scholarly journals Identifying erosive periods by using RUSLE factors in mountain fields of the Central Spanish Pyrenees

2008 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 523-535 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. López-Vicente ◽  
A. Navas ◽  
J. Machín
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Moisture Content ◽  
Soil Loss ◽  
Rainfall Intensity ◽  
Soil Moisture Content ◽  
Rainfall Erosivity ◽  
Soil Erodibility ◽  
Maximum Rainfall ◽  
Freeze Thaw ◽  
Soil Losses

Abstract. The Mediterranean environment is characterized by strong temporal variations in rainfall volume and intensity, soil moisture and vegetation cover along the year. These factors play a key role on soil erosion. The aim of this work is to identify different erosive periods in function of the temporal changes in rainfall and runoff characteristics (erosivity, maximum intensity and number of erosive events), soil properties (soil erodibility in relation to freeze-thaw processes and soil moisture content) and current tillage practices in a set of agricultural fields in a mountainous area of the Central Pyrenees in NE Spain. To this purpose the rainfall and runoff erosivity (R), the soil erodibility (K) and the cover-management (C) factors of the empirical RUSLE soil loss model were used. The R, K and C factors were calculated at monthly scale. The first erosive period extends from July to October and presents the highest values of erosivity (87.8 MJ mm ha−1 h−1), maximum rainfall intensity (22.3 mm h−1) and monthly soil erosion (0.25 Mg ha−1 month−1) with the minimum values of duration of erosive storms, freeze-thaw cycles, soil moisture content and soil erodibility (0.007 Mg h MJ−1 mm−1). This period includes the harvesting and the plowing tillage practices. The second erosive period has a duration of two months, from May to June, and presents the lowest total and monthly soil losses (0.10 Mg ha−1 month−1) that correspond to the maximum protection of the soil by the crop-cover ($C$ factor = 0.05) due to the maximum stage of the growing season and intermediate values of rainfall and runoff erosivity, maximum rainfall intensity and soil erodibility. The third erosive period extends from November to April and has the minimum values of rainfall erosivity (17.5 MJ mm ha−1 h−1) and maximum rainfall intensity (6.0 mm h−1) with the highest number of freeze-thaw cycles, soil moisture content and soil erodibility (0.021 Mg h MJ−1 mm−1) that explain the high value of monthly soil loss (0.24 Mg ha−1 month−1). The interactions between the rainfall erosivity, soil erodibility, and cover-management factors explain the similar predicted soil losses for the first and the third erosive periods in spite of the strong temporal differences in the values of the three RUSLE factors. The estimated value of annual soil loss with the RUSLE model (3.34 Mg ha−1 yr−1) was lower than the measured value with 137Cs (5.38 Mg ha−1 yr−1) due to the low values of precipitation recorded during the studied period. To optimize agricultural practices and to promote sustainable strategies for the preservation of fragile Mediterranean agrosystems it is necessary to delay plowing till October, especially in dryland agriculture regions. Thus, the protective role of the crop residues will extend until September when the greatest rainfall occurs together with the highest runoff erosivity and soil losses.

scholarly journals Identifying erosive periods by using RUSLE factors in mountain fields of the Central Spanish Pyrenees

2007 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 2111-2142 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. López-Vicente ◽  
A. Navas ◽  
J. Machín
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Moisture Content ◽  
Rainfall Intensity ◽  
Soil Moisture Content ◽  
Rainfall Erosivity ◽  
Soil Erodibility ◽  
Maximum Rainfall ◽  
Freeze Thaw ◽  
Tillage Practices ◽  
Soil Losses

Abstract. The Mediterranean environment is characterized by strong temporal variations in rainfall volume and intensity, soil moisture and vegetation cover along the year. These factors play a key role on soil erosion. The aim of this work is to identify different erosive periods in function of the temporal changes in rainfall and runoff characteristics (erosivity, maximum intensity and number of erosive events), soil properties (soil erodibility in relation to freeze-thaw processes and soil moisture content) and current tillage practices in a set of agricultural fields in a mountainous area of the Central Pyrenees in NE Spain. To this purpose the rainfall and runoff erosivity (R), the soil erodibility (K) and the cover-management (C) factors of the empirical RUSLE soil loss model were used. The R, K and C factors were calculated at monthly scale. The first erosive period extends from July to October and presents the highest values of erosivity (87.8 MJ mm ha−1 h−1), maximum rainfall intensity (22.3 mm h−1) and monthly soil erosion (0.10 Mg ha−1 month−1) with the minimum values of duration of erosive storms, freeze-thaw cycles, soil moisture content and soil erodibility (0.007 Mg h MJ−1 mm−1). This period includes the harvesting and the plowing tillage practices. The second erosive period has a duration of two months, from May to June, and presents the lowest total and monthly soil losses (0.04 Mg ha−1 month−1) that correspond to the maximum protection of the soil by the crop-cover (C factor = 0.05) due to the maximum stage of the growing season and intermediate values of rainfall and runoff erosivity, maximum rainfall intensity and soil erodibility. The third erosive period extends from November to April and has the minimum values of rainfall erosivity (17.5 MJ mm ha−1 h−1) and maximum rainfall intensity (6.0 mm h−1) with the highest number of freeze-thaw cycles, soil moisture content and soil erodibility (0.021 Mg h MJ−1 mm−1) that explain the high value of monthly soil loss (0.09 Mg ha−1 month−1). The interactions between the rainfall erosivity, soil erodibility, and cover-management factors explain the similar predicted soil losses for the first and the third erosive periods in spite of the strong temporal differences in the values of the three RUSLE factors. To optimize agricultural practices and to promote sustainable strategies for the preservation of fragile Mediterranean agrosystems it is necessary to delay plowing till October, especially in dryland agriculture regions. Thus, the protective role of the crop residues will extend until September when the greatest rainfall occurs together with the highest runoff erosivity and soil losses.

scholarly journals Study on Variation of Surface Runoff and Soil Moisture Content in the Subgrade of Permeable Pavement Structure

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Lijun Hou ◽  
Yuan Wang ◽  
Fengchun Shen ◽  
Ming Lei ◽  
Xiang Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Moisture Content ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Surface Runoff ◽  
Rainfall Intensity ◽  
Soil Moisture Content ◽  
Asphalt Pavement ◽  
Infiltration Rate ◽  
Runoff Coefficient ◽  
Flood Peak

The self-designed indoor simulated rainfall device was used to rain on five types of pavement structures with 4 types of rainfall intensity (2.5 mm/min, 3.4 mm/min, 4.6 mm/min, and 5.5 mm/min). The effect of rainfall intensity on the surface runoff, the relation between the subgrade soil moisture content changes, and the influence of initial soil water content on rain infiltration rate are studied. The test results show that the surface runoff coefficient of densely asphalted pavement is greater than 90% in drainage pavements and it has little influence on the reducing and hysteresis of the flood peak. The surface runoff coefficient of large-void asphalt pavement (permeable) is less than 40%. Although the large-void asphalt pavement (permeable) can reduce a small amount of surface runoff, it has no obvious effect on the reduction and hysteresis of the flood peak. In semipermeable pavement, with the increasing of the thickness of base (graded gravel), the surface runoff coefficient decreases at different rainfall intensities, parts of the surface runoff are reduced, and the arrival of flood peaks is delayed. In permeable roads, almost no surface runoff occurred. As time continued, the soil moisture content quickly reached a saturated state and presented a stable infiltration situation under the action of gravity and the gradient of soil water suction. As the initial moisture content increases, the initial infiltration rate decreases and the time to reach a stable infiltration rate becomes shorter. The drier the soil, the greater the initial infiltration rate and the higher the soil moisture content after infiltration stabilization. Permeable roads can greatly alleviate the pressure of urban drainage and reduce the risk of storms and floods.

scholarly journals Effects of Rainfall Intensity and Slope Gradient on Runoff and Soil Moisture Content on Different Growing Stages of Spring Maize

Water ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (12) ◽  
pp. 2990-3008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenbin Mu ◽  
Fuliang Yu ◽  
Chuanzhe Li ◽  
Yuebo Xie ◽  
Jiyang Tian ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Moisture Content ◽  
Rainfall Intensity ◽  
Soil Moisture Content ◽  
Slope Gradient ◽  
Spring Maize

Effects of pulp fibre on soil physical properties and soil erosion under simulated rainfall

2003 ◽  
Vol 83 (1) ◽  
pp. 109-119 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. L. Chow ◽  
H. W. Rees ◽  
S. H. Fahmy ◽  
J. O. Monteith
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Moisture Content ◽  
Soil Loss ◽  
Soil Amendment ◽  
Soil Moisture Content ◽  
Soil Physical Properties ◽  
Pulp Fibre ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Runoff And Soil Loss

Pulp fibre, a primary type of sludge of pulp and paper mills containing approximately 40% organic C, is usually disposed of in landfills causing a potential environmental problem. This material may be used as a soil amendment to restore the productivity of organic-matter-depleted potato-producing soils in Atlantic Canada. The effect of incorporating this material at rates equivalent to 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, and 4.0% organic matter in the plow layer of a gravelly loam soil on selected soil physical properties and soil erosion was evaluated. The objectives were to determine the effect of pulp fibre additions on selected soil properties, which are pertinent to water retention and movement and to evaluate its effectiveness in reducing runoff and soil loss, major contributing processes to soil degradation . Chemical analysis of pulp fibre revealed that all heavy metal concentrations were well below allowable concentrations for Category A compost. One year after incorporation, bulk density of the Ap horizon had decreased with increasing rates of organic matter addition. On the other hand, the saturated hydraulic conductivity and specific moisture content increased with increasing rates of treatments. Results on water-stable aggregates revealed that the organic matter in the pulp fibre combined smaller aggregates to form larger aggregates, resulting in a larger proportion of macropores as compared to micropores. In the 4% organic matter treatment, a 27% increase was found in the 1.0 to 5.0 mm-diameter aggregates whereas a 23% reduction was found in aggregates smaller than 1.0 mm diameter. In spite of the higher specific moisture content of the organic-matter-treated soils, soil moisture content measured immediately prior to the erosion test indicated that field soil moisture contents were lower than those of the control. Time of runoff initiation, rates of runoff and soil loss were greatly improved with the amendments. The beneficial effects of the 4% organic matter treatment include 2.1 times delay in runoff initiation, and 23 and 71% reduction in runoff and soil loss, respectively. Although the beneficial effects in soil and water conservation are apparent, a minor drawback appears to be lower field soil moisture content. Large-scale implementation of the addition of this material in potato fields should proceed only with caution. Key words: Saturated hydraulic conductivity, moisture retention, water stable aggregate, mean weight diameter, sediment yield, soil amendment

scholarly journals Moisture Distribution in Sloping Black Soil Farmland during the Freeze–Thaw Period in Northeastern China

Water ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 536 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xianbo Zhao ◽  
Shiguo Xu ◽  
Tiejun Liu ◽  
Pengpeng Qiu ◽  
Guoshuai Qin
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Moisture Content ◽  
Soil Temperature ◽  
Gaussian Distribution ◽  
Soil Moisture Content ◽  
Black Soil ◽  
Moisture Distribution ◽  
Frozen Ground ◽  
Freeze Thaw ◽  
Thaw Period

This paper outlines dynamics of near-surface hydrothermal processes and analyzes the characteristics of moisture distribution during the freeze–thaw period in a typical black soil zone around Harbin, Northeastern China, a region with a moderate depth of seasonally frozen ground and one of the most important granaries in China. At Field Site 1, we analyzed the soil temperature and soil moisture content data from November 2011 to April 2012 from soil depths of 1, 5, 10, and 15 cm in sunny slope, and from depths of 1, 5, and 10 cm in shady slope black soil farmland. At Field Site 2, soil samples were collected from a168mlong sloping black soil field at locations 10, 50, 100, and 150 m from the bottom of the slope at different depths of 0–1 cm, 1–5 cm, and 5–10 cm at the same location. Analysis of the monitored Site 1 soil temperature and soil moisture content data showed that the soil moisture content and soil temperature fit line is consistent with a Gaussian distribution rather than a linear distribution during the freeze–thaw period. The soil moisture content and time with temperature fit line is in accordance with a Gaussian distribution during the freeze–thaw period. Site 2 soil samples were analyzed, and the soil moisture contents of the sloping black soil farmland were obtained during six different freeze–thaw periods. It was verified that the soil moisture content and time with temperature fit line is in accordance with a Gaussian distribution during the six different freeze–thaw periods. The maximum surface soil moisture content was reached during the early freeze–thaw period, which is consistent with the natural phenomenon of early spring peak soil moisture content under temperature rise and snow melt. The soil moisture contents gradually increased from the top to the bottom in sloping black soil farmland during the freeze–thaw period. Since the soil moisture content is related to soil temperature during the freeze–thaw cycle, we validated the correlation between soil temperature spatiotemporal China Meteorological Assimilation Driving Datasets for the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model–Soil Temperature (CMADS-ST) data and monitored data. The practicality of CMADS-ST in black soil slope farmland in the seasonal frozen ground zone of the study area is very good. This research has important significance for decision-making for protecting water and soil environments in black soil slope farmland.

scholarly journals Hydrothermal Effects of Freeze-Thaw in the Taklimakan Desert

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 1292
Author(s):  
Liu Xinchun ◽  
Kang Yongde ◽  
Chen Hongna ◽  
Lu Hui
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Moisture Content ◽  
Ambient Temperature ◽  
Soil Temperature ◽  
Soil Moisture Content ◽  
Soil Freezing ◽  
Taklimakan Desert ◽  
Freezing And Thawing ◽  
Freeze Thaw ◽  
The Taklimakan Desert

The Taklimakan Desert, also known as the “Sea of Death”, is the largest desert in China and also the world’s second largest remote desert. The road crossing the Taklimakan Desert is the longest desert road in the world and has been the center of the Silk Road since ancient times. Based on field observation data (November 2013 to May 2014) collected from the Tazhong and Xiaotang stations, we studied the interannual and diurnal variations of soil temperature, soil moisture content, and surface heat fluxes during different freezing and thawing periods. The annual and daily changes of soil temperature, soil moisture content, and surface energy fluxes at different freezing and thawing stages were analyzed. We illustrated the coupling relationship between water and heat in freezing-thawing soil in the Taklimakan Desert. We established a coupling model of soil water and heat during freezing and thawing. During the soil freezing period, the soil temperatures at different depths generally trended downward. The temperature difference between the Tazhong station and the Xiaotang station was 4~8.5 °C. The freezing time of soil at 20 cm depth occurred about 11 days after that at 10 cm depth. The effect of ambient temperature on soil temperature gradually weakened with the increase of soil depth. With the occurrence of the soil freezing process, the initial soil moisture contents at 5 cm, 10 cm, 20 cm, and 40 cm depths at the Xiaotang station were 6%, 10%, 29%, and 59%, respectively, and those at the Tazhong station were 5%, 3.6%, 4.4%, and 5.8%, respectively. As the ambient temperature decreased, the freezing front continued to move downward and the liquid soil water content at each depth decreased. The desert highway is closely related to the economic development and prosperity of southern Xinjiang. Therefore, it is important to maintain and inspect the safety and applicability of freeze-thaw zones and avoid casualties from vehicles and personnel.

scholarly journals Determination of erosion rainfall criteria based on natural rainfall measurement and its impact on spatial distribution of rainfall erosivity in the Czech Republic

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (No. 3) ◽  
pp. 153-162 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiří Brychta ◽  
Miloslav Janeček
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Distribution ◽  
Temporal Resolution ◽  
Soil Loss ◽  
Rainfall Intensity ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Rainfall Erosivity ◽  
Time Step ◽  
R Factor ◽  
Soil Losses ◽  
Runoff Plots

Rainfall erosivity is the main factor of the USLE or RUSLE equations. Its accuracy depends on recording precision and its temporal resolution, number of stations and their spatial distribution, length of recorded period, recorded period, erosion rainfall criteria, time step of rainfall intensity and interpolation method. This research focuses on erosion rainfall criteria. A network of 32 ombrographic stations, 1-min temporal resolution rainfall data, 35.6-year period and experimental runoff plots were used. We analysed 8951 rainfalls from ombrographic stations, 100 rainfalls and caused soil losses and runoffs from experimental runoff plots. Main parameter which influenced the number of erosion rainfalls was the precondition AND/OR which determines if conditions of rainfall total (H) have to be fulfilled simultaneously with rainfall intensity (I<sub>15</sub> or I<sub>30</sub>) or not. We proved that if parameters I<sub>15 </sub>&gt; 6.25 mm/15 min AND H &gt; 12.5 mm were fulfilled, then 84.2% of rainfalls caused soil loss &gt; 0.5 t/ha and 73.7% ≥ 1 t/ha. In the case of precondition OR only 44.6% of rainfalls caused soil loss &gt; 0.5 t/ha and 33.9% ≥ 1 t/ha. If the precondition AND was fulfilled, there were on average 75.5 rainfalls, average R factor for each rainfall was 21 MJ/ha·cm/h (without units below in the text, according international unit: 210 MJ/ha·mm/h) and average annual R factor was 45.4. In the case of precondition OR there were on average 279 rainfalls but average R factor for each rainfall was only 9.1 and average annual R factor was 67.4. Therefore if the precondition OR is used, R factor values are overestimated due to a high number of rainfalls with no or very low erosive potential. The resulting overestimated soil losses calculated using USLE/RUSLE subsequently cause an overestimation of financial expenses for erosion-control measures.  

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