Soil conservation policy measures to control wind erosion in northwestern Europe

Wind erosion is not as significant or a widespread problem in Europe as in dryer parts of the world, but it can cause major damage in small areas. The hazard is greatest in the lowlands of northwestern Europe with more than 3 million ha at high-potential wind erosion risk. Crop damage and off-site damage have prompted farmers and policymakers to pay more attention to wind erosion control. A great variety of measures have been developed in the last decades. Most farmers, however, only use measures to protect their high value crops. In existing policies, little attention is paid to the off-site effects and long-term effects of wind erosion. There are no direct policy measures at a European level to control soil erosion, and few measures exist in individual Member States. Agricultural or environmental EC policies offer different policy tools to approach the wind erosion problems related to agricultural practices. Tools like subsidies for the re-afforestation of arable land can help regional policy makers with the implementation of wind erosion control measures. A case study concerning the ‘Code of Good Agricultural Practice’ shows that regional differences result in different control measures that fits best given the physical, social and economic context. The formulation of the practical details of such code should therefore remain a task of the local or regional government. The main objectives of a Code of Good Agricultural Practice could be formulated at national or European level.     

Satellite remote sensing for water erosion assessment: A review

Water erosion creates negative impacts on agricultural production, infrastructure, and water quality across the world. Regional-scale water erosion assessment is important, but limited by data availability and quality. Satellite remote sensing can contribute through providing spatial data to such assessments. During the past 30 years many studies have been published that did this to a greater or lesser extent. The objective of this paper is to review methodologies applied for water erosion assessment using satellite remote sensing. First, studies on erosion detection are treated. This comprises the detection of erosion features and eroded areas, as well as the assessment of off-site impacts such as sediment deposition and water quality of inland lakes. Second, the assessment of erosion controlling factors is evaluated. Four types of factors are discussed: topography, soil properties, vegetation cover, and management practices. Then, erosion mapping techniques are described that integrate products derived from satellite remote sensing with additional data sources. These techniques include erosion models and qualitative methods. Finally, validation methods used to assess the accuracy of maps produced with satellite data are discussed. It is concluded that a general lack of validation data is a main concern. Validation is of utmost importance to achieve regional operational monitoring systems, and close collaboration between the remote sensing community and field-based erosion scientists is therefore required.     

Using SPOT images and field sampling to map burn severity and vegetation factors affecting post forest fire erosion risk

Runoff and erosion rates are known to increase substantially after a major forest fire. Erosion control measures therefore need to be put into place quickly after a large fire, and determining where to locate the measures requires accurate mapping of post fire erosion risk. Burn severity can be determined from field observations, but these are costly and time consuming. Satellite imagery is an alternative to quickly map burn severity for erosion mapping purposes. Post fire erosion decreases as forest vegetation recovers and this is related to both pre fire vegetation characteristics and soil properties. The objectives of this study were to test the use of SPOT multispectral images for mapping burn severity, pre fire vegetation density, and longer term (2.5 years) vegetation recovery. Indices tested include the Normalized Burn Ratio (NBR), Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Differenced Normalized Burn Ratio (dNBR), and Differenced Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (dNDVI). Indices were compared to field data gathered immediately after the fire and about 2.5 years later. The multi-temporal indices (dNBR and dNDVI) were more useful for burn severity mapping in the heterogeneous forest–scrubland–vineyard environment where bedrock and vineyard surfaces were confused with burned areas when using single images (NBR and NDVI). All of the post fire indices showed traces of the fire 2.5 years later; this was confirmed using Analysis of Variance where differences in indices were related to original ground cover (pine forest, mixed forest, mostly bedrock and vineyards) and the burn scar. Pre fire vegetation cover was less successfully mapped using the NDVI according to the initial field observations. Similarly, none of the post fire indices were able to distinguish differences in N–S vegetation recovery revealed by field measurements of understory vegetation height and cover; N facing slopes had deeper finer soils and these more favourable conditions led to greater vegetation growth than on S facing slopes and topslope convexities. It is suggested that relationships between topography and soil properties can be useful for mapping both soil erodibility and post fire vegetation recovery.     

The application of remote-sensing data to monitoring and modelling of soil erosion

This paper gives a brief synthesis of the information obtainable from remote-sensing data and how it can be related to two significant functions of catchment hydrology, namely, the processes of production and transfer. After presenting examples of the type of information that can be derived from remote sensing (characterisation of soil surface by different wavelengths, temporal changes of surface states, incision and geometry of possible water pathways on the surface, etc.), we examine how this information can provide parameters for input into runoff and erosion models. Finally, we assess the progress in assimilating remote-sensing data into deterministic models of storm runoff.     

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.     

A pragmatic approach to modelling soil and water conservation measures with a catchment scale erosion model

To reduce soil erosion, soil and water conservation (SWC) methods are often used. However, no method exists to model beforehand how implementing such measures will affect erosion at catchment scale. A method was developed to simulate the effects of SWC measures with catchment scale erosion models. The method was implemented by applying the LISEM model to an agricultural catchment on the slopes of Mt. Kenya. The method consisted of a field scale calibration based on P-factors, followed by application at catchment scale. This calibration included factors such as saturated conductivity, Manning's n, roughness and slope angle. It was found that using data on P-factors, such models can be calibrated to give acceptable predictions at pixel scale. However, P-factors were also found to vary with land use type and storm size. Besides, more data on the physical effectiveness of SWC measures are needed. At catchment scale, the effect of SWC was found to be different from that at pixel scale. Most SWC were simulated to be more effective at catchment scale, indicating additional infiltration during transport through the catchment to the outlet. However, slope corrections in case of terraces were found to be less effective at this scale. Nevertheless, a simulation for current land use with current SWC measures indicated that these SWC measures decrease runoff by 28% and erosion by 60%.     

Tillage and crop management effects on soil erosion in central Croatia

Soil erosion continues to be a primary cause for soil degradation and the loss of soil quality throughout the world. Our objectives were to quantify soil erosion (referred to as erosional drift) and to assign erosion risk to six tillage and crop management treatments evaluated from 1995 to 1999 for a 5-year maize (Zea mays L.), soybean (Glycine hyspida L.), winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), oil-seed rape (Brassica napus var. oleifera L.), and spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) plus double-crop soybean rotation on Stagnic Luvisols in central Croatia. Standard black fallow (tilled, unsown, and without any vegetative cover) Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) plots were used to establish the erosion potential associated with the rainfall pattern for each year. Soil loss from the check plots was several times greater than the T value, which is estimated to be 10 t ha⁻¹ per year. During the 2 years when spring seeded maize or soybean were grown (1995 and 1996) erosion risk was extremely high, especially for treatments where tillage and planting (row direction) were up and down the slope. When autumn seeded winter wheat or oil-seed rape were grown (1996/1997 or 1997/1998), soil erosion was insignificant. Also, except when plowing and sowing were up and down slope, erosion loss for the spring barley plus double-crop soybean crops in 1999 was insignificant. With no-tillage, soil erosion from the maize and soybean crops was reduced 40 and 65% compared to plowing up and down slope, even though the planting direction was still up and down the slope. With the exception of maize in 1995, erosion losses were moderate to insignificant when plowing and planting were performed across the slope. We conclude that erosion risk can be used as a reliable indicator of sustainable land management and that using no-tillage or plowing and planting perpendicular to the predominant slope are effective soil conservation practices for this region.     

Regional assessment of soil erosion using the distributed model SEMMED and remotely sensed data

The soil erosion model for Mediterranean regions (SEMMED) is presented and used to produce regional maps of simulated soil loss for two Mediterranean test sites: one in southern France and one in Sicily. The model demonstrates the integrated use of (1) multi-temporal Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) images to account for vegetation properties, (2) a digital terrain model in a GIS to account for topographical properties and to assess the transport capacity of overland flow, (3) a digital soil map to assess the spatial distribution of soil properties, and (4) a limited amount of soil physical field data. The principle drawbacks of the model are that it does not account for soil particle detachment by overland flow nor for soil surface crusting. The model is most sensitive to the initial soil moisture storage capacity and the soil detachability index. The main advantages of SEMMED are that it simulates processes at a regional scale and, where possible, it uses available data sources such as remote sensing imagery, digital elevation models (DEM) and (digital) soil databases, which usually are not available for smaller catchment areas. Using SEMMED it is possible to produce regional maps of erosion assessments, which are of more practical use in land use planning and land management than simple extrapolations from small plot experiments.     

Synergy of remotely sensed data in spatiotemporal dynamic modeling of the crop and cover management factor

Soil erosion is a threat to the water quality constituents of sediments and nutrients and can cause long-term environmental damages. One important parameter to quantify the risk of soil loss from erosion is the crop and cover management factor (C-factor), which represents how cropping and management practices affect the rates and potential risk of soil erosion. We developed remotely sensed data-driven models for dynamic predictions of C-factor by implementing dynamic land cover modeling using the SWAT (Soil and Water Assessment Tool) model on a watershed scale. The remotely sensed processed variables included the enhanced vegetation index (EVI), the fraction of photosynthetically active radiation absorbed by green vegetation (FPAR), leaf area index (LAI), soil available water content (AWC), slope gradient (SG), and ratio of area (AR) of every hydrologic response unit (HRU) to that of the total watershed, comprising unique land cover, soil type, and slope gradient characteristics within the Fish River catchment in Alabama, USA between 2001 and 2014. Linear regressions, spatial trend analysis, correlation matrices, forward stepwise multivariable regression (FSMR), and 2-fold cross-validation were conducted to evaluate whether there were possible associations between the C-factor and EVI with the successive addition of remotely sensed environmental factors. Based on the data analysis and modeling, we found a significant association between the C-factor and EVI with the synergy of the environmental factors FPAR, LAI, AWC, AR, and SG (predicted R² (R_pred²) = 0.51; R² = 0.68, n = 3 220, P < 0.15). The results showed that the developed FSMR model constituting the non-conventional factors AWC (R_pred² = 0.32; R² = 0.48, n = 3 220, P < 0.05) and FPAR (R_pred²= 0.13; R² = 0.28, n = 3 220, P = 0.31) was an improved fit for the watershed C-factor. In conclusion, the union of dynamic variables related to vegetation (EVI, FPAR, and LAI), soil (AWC), and topography (AR and SG) can be utilized for spatiotemporal C-factor estimation and to monitor watershed erosion.     

山东省水土保持区划探讨

本文对山东省水土保持区划工作进行了探讨。作者根据全省自然条件、社会经济情况, 影响土壤侵蚀的诸因子, 及水土流失现状等综合因素, 提出了山东省水土保持区划原则, 并依据分区原则, 在水利部统一划分一级区、二级区的前提下, 将全省共划分3个三级区、12个三级亚区。     

A proposed method for modelling the hydrologic response of catchments to burning with the use of remote sensing and GIS

Forest fires can have significant effects on the hydrological response of catchments, resulting in many cases in severe land degradation, flooding and soil erosion. These post-fire hazards often cause extensive damage to public and private property and urban infrastructure, thus carefully planned and designed mitigation activities are required for reducing their magnitude. This study presents a method for the quantitative estimation and mapping of post-fire erosion and runoff, which can provide the basis for the planning of these mitigation activities. Within the context of the proposed method a soil-erosion model is integrated within a GIS and remote sensing and digital cartographic data are used for estimating the model parameters before and after the passage of the fire. The model incorporates the effects of fire on the parameters that control erosion using remotely sensed estimates of the characteristics of the fire, such as the temperature and the extent. The method was implemented in four regions in Greece where severe wildfires took place during the summer of 1998. Pre- and post-fire model runs showed significant changes in runoff and erosion patterns as a result of the passage of the fire and a notable increase in the spatial variability of post-fire erosion rates. Results indicated net increases of up to 0.76 × 10^− 2 mm/h in erosion rates, although small decreases were also observed in some areas. The application of the method led to the identification of areas where erosion is expected to accelerate significantly and thus hazard-mitigation works are urgently required. The proposed method can clearly benefit from higher resolution remote-sensing data and more detailed datasets on soil properties and characteristics and is expected to provide a useful tool in planning and prioritising the works that are required for the mitigation of post-fire hazards.     

Contribution of phytoecological data to spatialize soil erosion: Application of the RUSLE model in the Algerian atlas

Among the models used to assess water erosion, the RUSLE model is commonly used. Policy makers can act on cover (C-factor) and conservation practice (P-factor) to reduce erosion, with less costly action on soil surface characteristics. However, the widespread use of vegetation indices such as NDVI does not allow for a proper assessment of the C-factor in drylands where stones, crusted surfaces and litter strongly influence soil protection. Two sub-factors of C, canopy cover (CC) and soil cover (SC), can be assessed from phytoecological measurements that include gravel-pebbles cover, physical mulch, annual and perennial vegetation. This paper introduces a method to calculate the C-factor from phytoecological data and, in combination with remote sensing and a geographic information system (GIS), to map it over large areas. A supervised classification, based on field phytoecological data, is applied to radiometric data from Landsat-8/OLI satellite images. Then, a C-factor value, whose SC and CC subfactors are directly derived from the phytoecological measurements, is assigned to each land cover unit. This method and RUSLE are implemented on a pilot region of 3828 km² of the Saharan Atlas, composed of rangelands and steppe formations, and intended to become an observatory. The protective effect against erosion by gravel-pebbles (50%) is more than twice that of vegetation (23%). The C-factor derived from NDVI (0.67) is higher and more evenly distributed than that combining these two contributions (0.37 on average). Finally, priorities are proposed to decision-makers by crossing the synthetic map of erosion sensitivity and a decision matrix of management priorities.     

近十年土壤侵蚀与水土保持研究进展与展望

在当今生态文明背景下,土壤侵蚀与水土保持研究迎来了新的发展机遇和挑战。本文首先采用文献计量学方法,定量分析了近10年来国内外土壤侵蚀与水土保持学科发展现状。在此基础上,结合社会需求的变化,阐明了学科发展需求与存在问题。最后,提出了本学科研究的重点领域与方向:水文过程与侵蚀产沙机理,土壤侵蚀过程及其定量模拟,全球变化下土壤侵蚀演变及其灾变机理,社会经济系统—水土流失的互馈过程,以生态功能提升为主的土壤侵蚀防治,以及土壤侵蚀研究新技术与新方法等。     

A kinematic wave based watershed model for soil erosion and sediment yield

In this study, a finite element method based soil erosion and sediment yield model has been developed for overland and stream flow. The one dimensional conservation of mass of sediment flow equation has been solved based on kinematic wave flow approximation and Galerkin's based numerical solution. Various thematic maps required for the model are prepared using Geographical Information System (GIS). Land use/Land cover is extracted from remotely sensed data. The proposed finite element based distributed model has been used for the estimation of soil erosion and sediment outflow by discretizing the watershed into small grids. The soil erosion and sediment outflow model has been developed and applied to Khadakohol watershed located in Nashik district of Maharastra state, India. Part of the available data has been used for the model calibration and the other part for model validation. The simulated results of the watershed have been compared with the observed data and found to be satisfactory.     

湖南省水土流失治理探究

本文通过调查研究, 分析了湖南省水土流失现状、危害和发展趋势, 以及水土流失原因。全省水土流失的县市从50年代的34个增加到87个;年入洞庭湖泥沙量增加34.2%。 30多年来洞庭湖泥沙淤积总量达40亿m³, 直接危害农、林、牧、渔等业的生产。 指出: ①加强植被建设,改造坡耕地;②推广小流域综合治理;③户包或联户承包治理;④开展多渠道集资, 增加水土保持经费;⑤完善治理和管理政策, 加强水土保持方针、政策等的宣传。     

The use of remote sensing to detect the consequences of erosion in gypsiferous soils

Tillage practices on sloping ground often result in unsustainable soil losses impairing soil functions such as crop productivity, water and nutrients storage, and soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration. A sloping olive grove (10%) was planted in shallow gypsiferous soils in 2004. It was managed by minimum tillage; the most frequent management practice in central Spain. The consequences of erosion were studied in soil samples (at 0–10, 10–20, and 20–30 cm depths) by analyzing SOC, available water and gypsum content, and by detecting spectral signatures using an ASD FieldSpecPro® VIS/NIR-spectroradiometer. The Brightness index (BI), Shape index (FI), and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) were derived from the ASD spectral signatures and from remote sensing (Sentinel-2 image) data. The development of these young olive trees was estimated from the measured diameter of the trunks (17 ± 18 cm diameter). In 20–30 cm of the soil, the carbon stock (38 ± 18 Mg ha⁻¹) as well as the available water content (12 ± 6%) was scarce, affecting the productivity of the olive grove. The above-mentioned indices obtained from the laboratory samples and the pixels of the Sentinel-2 image were significantly (p < 0.01) correlated, with a correlation coefficient of around 0.4. The BI was related to the gypsum content and the slope of the plot. The FI was related to the carbon and water contents. The NDVI derived from the satellite image identified the influence of soil degradation on the trees and the carbon content. The spatial-temporal changes of the indices might help in tracking soil changes over time.     

Study on a soil erosion sampling survey in the Pan-Third Pole region based on higher-resolution images

Soil erosion is one of the most severe global environmental problems, and soil erosion surveys are the scientific basis for planning soil conservation and ecological development. To improve soil erosion sampling survey methods and accurately and rapidly estimate the actual rates of soil erosion, a Pan-Third Pole region was taken as an example to study a methodology of soil erosion sampling survey based on high-spatial-resolution remote sensing images. The sampling units were designed using a stratified variable probability systematic sampling method. The spatiotemporal characteristics of soil erosion and conservation were taken into account, and finer-resolution freely available and accessible images in Google Earth were used. Through the visual interpretation of the free high-resolution remote sensing images, detailed information on land use and soil conservation measures was obtained. Then, combined with the regional soil erosion factor data products, such as rainfall-runoff erosivity factor (R), soil erodibility factor (K), and slope length and steepness factor (LS), the soil loss rates of some sampling units were calculated. The results show that, based on these high-resolution remote sensing images, the land use and soil conservation measures of the sampling units can be quickly and accurately extracted. The interpretation accuracy in 4 typical cross sections was more than 80%, and sampling accuracy, described by histogram similarity in 11 large sampling sites, show that the landuse of sampling uints can represent the structural characteristics of regional land use. Based on the interpretation of data from the sample survey and the regional soil erosion factor data products, the calculation of the soil erosion rate can be completed quickly. The calculation results can reflect the actual conditions of soil erosion better than the potential soil erosion rates calculated by using the coarse-resolution remote sensing method.     

The significance of drilling date and crop cover with reference to soil erosion by water,with implications for mitigating erosion on agricultural land in South East England

Early drilling of autumn‐planted cereals is strongly advised in UK government publications targeted at farmers, in part as a measure to combat soil erosion by water. However, in years when rainfall is heavy in early autumn, this strategy is ineffective. Late drilling of autumn‐planted cereals also increases the risk of erosion, but for a different reason: crop cover develops more slowly in cooler weather, resulting in a longer exposure of nearly bare ground. The crucial factor affecting both strategies is the timing of autumn and early winter rainfall. We discuss a conceptual model based on the notion of a ‘window of opportunity’ for erosion, comprising the relationship between drilling date, date of attainment of a sufficiently protective crop cover and the timing of rainfall; variations are presented for different weather conditions and management choices. Of these three factors, only the date of drilling can be chosen by the farmer. The date of attaining a sufficiently protective crop cover can only be predicted approximately. The timing of rainfall cannot be predicted. Thus, erosion control advice to farmers, which is based on choice of date of drilling to minimize erosion during the ‘window of opportunity’, is both difficult to formulate and likely to be ineffective. Sites at risk of erosion need to have better thought‐out mitigation measures in place, rather than relying on a fortuitous temporal pattern of autumn and winter rainfall to minimize the risk of erosion.