. The methodology is dependent on accurate simulation of tillage erosion and tillage translocation. Therefore, as greater understanding of tillage erosion is obtained, the potential for the use of ¹³⁷Cs in water erosion model validation will increase. Caesium-137 measurements remain one of the few sources of spatially distributed erosion information and, therefore, their potential value should be exploited to the full.     

黄土高原沟壑区沟坡地苹果优质丰产栽培技术体系

确立了黄土高原沟壑区沟坡地为优质苹果生产地带,建立起沟坡道路防蚀体系,春栽改秋栽,量化施肥、灌水、修剪,生态防治病虫害,加强优果生产和采后处理等是黄土高原沟壑区沟坡地带优质苹果生产的主要技术措施。     

宁南黄土高原阳洼流域137Cs分布及侵蚀特征研究

利用137Cs示踪方法,对宁南黄土高原阳洼流域土壤137Cs分布及土壤侵蚀进行了初步研究。结果表明:流域137Cs基准值为(1 966.99±112.06)Bq/m2。流域内林草地土壤剖面137Cs呈指数型分布,坡耕地137Cs在耕层内呈均一分布。受坡位影响,坡耕地上坡137Cs质量活度为中、下坡的25.14%~27%。流域内坡耕地土壤侵蚀最高,平均为3 889.95 t/km2,自然荒坡最小,仅为坡耕地的17.83%,坡耕地是流域泥沙的主要侵蚀溯源区。阳洼流域土壤侵蚀存在明显的空间格局,不同土地类型下土壤137Cs面积活度、土壤侵蚀模数呈斑块状镶嵌分布,以靠近流域西南边界、中部及东南部区域土壤侵蚀模数最大,平均侵蚀速率在3 405.59~7 080.73 t/(km2.a),沉积与侵蚀明显区域间有过渡区域。坡度是影响该流域土壤侵蚀空间变化的主导因子,但土壤侵蚀速率并不简单随坡度增加而增大,它还受土地利用方式、坡位、降雨等因素影响。     

黄土丘陵区典型峁坡土壤侵蚀空间分异特征

选择黄土高原丘陵沟壑区典型峁坡,采用137 Cs示踪技术,通过对不同坡向和坡位土样137 Cs含量的测定,分析了峁坡137 Cs空间分布特征及土壤侵蚀的空间分异。结果表明,不同坡向峁坡侵蚀差异明显,各坡向平均侵蚀速率大小依次为:北坡西南坡东北坡西坡西北坡南坡东南坡东坡,各坡向侵蚀强度均表现为强度侵蚀;峁坡各坡向不同坡位的侵蚀差异也非常明显,坡下部侵蚀量最大,坡面中上部次之。侵蚀速率顺坡呈波动变化趋势,且侵蚀强度表现为中度、强度以及极强度侵蚀,以强度侵蚀为主。     

利用高分立体影像构建东北黑土山地丘陵区切沟体积估算模型

分析侵蚀沟形态特征并构建体积估算模型,对大空间尺度探究切沟侵蚀具有重要意义.该研究选取位于东北黑土山地丘陵区穆棱市的典型样区,基于WorldView-2高分立体像对影像(0.5 m分辨率),利用ENVI 5.3提取同分辨率DEM,选择45条切沟,在ArcGIS10.3中提取并计算切沟顶宽(TW)、底宽(BW)、沟深(D...     

黄土高原沟壑区谷坡农地侵蚀及产沙的137Cs法研究

该通过运用铯－１３７法对黄土高原沟壑区陇东南小河沟龙谷坡农耕地侵蚀进行研究，定量地分析了其侵蚀及产沙。结果表明：在老谷坡农地内其土壤侵蚀量很，但其输移率却很低，即其真正流失量较小，存在大量地内堆积。通过修建梯田，可使其流失量大大减小，梯田较坡耕地拦沙效益高出９６．５％。     

半干旱黄土丘陵沟壑区沟道侵蚀特征研究

利用遥感、地理信息技术和数理统计方法,选择山西省吕梁市王家沟流域为典型区域,系统分析了半干旱黄土丘陵沟壑区沟道侵蚀特征。研究结果表明:在王家沟流域内共有沟道718条,其中冲沟109条,切沟286条,干沟302条及河沟21条。这4类沟道的发育特征和空间分布特征存在巨大差异;沟道侵蚀是王家沟流域内土壤侵蚀的主要形式,沟道侵蚀面积占总侵蚀面积的56.19%;流域内不同坡度范围内土壤侵蚀强度与沟道类型存在紧密联系。同时,人为因素也对黄土丘陵沟壑区的沟道侵蚀具有重要的影响。     

黄土高原高塬沟壑区坡面表层土壤水分研究

在黄土高寒区,通过人工控制土壤水分的方法,利用Li-6400便携式光合测定系统对银水牛果和沙棘苗木叶片的气体交换参数因子的光响应进行研究。结果表明,2种灌木的净光合速率、蒸腾速率、水分利用效率随着光强的增大而增强,而随着光强进一步增大,净光合速率、水分利用效率却出现下降的趋势,蒸腾速率仍继续增大。随着土壤含水量的增加,2种灌木的净光合速率、蒸腾速率、气孔导度、胞间CO2浓度逐渐增大,水分利用效率先上升,在轻度水分胁迫下达到最大值后下降。在相同土壤含水量下,银水牛果光补偿点明显小于沙棘,光饱和点大于沙棘,光能利用率高于沙棘;银水牛果的表观量子效率大于沙棘,在低光强下的光合能力较高。在水分胁迫下,2种灌木相比,沙棘比银水牛果更易受强光胁迫;银水牛果对弱光的利用能力高于沙棘,水分利用效率高于沙棘,耐旱生产力较高。     

黄土丘陵沟壑区典型植物群落切沟系统植被生长特性

[目的] 为探究不同植物群落切沟系统之间以及同一切沟不同部位间植被生长特性的差异。[方法] 以陕西省安塞区纸坊沟小流域5个典型植物群落切沟系统为研究对象,系统研究其物种多样性、盖度、地上生物量、枯落物蓄积量和地下生物量等植被生长特性。[结果] (1)地上生物量、枯落物和根系消减系数受植被类型的显著影响,表现为乔木切沟>灌木切沟>草本切沟,盖度表现为灌木切沟>草本切沟>乔木切沟;(2)切沟右壁(阳坡到半阳坡)物种多样性指数、盖度小于左壁(阴坡到半阴坡);(3)受水热条件综合影响,切沟沟底和原始坡面的植被生长特性无明显分异规律;(4)切沟原始坡面枯落物蓄积量大于沟坡不同部位的枯落物蓄积量。[结论] 研究结果为深入理解植被恢复对切沟发育的潜在影响、评估植被恢复阻控切沟侵蚀的功能提供数据基础和理论支撑。     

黄土高原沟壑治理措施及其效果

黄土高原的水土流失有面蚀和沟蚀两个主要方面 ,危害都十分严重 ,要有效地控制水土流失 ,必须坡沟兼治 ,综合治理。根据黄土高原的特点 ,在抓紧坡面治理的同时 ,应加大沟壑库坝建设速度。根据量入为出的原则 ,沟壑坝系工程建设事业应首先快速发展 ,以促进面上综合治理 ,使投资效果更好 ,提高黄土高原生态环境建设的整体效益