scholarly journals Soil erosion risk assessment: a case study of the Jos Plateau, Nigeria

2021 ◽  
pp. 109-117
Author(s):  
Ayodele Owonubi
Keyword(s):  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Vegetation Index ◽  
Vegetation Coverage ◽  
Anthropogenic Factors ◽  
Rainfall Erosivity ◽  
Entire Area ◽  
Jos Plateau ◽  
Erosion Rates ◽  
Erosion Processes ◽  
Soil Erosion Rates

Soil erosion is a treat to global food security. The objective of this study was to evaluate factors influencing erosion on the arable lands of the Jos Plateau; and to estimate the extent of soil erosion in the area. Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) model was used to evaluate soil erosion processes in the study area. This was facilitated with the aid of Geographic Information System Both for Interpolation and Geospatial analysis. Soil data from field survey was the primary source of data for analysis of soil erodibility. Topographic factor was determined from 90-meter elevation data. Rainfall erosivity was determined from rainfall data at 1 kilometer resolution. Whereas vegetation cover factor was determined from Normalized Difference Vegetation Index. Results of the study indicate that rainfall erosivity values were remarkably high and have mean values of 5117MJ.mm/ ha.h.y. Analysis of percent areal coverage indicate that the entire area had 52, 34, 7, and 7% low, moderate, high and very high topographic factors respectively. Further analysis indicate that anthropogenic factors had severely affected vegetation coverage of the Jos plateau, especially on the arable lands. Furthermore, during this research, the mean annual actual and potential soil erosion rates were estimated spatially over the Jos Plateau area. Soil erosion rates were far more than tolerable rates thereby affecting soil fertility and productivity.

scholarly journals Geospatial-based automated watershed modeling in Garhwal Himalaya

2010 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 502-520 ◽  
Author(s):  
U. C. Kothyari ◽  
Raaj. Ramsankaran ◽  
D. Sathish Kumar ◽  
S. K. Ghosh ◽  
Nisha Mendiratta
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Distribution ◽  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Watershed Modeling ◽  
Erosion Rates ◽  
Erosion Processes ◽  
Runoff Potential ◽  
Soil Erosion Rates ◽  
Modelling Methodology ◽  
User Friendly

An automated GIS tool and its computational outcomes on the spatial distribution of runoff and soil erosion are presented. The developed tool, named Automated Soil Erosion Assessment Tool (ASEAT), simulates runoff and soil erosion rates based on the concept of erosion processes suggested by Morgan–Morgan–Finney (MMF) in 1984. ASEAT is provided with a user-friendly graphical user interface (GUI) to interact with the users. The computational algorithms used are made fully automated and have been developed using the ERDAS Macro Language (EML) and Spatial Macro Language (SML). The developed modelling methodology is applied to the data of an experimental watershed of Pathri Rao in the Indian lower Himalayan region. Generated spatial distribution of runoff potential and soil erosion rates for the studied watershed using ASEAT are depicted by maps. The model-computed surface runoff potential (145.63 mm) available in the watershed seems fair when compared with the runoff depth (176.07 mm) observed at the watershed outlet. The derived estimates of soil erosion are validated, albeit qualitatively, with field observations and seem reliable for making decisions on the adoption of soil erosion conservative measures in the watershed.

scholarly journals Impacts of Weather Types on Soil Erosion Rates in Vineyards at “Celler Del Roure” Experimental Research in Eastern Spain

Atmosphere ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 551 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jesús Rodrigo-Comino ◽  
José María Senciales-González ◽  
Enric Terol ◽  
Gaspar Mora-Navarro ◽  
Yeboah Gyasi-Agyei ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Soil Loss ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Atmospheric Conditions ◽  
Weather Types ◽  
Erosion Rates ◽  
Erosion Processes ◽  
Soil Erosion Rates

To understand soil erosion processes, it is vital to know how the weather types and atmospheric situations, and their distribution throughout the year, affect the soil erosion rates. This will allow for the development of efficient land management practices to mitigate water-induced soil losses. Vineyards are one of the cultivated areas susceptible to high soil erosion rates. However, there is a lack of studies that link weather types and atmospheric conditions to soil erosion responses in viticultural areas. Thus, the main aim of this research is to assess the impacts of weather types and atmospheric conditions on soil erosion processes in a conventional vineyard with tillage in eastern Spain. To achieve this goal, rainfall events from 2006 to 2017 were monitored and the associated runoff and soil loss were collected from experimental plots. Our results showed that the highest volume of runoff and soil erosion is linked to rainfall associated with the eastern winds that accounted for 59.7% of runoff and 63.9% of soil loss, while cold drops in the atmospheric situation classifications emerged as the highest contributor of 40.9% in runoff and 44.1% in soil loss. This paper provides new insights into the development of soil erosion control measures that help to mitigate the negative impact of extreme rainfall and runoff considering atmospheric conditions.

scholarly journals Improving the global applicability of the RUSLE model – adjustment of the topographical and rainfall erosivity factors

2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (9) ◽  
pp. 2893-2913 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Naipal ◽  
C. Reick ◽  
J. Pongratz ◽  
K. Van Oost
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Global Scale ◽  
Rainfall Erosivity ◽  
Large Spatial Scale ◽  
Rusle Model ◽  
Erosion Rates ◽  
Coarse Resolution ◽  
Soil Erosion Rates ◽  
The Usa

Abstract. Large uncertainties exist in estimated rates and the extent of soil erosion by surface runoff on a global scale. This limits our understanding of the global impact that soil erosion might have on agriculture and climate. The Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) model is, due to its simple structure and empirical basis, a frequently used tool in estimating average annual soil erosion rates at regional to global scales. However, large spatial-scale applications often rely on coarse data input, which is not compatible with the local scale on which the model is parameterized. Our study aims at providing the first steps in improving the global applicability of the RUSLE model in order to derive more accurate global soil erosion rates. We adjusted the topographical and rainfall erosivity factors of the RUSLE model and compared the resulting erosion rates to extensive empirical databases from the USA and Europe. By scaling the slope according to the fractal method to adjust the topographical factor, we managed to improve the topographical detail in a coarse resolution global digital elevation model. Applying the linear multiple regression method to adjust rainfall erosivity for various climate zones resulted in values that compared well to high resolution erosivity data for different regions. However, this method needs to be extended to tropical climates, for which erosivity is biased due to the lack of high resolution erosivity data. After applying the adjusted and the unadjusted versions of the RUSLE model on a global scale we find that the adjusted version shows a global higher mean erosion rate and more variability in the erosion rates. Comparison to empirical data sets of the USA and Europe shows that the adjusted RUSLE model is able to decrease the very high erosion rates in hilly regions that are observed in the unadjusted RUSLE model results. Although there are still some regional differences with the empirical databases, the results indicate that the methods used here seem to be a promising tool in improving the applicability of the RUSLE model at coarse resolution on a global scale.

scholarly journals Estimating Non-Sustainable Soil Erosion Rates in the Tierra de Barros Vineyards (Extremadura, Spain) Using an ISUM Update

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (16) ◽  
pp. 3317 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jesús Rodrigo-Comino ◽  
Jesús Barrena-González ◽  
Manuel Pulido-Fernández ◽  
Artemi Cerdá
Keyword(s):  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Spatial Variability ◽  
Management System ◽  
Soil Management ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
Surface Level ◽  
Erosion Rates ◽  
Erosion Processes ◽  
Sampling Points ◽  
Soil Erosion Rates

Monitoring soil erosion processes and measuring soil and water yields allow supplying key information to achieve land degradation neutrality challenges. Vineyards are one of the most affected agricultural territories by soil erosion due to human and natural factors. However, the spatial variability of soil erosion, the number of sampling points, and plot size necessary to estimate accurate soil erosion rates remains unclear. In this research, we determine how many inter-rows should be surveyed to estimate the soil mobilization rates in the viticulture area of Tierra de Barros (Extremadura, SW Spain) using the Improved Stock Unearthing Method (ISUM). This method uses the graft union of the vines as a passive biomarker of the soil surface level changes since the time of plantation and inter-row measures. ISUM was applied to three inter-row and four rows of vines (5904 sampling points) in order to determine how many surfaces and transects must be surveyed as all the previous surveys were done with only one inter-row. The results showed average values of soil depletion reaching −11.4, −11.8, and −11.5 cm for the inter-rows 1, 2, and 3, respectively. The current soil surface level descended 11.6 cm in 20 years. The inter-rows 1, 2, and 3 with a total area of 302.4 m2 each one (2016 points) recorded 71.4, 70.8, and 74.0 Mg ha−1 yr−1, respectively. With the maximum number of sampling points (5904), 71.2 Mg ha−1 yr−1 were obtained. The spatial variability of the soil erosion was shown to be very small, with no statistically significant differences among inter-rows. This could be due to the effect of the soil profile homogenization as a consequence of the intense tillage. This research shows the potential predictability of ISUM in order to give an overall overview of the soil erosion process for vineyards that follow the same soil management system. We conclude that measuring one inter-row is enough to get an overview of soil erosion processes in vineyards when the vines are under the same intense tillage management and topographical conditions. Moreover, we demonstrated the high erosion rates in a vineyard within the viticultural region of the Tierra de Barros, which could be representative for similar vineyards with similar topographical conditions, soil properties, and a possible non-sustainable soil management system.

scholarly journals Tracing erosion rates in loess landscape of the Trzebnica Hills (Poland) over time using fallout and cosmogenic nuclides

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aleksandra Loba ◽  
Jarosław Waroszewski ◽  
Dmitry Tikhomirov ◽  
Fancesca Calitri ◽  
Marcus Christl ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Temporal Trends ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Undisturbed Soil ◽  
Erosion Rates ◽  
Erosion Processes ◽  
Fallout Radionuclides ◽  
Soil Erosion Rates

Abstract Purpose Loess landscapes are highly susceptible to soil erosion, which affects soil stability and productivity. Erosion is non-linear in time and space and determines whether soils form or degrade. While the spatial variability of erosion is often assessed by either modelling or on-site measurements, temporal trends over decades to millennia are very often lacking. In this study, we determined long- and short-term erosion rates to trace the dynamics of loess deposits in south-western Poland. Materials and methods We quantified long-term (millennial) erosion rates using cosmogenic (in situ 10Be) and short-term (decadal) rates with fallout radionuclides (239+240Pu). Erosion processes were studied in two slope-soil transects (12 soil pits) with variable erosion features. As a reference site, an undisturbed soil profile under natural forest was sampled. Results and discussion The long-term erosion rates ranged between 0.44 and 0.85 t ha−1 year−1, whereas the short-term erosion rates varied from 1.2 to 10.9 t ha−1 year−1 and seem to be reliable. The short-term erosion rates are up to 10 times higher than the long-term rates. The soil erosion rates are quite consistent with the terrain relief, with erosion increasing in the steeper slope sections and decreasing in the lower parts of the slope, while still maintaining high values. Conclusions Soil erosion rates have increased during the last few decades owing to agriculture intensification and probably climate change. The measured values lie far above tolerable erosion rates, and the soils were found to be strongly imbalanced and exhibit a drastic shallowing of the productive soils horizons.

scholarly journals Soil erosion in an avalanche release site (Valle d'Aosta: Italy): towards a winter factor for RUSLE in the Alps

2014 ◽  
Vol 14 (7) ◽  
pp. 1761-1771 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Stanchi ◽  
M. Freppaz ◽  
E. Ceaglio ◽  
M. Maggioni ◽  
K. Meusburger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Snow Cover ◽  
Soil Loss ◽  
Release Site ◽  
Rainfall Erosivity ◽  
Mountain Areas ◽  
Empirical Prediction ◽  
Erosion Rates ◽  
Erosion Processes

Abstract. Soil erosion in Alpine areas is mainly related to extreme topographic and weather conditions. Although different methods of assessing soil erosion exist, the knowledge of erosive forces of the snow cover needs more investigation in order to allow soil erosion modeling in areas where the snow lays on the ground for several months. This study aims to assess whether the RUSLE (Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation) empirical prediction model, which gives an estimation of water erosion in t ha yr−1 obtained from a combination of five factors (rainfall erosivity, soil erodibility, topography, soil cover, protection practices) can be applied to mountain areas by introducing a winter factor (W), which should account for the soil erosion occurring in winter time by the snow cover. The W factor is calculated from the ratio of Ceasium-137 (137Cs) to RUSLE erosion rates. Ceasium-137 is another possible way of assessing soil erosion rates in the field. In contrast to RUSLE, it not only provides water-induced erosion but integrates all erosion agents involved. Thus, we hypothesize that in mountain areas the difference between the two approaches is related to the soil erosion by snow. In this study we compared 137Cs-based measurement of soil redistribution and soil loss estimated with RUSLE in a mountain slope affected by avalanches, in order to assess the relative importance of winter erosion processes such as snow gliding and full-depth avalanches. Three subareas were considered: DS, avalanche defense structures, RA, release area, and TA, track area, characterized by different prevalent winter processes. The RUSLE estimates and the 137Cs redistribution gave significantly different results. The resulting ranges of W evidenced relevant differences in the role of winter erosion in the considered subareas, and the application of an avalanche simulation model corroborated these findings. Thus, the higher rates obtained with the 137Cs method confirmed the relevant role of winter soil erosion. Despite the limited sample size (11 points), the inclusion of a W factor in RUSLE seems promising for the improvement of soil erosion estimates in Alpine environments affected by snow movements.

scholarly journals Mapping Soil Erosion Sensitive Areas in Organic Matter Amended Soil Associations in the Ntabelanga area, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (9) ◽  
pp. 1693-1702
Author(s):  
Cosmas Parwada ◽  
Johan van Tol
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Conservation Priorities ◽  
Rainfall Erosivity ◽  
Soil Association ◽  
Erosion Rates ◽  
R Factor ◽  
K Factor ◽  
Soil Erosion Rates ◽  
Shallow Soils

The study aims to map areas sensitive to erosion by water and rainfall erosivity after addition of organic matter (OM) in highly unstable soils. A soil association map was created using digital soil mapping methodology. Soil samples from six soil associations were incubated and analysed for several soil erodibility measures and inferred to the soil association map. Soil stabilization against soil erosion by use of OM was evaluated for 30 weeks under two simulated rainstorms, intermittent rainstorms (IR) and single rainstorm (SR). Rainfall erosivity (R-factor) was calculated from theduration of a rainstorm and the total amount of rainfall received under rainfall simulations. Erodibility factor (K-factor) was estimated using the soil OM content and texture. Largest area (40%) was covered by shallow soils and K-factor range of 0.0693-0.0778 t.ha.hha-1MJ-1mm-1. Largest (60.2%) area had a structural stability index of 0.8 and 42.7% of the area was covered by a dispersion ratio value range of 0.65-0.70. The area size with erosion rates of > 15 t/ha/yr was drastically reduced from 1 to 8 weeks after OM application thereafter gradually increased under both IR and SR.  Soil erosion rates of < 5 t-1 ha-1 yr-1 and > 15 t-1 ha-1 yr-1 were most and least observed respectively under both storms. R-factor was higher under IR than SR and the smallest areas with soil erosion rates of > 15 t-1 ha-1 yr-1 contributed most to the lost soil. Organic matter confers soil resistance to erosion up to a certain period before losing its effectiveness. The study provided first assessment of erosion dynamics, basis for identifying  conservation priorities which may be applicable in similar areas. Keywords: Erosivity, planning, rainstorm, soil conservation, soil degradation

scholarly journals The impact of road and railway embankments on runoff and soil erosion in eastern Spain

2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 12947-12985 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Pereira ◽  
A. Gimeìnez-Morera ◽  
A. Novara ◽  
S. Keesstra ◽  
A. Jordán ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Overland Flow ◽  
Erosion Rates ◽  
Infiltration Rates ◽  
Erosion Processes ◽  
Land Use Types ◽  
Soil Erosion Rates ◽  
On The Road ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. Road and railway infrastructure increased in the Mediterranean region during the last three decades. This included the building of embankments, which are assumed to be a~large source of sediments and runoff. However, little is known about soil erosion rates, the factors that control them, and the processes that contribute to detachment, transport and deposition of sediments from road and railway embankments. The objective of this study was therefore to assess the impacts of road and railway embankments as a source of sediment and water, and compare them to other land use types (citrus plantations and shrublands) representative of the Cànyoles watershed to evaluate the importance of road embankments as a~source of water and sediment under high magnitude low frequency rainfall events. Sixty rainfall experiments (1 m2 plots; 60 min duration; 78 mm h−1 rainfall intensity) were carried out on these land use types: 20 on two railway embankments (10 + 10), 20 on two road embankments (10 + 10), and 10 on citrus and 10 on shrubland. Road and railway embankments were characterized by bare soils with low organic matter and high bulk density. Erosion processes were more active in road, railway and citrus plots, and null in the shrublands. The non-sustainable soil erosion rates of 3 Mg ha−1 y−1 measured on the road embankments were due to the efficient runoff connectivity plus low infiltration rates within the plot as the runoff took less than one minute to reach the runoff outlet. Road and railway embankments are both an active source of sediments and runoff, and soil erosion control strategies must be applied. The citrus plantations also act as a~source of water and sediments (1.5 Mg ha−1 y−1), while shrublands are sediment sinks, as no overland flow was observed due to the high infiltration rates.

Quantification of soil erosion (using 239+240Pu) on periglacial chronosequences reveals the importance of vegetation cover in soil stabilisation

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessandra Musso ◽  
Michael E. Ketterer ◽  
Konrad Greinwald ◽  
Clemens Geitner ◽  
Markus Egli
Keyword(s):  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Vegetation Cover ◽  
Swiss Alps ◽  
Vegetation Coverage ◽  
Vegetation Development ◽  
Erosion Rates ◽  
Fallout Radionuclides ◽  
Soil Stabilisation ◽  
Soil Erosion Rates ◽  
Chemical Soil

&lt;p&gt;High mountainous areas are are strongly shaped by redistribution processes of sediments and soils. Due to the projected climate warming and the continued retreat of glaciers in the 21&lt;sup&gt;st&lt;/sup&gt; century, we can expect the area of newly exposed, highly erodible sediments and soils to increase. While soil and vegetation development is increasingly well understood and quantified, it has rarely been coupled to soil erosion. The aim of this study was to assess how soil erosion rates change with surface age. We investigated two moraine chronosequences in the Swiss Alps which were situated in a siliceous and calcareous lithology and spanned over 30 &amp;#8211; 10&amp;#8217;000 yrs and 110 &amp;#8211; 13&amp;#8217;500 yrs, respectively. We used &lt;sup&gt;239+240&lt;/sup&gt;Pu fallout radionuclides to quantify the average soil erosion rates over the last 60 years and compared them to physico&amp;#8722;chemical soil properties and the vegetation coverage. At both chronosequences, the erosion rates were highest in the young soils. The erosion rates decreased markedly after 3&amp;#8722;5 ka of soil development to reach a more or less stable situation after 10&amp;#8722;14 ka. This decrease &amp;#160;goes hand in hand with the development of a closed vegetation cover. We conclude that depending on the relief and vegetational development, it takes up to at least 10 ka to reach soil stability. The establishment of a closed vegetation cover with dense root networks appears to be the controlling factor in the reduction of soil erodibility in periglacial areas.&lt;/p&gt;

scholarly journals Improving the global applicability of the RUSLE model – adjustment of the topographical and rainfall erosivity factors

2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 2991-3035 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Naipal ◽  
C. Reick ◽  
J. Pongratz ◽  
K. Van Oost
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Global Scale ◽  
Rainfall Erosivity ◽  
Large Spatial Scale ◽  
Rusle Model ◽  
Erosion Rates ◽  
Coarse Resolution ◽  
Soil Erosion Rates ◽  
The Usa

Abstract. Large uncertainties exist in estimated rates and the extent of soil erosion by surface runoff on a global scale, and this limits our understanding of the global impact that soil erosion might have on agriculture and climate. The Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) model is due to its simple structure and empirical basis a frequently used tool in estimating average annual soil erosion rates at regional to global scales. However, large spatial scale applications often rely on coarse data input, which is not compatible with the local scale at which the model is parameterized. This study aimed at providing the first steps in improving the global applicability of the RUSLE model in order to derive more accurate global soil erosion rates. We adjusted the topographical and rainfall erosivity factors of the RUSLE model and compared the resulting soil erosion rates to extensive empirical databases on soil erosion from the USA and Europe. Adjusting the topographical factor required scaling of slope according to the fractal method, which resulted in improved topographical detail in a coarse resolution global digital elevation model. Applying the linear multiple regression method to adjust rainfall erosivity for various climate zones resulted in values that are in good comparison with high resolution erosivity data for different regions. However, this method needs to be extended to tropical climates, for which erosivity is biased due to the lack of high resolution erosivity data. After applying the adjusted and the unadjusted versions of the RUSLE model on a global scale we find that the adjusted RUSLE model not only shows a global higher mean soil erosion rate but also more variability in the soil erosion rates. Comparison to empirical datasets of the USA and Europe shows that the adjusted RUSLE model is able to decrease the very high erosion rates in hilly regions that are observed in the unadjusted RUSLE model results. Although there are still some regional differences with the empirical databases, the results indicate that the methods used here seem to be a promising tool in improving the applicability of the RUSLE model on a coarse resolution on global scale.

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