Soil loss tolerance in calcareous soils of a semiarid region: evaluation, prediction, and influential parameters

2020 ◽  
Vol 31 (15) ◽  
pp. 2156-2167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yaser Ostovari ◽  
Ali Akbar Moosavi ◽  
Hamid Reza Pourghasemi
Solid Earth ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 661-669 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yue Li ◽  
Xiao Yong Bai ◽  
Shi Jie Wang ◽  
Luo Yi Qin ◽  
Yi Chao Tian ◽  
...  

Abstract. Soil loss tolerance (T value) is one of the criteria in determining the necessity of erosion control measures and ecological restoration strategy. However, the validity of this criterion in subtropical karst regions is strongly disputed. In this study, T value is calculated based on soil formation rate by using a digital distribution map of carbonate rock assemblage types. Results indicated a spatial heterogeneity and diversity in soil loss tolerance. Instead of only one criterion, a minimum of three criteria should be considered when investigating the carbonate areas of southern China because the one region, one T value concept may not be applicable to this region. T value is proportionate to the amount of argillaceous material, which determines the surface soil thickness of the formations in homogenous carbonate rock areas. Homogenous carbonate rock, carbonate rock intercalated with clastic rock areas and carbonate/clastic rock alternation areas have T values of 20, 50 and 100 t/(km2 a), and they are extremely, severely and moderately sensitive to soil erosion. Karst rocky desertification (KRD) is defined as extreme soil erosion and reflects the risks of erosion. Thus, the relationship between T value and erosion risk is determined using KRD as a parameter. The existence of KRD land is unrelated to the T value, although this parameter indicates erosion sensitivity. Erosion risk is strongly dependent on the relationship between real soil loss (RL) and T value rather than on either erosion intensity or the T value itself. If RL > > T, then the erosion risk is high despite of a low RL. Conversely, if T > > RL, then the soil is safe although RL is high. Overall, these findings may clarify the heterogeneity of T value and its effect on erosion risk in a karst environment.


2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yue Li ◽  
Xiaoyong Bai ◽  
Shijie Wang ◽  
Luoyi Qin ◽  
Yichao Tian ◽  
...  

Abstract. Soil loss tolerance (T value) is the ultimate criterion to determine the necessity of erosion control measures and ecological restoration strategy. However, the validity of this criterion in subtropical karst regions is strongly disputed. In this study, T value is computed based on soil formation rate by using a digital distribution map of carbonate rock assemblage types. Results indicated spatial heterogeneity and diversity in such values; moreover, a minimum of three criteria should be considered instead of only one criterion when investigating the carbonate areas of South China given that the “one region, one T value” concept may not apply to this region. T value is proportionate to the amount of argillaceous material in formations that determine surface soil thickness in homogenous carbonate rock areas; such values are 20 and 50 t/(km2 · a) in carbonate rock intercalated with clastic rock areas and 100 t/(km2 · a) in carbonate/clastic rock alternation areas. These three areas are each extremely, severely, and moderately sensitive to soil erosion. This erosion is extreme in karst rocky desertification (KRD) land and reflects the degree of erosion risk. Thus, the relationship between T value and erosion risk is determined with KRD as a parameter. The existence of KRD land is unrelated to T value, although this parameter indicates erosion sensitivity. In fact, erosion risk is strongly dependent on the relationship between real soil loss (RL) and T value rather than on either erosion intensity or the T value itself. If RL >> T, then erosion risk is high despite a low RL. Conversely, if T >> RL, the soil is safe although RL is high. Overall, these findings may clarify T value heterogeneity and its effect on erosion risk in a karst eco-environment; hence, innovative technological assessment solutions need not be invented.


2019 ◽  
Vol 43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guilherme Henrique Expedito Lense ◽  
Taya Cristo Parreiras ◽  
Rodrigo Santos Moreira ◽  
Junior Cesar Avanzi ◽  
Ronaldo Luiz Mincato

ABSTRACT Water erosion is one of the main problems faced in coffee cultivation, as it promotes environmental degradation and crop yield decrease. Erosion estimates support the planning of conservation management practices and allowing determining the rates of soil losses. Thus, the objective of this paper was to estimate the soil loss by water erosion using the Erosion Potential Method in a sub-basin predominantly covered by coffee cultivation and then to compare the results with the Soil Loss Tolerance limits. The study area is the Coroado Stream Sub-basin, located at Alfenas Municipality, south of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The sub-basin presented an Erosion Coefficient of 0.272, indicating a predominance of low-intensity erosion. The total soil loss estimate was 1,772.01 Mg year-1 with an estimated average of 1.74 Mg ha-1 year-1. Soil Loss Tolerance limits range from 4.75 to 7.26 Mg ha-1 year-1 and, according to the Erosion Potential Method, only 1.0% of the sub-basin presented losses above the limits. The areas with the highest slopes and bare soil concentrated the highest losses rates and should be prioritized in the adoption of mitigation measures. The Erosion Potential Method estimated soil losses in tropical edaphoclimatic conditions in a fast, efficiently and at low cost, supporting the adoption of conservation management practices.


Author(s):  
César Gustavo Rocha Lima ◽  
Sâmia Momesso Marques ◽  
José Augusto de Lollo ◽  
Nídia Raquel Costa ◽  
Morel de Passos e Carvalho

Erosive processes are major environmental problems in soils and constitute a great conservation planning challenge. The knowledge of erodibility and soil loss tolerance, as well as their interactions with physical and chemical attributes of the soil may allow an important diagnostic for sustainable management. The aim of this study was to determine soil erodibility (K) and soil loss tolerance (T) for 32 kinds of soil in the Northwest Region of São Paulo State and assess the linear and spatial correlations between these factors and physical-chemical attributes. The evaluated attributes were: textural relationship (TR), particle density (PD), bulk density (BD), total porosity (TP), macro porosity (MA), micro porosity (MI), water capacity storage (WCS), organic matter (OM) and soil pH (pH). The results showed that K factor ranged from 0.0094 to 0.0758 Mg/ ha MJ mm, while T values ranged from 3.09 to 14.79 Mg /ha year. The erodibility and loss tolerance present significant interaction with the soil physical and chemical attributes, especially with the WCS and the TR that showed the best regression adjustments. In geostatistical point of view, the erodibility and soil loss tolerance also showed considerable spatial correlations with most soil physical properties, especially interactions with the TP and the TR, allowing the best mappings using cokriging technique. Thus, simple and relatively low cost approach preliminary soil erodibility can be adopted for large areas without complexes surveys and in situ tests. As well as long term climate data series, a common situation in large areas in less developed countries.


2016 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 127-133 ◽  
Author(s):  
Costanza Di Stefano ◽  
Vito Ferro

Soil loss tolerance is a criterion for establishing if a soil is potentially subjected to erosion risk, productivity loss and if a river presents downstream over-sedimentation or other off-site effects are present at basin scale. At first this paper reviews the concept of tolerable soil loss and summarises the available definitions and the knowledge on the recommended values and evaluating criteria. Then a threshold soil loss value, at the annual temporal scale, established for limiting riling was used for defining the classical soil loss tolerance. Finally, some research needs on tolerable soil loss are listed.


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