Relationship between soil erosion and distance to roadways in undeveloped areas of China

The presence and condition of roadways control the utilization of natural resources, which are associated with direct and indirect impacts on soil erosion in undeveloped countries. This paper addresses the relationship between soil erosion and distance to roadways in Xingguo County, an undeveloped area in Jiangxi Province of South China, for four time periods, 1958, 1975, 1982, and 2000. Soil erosion maps for each time period were interpreted using remote sensing and GIS technology for buffer zones four kilometers wide, subdivided into eight strips, each 0.5 kilometers wide, which were located alongside various types of road classes, namely trunk, town, village, and unpaved. The distribution patterns of various types of erosion were identified by GIS overlay of buffer strips and soil erosion maps. Results demonstrate that soil erosion cases found in buffer zones along both sides of trunk and town roads are the most severe, and areas with severe erosion decrease as distance from the strip to the road increases. However, moderate and slight erosion cases only have a minor relationship to the strip to road distance. There are more severe erosion cases than moderate and light erosion cases alongside village and unpaved roads, but the total area is not distinctly different from moderate and slight erosion cases, and severe erosion cases tend to decrease with an increase in the strip to road distance. Also, areas with severe erosion differentiated by time periods in the strips alongside roadways of all classes, except trunk roads, rank from highest to lowest as follows: 1975, 1958, 1982, and 2000. Notably, severe erosion areas in 1975, 1958 and 1982 are all quite extensive. Soil erosion alongside roadways of various classes is impacted jointly by historical policy, distance to roadways, and landscape. In undeveloped countries and areas, much more attention should be paid to the impacts of road construction, specifically soil erosion associated with road edge construction, and relevant measures for forest resource conservation should be formulated before initiating road construction projects.     

基于土壤粒度和大风日数的风蚀风险预报

为寻求一种较为简便、广泛适用的土壤潜在风蚀风险评价方法体系,选取内蒙古中西部的吉兰太戈壁、乌兰布和半固定沙地、毛乌素沙地、武川农田和希拉穆仁草原5种典型风蚀试验区,基于数字图像技术,获取地表不可蚀颗粒含量,结合地区大风日数资料,建立土壤潜在风蚀风险指数方程,并进行实地验证。结果表明:吉兰太戈壁、灌丛地表已经处于粗化过程后期,抗风蚀能力较强,平均抗风蚀指数分别为91.40%和81.40%。由于灌丛群落的存在,乌兰布和沙漠半固定沙地土壤颗粒空间分布差异明显,导致土壤抗风蚀能力呈现不同程度的差异。毛乌素沙地风成沙物质颗粒较细,抗风蚀指数仅为13.40%,极易起沙。应用土壤潜在风蚀风险方程实地表征所得结果与实际情况吻合,与人类活动关系最为密切的农田、草原土壤潜在风蚀风险最高。研究结果可实现科学、有效地预测地表潜在风蚀风险,为干旱、半干旱地区风蚀荒漠化监测提供理论依据和技术支撑。     

Wind tunnel test and Cs tracing study on wind erosion of several soils in Tibet

The soils of alpine meadows and alpine grassland steppes, aeolian soils, coarse-grained soils, and farm soils cultivated from alpine grasslands in Tibet are typical soils that are suffering from different degrees of soil erosion by wind. Based on field investigations, wind tunnel experiments, and a ¹³⁷Cs trace study, this work tested the erodibility of these soils by wind, simulated the protective functions of natural vegetation and the accelerative effects of damage by livestock, woodcutting, and cultivation on erosion, and estimated erosion rates from 1963 to 2001. The results indicated that alpine meadows have the strongest resistance to wind erosion, and that undamaged alpine meadow soils generally sustain only weak or no wind erosion. Alpine grassland steppes with good vegetation cover and little damage by humans exhibit good resistance to wind erosion and suffered from only slight erosion. However, soil erodibility increased remarkably in response to serious disturbance by livestock and woodcutting; wind erosion reached 33.03 t ha⁻¹ year⁻¹. The erodibility of semi-stabilized aeolian soil and mobile aeolian soil was highest, at 52.17 and 56.4 t ha⁻¹ year⁻¹, respectively. The mean erosion rates of coarse-grained soil with various levels of vegetation coverage and of farm soil were intermediate, at 45.85 and 51.33 t ha⁻¹ year⁻¹, respectively. Restricting livestock, woodcutting, and excessive grassland cultivation are the keys to controlling wind erosion in Tibet. In agricultural regions, taking protective cultivation and management to enhance surface roughness is a useful way to control wind erosion.     

黄土高原不同植被复合边界土壤水分分布及影响域研究

 将中子水分仪与烘干法相结合,对陕西淳化县泥河沟流域典型农果复合边界（冬小麦苹果）和针阔叶林复合边界（油松—刺槐）土壤水分进行测定,分析土壤水分在不同水平位点及垂直方向上的变化规律,并用移动窗口法确定了两种植被复合边界上的土壤水分影响域。结果表明:农地土壤含水率要高于果园土壤含水率,刺槐林地土壤含水率普遍高于油松林地土壤含水率;复合边界上的土壤水分影响域主要受植被根系分布的影响,且随着土层深度的不同而异;苹果与冬小麦复合边界上的影响域在0～60cm土层内麦地为8m,果园为6m,80～120cm土层内麦地为8m,果园为2m,140～200cm土层内麦地为4 m,果园为4m;油松与刺槐复合边界上的影响域在080cm土层内油松为6m,刺槐为8m,100160cm土层内油松为4m,刺槐为6m。     

Soil erosion and hydrological response to land abandonment in a central inland area of Portugal

This paper analyses the effects of land abandonment on runoff and sediment yield in a central inland area of Portugal. Rainfall simulation experiments were performed in areas of traditional land use (land cultivated with cereals) with various types of soil plant cover associated with the period of abandonment (4–5 years, 15–20 years and 30–40 years) in two different seasons, namely under very dry conditions and after a long wet period. Statistical analysis showed a notable difference between the cultivated soils and those abandoned for a long period of time, which included appreciable vegetation recovery, higher organic matter content and negligible overland flow and soil loss. Cereal cultivation, in particular ploughing, is a very negative land management practice, due to the high runoff and soil loss. Within 4–5 years a crust develops over abandoned soils with sparse herbaceous plant cover, particularly after a dry season, which enhances runoff and sediment yield. In scrubland and oak plots, although marked water repellency was registered at the end of a dry, warm season, its influence seems to be irrelevant in terms of overland flow and erosion yield. The major factor in controlling overland flow and reducing soil erosion rates appears to be the role played by vegetation in protecting the soil surface and supplying organic carbon to the top layer. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

番茄综合营养品质指标构建及其对水肥供应的响应

为构建番茄综合营养品质指标,分析其对水肥供应的响应,该文以灌水量和氮、磷、钾肥用量为试验因素,按照四元二次正交旋转组合设计,进行番茄盆栽试验,监测番茄可溶性固形物、可溶性糖、可滴定酸、糖酸比、番茄红素和维生素C 6项单一品质指标,根据主观层次分析法与客观熵权法和基于博弈论的组合赋权法,确定番茄单一营养品质评价指标权重,次序为:番茄红素糖酸比维生素C可溶性糖可溶性固形物可滴定酸;通过近似理想解法,构建番茄果实综合营养品质评价指标。在此基础上,通过回归分析建立番茄综合营养品质与水肥因子的数学模型,分析其对水肥因子的响应关系。结果表明,各水肥因子对番茄综合营养品质的主效应表现为:施磷量施氮量灌水量施钾量。当其他因素为中间水平时,番茄营养品质随灌水量或施氮量的增加呈开口向下的抛物线型变化,随磷肥用量的增加线性增加,随施钾量的增加呈开口向上的抛物线型变化。交互作用表现为,灌水量与施氮量、磷与钾肥用量之间存在显著交互作用。表明灌水量、氮肥用量过高不利于番茄综合营养品质的提高,合理增施磷肥和钾肥可有效提高番茄营养品质。     

喀斯特地区县域土壤侵蚀估算及其对土地利用变化的响应

喀斯特地区土层浅薄,不合理的土地利用导致严重的水土流失,加剧石漠化程度.为定量分析生态工程实施前后土壤侵蚀状况及其对土地利用变化的响应,基于GIS技术和RMMF模型,对环江县1991、2000和2010年土壤侵蚀进行模拟,并采用邻近水文站和径流小区泥沙监测数据进行验证.结果表明:1991、2000和2010年研究区土壤侵蚀模数分别为76.36、76.46和49.60t/(km2·a),与相关监测数据比较一致;土壤侵蚀总量分别为34.76万、34.80万和22.58万t,主要来源于非喀斯特区(均约占全县侵蚀总量的94％).研究区微度侵蚀面积占90％以上,轻度及以上等级所占比例较小.对比不同土地利用类型的土壤侵蚀模数,旱地远大于其他类型,其次是中覆盖度草地和其他林地.相同降雨条件下,由于旱地面积减少,2010年土壤侵蚀量较1991年减少4.21万t;2010年喀斯特区、非喀斯特区土壤侵蚀量较2000年分别减少了4.21％和8.76％.这预示生态工程实施后,环江县耕地减少、林地增加,土壤侵蚀减少.本研究为评估喀斯特地区土壤侵蚀现状以及退耕还林的水土保持效应提供参考依据.     

Soil erosion and runoff response to plant‐cover strips on semiarid slopes (SE Spain)

Over a four‐year period (1997–2000), soil loss and surface‐runoff patterns were monitored in hillside erosion plots with almond trees under different plant‐cover strips (thyme, barley and lentils) on the south flank of the Sierra Nevada (Lanjaron) in south‐eastern Spain. The erosion plots (580 m a.s.l.), located on a 35 per cent slope, were 144 m² (24 m×6 m) in area. The plant‐cover strips, 3 m wide, ran across the slope. The most effective plant cover proved to be thyme, reducing soil loss by 97 per cent and runoff by 91 per cent, compared to bare soil. Barley reduced soil loss by 87 per cent and runoff by 59 per cent, compared to bare soil, while these percentages were 58 per cent and 18 per cent for lentils. Thyme proved 77 per cent more effective than barley and 93 per cent more effective than lentils in reducing soil loss; thyme was also 79 per cent more effective than barley and 90 per cent more than lentil in blocking runoff. The present study demonstrates the effectiveness of plant‐cover strips in controlling soil erosion and runoff on sloping agricultural land. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Water erosion response to rainfall and land use in different drought-level years in a loess hilly area of China

Due to rainfall variation and poor land cover, water erosion in the loess hilly area is severe and experiences high temporal fluctuations, which increase the difficulties of erosion quantification, prediction and control. In this study, 15 runoff plots were implemented in Dingxi, a typical loess hilly area of Gansu Province since 1986. Three typical years representing WY (wet year), NY (normal year) and DY (drought year) were firstly filtered based on the consecutive rainfall-erosion data and an aridity index. Then, water erosion dynamics involving five land uses (cropland, alfalfa, scrubland, woodland and grassland) in the three typical years were analyzed. The following results were found. Firstly, the most severe annual erosion rates did not appear in WY, but in DY. Moreover, the rates in DY were far higher than those in NY and WY. Secondly, although total rain depth and number of events were in the order of WY > NY > DY, mean maximal intensity of erosive rainfall however, was in the order of DY > NY > WY. This finding is important for erosion control. Namely, we cannot judge water erosion degree just from annual rainfall. More attention should be paid to the specific rainfall variables and distributions. Thirdly, different land uses played an important role with sea buckthorn reducing water erosion in contrast to spring wheat cultivated on steep slopes. Lastly, regardless of different drought-level years, only a few number of events with high intensities were responsible for the majority of annual soil and water loss.     

Differential response of rice seedlings to salt stress in relation to antioxidant enzyme activity and membrane stability index

Three rice genotypes, IR 74802, IR 73104 and IR 72593, along with FL 478 and IR 29 as resistant and susceptible controls, respectively, were subjected to 21 days' salinity stress at the seedling stage in modified yoshida solution with two salt levels (60 and 120 mM NaCl). The results indicated that there was a profound increase in proline and ascorbic acid levels, and in the activity of nitrate reductase and antioxidant enzymes, i.e. catalase, peroxidase and ascorbate peroxidase, as well as malondialdhyde and membrane stability index, which were associated with salt tolerance. Salt stress had a significant and drastic effect on all parameters when the salinity level increased to 120 mM NaCl. The increased enzyme activity was directly related to an increased membrane stability index, as in IR 72593, which is identified as the most tolerant among the genotypes tested. It is clearly confirmed that predicting tolerance at the early seedling stage is the best way to assess the salinity tolerance level by utilizing physiological parameters, especially antioxidant enzyme activities which are found to be closely associated with salinity tolerance. Physiological adaptation of the plant to NaCl salt stress resulted in enhanced activity of stress-related enzymes and low sodium uptake in tolerant genotypes.     

Spatial variability and change in soil organic carbon stocks in response to recovery following land abandonment and erosion in mountainous drylands

This research investigates the impact of human activities on carbon (C) dynamics in a mountainous and semi‐arid environment. Despite the low C status of drylands, soil organic carbon (SOC) is the largest C pool in these systems and therefore may offer significant C sequestration potential in systems recovering from degradation. Nevertheless, quantification of this potential is limited by lack of knowledge concerning the magnitude of and controls on regional SOC stocks. Therefore, this study aimed to (i) investigate the variability of soil organic carbon in relation to recovery period and key soil and topographical variables, and (ii) quantify the effects of recovery period following abandonment on SOC stocks. Soil profiles were sampled in the Sierra de los Filabres (southeast Spain) in different land units along geomorphic and degradation gradients. SOC contents were modelled using recovery period and soil and topographical variables. Sample depth, topographic position, altitude, recovery period and stone content were identified as the main factors for predicting SOC concentrations. SOC stocks in 1 m depth of soil varied between 3.16 and 76.44 t/ha. Recovery period (years since abandonment), topographic position and altitude were used to predict and map SOC stocks in the top 0.2 m. The results show that C accumulates rapidly during the first 10–50 yr following abandonment; thereafter, the stocks evolve towards a steady‐state level. The erosion zones in the study area demonstrate greater potential to increase their SOC stocks when abandoned. Deposition zones have greater SOC values, although their C accumulation rate is lower compared with erosional landscapes in the first 10–50 yr following abandonment. Therefore, full understanding of the C sequestration potential of land use change in areas of complex topography requires knowledge of spatial variability in soil properties and in particular SOC.     

1986-2013年黄河宁蒙河段风蚀模数与风沙入河量估算

为缓解宁(宁夏)蒙(内蒙古)河段的淤积问题,需要对该河段风蚀灾害和风沙入黄量的时空变化进行研究。该文选取综合风蚀模拟系统(integrated wind-erosion modeling system,IWEMS)和修订版风蚀方程(revised wind erosion equation,RWEQ)对1986-2013年黄河宁蒙河段风蚀模数进行了估算,并结合风沙输移方程,对不同河段的风沙入黄量进行了计算。发现宁蒙河段的风蚀灾害主要发生在乌兰布和沙漠、库布奇沙漠和河东沙地等沙漠区域。自1986年以来河东沙地的风蚀模数逐渐降低,而乌兰布和沙漠的风蚀模数则逐渐凸显,成为宁蒙河段风蚀最严重的区域。1986-2013年间,整个宁蒙河段受风蚀灾害的面积逐渐减小,平均风蚀模数迅速下降,线性拟合函数斜率高达-182.81。风沙入黄量结果显示,石嘴山—巴彦高勒段的年均风沙入黄量最大,高达9.31×106 t/a;下河沿—青铜峡段最小,其值仅为7.6×105 t/a。另外,除石嘴山—巴彦高勒段之外,其余河段风沙入黄量并未呈现出明显的减小趋势。通过对宁蒙河段气象和土地利用数据的分析,发现宁蒙河段的风蚀模数的变化主要受气候条件的影响。该研究结果可为解决黄河淤积问题、完善黄河沿岸风沙防护体系提供参考。     

Digital measurement of heliotropic leaf response in soybean cultivars and leaf exposure to solar UVB radiation

Inconsistencies in reported sensitivities of soybean cultivars [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] to enhanced ultraviolet-B (UVB) irradiance may in part be due to differences in the radiative environment of the experimental conditions or differences in exposure due to heliotropic response. In order to examine the impact of heliotropic movement on UVB exposure of the soybean upper trifoliate, leaf position was electronically recorded and inclination and azimuthal position of the leaves calculated for three soybean cultivars—Bay, York, and Williams 82—under greenhouse and field conditions. The UVB exposures of the top trifoliate of three soybean cultivars were modeled using anisotropic and isotropic sky radiance distributions. The Williams 82 cv. produced the greatest variation in leaf angle with solar zenith angle of the three cultivars, averaging between 19 and 47°, compared with a lower 10–27° range for York and Bay cultivars. The incidence angle data for the upper trifoliates of the field plants were not significantly different from the greenhouse plants. For clear sky conditions, overall exposure differences indicated that the Bay cultivar receives more UVB than the York or Williams 82 cultivars, in large part due to the higher variation in heliotropic movement shown by the Bay cultivar in response to the sun location.     

An integrated watershed modelling framework to explore the covariation between sediment connectivity and soil erosion

Quantitative identification of the covariation between sediment connectivity and soil erosion can contribute to provide the key information for watershed sediment management. However, this covariation and its spatiotemporal response mechanisms are still unclear, especially whether this covariation can be used as a basis for identifying critical source areas of sediment in large-scale ecological restored watersheds. In this study, an integrated methodology framework by the revised universal soil loss equation (RUSLE), index of connectivity (IC) and sediment delivery ratio (SDR) was proposed to visually assess the spatiotemporal characteristics of erosion and sediment yield processes in the Yanhe Watershed with large-scale ecological restoration from 1985 to 2020 and to identify the covariation between sediment connectivity and erosion in subbasins. The soil erosion estimated by RUSLE has decreased by over 80% since 1985 owing to increased vegetation cover and the effective implementation of soil conservation measures, but the upper reaches still have high erosion intensity due to differences in specific controlling factors such as topographic conditions and land cover, requiring focused soil conservation practice. The IC results showed that as the vegetation restoration and soil conservation measures in the Yanhe Watershed varied from year to year, their spatial and temporal patterns had a strong influence on the distribution of sediment connectivity, and some local areas in the middle reaches showed local minima of IC in 1995, 1998 and 2010 mainly due to the implementation of long-term ecological restoration project. The developed IC-Erosion maps indicated that areas with high connectivity but low erosion accounted for over 60% of the total watershed area from 1985 to 1999, demonstrating a reverse correlation between sediment connectivity and erosion. Meanwhile, over 40% of the erosion occurred in a few areas (approximately 20%) with high connectivity and high erosion from 2000 to 2004, which can be characterized as the critical areas of erosion. The methods and results of this study provide ideas for separately defining both erosion and connectivity and quantifying bi-variable erosion–connectivity classification, which can be easily viewed on a scatterplot.     

Performance of common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum M.) in response to row spacing under ridge and furrow cropping systems in a semiarid region of China

Ridge and furrow systems as well as the wide-narrow row spacing are recognized as good management practices in crop production. To obtain some available information concerning the suitable agricultural practices for buckwheat cultivation in arid and semi-arid area, a two-year field study was conducted to investigate the performance of common buckwheat grown under six cropping patterns: conventional flat single/double row planting (NS/ND); furrow single/double row planting (FS/FD); ridge single/double row planting (RS/RD); single row planting with equal row spacing and double row planting with wide-narrow row spacing practice. Plants grown under the FD system exhibited higher water use efficiency (WUE) and rainfall use efficiency (RUE) than plants cultivated with the NS system, increases with 13.7% and 21.9%, respectively, in 2014, while 9.8% and 14.0%, respectively, in 2015. Plants of the FD system also displayed the greatest leaf area index and canopy openness at growth stage of 40, 60, and 80 days after sowing, maximum biomass production (13.96 t ha^?1) and grain yield (3486.2 kg ha^?1) in 2014, and the least pronounced soil nitrate consumption as compared to plants from other tillage systems. We conclude that FD is the optimum planting pattern for common buckwheat cultivation in semi-arid and arid environments.     

Interrill erosion from disturbed and undisturbed samples in relation to topsoil aggregate stability in red soils from subtropical China

The assessment of soil erodibility to water erosion in the field is often expensive and time-consuming. This study was designed to reveal the effects of aggregate breakdown mechanisms on interrill erosion dynamics and develop an improved model for assessing interrill soil loss, which incorporated the soil aggregate stability tests as a substitute for the interrill erodibility parameter, from both disturbed and undisturbed samples for red soils in subtropical China. Six cultivated areas of sloping land with red soils were selected, and topsoil aggregate stability was analyzed using the Le Bissonnais method to determine the different disaggregation forces. Laboratory rainfall simulations were designed to distinguish the effects of slaking (at different wetting rates) and mechanical breakdown (with and without screening) on soil erosion characteristics. Field rainstorm simulations with medium and high rainfall intensities were conducted on runoff plots (2 m 1 m) with slope gradients varying from 10% to 20% for each soil type. A new instability index, Ka, which considers aggregate breakdown mechanisms in interrill erosion processes, was proposed based on the disturbed sample results. Ka showed a close relationship with erosion rates in both disturbed and undisturbed samples. Following from the results of undisturbed sample experiments, Ka was used as a substitute for the erodibility factor, and introduced into the WEPP model, establishing a new erosion predication formula for red soils which had a good correlation coefficient (R² = 0.89**). This research made a good attempt at estimating the interrill erosion rate on the basis of aggregate stability from simple laboratory determinations. These results extend the validity of soil aggregation characterization as an appropriate indicator of soil susceptibility to interrill erosion in red soils from subtropical China. The formula based on the instability index, Ka, has the potential to improve the methodology used for assessing interrill erosion rates.     

小麦||蚕豆间作提高间作产量的优势及其氮肥响应

为探明小麦||蚕豆间作体系种间互补和竞争与产量优势的关系及其氮肥响应,为豆科禾本科间作最佳氮素管理提供指导,本研究通过为期2年（2015—2017年）的田间定位试验,在不施氮（N0）、低氮（N1,90 kg·hm^-2）、常规施氮（N2,180 kg·hm^-2）和高氮（N3,270 kg·hm^-2）4个施氮水平下,研究小麦||蚕豆间作的产量优势及其相关种间关系。结果表明,与单作相比,两年的间作小麦产量平均显著增加23.50%,单、间作蚕豆的产量均维持在4 000 kg·hm^-2左右,土地当量比均表现为N0 > N1 > N2 > N3 > 1的趋势,系统生产力平均达5 023 kg·hm^-2。与单作相比,间作小麦和蚕豆的花后干物质累积比例、干物质转移率和贡献率均不同程度增加,增幅随着施氮量增加而降低。不同施氮水平下,小麦的种间相对关系指数均表现出明显的互利效应,相对种间竞争强度在低氮水平为种内竞争,常规氮和高氮水平为种间竞争;蚕豆的种间相对关系指数则表现出竞争效应,相对种间竞争强度表现为种内竞争。较蚕豆而言,小麦的相对种间竞争力表现出不同程度的竞争优势,在种间竞争力为0.629 2时可获得最大的间作体系混合干物质量16 093 kg·hm^-2。综上,小麦||蚕豆间作降低了低氮水平下的种间竞争强度,扩大了小麦的互利效应和竞争优势,增加了间作作物的花后干物质累积比例以及干物质贡献率,表现出明显的间作产量优势。     

马蹄莲花期调控指标探析

对马蹄莲出花速度、环境温度平行观测及回归分析表明 ,马蹄莲出花天数与积温呈线性关系 ,花茎长度与有效积温呈对数关系 ,出花高度、售花高度与积温三者有较好关联 ,控制环境温度可有效控制花期     

河龙区间减沙效益与水土流失治理度的关系

 研究黄河中游河龙区间水土保持措施减沙效益与水土流失治理度的关系。结果表明:1)河龙区间减沙效益与水土流失治理度呈正相关关系。二者关系可以按照治理度与减沙效益取值范围的不同,明显分为减沙效益高值区和减沙效益低值区2个区,其单位治理度的减沙效益基本相等。减沙效益低值区的治理度小于15%时,基本没有减沙效益。“两川两河”要想取得10%以上的减沙效益,治理度应超过30%。2)河龙区间减沙效益与水土流失治理度关系分为减沙效益高值区、减沙效益中值区和减沙效益低值区3个区后,减沙效益高值区的治理度提高10%,减沙效益可以提高约8%;减沙效益中值区的治理度提高10%,减沙效益提高8%;减沙效益低值区的治理度提高10%,减沙效益只能提高3.4%。因此,构筑减少黄河粗泥沙的第一道防线,建议首选位于减沙效益低值区的窟野河和皇甫川流域。     

Soil erosion and runoff: The need to rethink mitigation strategies for sustainable agricultural landscapes in western Europe

Agricultural landscapes that are intensively farmed, as in western Europe, face the challenge of a transition to more sustainable systems. Although erosion rates are relatively low in western Europe, the agricultural landscape is confronted by the need to mitigate the off-site impacts of erosion. An important challenge is that of disrupting connectivity between runoff and sediment sources, often farmers' fields, and freshwater systems or local communities. Mitigation strategies should include monitoring of erosion rates and off-site impacts and a mix of engineered and alternative measures such as buffer strips and retention ponds. Also needed are supportive government policies and actions including awareness of institutional memory problems and the promotion of farmer education. For the future, the risk of climate change must be appreciated and built into the planning of comprehensive mitigation strategies. Our perspective is that the overall aim should be a ‘sustainable agricultural landscape’ and not simply a reduction of erosion and runoff on farmers' fields.