A Study of the Dynamics of Soil Erosion Using Rusle2 Modelling and Geospatial Tool in Edda-Afikpo Mesas, South Eastern Nigeria

AbstractThe Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) was used to study the soil erosion processes in Edda-Afikpo mesas, Lower Cross River watersheds,Nigeria. The mesas occupy an area estimated at 60km2 on a surface relief of about 284m. DEM data, satellite images and basemap of the area were used. Remotely sensed data were ground-truthed through extensive field works. The results show that the process is facilitated by the Trifecta of hill slope hydrology, geology and land use practices. Steep hill Slope of values 78 % at the major hot spots, very fragile, dry and non-plastic sandy soils all aid sediment detachment. Analysis of the index properties which include Liquid Limit(LL) of 25-30, moisture content(w%) of 5.9-7.4, permeability of 1.541x10-3 – 1.636x10-3 cm/s and shear strength of 36-42 KN/m2 predispose the sediments to detachment and erosion. Based on the analysis, the amount of soil loss in the project area is about 1373.79 ton per year. Soil erosivity factor is high at the mesas(5023.83 MJ mm ha−1 h−1 yr−1 - 5069.51 MJ mm ha−1 h−1 yr−1) The sandy layer attain thickness of 50m-60m in places and with high pore pressure development, slope failure are triggered during intense storm events. In terms of vulnerability level in erosion risk, high to very high constitute 4.1% of the watershed which translate to 5.05km2 of the 59km2. The various processes occur simultaneously and are exacerbated by human factors through seasonal bush burning and development along drainage lines. The study reveals that 18.8% of the available land for development is at high to very high risk of erosion. The soil loss model has been validated and the hotspots from the map coincide with the gully sites. The results of this research can therefore be used for conservation and adaptation purposes.

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Fire regimes and soil erosion in north Australian hilly savannas

International Journal of Wildland Fire ◽

10.1071/wf05112 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 15 (4) ◽

pp. 551 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Jeremy Russell-Smith ◽

Cameron Yates ◽

Brian Lynch

Keyword(s):

Soil Erosion ◽

Soil Loss ◽

Fire Regimes ◽

Dry Season ◽

Rainfall Erosivity ◽

Storm Events ◽

Wet Season ◽

Continental Scale ◽

Erosion Processes ◽

Intense Storm

Soil erosion is recognised as a major landscape management issue in northern Australia, given highly erodible soils, and high rainfall erosivity associated with low soil surface cover and intense storm events at the commencement of the wet season. Although recent continental-scale erosion modelling addresses such conditions, it does not take account of contemporary fire regimes dominated by annual, late dry season wildfires, especially in extensive higher slope (≥5%) regions of monsoonal Australia. The present paper reports a simple erosion pin assessment at two sites, contrasting soil loss and movement on unburnt and late dry season-burnt hillslopes over one wet season. Although very significant erosion was observed on both unburnt and burnt treatments, overall there was roughly three times the net soil loss and two times more soil movement on late dry season-burnt plots. The landscape scale of late dry season fire regimes, and implications for increased impacts of soil erosion on soil organic matter, nutrients, and ecosystem health are discussed. Collectively, assembled data suggest that more attention needs to be given to understanding and managing the impacts of contemporary fire regimes on hillslope soil erosion processes in the seasonal Australian tropics.

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Soil Erosion Estimates in Arid Region: A Case Study of the Koutine Catchment, Southeastern Tunisia

Applied Sciences ◽

10.3390/app11156763 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (15) ◽

pp. 6763

Author(s):

Mongi Ben Zaied ◽

Seifeddine Jomaa ◽

Mohamed Ouessar

Keyword(s):

Soil Erosion ◽

Soil Loss ◽

Scientific Evidence ◽

Field Measurements ◽

Spatiotemporal Variability ◽

Soil Conditions ◽

Storm Events ◽

Erosion Processes ◽

Study Results ◽

Soil Losses

Soil erosion remains one of the principal environmental problems in arid regions. This study aims to assess and quantify the variability of soil erosion in the Koutine catchment using the RUSLE (Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation) model. The Koutine catchment is located in an arid area in southeastern Tunisia and is characterized by an annual mean precipitation of less than 200 mm. The model was used to examine the influence of topography, extreme rainstorm intensity and soil texture on soil loss. The data used for model validation were obtained from field measurements by monitoring deposited sediment in settlement basins of 25 cisterns (a traditional water harvesting and storage technique) over 4 years, from 2015 to 2018. Results showed that slope is the most controlling factor of soil loss. The average annual soil loss in monitoring sites varies between 0.01 and 12.5 t/ha/y. The storm events inducing the largest soil losses occurred in the upstream part of the Koutine catchment with a maximum value of 7.3 t/ha per event. Soil erosion is highly affected by initial and preceding soil conditions. The RUSLE model reasonably reproduced (R2 = 0.81) the spatiotemporal variability of measured soil losses in the study catchment during the observation period. This study revealed the importance of using the cisterns in the data-scarce dry areas as a substitute for the classic soil erosion monitoring fields. Besides, combining modeling of outputs and field measurements could improve our physical understanding of soil erosion processes and their controlling factors in an arid catchment. The study results are beneficial for decision-makers to evaluate the existing soil conservation and water management plans, which can be further adjusted using appropriate soil erosion mitigation options based on scientific evidence.

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Straw mulch impact on soil properties and initial soil erosion processes in the maize field

10.5194/egusphere-egu21-2538 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Ivan Dugan ◽

Leon Josip Telak ◽

Iva Hrelja ◽

Ivica Kisić ◽

Igor Bogunović

Keyword(s):

Soil Erosion ◽

Soil Water ◽

Soil Loss ◽

Bare Soil ◽

Water Erosion ◽

Straw Mulch ◽

Erosion Processes ◽

Maize Field ◽

Sediment Loss ◽

Initial Soil

Straw mulch impact on soil properties and initial soil erosion processes in the maize fieldIvan Dugan*, Leon Josip Telak, Iva Hrelja, Ivica Kisic, Igor BogunovicUniversity of Zagreb, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of General Agronomy, Zagreb, Croatia(*correspondence to Ivan Dugan: [email protected])Soil erosion by water is the most important cause of land degradation. Previous studies reveal high soil loss in conventionally managed croplands, with recorded soil losses high as 30 t ha-1 under wide row cover crop like maize (Kisic et al., 2017; Bogunovic et al., 2018). Therefore, it is necessary to test environmentally-friendly soil conservation practices to mitigate soil erosion. This research aims to define the impacts of mulch and bare soil on soil water erosion in the maize (Zea mays&#160;L.) field in Blagorodovac, Croatia (45&#176;33&#8217;N; 17&#176;01&#8217;E; 132 m a.s.l.). For this research, two treatments on conventionally tilled silty clay loam Stagnosols were established, one was straw mulch (2 t ha-1), while other was bare soil. For purpose of research, ten rainfall simulations and ten sampling points were conducted per each treatment. Simulations were carried out with a rainfall simulator, simulating a rainfall at an intensity of 58 mm h-1, for 30 min, over 0.785 m2 plots, to determine runoff and sediment loss. Soil core samples and undisturbed samples were taken in the close vicinity of each plot. The results showed that straw mulch mitigated water runoff (by 192%), sediment loss (by 288%), and sediment concentration (by 560%) in addition to bare treatment. The bare treatment showed a 55% lower infiltration rate. Ponding time was higher (p < 0.05) on mulched plots (102 sec), compared to bare (35 sec), despite the fact that bulk density, water-stable aggregates, water holding capacity, and mean weight diameter did not show any difference (p > 0.05) between treatments. The study results indicate that straw mulch mitigates soil water erosion, because it immediately reduces runoff, and enhances infiltration. On the other side, soil water erosion on bare soil under simulated rainstorms could be high as 5.07 t ha-1, when extrapolated, reached as high as 5.07 t ha-1 in this study. The conventional tillage, without residue cover, was proven as unsustainable agro-technical practice in the study area.Key words: straw mulch, rainfall simulation, soil water erosionAcknowledgmentThis work was supported by Croatian Science Foundation through the project "Soil erosion and degradation in Croatia" (UIP-2017-05-7834) (SEDCRO).LiteratureBogunovic, I., Pereira, P., Kisic, I., Sajko, K., Sraka, M. (2018). Tillage management impacts on soil compaction, erosion and crop yield in Stagnosols (Croatia). Catena, 160, 376-384.Kisic, I., Bogunovic, I., Birk&#225;s, M., Jurisic, A., Spalevic, V. (2017). The role of tillage and crops on a soil loss of an arable Stagnic Luvisol. Archives of Agronomy and Soil Science, 63(3), 403-413.

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Soil Erosion Susceptibility Prediction in Railway Corridors Using RUSLE, Soil Degradation Index and the New Normalized Difference Railway Erosivity Index (NDReLI)

Remote Sensing ◽

10.3390/rs14020348 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 14 (2) ◽

pp. 348

Author(s):

Yashon O. Ouma ◽

Lone Lottering ◽

Ryutaro Tateishi

Keyword(s):

Soil Erosion ◽

Soil Loss ◽

Soil Degradation ◽

Bare Soil ◽

Landsat 8 ◽

Arid Environments ◽

Degradation Index ◽

Erosivity Index ◽

Loss Index ◽

Very High

This study presents a remote sensing-based index for the prediction of soil erosion susceptibility within railway corridors. The empirically derived index, Normalized Difference Railway Erosivity Index (NDReLI), is based on the Landsat-8 SWIR spectral reflectances and takes into account the bare soil and vegetation reflectances especially in semi-arid environments. For the case study of the Botswana Railway Corridor (BRC), the NDReLI results are compared with the RUSLE and the Soil Degradation Index (SDI). The RUSLE model showed that within the BRC, the mean annual soil loss index was at 0.139 ton ha−1 year−1, and only about 1% of the corridor area is susceptible to high (1.423–3.053 ton ha−1 year−1) and very high (3.053–5.854 ton ha−1 year−1) soil loss, while SDI estimated 19.4% of the railway corridor as vulnerable to soil degradation. NDReLI results based on SWIR1 (1.57–1.65 μm) predicted the most vulnerable areas, with a very high erosivity index (0.36–0.95), while SWIR2 (2.11–2.29 μm) predicted the same regions at a high erosivity index (0.13–0.36). From empirical validation using previous soil erosion events within the BRC, the proposed NDReLI performed better that the RUSLE and SDI models in the prediction of the spatial locations and extents of susceptibility to soil erosion within the BRC.

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Estimating Human Impacts on Soil Erosion Considering Different Hillslope Inclinations and Land Uses in the Coastal Region of Syria

Water ◽

10.3390/w12102786 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (10) ◽

pp. 2786 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Safwan Mohammed ◽

Hazem G. Abdo ◽

Szilard Szabo ◽

Quoc Bao Pham ◽

Imre J. Holb ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Land Use ◽

Soil Erosion ◽

Land Cover ◽

Soil Loss ◽

Agricultural Land ◽

Human Impacts ◽

Coastal Region ◽

Water Erosion ◽

Land Uses ◽

Erosion Processes

Soils in the coastal region of Syria (CRoS) are one of the most fragile components of natural ecosystems. However, they are adversely affected by water erosion processes after extreme land cover modifications such as wildfires or intensive agricultural activities. The main goal of this research was to clarify the dynamic interaction between erosion processes and different ecosystem components (inclination, land cover/land use, and rainy storms) along with the vulnerable territory of the CRoS. Experiments were carried out in five different locations using a total of 15 erosion plots. Soil loss and runoff were quantified in each experimental plot, considering different inclinations and land uses (agricultural land (AG), burnt forest (BF), forest/control plot (F)). Observed runoff and soil loss varied greatly according to both inclination and land cover after 750 mm of rainfall (26 events). In the cultivated areas, the average soil water erosion ranged between 0.14 ± 0.07 and 0.74 ± 0.33 kg/m2; in the BF plots, mean soil erosion ranged between 0.03 ± 0.01 and 0.24 ± 0.10 kg/m2. The lowest amount of erosion was recorded in the F plots where the erosion ranged between 0.1 ± 0.001 and 0.07 ± 0.03 kg/m2. Interestingly, the General Linear Model revealed that all factors (i.e., inclination, rainfall and land use) had a significant (p < 0.001) effect on the soil loss. We concluded that human activities greatly influenced soil erosion rates, being higher in the AG lands, followed by BF and F. Therefore, the current study could be very useful to policymakers and planners for proposing immediate conservation or restoration plans in a less studied area which has been shown to be vulnerable to soil erosion processes.

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Soil loss due to crop harvesting: significance and determining factors

Progress in Physical Geography Earth and Environment ◽

10.1191/0309133304pp421oa ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 28 (4) ◽

pp. 467-501 ◽

Cited By ~ 45

Author(s):

G. Ruysschaert ◽

J. Poesen ◽

G. Verstraeten ◽

G. Govers

Keyword(s):

Earth Sciences ◽

Soil Erosion ◽

Sugar Beet ◽

Soil Loss ◽

Solanum Tuberosum L ◽

Literature Study ◽

Rock Fragments ◽

Erosion Processes ◽

Denudation Rates ◽

Harvest Technique

Water, wind and tillage erosion are well-studied soil erosion processes. However, there is another process of soil erosion that is rarely considered in the field of earth sciences but one that should not be neglected when calculating soil denudation rates and sediment budgets, i.e., soil loss due to crop harvesting (SLCH). Loose soil and soil adhering to the crop and rock fragments are harvested and exported from the field along with crops such as sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.), potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) and chicory (Cichorium intybus L.). In this paper several assessments of SLCH found in the literature are listed, revealing that soil loss due to crop harvesting may range from a few Mg up to a few tens of Mg per hectare per harvest. As most literature discussing this soil loss does not originate from the field of earth sciences, and terms used to describe this phenomenon are not standardized, a terminology is proposed to describe soil losses due to crop harvesting compatible with terms used in the field of soil erosion. Furthermore, the parameters determining SLCH are reviewed based on a detailed literature study that focuses mainly on sugar beet. These parameters may be grouped into four factors, i.e. soil, crop, agronomic practices and harvest technique. Variations in soil moisture and soil texture cause the largest variations in SLCH, although other factors, such as harvest technique, also play an important role. Given the importance of SLCH in terms of on-site and off-site effects, more research is needed to quantify SLCH under different environmental conditions.

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Quantification, analysis and modelling of soil erosion on steep slopes using LiDAR and UAV photographs

Proceedings of the International Association of Hydrological Sciences ◽

10.5194/piahs-367-51-2015 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 367 ◽

pp. 51-58 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

F. Neugirg ◽

A. Kaiser ◽

J. Schmidt ◽

M. Becht ◽

F. Haas

Keyword(s):

Soil Erosion ◽

Time Step ◽

Terrestrial Lidar ◽

Erosion Processes ◽

Bavarian Alps ◽

Hill Slope ◽

Quantification Analysis ◽

Geomorphological Processes ◽

Study Sites ◽

The Hill

Abstract. Steep hill slopes in the Bavarian Alps and at an artificial waste dump on the Island of Elba are subject to soil erosion through geomorphological processes. Long-term high-resolution terrestrial LiDAR data are available and have been analysed for both areas. The analysis indicated different erosion patterns on the slopes that could be the result of different geomorphological processes. Additionally, both study sites show a good agreement between the annual erosion rates and the size of the hydrological catchment as a proxy for the sediment contributing area. The results presented in this study represent the first analysis of hill slope erosion measured with LiDAR and UAV systems. The hill slope erosion will be subject to measurements using a higher temporal resolution during future years in order to identify different erosion processes throughout the annual time step.

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Modeling Runoff-Formation and Soil Erosion after Pumice Excavation at Forested Andosol-Sites in SW-Germany Using WEPP

Soil Systems ◽

10.3390/soilsystems3030048 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (3) ◽

pp. 48 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Julian J. Zemke ◽

Joshua Pöhler ◽

Stephan Stegmann

Keyword(s):

Soil Erosion ◽

Land Management ◽

Soil Loss ◽

Annual Runoff ◽

Runoff Generation ◽

Runoff Formation ◽

Clear Cut ◽

Clear Cutting ◽

Erosion Processes ◽

Erosion Prediction

This study investigates the effects of pumice excavation on runoff formation and soil erosion processes in a forested catchment in SW-Germany. The underlying questions are, if (a) backfilled soils have different properties concerning runoff generation and erodibility and if (b) clear-cutting prior to excavation triggers runoff and erosion. Four adjacent sub-areas were observed, which represented different pre- and post-excavation-stages. The basis of the investigation was a comprehensive field sampling that delivered the data for physical erosion modeling using the Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP). Modeling took place for standardized conditions (uniform slope geometry and/or uniform land management) and for actual slope geometry and land management. The results show that backfilled soils exhibited 53% increase of annual runoff and 70% increase of annual soil loss under standardized conditions. Storm runoff was increased by 6%, while storm soil loss was reduced by 9%. Land management changes also triggered shifts in annual runoff and soil erosion: Clear-cut (+1.796% runoff, +4.205% soil loss) and bare (+5.958% runoff, +21.055% soil loss) surfaces showed the most distinct changes when compared to undisturbed forest. While reforestation largely diminished post-excavation runoff and soil erosion, the standardized results statistically prove that soil erodibility and runoff generation remain increased after backfilling.

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Estimation of Sediment Yield and Maximum Outflow Using the IntErO Model in the Sarada River Basin of Nepal

Water ◽

10.3390/w11050952 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (5) ◽

pp. 952 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Devraj Chalise ◽

Lalit Kumar ◽

Velibor Spalevic ◽

Goran Skataric

Keyword(s):

Soil Erosion ◽

River Basin ◽

Sediment Yield ◽

Soil Loss ◽

Surface Erosion ◽

Good Opportunity ◽

Erosion Rates ◽

Erosion Processes ◽

Erosion Coefficient ◽

To Come

Soil erosion is a severe environmental problem worldwide as it washes away the fertile topsoil and reduces agricultural production. Nepal, being a hilly country, has significant erosion disputes as well. It is important to cognise the soil erosion processes occurring in a river basin to manage the erosion severity and plan for better soil conservation programs. This paper seeks to calculate the sediment yield and maximum outflow from the Sarada river basin located in the western hills of Nepal using the computer-graphic Intensity of Erosion and Outflow (IntErO) model. Asymmetry coefficient of 0.63 was calculated, which suggests a possibility of large floods to come in the river basin in the future whereas the maximum outflow from the river basin was 1918 m³ s−1. An erosion coefficient value of 0.40 was obtained, which indicates surface erosion of medium strength prevails in the river basin. Similarly, the gross soil loss rate of 10.74 Mg ha−1 year−1 was obtained with the IntErO modeling which compares well with the soil loss from the erosion plot measurements. The IntErO model was used for the very first time to calculate soil erosion rates in the Nepalese hills and has a very good opportunity to be applied in similar river basins.

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Monitoring and Estimating Soil Loss in Agricultural Areas - Case Studies in Chania, Crete, Greece

10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-6578 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Anthi Eirini Vozinaki ◽

Dimitris Alexakis ◽

Ioannis Tsanis

Keyword(s):

Soil Erosion ◽

Case Studies ◽

Soil Quality ◽

Soil Loss ◽

Cropping Systems ◽

Sediment Traps ◽

Assessment Process ◽

Ongoing Research ◽

Erosion Processes ◽

Yearly Average

Olive and vine orchards in the island of Crete suffer from extreme soil erosion due to intense rainfall, farm slope and/or the intensification of tilling processes. This research aims to assess the impacts of agricultural practices, land use, and vegetation cover on the quantity of erosion processes in three study areas located in Western Crete. These areas provide the case studies of soil loss (erosion/deposition) monitoring analysis and assessment process. Advanced research treatments of Soil Improving Cropping Systems (SICS) are implemented and tested in three different crop types: (1) Crop cover treatment (i.e. seed with vetch) applied in vineyards (Vitis vinifera) in Alikampos; (2) Tilled treatment applied in Olive orchards (Olea europaea cv. Koroneiki) in Astrikas; and (3) Crop switch treatment from Orange trees to Avocados applied in Koufos. It is notable that an avocado farm, besides providing financial benefits, can also maintain a superior overall soil quality. Soil erosion has not been measured yet for avocados, however, avocado plantations are proposed as a sustainable alternative. Soil loss is estimated for the aforementioned case studies, by comparing the results from treatments applied in SICS areas, with the Control areas, where no treatment has taken place. Three different methodologies are used in order to identify soil loss amount: (a) Sediment traps (all sites); (b) Cross sections measurement (Alikampos and Astrikas) and (c) Soil deposition reference sticks (Alikampos and Koufos). Preliminary results show that soil loss values (tn/ha), are absolute values of erosion/deposition, and range from 2.33 to 16.41 tn/ha for vineyards with no vetch (Control), from 1.64 to 13.46 tn/ha for vineyards with vetch (SICS), from 2.21 to 15.66 tn/ha for no tilled olive orchards (Control), from 0.43 to 5.8 tn/ha for tilled olive orchards (SICS), from 2.63 to 10.05 tn/ha for orange orchards (Control), and from 2.24 to 8.95 tn/ha for avocado orchards (SICS). In addition, the ongoing research has already yielded the following yearly average soil loss rates (tn/ha/yr): vineyards &#8211; Control 6.883 tn/ha/yr versus vineyards &#8211; SICS 6.587 tn/ha/yr; olive orchards -&#160; Control 7.019 tn/ha/yr versus olive orchards &#8211; SICS 3.215 tn/ha/yr; and orange orchards &#8211; Control 6.406 tn/ha/yr versus avocados &#8211; SICS 5.386 tn/ha/yr. The above field results are also in general agreement with the yearly average soil erosion rates in the island of Crete, modeled by several researchers. All study sites show mitigation of soil loss and improvement of soil quality from the application of SICS treatments. Therefore, it is recommended to raise farmers&#8217; awareness about their effectiveness in order to confront the consequences of soil degradation.Keywords: Soil Loss; Sediment Traps; Soil Improving Cropping Systems; CreteThe research leading to these results is funded by H2020 program under grant agreement n&#176; 633814 (SOILCARE).

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