scholarly journals Understanding the role of water and tillage erosion from <sup>239+240</sup>Pu tracer measurements using inverse modelling

SOIL ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 549-564
Author(s):  
Florian Wilken ◽  
Michael Ketterer ◽  
Sylvia Koszinski ◽  
Michael Sommer ◽  
Peter Fiener
Keyword(s):  
Arable Land ◽  
Sustainable Use ◽  
Degradation Process ◽  
Inverse Modelling ◽  
Ground Moraine ◽  
Tracer Studies ◽  
Soil Redistribution ◽  
Erosion Processes ◽  
Kettle Hole ◽  
Tillage Erosion

Abstract. Soil redistribution on arable land is a major threat for a sustainable use of soil resources. The majority of soil redistribution studies focus on water erosion, while wind and tillage erosion also induce pronounced redistribution of soil materials. Tillage erosion especially is understudied, as it does not lead to visible off-site damages. The analysis of on-site/in-field soil redistribution is mostly based on tracer studies, where radionuclide tracers (e.g. 137Cs, 239+240Pu) from nuclear weapon tests are commonly used to derive the erosion history over the past 50–60 years. Tracer studies allow us to determine soil redistribution patterns but integrate all types of soil redistribution processes and hence do not allow us to unravel the contribution of individual erosion processes. The aim of this study is to understand the contribution of water and tillage erosion leading to soil patterns found in a small hummocky ground moraine kettle hole catchment under intensive agricultural use. Therefore, 239+240Pu-derived soil redistribution patterns were analysed using an inverse modelling approach accounting for water and tillage erosion processes. The results of this analysis clearly point out that tillage erosion is the dominant process of soil redistribution in the study catchment, which also affects the hydrological and sedimentological connectivity between arable land and the kettle hole. A topographic change up to 17 cm (53 yr)−1 in the eroded parts of the catchment is not able to explain the current soil profile truncation that exceeds the 239+240Pu-derived topographic change substantially. Hence, tillage erosion already started before the onset of intense mechanisation since the 1960s. In general, the study stresses the urgent need to consider tillage erosion as a major soil degradation process that can be the dominant soil redistribution process in sloped arable landscapes.

scholarly journals Understanding the role of water and tillage erosion from <sup>239+240</sup>Pu tracer measurements using inverse modelling

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Florian Wilken ◽  
Michael Ketterer ◽  
Sylvia Koszinski ◽  
Michael Sommer ◽  
Peter Fiener
Keyword(s):  
Arable Land ◽  
Sustainable Use ◽  
Degradation Process ◽  
Inverse Modelling ◽  
Ground Moraine ◽  
Tracer Studies ◽  
Small Catchment ◽  
Soil Redistribution ◽  
Erosion Processes ◽  
Tillage Erosion

Abstract. Soil redistribution on arable land is a major threat for a sustainable use of soil resources. The soil redistribution process most studies focus on is water erosion, while wind and tillage erosion also induce pronounced redistribution of soil materials. Especially, tillage erosion is understudied, as it does not lead to visible off-site damages. The analysis of on-site/in-field soil redistribution is mostly based on tracer studies, whereas radionuclide tracers (e.g. 137Cs, 239+240Pu) from nuclear weapon tests are commonly used to derive the erosion history over the past 50–60 yr. Tracer studies allow to determine soil redistribution patterns, but integrate all kinds of soil redistribution processes and hence do not allow to unravel the contribution of different erosion processes. The aim of this study is to understand the contribution of water and tillage erosion leading to soil patterns found in a small hummocky ground moraine catchment under intensive agricultural use. Therefore, 239+240Pu derived soil redistribution patterns were analysed using an inverse modelling approach accounting for water and tillage erosion processes. The results of this analysis clearly point out that tillage erosion is the dominant process of soil redistribution in the small catchment, which also affects the hydrological and sedimentological connectivity between arable land and the kettle hole. A topographic change up to 17 cm (53 yr)−1 in the eroded parts of the catchment is not able to explain the current soil profile truncation that exceeds the 239+240Pu derived topographic change substantially. Hence, tillage erosion is not limited to the time since the onset of intense mechanisation since the 1960s. In general, the study stresses the urgent need to consider tillage erosion as a very important soil degradation process that drives patterns of soil properties in our arable landscapes.

scholarly journals What role does tillage erosion play regarding landscape evolution of an intensively used hummocky landscape?

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lena Katharina Öttl ◽  
Peter Fiener ◽  
Florian Wilken ◽  
Michael Sommer
Keyword(s):  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Aerial Photographs ◽  
Mean Annual Precipitation ◽  
Landscape Development ◽  
Tillage Practices ◽  
Soil Redistribution ◽  
North East ◽  
Erosion Processes ◽  
Tillage Erosion ◽  
Crop Biomass

&lt;p&gt;Hummocky landscapes under intensive arable use are substantially affected by erosion processes. Data from the Quillow catchment (size: 196 km&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;; mean annual precipitation: 500 mm) in North-East Germany are used to estimate landscape-scale water and tillage erosion with the model SPEROS-C. Recent results show that tillage erosion causes substantial soil redistribution that can distinctively exceed water erosion. In consequence, truncated soil profiles can be found on hilltops and steep slopes, whereas colluvial material is accumulated in depressions and along downslope field boarders. The resulting spatial variability of soil types with different properties and conditions is known to influence crop growth and leads to a highly variable biomass pattern in hummocky landscapes under highly mechanised arable cultivation.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The main goal of our study is to link tillage-induced erosion rates to landscape development at centennial time scales. By modelling the development of the hummocky moraine landscape of North-Eastern Germany, we explain the spatial distribution of the current soil erosion state. Furthermore, the soil erosion induced impact on crop biomass patterns and the redistribution of soil organic carbon since the beginning of human land use in this area is assessed. To address this goal, a new model component is implemented into SPEROS-C that iteratively rejuvenates topography backwards in time considering modelled erosion and deposition rates. Afterwards, modelling forward in time allows estimating carbon fluxes due to soil redistribution. Furthermore, the extent and location of truncated soils will be validated with historic aerial photographs at different time steps.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The benefits of implementing landscape development into SPEROS-C are that (i) an annual update of topography generates a more realistic soil erosion pattern, (ii) the current crop biomass pattern may be explained by erosion history, and (iii) estimates about the future development of crop yield patterns considering ongoing tillage practices can be drawn from a validated soil erosion and landscape development model.&lt;/p&gt;

Effect of surface rills on soil redistribution by tillage erosion on a steep hillslope

Geomorphology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 380 ◽  
pp. 107637
Author(s):  
Yong Wang ◽  
Zehong Zhang ◽  
Jianhui Zhang ◽  
Xinlan Liang ◽  
Xing Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Redistribution ◽  
Tillage Erosion ◽  
Effect Of Surface

scholarly journals On the Issue of Research of Information Support of Sustainable Agricultural Landscapes Formation

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Ecological Impact ◽  
Arable Land ◽  
Agricultural Landscapes ◽  
Information Support ◽  
Erosion Processes ◽  
Shelter Belts ◽  
Forest Belts ◽  
Methodological Approaches ◽  
The Creation

Purpose. To characterize the methodological approaches that we develop in the formation of a system of information support for the creation and maintenance of the functioning of modern sustainable agricultural landscapes and to show the results of their implementation on the example of the territory of some agricultural enterprises of the Kharkiv region. Methods. Cartographic, geoinformation analysis, calculation, statistical and mathematical. Results. Some results of the work of the collective on the issues of information support for the creation and maintenance of the functioning of modern sustainable agricultural landscapes. Namely, verification of erosion models, studies of the functionality of shelter belts, the formation of an agroeconet (an extensive network of natural and quasi-natural landscapes) on agricultural land massifs, which ensures the maintenance of stable functioning of meso and macrolevel agrolandscapes, as well as the experience of using magnetic prospecting methods to verify the results of mathematical modeling of erosion processes. Conclusions. A number of methodological approaches to information support of the formation of sustainable agricultural landscapes in the natural and socio-economic conditions of Ukraine have been developed. They relate to the functioning of anti-erosion measures of permanent action, the processes of modern transformation of agro-landscapes, the ecological impact of erosion processes on the environment. The connection between the length of forest belts per unit of arable land and soil erosion is shown. A methodical approach has been developed to estimate the amount of soil washed away from arable land and to calculate the measures necessary to eliminate its harmful effects on the environment.

scholarly journals ORGANIZATION OF SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL LAND USE BASED ON LANDSCAPE ANALYSIS

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 339-348
Author(s):  
Vladimir TATARINTSEV ◽  
◽  
Leonid TATARINTSEV ◽  
Alex MATSYURA ◽  
Andrei BONDAROVICH ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Arable Land ◽  
Agricultural Landscapes ◽  
Landscape Analysis ◽  
Anthropogenic Activity ◽  
Agricultural Land Use ◽  
Agricultural Lands ◽  
Rational Use ◽  
Erosion Processes

The aim of the work was the landscape analysis of agricultural geographical landscapes in the Altai Territory and elaboration of measures aimed at the rational use of agricultural lands. Environmental and landscape (landscape) approach became the main method of scientific research used in the analysis of modern agricultural landscapes. The cartographic method, using GIS-technologies, made it possible to digitize the obtained materials. Synthesized maps of agro-ecological, natural and other zoning of territories are based on topographic, soil, geobotanical and other thematic maps made during land surveying during the field survey. Retrospective analysis, induction and deduction methods,analysis and synthesis, as well as the abstract-logic method were also used in the work. Our main result was the analysis of land use territory for agricultural enterprise in municipal district of Altai Krai. Exploration of lands indicates a pronounced plant-growing specialization of JSC “Pobeda” with a developed animal breeding direction. Limiting factors affecting the rational use of land are natural and climatic conditions, terrain,unsystematic anthropogenic activity and, as a result, the development of erosion processes. The degree of eroded and deflated arable land is more than 50%, hay and pasture lands are also very unstable. Landscapes have been typified, based on which eleven types of land have been identified and their geomorphological description has been carried out. The first five types of land can be used for agricultural production with limitations compensated by crop technology and erosion control measures, the sixth and seventh types require grassing and, in some cases,conservation, the eighth and ninth types can be partially used for pasture and area valorization; the remaining two are not suitable for agricultural use but should be potentially used for planting and forest management. As a result of the presented transformation of agricultural lands, the structure of cultivated areas has changed. The area of arable land decreased by 877 ha, and of pastures by 365 ha,while the area under hayfields, fallow lands, and forest lands increased by 295, 191, and 875 ha respectively. Low-productive lands were withdrawn from agriculture. We suggested that the sustainability of agricultural land use was mainly caused by the reduction of anthropogenic load and increase in ecological equilibrium of the territory.

scholarly journals Sourse degradation - global environmental problem

2017 ◽  
pp. 63-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Myroslav Voloshchuk
Keyword(s):  
Soil Degradation ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Arable Land ◽  
Soil Layer ◽  
Organic Fertilizers ◽  
Economic Losses ◽  
Complex Situation ◽  
Erosion Processes ◽  
Fertile Soil ◽  
Catchment Areas

Based on generalization of literary sources, normative legal, stock materials and experimental data, the complex situation of soil degradation is highlighted. Different types and intensity of the manifestation of soil degradation, their distribution and characteristics are described. The threatening situation of manifestation of degradation processes in some regions of Ukraine is shown, among which soil erosion occupies the leading place. More than 4.5 million hectares are occupied by medium and strongly ground soils, including 68 thousand hectares completely lost their humus horizon. Particularly large areas of eroded soils are distributed on arable land in the Vinnytsia, Luhansk, Donetsk, Odesa, Chernivtsi and Ternopil regions, where the average annual ground wash is 24.5–27.8 t/ha with a tolerance of 2.5–3.7 t/ha. As a result of erosion processes from the total area of agricultural land, about 500 million tons of fertile soil layer is washed out on average annually, which contains about 24 million tons of humus, 0.96 million tons of nitrogen, 0.68 million tons of phosphorus and 9.4 million tons of potassium equivalent to 320–333 million tons of organic fertilizers, and ecological and economic losses due to erosion exceed 9 billion UAH. Flat soil was associated with linear erosion. The main indicators characterizing the degree of damage to land by linear erosion are the density of ravines, the distance and area between them, the slope, the properties of soils and rocks, the morphometric parameters of the ravines and their catchment areas. According to various estimates, the area of land affected by linear erosion in the country increases by 5–10 thousand ha annually. The effect of the ravines on the complete destruction of the land, deformation of the soil cover is highlighted. Information on various types of soil pollution by poison chemicals, industrial waste is given. According to the prediction of scientists in such a situation, 120–150 years on the planet can destroy the fertile soil layer. Key words: erosion, dehumidification, pollution, waterlogging, acidity, degraded land.

scholarly journals Voloshchuk M. D., Petrenko N. I., Yatsenko S. V. Erosian of soils of Ukraine: the evolution of theory and practice. – Kyiv : Nilan, Ltd., 2014. – 325 p.

2015 ◽  
Vol 16 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 102-106
Author(s):  
A. P. Travleyev ◽  
V. A. Gorban
Keyword(s):  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Wind Erosion ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Arable Land ◽  
Great Part ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Forest Steppe ◽  
National Academy Of Sciences ◽  
Erosion Processes ◽  
National University

At the present time the great part of soils is exposed to various negative processes. One of the basic processes that lead to the degradation of soils in Ukraine is the erosion. According to the recent data, water and wind erosion covers 13.9 million hectares; it is about 33 % of the total arable land in the country. On this basis, the greater relevance belongs to the scientific studies displaying the features of negative phenomena of our soil, and, most importantly, the ways of solving of these urgent problems on the soil cover of Ukraine. The monograph «Soil erosion in Ukraine: the evolution of theory and practice» of such famous scientists in the field of Soil Erosion Science as Voloshchuk M. D., Petrenko N. I. and Yatsenko S. V. is one of such fundamental works. In the present monograph, considerable attention is paid to the periodization of the formation and development of the doctrine of soil erosion in Ukraine. The authors identify six basic stages of formation of the national Soil Erosion Science. The paper discusses the characteristic features of isolation of Soil Erosion Science as an independent scientific direction and a self-discipline, which are based on the works of such renowned scientists as P. S. Tregubov, M. N. Zaslavsky and G. I. Shvebs. A significant place in the monograph is devoted to the characteristics of the scientific centers of Ukraine, in which the Soil Erosion Science has been developed. These centers are distinguished by leading scientists, under the leadership of whom, the erosion processes have been studied. The authors of the monograph provides four main scientific centers of the country in the field of Soil Erosion Science development: National Scientific Centre «Institute of Agriculture of the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences» (central region), National Scientific Center «Institute for Soil Science and Agrochemistry Research named after O. N. Sokolovsky», Scientific-Technical Center «Fertility» (Kharkiv region), Odessa I. I. Mechnikov National University (south region), Lviv National Agrarian University, Institute of Ecology of the Carpathians of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Ivan Franko National University of Lviv and others (west region). In addition to considering the features of the listed centers, in the work there is a presentation of a brief description of the project, research institutes, agricultural and agroforestry research stations that are active in a scientific work in relation to soil erosion processes. In the work, there are also the historical aspects and mechanisms for the further development of wind erosion researches. Considerable attention the authors of the monograph pay to the analysis of the current state, challenges and prospects of solving the problem on protecting the soil from erosion. The main problem of the country's soil, which is the cause of widespread erosion, is a very high agricultural development of the territory, more than half of which falls onto an arable land. At the end of the monograph, there are a large number of photos, provided by Professor M. D. Voloshchuk, which recorded various aspects of soil erosion manifestations, as well as the ways of its overcoming in the conditions of forest-steppe and steppe zones in Ukraine and on the territory of Moldova. The reviewed monograph is certainly a very relevant and timely generalizing scientific research that will be useful in the theoretical and practical use of students, academic staff of the natural and agricultural higher education institutions, research organizations.

scholarly journals The Effect of Shallow Tillage on Soil Erosion in a Semi-Arid Vineyard

Agronomy ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 257 ◽  
Author(s):  
Agata Novara ◽  
Giovanni Stallone ◽  
Artemio Cerdà ◽  
Luciano Gristina
Keyword(s):  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Soil Degradation ◽  
Erosion Rate ◽  
Arable Land ◽  
Water Erosion ◽  
Soil Tillage ◽  
Strip Tillage ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Semi Arid ◽  
Tillage Erosion

Soil erosion has been considered a threat for semi-arid lands due to the removal of solid materials by water and wind. Although water erosion is currently considered the most important process of soil degradation, a growing interest has been drawn to the impact of soil tillage. Although numerous studies on tillage erosion have been carried out on arable land using a moldboard plow, a chisel, and a tandem disc for different crops, there are no studies on the effect of shallow tillage on soil redistribution in vineyards. The aim of this work was to evaluate the soil tillage erosion rate in a vineyard using a 13C natural abundance tracer. A strip of soil (C3-C soil) was removed, mixed with C4-C tracer, and replaced. After the installation of the strip, tillage (upslope in one inter-row and downslope in the other inter-row) was performed with a cultivator and soil was collected along the slope with an interval of 0.2 m from the C4-C strip. Soil organic carbon and δ13C were measured and the total mass of translocated soil (T) soil was calculated. The net effect of tillage after two consecutive operations (downslope and upslope tillage) was a T of 49.3 ± 4.2 kg m−1. The estimated annual erosion rate due to tillage in the studied vineyard was 9.5 ± 1.2 Mg ha−1year−1. The contribution of the soil tillage erosion rate was compared with that of water erosion in the same vineyard, and we conclude that tillage is a threat to soil degradation.

scholarly journals Tillage erosion: a review of controlling factors and implications for soil quality

2006 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 443-466 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Van Oost ◽  
G. Govers ◽  
S. De Alba ◽  
T. A. Quine
Keyword(s):  
Soil Properties ◽  
Water Erosion ◽  
Controlling Factors ◽  
Conservation Strategies ◽  
Soil Productivity ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Erosion Rates ◽  
Soil Redistribution ◽  
Tillage Depth ◽  
Tillage Erosion

Tillage erosion has been identifed as an important global soil degradation process that has to be accounted for when assessing the erosional impacts on soil productivity, environmental quality or landscape evolution. In this paper, we present a summary of available data describing tillage erosion. This provides insights in the controlling factors determining soil redistribution rates and patterns by tillage for various implements used in both mechanized and non-mechanized agriculture. Variations in tillage depth and tillage direction cause the largest variations in soil redistribution rates, although other factors, such as tillage speed and implement characteristics, also play an important role. In general, decreasing tillage depth and ploughing along the contour lines substantially reduce tillage erosion rates and can be considered as effective soil conservation strategies. Implement erosivities reported in literature, characterized by the tillage transport coeffcient, are very consistent and range in the order of 400–800 kg m-1yr-1 and 70–260 kg m-1yr-1 for mechanized and nonmechanized agriculture, respectively. Comparison of tillage erosion rates with water erosion rates using a global data set indicates that tillage erosion rates are at least in the same order of magnitude or higher than water erosion rates, in almost all cases. Finally, we discuss how tillage erosion increases the spatial variability of soil properties and affects soil nutrient cycling. Considering the widespread use of tillage practices, the high redistribution rates associated with the process and its direct effect on soil properties, it is clear that tillage erosion should be considered in soil landscape studies.

scholarly journals Estimation of soil redistribution rates due to snow cover related processes in a mountainous area (Valle d'Aosta, NW Italy)

2012 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 517-528 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Ceaglio ◽  
K. Meusburger ◽  
M. Freppaz ◽  
E. Zanini ◽  
C. Alewell
Keyword(s):  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Sediment Yield ◽  
Mountainous Area ◽  
Mountain Areas ◽  
Spatial And Temporal Scales ◽  
Erosion Rates ◽  
Soil Redistribution ◽  
Erosion Processes ◽  
Soil Accumulation ◽  
Snow Gliding

Abstract. Mountain areas are widely affected by soil erosion, which is generally linked to runoff processes occurring in the growing season and snowmelt period. Also processes like snow gliding and full-depth snow avalanches may be important factors that can enhance soil erosion, however the role and importance of snow movements as agents of soil redistribution are not well understood yet. The aim of this study was to provide information on the relative importance of snow related processes in comparison to runoff processes. In the study area, which is an avalanche path characterized by intense snow movements, soil redistribution rates were quantified with two methods: (i) by field measurements of sediment yield in an avalanche deposition area during 2009 and 2010 winter seasons; (ii) by caesium-137 method, which supplies the cumulative net soil loss/gain since 1986, including all the soil erosion processes. The snow related soil accumulation estimated with data from the deposit area (27.5 Mg ha−1 event−1 and 161.0 Mg ha−1 event−1) was not only higher than the yearly sediment amounts, reported in literature, due to runoff processes, but it was even more intense than the yearly total deposition rate assessed with 137Cs (12.6 Mg ha−1 yr−1). The snow related soil erosion rates estimated from the sediment yield at the avalanche deposit area (3.7 Mg ha−1 and 20.8 Mg ha−1) were greater than the erosion rates reported in literature and related to runoff processes; they were comparable to the yearly total erosion rates assessed with the 137Cs method (13.4 Mg ha−1 yr−1 and 8.8 Mg ha−1 yr−1). The 137Cs method also showed that, where the ground avalanche does not release, the erosion and deposition of soil particles from the upper part of the basin was considerable and likely related to snow gliding. Even though the comparison of both the approaches is linked to high methodological uncertainties, mainly due to the different spatial and temporal scales considered, we still can deduce, from the similarity of the erosion rates, that soil redistribution in this catchment is driven by snow movement, with a greater impact in comparison to the runoff processes occurring in the snow-free season. Nonetheless, the study highlights that soil erosion processes due to the snow movements should be considered in the assessment of soil vulnerability in mountain areas, as they significantly determine the pattern of soil redistribution.

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