Environmental risks of increasing phosphorus addition in relation to soil sorption capacity

Phosphorus content of soil profiles, interstitial water, and shallow groundwater was determined in a semiurban region of Buenos Aires city in order to examine phosphorus leaching. Soils from different places and position in the slope were characterized and analysed for their P sorption–desorption capacities in order to understand transport processes and to assess potential environmental risks. Adsorption increases with depth and decreases with increasing additions of phosphorous. Interstitial water at 0.6 m depth showed greater P concentrations than shallow groundwater (9 to 30 m depth) in accordance with the importance of clays for P adsorption.     

不同人工糙率床面水力学特性的试验研究

采用变坡试验水槽,研究了不同流量,不同坡度以及不同糙率条件下坡面流水力学参数(雷诺数、弗劳德数、平均流速、水深和阻力系数)变化规律。研究结果表明,在糙率、坡度相同情况下,坡面流的雷诺数、弗劳德数、平均流速、水深和阻力系数均随流量的增大而增大;在坡度、流量相同条件下,随着糙率的增大,坡面流的雷诺数,弗劳德数和平均流速在减小,阻力系数和水深在增大;平均流速、水深和阻力系数与流量和坡度的关系可用简单幂函数表示,而且主要由流量控制。     

Evolution of overland flow after a severe forest fire,Point Reyes,California

Forest fires on granitic soils often increase overland flow and erosion. Runoff generation was monitored on a small hillslope plot on Mt. Vision near Point Reyes Peninsula, California, after it had been burned by a wildfire on October 3, 1995. After the fire, the ground surface was covered with up to 2 cm of ash, which overlaid a 5–20 cm thick hydrophobic (water repellent) soil layer. We used nine recording tensiometers to monitor soil-water potentials during infiltration and runoff. Surface-runoff rates were determined by diverting the flow into a collection tank. The subsurface flow through the upper 6 cm of soil was collected and measured in a second tank. The surface runoff was diverted to a tank in order to record its rate. The initial intense rainfall infiltrated into the base of the ash-bed; here, the hydrophobicity limited deeper penetration and led to both subsurface and shallow saturation overland flow. The preferential flow paths through the ash layer contributed to deeper water penetration. As the ash was eroded and consolidated with successive rainstorms, the preferential flow paths clogged, the infiltration capacity reduced, thus preventing the storage of shallow permeable soil; therefore, the runoff generation changed to Hortonian overland flow. Correspondingly, the runoff ratio increased from approximately 0.2 during the early storms to 0.8 during intense rain bursts. These results suggest that runoff mechanisms evolve simultaneously with the eroding soil surface.     

Combining seismic and electric methods for predicting bedrock depth along a Mediterranean soil toposequence

Bedrock depth provides important information for many environmental and agricultural applications, such as shallow groundwater monitoring, the determination of soil water availability, and the estimation of crop production potential. Direct estimates of bedrock depth from destructive soil observations are discontinuous and too expensive to be used in large areas. Geophysical methods are often cited as possible alternatives. However, their ability to provide reliable estimations of bedrock depth is known to depend greatly on local site characteristics. Therefore, combining geophysical methods based on different physical parameters may help to provide better predictions. This study examines the ability of the Spectral Analysis of Surface Waves (SASW) method combined with the classical high resolution Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) method to predict soil depths in a 500 m ranged Mediterranean hillslope (Southern France) with increasing soil depths along the slope. SASW was performed using the data measured in the field with classical seismic equipment (impulse source and geophones distributed along a line). In the same place, eight transects of ERT (Wenner–Schlumberger array, 1 m electrode spaced) were measured under wet and dry conditions. To calibrate the geophysical measurements, 81 boreholes (from two to 5 m deep) were interpreted to determine the bedrock depth, which was defined as the occurrence in the depth of heterogeneous marine Miocene loose sandstone with centimetric laminations. ERT and SASW were found to have highly variable performances for predicting separately the bedrock depth along the hillslope. SASW correctly predicted the bedrock depth in the lower part of the hillslope, whereas the data from ERT were disrupted by shallow permanent groundwater. Conversely, ERT correctly predicted bedrock depth within the upper part of the hillslope, whereas a high variability of SASW data near the topsoil caused difficulties for bedrock depth prediction. From these results, it was possible to define an estimator of bedrock depth according to the presence of shallow groundwater, which varies along the slope, such that more importance is given to ERT estimates in the upper part of the hillslope and more importance is given to SASW in the lower part. This study shows the usefulness of such a sensor combination to estimate soil properties when the uncertainties of making predictions vary according to the geophysical methods.     

Failure of peat-covered hillslopes at Dooncarton Mountain,Co. Mayo,Ireland: Analysis of topographic and geotechnical factors

Shallow landslides involving loss of blanket peat are relatively uncommon but can nevertheless be environmentally and geomorphologically significant. This paper describes a cluster of 40 shallow landslides, including significant peat failures, which occurred within 2.5 km² on Dooncarton Mountain (Republic of Ireland) in the evening of 19 September 2003 during an exceptional rainfall event. It examines two hypotheses: (i) that the combination of topography and local soil catena characteristics were the primary site factors that led to the occurrence of most of the failures, and (ii) that anthropogenic disturbance to the slopes in the form of boundary ditches or peat-cutting activities may have contributed to three of the largest peat failures. All of the landslides were mapped and sampled within 4 months of the event. Physical, hydrological and geotechnical properties of the slope materials were determined from samples obtained from nine representative failures. Possible controls on the stability of the slopes were investigated by modelling seven of the landslides and a series of hypothetical slopes using standard limit equilibrium methods. The humified blanket peat was underlain by a dominantly sandy mineral material, including a buried soil horizon, derived from weathering of the mainly schist bedrock. Direct shear tests established the respective shear strengths to be ?′ = 50°, c′ = 0 (buried soil) and ?′ = 21–25°, c′ = 8–11 kPa (basal peat), although back-analyses suggested that the average peat cohesion was lower than this on the failed slopes. Analyses of separate slope segments of the landslides showed that the main slope convexity, where the peat cover gives way to thin peaty soil, defined the zone of minimum stability. Failure of the slope segment immediately above the convexity was controlled by the depth of peat and the hydrostatic or possibly artesian water pressures within the slopes. Thus catena characteristics coupled with local topography (gradient and peat depth) were important determinants of slope instability. Two of the failed slopes were crossed by boundary ditches but, contrary to accounts from elsewhere, stability analyses suggested that these ditches did not contribute significantly to the landslides. Stability analysis of a slope affected by peat extraction also suggested no direct causal association, but the hydrological conditions developed in the vertical tine cuts did probably contribute to a large peat slide. At other locations, therefore, similar anthropogenic factors should be incorporated in landslide hazard assessments.     

Centimetre-scale digital representations of terrain and impacts on depression storage and runoff

The microscale topography of a 20 × 10 m hillslope in a burned portion of Kootenay National Park, British Columbia, Canada was determined through laser scanning at a sub-centimetre scale. Digital terrain models (DTM) were developed for this hillslope at the 0.75 cm, 10 cm, 25 cm, 50 cm, 75 cm and 1 m scales. Random Roughness, Tortuosity and Mean Upslope Depression were computed for bare and vegetated surfaces created at each resolution to determine mean depression storage as a function of resolution. Results for these various roughness parameters and associated depression storage values are not found to change appreciably between the vegetated and bare surface DTMs, and moreover do not change notably with increasing grid cell resolution. Depression storage was also computed using a GIS-based method, the values of which are considered to be, at the highest resolution of 0.75 cm, the most realistic for comparative purposes. Mean depression storage using this latter approach decreases significantly with an increase in grid cell size, in contrast to the values based on Random Roughness which remain stable with increasing grid cell size. The generation of Hortonian overland flow was modelled at different scales using the GIS-derived DTMs. The values of depression storage for the various scales of DTM are demonstrated to have significant influences on overland flow generation. The scale of the DTM affects the changes over time between the proportion of water going into depression storage and that contributing to overland flow, with more water being retained as depression storage at a particular value of rainfall excess after infiltration for the smaller DTM scalings. When overland flow develops from a rising groundwater table in a simulation exercise, water depths are initially lower than the primary roughness elements on the land surface and water is relatively disconnected. As water depths increase, more integrated connections form.     

Interactive effect of tillage depth and mulch on soil temperature, productivity and water use pattern of rainfed barley (Hordium vulgare L.)

Soil porosity and organic matter content influence the hydrology, thermal status and productivity of agricultural soils. Shape, size and continuity of soil pores are determined by tillage practices. Thus appropriate tillage and mulch management can conserve residual soil moisture during the post rainy season. This can play a key role in enhancing productivity under the rainfed ecosystem of subhumid region in eastern India. A field study was carried out on a fine loamy soil from 1993–1994 to 1995–1996. Two tillage treatments were conventional ploughing (150 mm depth) and shallow ploughing (90 mm) depth. Each tillage practice was tested with three mulch management viz., no mulch, soil dust mulch and rice (Oryza sativa L.) straw mulch. Soil organic carbon, bulk density, moisture retentivity, soil temperature with productivity and water use pattern of barley (Hordium vulgare L.) were measured.Reduction in ploughing depth resulted in nominal increase in profile (0.0–1.2 m) moisture status, yield, and soil thermal status at 14:00 and water use efficiency (WUE). However, it decreased the magnitude of soil temperature in the morning (07:00). Straw mulch conserved 19–21 mm of moisture in the profile (1.2 m) over the unmulched condition. Both soil dust and rice straw mulching elevated soil thermal status at 07:00 as compared to unmulched condition, but this trend was reversed at 14:00. Straw mulching significantly increased grain yield and WUE over soil dust mulch and unmulched condition. Impact of straw mulch was more pronounced under shallow ploughing depth. Shallow tillage with rice straw mulching is recommended to the farmers to obtain higher level of yield and water use efficiency.     

A semi-empirical model to assess uncertainty of spatial patterns of erosion

Distributed erosion models are potentially good tools for locating soil sediment sources and guiding efficient Soil and Water Conservation (SWC) planning, but the uncertainty of model predictions may be high. In this study, the distribution of erosion within a catchment was predicted with a semi-empirical erosion model that combined a semi-distributed hydrological model with the Morgan, Morgan and Finney (MMF) empirical erosion model. The model was tested in a small catchment of the West Usambara Mountains (Kwalei catchment, Tanzania). Soil detachability rates measured in splash cups (0.48–1.16 g J^− 1) were close to model simulations (0.30–0.35 g J^− 1). Net erosion rates measured in Gerlach troughs (0.01–1.05 kg m^− 2 per event) were used to calibrate the sediment transport capacity of overland flow. Uncertainties of model simulations due to parameterisation of overland flow sediment transport capacity were assessed with the Generalized Likelihood Uncertainty Estimation (GLUE) methodology. The quality of the spatial predictions was assessed by comparing the simulated erosion pattern with the field-observed erosion pattern, measuring the agreement with the weighted Kappa coefficient of the contingency table. Behavioural parameter sets (weighted Kappa > 0.50) were those with short reinfiltration length (< 1.5 m) and ratio of overland flow power α to local topography power γ close to 0.5. In the dynamic Hortonian hydrologic regime and the dissected terrain of Kwalei catchment, topography controlled the distribution of erosion more than overland flow. Simulated erosion rates varied from − 4 to + 2 kg m^− 2 per season. The model simulated correctly around 75% of erosion pattern. The uncertainty of model predictions due to sediment transport capacity was high; around 10% of the fields were attributed to either slight or severe erosion. The difficult characterisation of catchment-scale effective sediment transport capacity parameters poses a major limit to distributed erosion modelling predicting capabilities.     

REDUCING SHALLOW LANDSLIDE OCCURRENCE IN PASTORAL HILL COUNTRY USING WIDE‐SPACED TREES

Shallow landslides occur globally on soil‐mantled hilly and mountainous terrain. In New Zealand, they are a nation‐wide problem, particularly on pastoral hill country grazed by livestock. On these landscapes, trees are planted at low densities, often <70 stems per hectare (sph), to reduce landslide occurrence, but there has been limited quantification of their effectiveness in this role. This study determined the reduction in landslide occurrence at 65 sites planted with spaced trees (53 × Populus, 6 × Salix, 6 × Eucalyptus) following rainstorm events. Sites had a mean slope angle of 27 degrees and soils were predominantly silt or sand‐loams. Tree density across all sites was 32–65 sph, height was 8–43 m, canopy radius was 1–10 m and trunk diameter was 18–99 cm. Trees reduced landslide occurrence by 95 per cent compared to paired pasture control sites (0·4 per cent vs. 7·9 per cent scar area, respectively), and scars occurred on fewer sites with trees than pasture (10 vs. 45). For the 10 tree sites with scars, their area was <3·5 per cent, except at one site where it was 11·3 per cent. There were no significant differences between species in their effectiveness in reducing landslide occurrence. Analyses were partially successful in discriminating between sites with and without shallow landslides and identified some attributes with potentially useful discriminatory power. Aspect, mean slope angle and tree density did not feature significantly in the analyses because they were homogeneous across site groups. The study verified the large benefit from wide‐spaced tree planting on sites susceptible to shallow landslides. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Reactivation of old landslides: lessons learned from a case-study in the Flemish Ardennes (Belgium)

The number of human‐induced landslides is increasing worldwide, but information on the impact of human intervention on slope stability is often lacking. Therefore, this study analyses the Hekkebrugstraat landslide, the best‐recorded landslide in the Flemish Ardennes (Belgium). Information obtained from local inhabitants, aerial photographs and newspaper articles enabled a 50‐year reconstruction of both the landslide history and the land‐use changes at or close to the landslide site. The reconstruction suggests that anthropogenic preliminary factors such as: (i) the absence of well‐maintained drainage ditches in the affected area; (ii) the elevation of the surface of the road, i.e. a sunken lane, in the affected area; (iii) increased surface runoff from the drainage area; (iv) the creation of ponds; and (v) the removal of the lateral support at the landslide foot have played an important role in the reactivation of the Hekkebrugstraat landslide. After the reactivation of February 1995, landslide movement was observed for more than 5 years and caused damage to houses, and other infrastructure. However, also natural factors, such as the presence of an impermeable clay layer at limited depth, springs and relatively steep slopes (i.e. 0.14 m m^?1), and above normal antecedent rainfall have contributed to the reactivations. Comparison of our reconstruction of the reactivation with precise Digital Terrain Models (DTMs) of 1952, 1973 and 1996, produced by digital stereophotogrammetry, indicated that the reported movements correspond well with the uplifted and collapsed zones found on the DTMs. Hence, this analysis provides valuable information for land‐use planners in areas with old, apparently stable, landslides.     

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.     

基于光电传感技术的薄层水流流速测量系统构建与试验

为减小染色法测量坡面水流流速的误差,提高染色法测量准确度,根据染色示踪剂在水中扩散引起颜色发生变化的特性,结合漫反射型模拟量光电颜色传感器和数据采集卡采集信号,通过小波变换对信号进行去噪,研发一种基于光电传感技术的薄层水流流速测量系统。以流量法为参照,确定该系统传感器最优数据采集距离为0.6～0.8 m;传感器数据采集距离为0.7 m时,该系统测量数据最小相对误差仅为0.48%,变异系数15%。相比染色法,该系统与流量法拟合的决定系数在0.90以上,大于染色法的决定系数0.75。表明薄层水流流速测量系统优于染色法,可以用坡面薄层水流试验研究中。     

Spatial and temporal variability of physical properties of Aquands under different land uses in southern Chile

The aquands found in southern Chile are derived from volcanic ash and contain high levels of organic matter. Due to the presence of an impermeable stratum, they have shallow soil profiles, which induce waterlogging for several months each year. These fragile soils, locally known as ‘Ñadi’, cover an area of 475 000 hectares and have undergone intensive land use changes, which have affected the soil physical properties. These are still not well understood but are relevant for the design of efficient drainage systems. The aim of this research was to analyse the impact of the land use change in Ñadi soils on the spatial and temporal variability of their soil physical properties. For the land use change from secondary native forest (sNF) to naturalized grassland (NG), the effective soil depth was measured at defined points. Time‐ and space‐dependent changes of water‐table depth and penetration resistance were recorded. Volumetric water content and soil temperature were measured with sensors installed at three depths and the water retention curve and air permeability at these depths were also determined. The changes in land use over time have induced a reduction in soil depth. Soils under NG showed a smaller soil water storage capacity, air capacity and permeability compared with soils under sNF, as well as waterlogging during winter and greater mechanical strength and soil profile temperatures during summer. Therefore, the land use change affected the spatial and temporal variability of soil physical functions across the field.     

土壤侵蚀过程中坡面流水力学特性及侵蚀动力研究评述

土壤侵蚀动力过程是水流和土壤两者相互作用的复杂物理过程,而含沙水流是土壤侵蚀的主要动力,深入理解坡面流水力学特征及侵蚀动力是研究土壤侵蚀动力学规律的基础.本文从坡面流水力学特性及侵蚀动力,包括:流速、水深、流态、阻力规律以及坡面流的切应力、冲刷动力、运动能量等多方面对国内外关于土壤侵蚀动力过程研究进行了系统深入的评述,并探讨了研究中存在的问题,重点指出:坡面流作为三维、非恒定非均匀沿程变量流,流动形态千变万化,坡面状况较为复杂,其均匀流理论远不能真实反应自然界复杂地表状况下的水流水力学特性及其变化规律.开展复杂地表的水流运动过程、水力学参数变化规律及坡面侵蚀水动力过程研究是今后土壤侵蚀水动力学研究的重要方向,这对于深入了解土壤侵蚀水动力过程的内在机制、构建物理侵蚀模型具有重要的研究意义.     

甘肃省小陇山林区降雨型浅层滑坡汇水面积-坡度关系及其影响因素

沟头发生侵蚀的地形临界模型可有效预测侵蚀沟的形成条件,浅层滑坡失稳形成的洼地也是沟头形成的方式之一。为探究浅层滑坡临界起动模型的特点,以甘肃省天水市小陇山林区的降雨型浅层滑坡为研究对象,运用汇水面积-坡度关系,构建临界起动模型,与黄土高原典型侵蚀沟(浅沟、切沟)的临界起动模型进行对比分析,并探讨土地利用类型、植被类型和土壤质地对该模型的影响。结果表明:(1)浅层滑坡临界起动模型为S=3.50A_s^-0.34,其侵蚀阈值为3.50,大于黄土高原典型浅沟(0.96)和切沟(1.54)的侵蚀阈值。研究区浅层滑坡一般发生于土层较薄的陡坡地带,其平均坡度(S=1.26)大于浅沟(S=0.35)与切沟(S=0.46),单位汇水面积(A=89.08 m²/m)小于浅沟(A=920.93 m²/m)和切沟(A=1 129.82 m²/m)。(2)汇水面积与坡度平方的乘积(AS²)代表了沟头产生侵蚀的能量指标值。研究区浅层滑坡AS²值在269.1~5 703.2 m²,平均值为1 772.97 m²,黄土高原浅沟AS²值在4.74~892.66 m²,切沟在41~814 m²,启动能量值方面,浅沟<切沟<浅层滑坡。(3)土地利用类型、植被类型和土壤质地通过影响土壤的抗冲力、渗透性和黏粒含量,从而对浅层滑坡的起动难易程度产生影响。在不同的土地利用方式中,农地最易发生侵蚀,其次是林地。油松林附近浅层滑坡的抗侵蚀能力高于日本落叶松林。研究结果为探究浅层滑坡的起动条件提供理论依据。     

Landslides and climate change in the Italian Dolomites since the Late glacial

The paper deals with the relationship between the temporal occurrence of landslides and climatic changes in the Italian Dolomites since the Late glacial. After an introduction on the state of the art, with particular reference to the Alpine region, the results of recent investigations in the two study sites are illustrated. At Cortina d'Ampezzo, several landslides were dated mainly by the radiocarbon method. The most ancient landslide event there involved large rock slides, which affected the dolomitic slopes following the withdrawal of glaciers after the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), and also slides and flows mainly occurring in pelitic materials of the valley floors (from 13,000 to 10,000 cal BP). A later series of flows occurred between 5500 and 2500 cal BP. In the Upper Badia Valley (Alta Badia), the most ancient events go back to 10,000 and 9000 cal BP, and correspond with earth flows that followed vast rotational slides affecting the bedrock up to a depth of about 50 m. More recent earth flows, involving more modest amounts of material, took place between 6500 and 2300 cal BP.By analysing the dates from the two study areas, it was possible to correlate the recorded increase of landslide activity with the climatic changes occurring at the boundary between the Late glacial and the Holocene and between the Atlantic and the Subboreal, and to compare the results with those derived from other European regions. The types and causes of landslides taking place in these two periods were substantially different, reflecting the different morphoclimatic conditions that existed in the two areas when these mass movements were triggered. Finally, notwithstanding the importance of non-climatic causes, such as geological–structural factors and possible human influences, it is concluded that many of the dated landslides can be considered as indicators of climatic change.     

基于灰色关联分析的土壤水盐动态变化研究

根据洛惠渠灌区多年观测资料与实地调查,采用灰色关联法对灌区地下水矿化度、埋深与土壤含盐量的动态关系进行了分析。阐明了3者之间的年际动态变化规律和耦合关系,建立了灌区土壤水盐动态耦合关系模型。结果表明,地下水矿化度是影响土壤含盐量的主要因素,地下水埋深对盐分的转移也起着重要的作用,各因子之间相互作用,形成了复杂条件下的耦合关系;该灌区处于脱盐和相对稳定状态,受外界因素影响,土壤含盐量变化趋势与地下水矿化度和地下水位变化趋势不一致;基于地下水矿化度和地下水埋深的土壤水盐耦合关系模型具有较高的预测精度,能够很好地定量描述土壤水盐动态变化与其影响因子之间的响应关系。     

Refinement of rooting depths using satellite-based evapotranspiration seasonality for ecosystem modeling in California

Accurate determination of rooting depths in terrestrial biosphere models is important for simulating terrestrial water and carbon cycles. In this study, we developed a method for optimizing rooting depth using satellite-based evapotranspiration (ET) seasonality and an ecosystem model by minimizing the differences between satellite-based and simulated ET. We then analyzed the impacts of rooting depth optimization on the simulated ET and gross primary production (GPP) seasonality in California, USA. First, we conducted a point-based evaluation of the methods against flux observations in California and tested the sensitivities of the simulated ET seasonality to the rooting depth settings. We then extended it spatially by estimating spatial patterns of rooting depth and analyzing the sensitivities of the simulated ET and GPP seasonalities to the rooting depth settings. We found large differences in the optimized and soil survey (STATSGO)-based rooting depths over the northern forest regions. In these regions, the deep rooting depths (>3 m) estimated in the study successfully reproduced the satellite-based ET seasonality, which peaks in summer, whereas the STATSGO-based rooting depth (<1.5 m) failed to sustain a high ET in summer. The rooting depth refinement also has large effects on simulated GPP; the annual GPP in these regions is increased by 50–100% due to sufficient soil water during the summer. In the grassy and shrubby regions of central and southern California, the estimated rooting depths are similar to those of STATSGO, probably due to the shallow rooting depth in these ecosystems. Our analysis suggests that setting a rooting depth is important for terrestrial ecosystem modeling and that satellite-based data could help both to estimate the spatial variability of rooting depths and to improve water and carbon cycle modeling.     

四川省泸定县磨西台地地质灾害遥感监测研究

利用多时相,多平台卫星遥感数据,对四川省泸定县磨西台地的地质灾害开展了遥感监测.研究了地质灾害的发展演化趋势,判定了地质灾害的稳定性,为磨西台地的地质灾害防治提供了科学依据.遥感监测显示,自2006年1月2日至2009年12月21日的近4 a,磨西台地内无新发生泥石流和崩塌灾害,原已发生的泥石流和崩塌也未见明显复发,泥石流处于停歇期,崩塌处于稳定状态.大部分滑坡处于稳定状态,只有1处新发生的滑坡还在发展之中,处于不稳定状态,存在进一步发展的可能,需进一步加强监测.磨西台地岸坡的冲蚀滑塌和浅层流滑则一直在持续发展,对磨西台地岸坡的稳定构成威胁,并造成磨西台地面积的缩小,需要及时治理.     

Topographic controls of landslides in Rio de Janeiro: field evidence and modeling

Landslides are common features in the Serra do Mar, located along the southeastern Brazilian coast, most of them associated with intense summer storms, specially on the soil-mantled steep hillslopes around Rio de Janeiro city, where the favelas (slums) proliferated during the last few decades. On February 1996, hundreds of landslides took place in city of Rio de Janeiro triggered by intense rainstorms. Since then, many studies have been carried out in two experimental river basins in order to investigate the role played by the topographic attributes in controlling the spatial distribution of landslides inside them. Landslide scars and vegetation cover were mapped using aerial photographs and field observations. A detailed digital terrain model (4 m² resolution) of the basins was generated from which the main topographic attributes were analyzed, producing maps for slope, hillslope form, contributing area and hillslope orientation. By comparing these maps with the spatial distribution of the landslide scars for the 1996 event, a landslide potential index (LPI) for the many classes of the different topographic attributes was defined. At the same time, field experiments with the Guelph permeameter were carried out and a variety of scenarios were simulated with the SHALSTAB model, a process-based mathematical model for the topographic control on shallow landslides. The results suggest that most of the landslides triggered in the studied basins were strongly influenced by topography, while vegetation cover did affect landslide distribution. Between the topographic attributes, hillslope form and contributing area played a major role in controlling the spatial distribution of landslides. Therefore, any procedure to be used in this environment towards the definition of landslide hazards need to incorporate these topographic attributes.