Soil redistribution in abandoned raised fields in French Guiana assessed by radionuclides

Pre‐Columbian agricultural raised fields are widespread in Neotropical wetlands. Many seasonally flooded coastal savannahs of French Guiana are dotted with thousands of small, round mounds, which current research indicates are vestiges of raised fields. It is surprising that these elevated structures persist under the erosive force of heavy tropical rainfall. One hypothesis for this stability is that “engineer” organisms such as plants, earthworms, termites and ants colonize abandoned raised fields and maintain the raised structures against erosion. This “erosion/deposition balance” hypothesis assumes that the landscape is subject to non‐negligible rates of erosion, but that actions of engineer organisms reduce the erodibility of mounds, compensate for erosion by transporting materials to mounds, or both. The hypothesis also predicts greater bioturbation on mounds than in other parts of the landscape. To test these assumptions and predictions, we estimated soil erosion and bioturbation rates in abandoned raised fields in a seasonally flooded savannah in French Guiana by using two radionuclides (¹³⁷Cs and unsupported ²¹⁰Pb) as tracers for soil redistribution. Analysis of the vertical and horizontal distribution of radionuclides at the study site showed that soil erosion in the mounds either occurs at a rather low rate or that organisms counteract erosion, or both. We also showed that mounds were heavily influenced by bioturbation. These results validate the fundamental assumptions of the erosion/deposition balance hypothesis.     

基于土壤~(137)Cs监测的土壤侵蚀与有机质流失——以密云水库为例

本文运用137Cs核素示踪技术,研究北京重要的水源供应地密云水库周边地区及白河上游地区土壤侵蚀状况与有机质流失状况及其相互之间的量变关系。试验结果表明:0～20cm土层中山坡上137Cs含量低于坡中、坡下,但若山顶具有缓坡或山角下具有陡坡则137Cs含量变化规律相反。根据水利部标准与土壤137Cs监测结果,密云水库周边大部分地区基本属于轻度侵蚀和中度侵蚀,部分地区侵蚀情况严重,达到了剧烈侵蚀的程度。不同土地利用方式对土壤有机质分布有很大影响,有机质含量分布为灌丛>林地>果园>农田;上游地区有机质含量高于水库周边地区土壤,表明人为活动加剧了土壤侵蚀和有机质的流失。对于景观单一,地域较小的采样区进行三次曲线数学模拟,其相关系数高达0.9左右,表明在监测土壤137Cs、210Pb含量变化的同时,可以利用小区域数学模型直接预报预测土壤有机质含量的变化。     

应用137Cs技术调查河漫滩沉积物的研究进展

人工同位素137Cs可以作为环境示踪因子研究河漫滩沉积物.综述了应用137Cs技术调查河漫滩沉积物的沉积率、确定沉积物来源和研究与沉积物相结合的污染物质的研究进展.     

137Cs、HCHs测定岩溶洼地沉积物年代及流域产沙强度

以青木关岩溶槽谷区内代表性耕地型与林地型洼地小流域为研究对象,从洼地沉积物入手,探明各洼地沉积物剖面~(137)Cs比活度、六六六(HCHs)、有机质、黏粒含量及容重的深度分布特征;运用~(137)Cs示踪法,辅以HCHs进行沉积物断代,追溯流域近60年来的土壤侵蚀量演变特征及探讨其驱动因素。结果表明:(1)炮台院子耕地型洼地沉积物剖面~(137)Cs、HCHs仅有个别层位检出,无法利用~(137)Cs、HCHs深度分布进行沉积物断代,反映了发育的落水洞对其沉积物剖面影响大。(2)龙洞槽耕地型和劳动村林地型洼地小流域1963—1983,1984—2019年产沙模数分别为231.78,82.04 t/(km~2·a)和68.79,39.46 t/(km~2·a),表明流域生态环境得到明显改善。与1963—1983年时段相比,该地区1984—2019年时段年平均降水量无明显变化,2个小流域产沙模数均显著减小,表明近60年流域产沙强度主要受土地利用方式、水土保持措施等人类活动控制。(3)龙洞槽洼地剖面~(137)Cs、HCHs峰值,表层泥沙~(137)Cs、HCHs数值和不同时期流域产沙模数均明显大于劳动村洼地,主要是由2个洼地分别控制的耕地型与林地型小流域在人类活动影响下产沙强度的差异所致。另外,~(137)Cs和HCHs相结合的示踪方法可较好地用于评估西南岩溶流域产沙量的时间变化。     

用137Cs示踪法研究密云水库周边土壤侵蚀与氮磷流失

运用137Cs核素示踪技术,研究密云水库周边地区及白河上游地区土壤侵蚀与氮、磷流失状况及其相互之间的量变关系.研究结果表明:从土壤表层(0～20 cm)137Cs分布规律基本符合地形地貌的变化规律,山坡上部的137Cs含量低于山坡中部与坡下部,但是如果山顶具有缓坡或山角下具有陡坡,则137Cs含量变化规律相反.根据土壤137Cs监测数据结果判定该地区基本属于轻度侵蚀和中度侵蚀,部分地区侵蚀情况达到剧烈程度.不同景观与土地利用方式对土壤氮、磷分布有巨大影响:有机质、全氮、水解氮含量均是以灌丛土壤最高,林地次之,与流域内137Cs分布规律相符合;而农田中全磷、速效磷含量最高.不同区域土壤养分含量不同:水库上游地区土壤氮素、磷素含量均低于水库周边地区.证明不合理的人为活动严重的增强了土壤侵蚀程度与养分流失量.回归模拟了土壤中137Cs、(210Pb)与全氮、全磷、水解氮、速效磷含量之间的数学模型.这些模型在区域较小、景观单一的范围内可以定量分析、预报预测各采样区的全磷和有效态氮、磷含量的变化趋势.简化了监测与分析测试程序.扩大了核素示踪技术的应用范围.     

Using Cs and Pbex for quantifying soil organic carbon redistribution affected by intensive tillage on steep slopes

Studying on spatial and temporal variation in soil organic carbon (SOC) is of great importance because of global environmental concerns. Tillage-induced soil erosion is one of the major processes affecting the redistribution of SOC in fields. However, few direct measurements have been made to investigate the dynamic process of SOC under intensive tillage in the field. Our objective was to test the potential of ¹³⁷Cs and ²¹⁰Pb_ex for directly assessing SOC redistribution on sloping land as affected by tillage. Fifty plowing operations were conducted over a 5-day period using a donkey-drawn moldboard plow on a steep backslope of the Chinese Loess Plateau. Profile variations of SOC, ¹³⁷Cs and ²¹⁰Pb_ex concentrations were measured in the upper, middle and lower positions of the control plot and the plot plowed 50 times. ¹³⁷Cs concentration did not show variations in the upper 0–30 cm of soil whereas ²¹⁰Pb_ex showed a linear decrease (P < 0.05) with soil depth in the upper and middle positions, and an exponential decrease (P < 0.01) at the lower position of the control plot. The amounts of SOC, ¹³⁷Cs and ²¹⁰Pb_ex of sampling soil profiles increased in the following order: lower > middle > upper positions on the control plot. Intensive tillage resulted in a decrease of SOC amounts by 35% in the upper and by 44% in the middle positions for the soil layers of 0–45 cm, and an increase by 21% in the complete soil profile (0–100 cm) at the lower position as compared with control plot. Coefficients of variation (CVs) of SOC in soil profile decreased by 18.2% in the upper, 12.8% in the middle, and 30.9% in the lower slope positions whereas CVs of ¹³⁷Cs and ²¹⁰Pb_ex decreased more than 31% for all slope positions after 50 tillage events. ¹³⁷Cs and ²¹⁰Pb_ex in soil profile were significantly linearly correlated with SOC with R² of 0.81 and 0.86 (P < 0.01) on the control plot, and with R² of 0.90 and 0.86 (P < 0.01) on the treatment plot. Our results evidenced that ³⁷Cs and ²¹⁰Pb_ex, and SOC moved on the sloping land by the same physical mechanism during tillage operations, indicating that fallout ¹³⁷Cs and ²¹⁰Pb_ex could be used directly for quantifying dynamic SOC redistribution as affected by tillage erosion.     

阳洼流域土壤137Cs的空间分布及侵蚀研究

利用137Cs示踪技术,研究了宁南黄土高原阳洼流域土壤137Cs的空间分布和侵蚀特征.研究结果表明,流域137Cs背景值为1 966.99 Bq/m2,流域内不同土地利用方式下土壤137Cs比活度不同,且有比较明显的137Cs比活度分异.流域内林草地土壤剖面137Cs呈现指数分布模式,坡耕地剖面的137Cs则呈均匀分布模式.不同土地利用方式下土壤137Cs的面积活度表现为沟台＞林草地＞农耕坡地,其中农耕坡地、沟台地土壤侵蚀、沉积表现出较大的变异,变异系数达65%以上.阳洼流域土壤侵蚀模数与137Cs比活度呈现出相反的分布趋势,但都明显具有斑块状和条带状分布的特点.流域土壤以中、强度侵蚀为主,中、强度侵蚀面积占流域总面积的46%,在流域土壤侵蚀防治中坡耕地仍是治理的关键.     

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.     

中国四川盆地地区侵蚀斜坡土壤酶活性研究

Determining how soil erosion affects enzyme activity may enhance our understanding of soil degradation on eroded agricultural landscapes. This study assessed the changes in enzyme activity with slope position and erosion type by selecting water and tillage erosion-dominated slopes and performing analyses using the ¹³⁷Cs technique. The ¹³⁷Cs data revealed that soil loss occurred in the upper section of the two eroded slope types, while soil accumulation occurred in the lower section. The invertase activity increased downslope and exhibited a pattern similar to the ¹³⁷Cs data. The spatial patterns of urease and alkaline phosphatase activities were similar to the ¹³⁷Cs inventories on the water and tillage erosion-dominated slopes, respectively. On both the eroded slope types, the invertase activity and soil organic carbon content were correlated, but no correlation was observed between the alkaline phosphatase activity and total phosphorus content. Nevertheless, the urease activity was correlated with the total nitrogen content only on the water erosion-dominated slopes. The enzyme activity-to-microbial biomass carbon ratios indicated high activities of invertase and urease but low activity of phosphatase on the water erosion-dominated slopes compared with the tillage erosion-dominated slopes. Both the invertase activity and the invertase activity-to-microbial biomass carbon ratio varied with the slope position. Changes in the urease activity-to-microbial biomass carbon ratio were significantly affected by the erosion type. These suggested that the dynamics of the invertase activity were linked to soil redistribution on the two eroded slope types, whereas the dynamics of the urease and alkaline phosphatase activities were associated with soil redistribution only on the water or tillage erosion-dominated slopes, respectively. The erosion type had an obvious effect on the activities of invertase, urease and alkaline phosphatase. Soil redistribution might influence the involvement of urease in the N cycle and alkaline phosphatase in the P cycle. Thus, enzyme activity-to-microbial biomass ratios may be used to better evaluate microbiological activity in eroded soils.     

COMPARISON OF THE DEPTH DISTRIBUTION PROCESSES FOR 137Cs AND lePbu IN CULTIVATED SOILS

探讨了^137Cs与^210Pbex在农耕地土壤深度分布过程的差异。基于^137Cs与^210Pbex的不同沉降过程,考虑到核素由犁耕层向犁底层的扩散,对农耕地土壤^137Cs与^210Pbex的深度分布过程进行了理论推导,并以杨凌符家庄麦田剖面的实测数据予以验证,同时讨论了实测符家庄麦田剖面^137Cs与^210Pbex深度分布的规律特征及其原因,以此阐明了^137Cs与^210Pbex在农耕地土壤深度分布过程的差异。^137Cs源于大气核试爆,没有持续沉降补充,犁耕层和犁底层土壤^137Cs深度分布一直处于随时间变化的非稳定态;而210Pbex是天然核素,存在大气沉降的持续补充,犁耕层和犁底层土壤^210Pbex深度分布最终呈稳定态。农耕地土壤^137Cs与^210Pbex深度分布的实测值曲线与理论值曲线的差异,尤其^210Pbex可能与耕作深度的变化历史或土地利用（覆被）变化有关。