The impact of land use and land cover changes on soil erosion in western Iran

Natural Hazards - Analysis of long-term land use and land cover (LULC) changes requires up-to-date remotely sensed data to assess their effects on erosion. This is a particularly important...     

Effects of land use changes on soil erosion in a fast developing area

Land use changes extensively affect soil erosion, which is a great environmental concern. To evaluate the effect of land use change on soil erosion in fast economic developing areas, we studied land use changes of Guangdong, China, from 2002 to 2009 using remote sensing and estimated soil erosion using the Universal Soil Loss Equation. We calculated the areas and percentage of each land use type under different erosion intensity and analyzed soil erosion changes caused by transitions of land use types. In addition, the impact of land use change on soil erosion in different river catchments was studied. Our results show that forest and wasteland land conversions induce substantial soil erosion, while transition from wasteland to forest retards soil loss. This suggests that vegetation cover changes significantly influence soil erosion. Any conversion to wasteland causes soil erosion, whereas expansion of forests and orchards mitigates it. The most significant increase in soil erosion from 2002 to 2009 was found in the Beijiang catchment corresponding to the transition from forest/orchard to built-up and wasteland. Soil erosion in the Xijiang catchment accelerated in this period due to the enormous reduction in orchard land. In Hanjiang catchment, erosion was alleviated and vegetation coverage greatly expanded owing to considerable transitions from wasteland and cropland to orchards. Field investigations validated our estimations and proved the applicability of this method. Measures including protecting vegetation, strict control of mining as well as reasonable urban planning should be taken to prevent successive soil erosion.     

Investigating effects of land use change scenarios on soil erosion using CLUE-s and RUSLE models

Predicting soil erosion change is an important strategy in watershed management. The objective of this research was to evaluate land use change effects on soil erosion in the north of Iran using five land use scenarios. Three land use maps were created for a period of 25 years (1986–2010) to investigate land use transition and to simulate land use for the year 2030. Additionally, the RUSLE model was used to estimate erosion and the effect of land use change. The results showed that CLUE-s is suitable for modeling future land use transition using ROC curve. The median soil loss in the basis period was 104.52 t ha^?1 years^?1. Results indicate that the range of soil loss change is 2–32% in simulated period and soil loss value was higher than basis period in all scenarios. Thirty percent decrease in demand scenario has the lowest soil loss in simulated period, and the soil loss value under this scenario will be only 2% more than the basis period. Thus, the soil conversion effects resulted from the demand of each land use.     

Investigating spatial contribution of land use types and land slope classes on soil erosion distribution under tropical environment

Natural Hazards - Increasing land occupancy for farming without conservation principles, particularly in the Indonesian island of Java, is resulting in a severe erosion problem. This study...     

Assessing the impacts of land use changes on watershed hydrology using MIKE SHE

A fully distributed, physically-based hydrologic modeling system, MIKE SHE, was used in this study to investigate whole-watershed hydrologic response to land use changes within the Gyeongancheon watershed in Korea. A grid of 200 × 200 m was established to represent spatial variations in geology, soil, and land use. Initial model performance was evaluated by comparing observed and simulated streamflow from 1988 to 1991. Results indicated that the calibrated MIKE SHE model was able to predict streamflow well during the calibration and validation periods. Proportional changes in five classes of land use within the watershed were derived from multi-temporal Landsat TM imageries taken in 1980, 1990 and 2000. These imageries revealed that the watershed experienced conversion of approximately 10% non-urban area to urban area between 1980 and 2000. The calibrated MIKE SHE model was then programmed to repeatedly analyze an artificial dataset under the various land use proportions identified in the Landsat TM imageries. The analysis was made to quantitatively assess the impact of land use changes (predominantly urbanization) on watershed hydrology. There were increases in total runoff (5.5%) and overland flow (24.8%) as a response to the land use change.     

Regional soil erosion in response to land use and increased typhoon frequency and intensity,Taiwan

Reservoir sedimentation data and sediment yields from Taiwanese rivers show increased soil erosion in response to both 20th century changes in land use and a more recent increase in typhoon frequency and intensity. Decadal variations of up to 5- to 20-fold in suspended-sediment rating curves demonstrate supply-limited transport and correspond to increased sediment delivery from hillslopes due to changes in land use, regional ground shaking during the Chi-Chi earthquake, and post-2000 changes in typhoon frequency and intensity. While accelerated erosion in central Taiwan after the Chi-Chi earthquake has been documented previously, our results show that periods of increased upland erosion also occurred earlier, in response to 20th century changes in land use. Analyses of rainfall records and typhoon frequency for the period 1900–2009 further point to an island-wide increase in erosion rates corresponding to increased typhoon frequency and intensity after 1990.     

Flood occurrence hazard forecasting based on geographical information system

The application of Geographical Information system (GIS) in modeling flood and its prediction in catchments offers considerable potential. Several examples illustrate simple GIS techniques to produce flood hazard indices or its zonation using hydrologic-type models. Existing flood models can also be loosely coupled to a GIS, such as the HMS (Hydrological Modeling System) model. Forethermore, models can be fully integrated into a GIS by embedded coupling, such as the SCS (Soil Conservation Service) model. Installation of flood forecasting systems in watersheds with incomplete hydrometric data may reduce the flood-induced damages. In this study Geographical Information system used to up to date the watershed data and estimation of SCS model parameters which is sensible to considered the real time flood forecasting in Kasilian catchment of Mazandaran province. The main aim of this paper is to investigate the possibility of the linkage between GIS with a comprehensive hydrologic model, especially HMS. The use of GIS could produce a suitable agreement between observed results (extracted rainfall and runoff data of 1992, 1995 and 1996 from the related stations) with the calculated results of the hydrological model. The obtained results from rainfall-runoff process simulations of the model in this research showed that submergibility of the main watershed, Kasillian, does not depend on the outlet discharge rate of each one of its watershed independently. But it is related to how those two outlet hydrographs from main river watershed are combined. The model is capable of showing the flood characteristics temporally and spatially in each cross section of the channel network.     

坡面松散砾石土侵蚀过程及其特征研究

砾石土因其含砾、粉细砂和粘性土,具有级配宽、不均匀系数大、透水性强等特点,在土石坝防渗体土料和工程防渗墙中得到广泛应用。目前的研究多针对砾石土在工程应用方面,对于坡面松散砾石土降雨淋滤作用导致土体细粒成分流失、土体组构改变以至影响土体力学性质变化以及坡面物质稳定性变化等系列研究并不多见。利用人工降雨装置,进行了人工降雨坡面松散砾石土降雨淋滤试验,开展了砾石土侵蚀过程及其特征初步试验研究。试验表明,降雨作用下砾石土斜坡表面土体形态变化具有明显的阶段性特征,随着坡长的增加,产流率和侵蚀模数成线性增加,径流量随降雨时间跳跃和波动性增加,径流泥沙含量随降雨时间的增加以近似幂函数曲线关系递减。     

The impact of land use and land cover changes on soil moisture and hydraulic conductivity along the karst hillslopes of southwest China

The understanding of the temporal and spatial dynamics of soil moisture and hydraulic property is crucial to the study of several hydrological and ecological processes. Karst environments are extremely fragile because of thin soil and small soil water holding capacity. A marked intensification of agricultural land use and deforestation due to increase of population and thus expansion of agricultural areas has made the karst environment even more delicate. In this study, the soil moisture contents (SMC) and hydraulic conductivities (K) along four karst hillslopes were measured in situ by time domain reflectometry and the Guelph Permeameter, respectively, at test plots, each of which has a different vegetative cover, landform, land surface slope, soil property and content of rock fragment. The statistical results from the measurements show that land cover changes strongly affect the distribution of soil moisture and hydraulic properties. Compared with SMC in the bare soil areas, SMC values are 30.5, 20.1 and 10.2% greater in the forest, shrub and grass areas, respectively. Vegetation roots significantly increase permeability of low-layer silt soils. Measured K values were 0.8, 0.6 and 0.01 cm/min for the forest, agriculture and bare soil areas, respectively. When the forest was destroyed by fire or cut to become an agricultural area or bare soils, SMC would be reduced by 13.1 and 32.1%, respectively. If deforestation leads to strong rock desertification, SMC was reduced by 70%. Bedrock fractures significantly reduce the SMC in the overlying layer, but increase K values. SMC values of 30–45% would be reduced to 17–30% for the soil layer embedding rocks with and without fractures, respectively. K values could be increased from 1.0 to 8.5 cm/min. SMC are sensitive to terrain. A slope angle increase of 1° would reduce SMC about 0.82%. These changes resulting from land cover and land use alterations offer useful information to further investigate the response of ecosystem evolution to hydrodynamic processes.     

Assessing stone degradation using an integrated database and geographical information system (GIS)

An integrated database and geographical information system (GIS) for the recording and monitoring of stone degradation are outlined. GIS requirements for stone degradation are summarized and a simple classification system for weathering forms identified and applied. The potential use of the system for identifying change in weathering forms using historic imagery is illustrated using an example from Oxford. Combining information from imagery of different buildings at different time periods, it is possible to put forward a possible scenario of weathering form evolution.     

环境侵蚀下水泥土的强度及细观破裂过程分析

研究了环境侵蚀下水泥土的细观破裂行为,利用中国科学院武汉岩土力学研究所的岩石破裂过程细观力学试验系统,对在各种侵蚀环境中侵蚀一定时间的水泥土细观试件进行了一系列破裂过程试验,实时观察并用显微数码摄像系统记录了水泥土试件的细观破裂全过程,得到了水泥土的应力-应变关系曲线及其对应显微图像。研究结果表明,环境侵蚀后水泥土的细观破坏特征主要有两类,即弹塑性破坏和脆性破坏。细观试验是研究环境侵蚀下水泥土破坏过程的有效手段。     

Assessment of soil erosion risk using SWAT model

Soil erosion is one of the most serious land degradation problems and the primary environmental issue in Mediterranean regions. Estimation of soil erosion loss in these regions is often difficult due to the complex interplay of many factors such as climate, land uses, topography, and human activities. The purpose of this study is to apply the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model to predict surface runoff generation patterns and soil erosion hazard and to prioritize most degraded sub-catchment in order to adopt the appropriate management intervention. The study area is the Sarrath river catchment (1,491 km²), north of Tunisia. Based on the estimated soil loss rates, the catchment was divided into four priority categories for conservation intervention. Results showed that a larger part of the watershed (90 %) fell under low and moderate soil erosion risk and only 10 % of the watershed was vulnerable to soil erosion with an estimated sediment loss exceeding 10 t?ha^?1?year^?1. Results indicated that spatial differences in erosion rates within the Sarrath catchment are mainly caused by differences in land cover type and gradient slope. Application of the SWAT model demonstrated that the model provides a useful tool to predict surface runoff and soil erosion hazard and can successfully be used for prioritization of vulnerable areas over semi-arid catchments.     

土地利用和覆被变化对岩溶区土壤CO2浓度的影响

通过选择3个具有不同地质背景、气候条件等环境特征的山西汾阳马跑-郭庄岩溶泉域、湖南湘西大龙洞地下河流域、广西桂江流域,对流域内具有代表性的不同土地利用方式和覆被类型下垫面土壤20~50cm深处CO2浓度进行检测。结果显示,土地利用方式和覆被变化对3个流域岩溶土壤中20cm、30cm、40cm和50cm深处CO2浓度具有明显的影响作用:湖南湘西大龙洞地下河流域多数样地土壤CO2表现为随土层的加深先增加后降低的双向梯度;山西马跑-郭庄泉域玉米地的土壤CO2浓度比种植马铃薯的高,且随着覆被条件由草地→灌丛→林地的改善,土壤的扰动性变小,CO2浓度差趋于减少,变幅趋于稳定。各个流域相同覆被类型,群落结构和优势种变化越小,土壤CO2浓度变幅越小。      

Mapping groundwater quality for irrigation in Punjab, North-West India, using geographical information system

The state of Punjab—a part of the Indus basin of the Indian subcontinent has an excellent net work of irrigation facilities. However, due to intensive cultivation it is facing a major problem with respect to quality of groundwater for irrigation. In the present investigation, geo-referenced groundwater samples were analysed to map water quality using geographical information system. Electrical conductivity varied from 0.418 to 5.754 dS m^?1 with an average of 1.365 dS m^?1. The carbonate ranged between 0 and 120 mg L^?1, whereas bicarbonate ranged from 5 to 1,000 mg L^?1. Chloride varied from 7 to 2,347 mg L^?1. Calcium plus magnesium ranged from 12 to 1,216 mg L^?1 with a mean value of 169 mg L^?1. Sodium adsorption ratio ranged between 0.0 and 34.78 with an average of 2.66 meq L^?1/2. Residual sodium carbonate varied from 0 to 21.30 meq L^?1 with a standard deviation of 2.24. The Geographic Information System (GIS)-based mapping indicated that water in suitable category spatially covered 45.7 % of the state which is located mostly in the sub-mountain (Siwalik Hills), north-eastern undulating and piedmont and alluvial plain agro-eco-subregions. Marginally suitable groundwater spatially covered 46.1 % in the central alluvial plain and south-western alluvial plain agro-eco-subregions. Unsuitable groundwater covered 8.2 % of the state, mostly in the erstwhile sodic soils areas in the central alluvial plain and south-western alluvial plain agro-eco-subregions. GIS-based maps are effective in identifying hot spots which need immediate attention and call for strategic planning for sustainable management.     

Influence of bare soil and cultivated land use types upstream of a bank gully on soil erosion rates and energy consumption for different gully erosion zones in the dry-hot valley region,Southwest China

This study assessed temporal variation in soil erosion rates in response to energy consumption of flow (ΔE). It employed an in situ bank gully field flume experiment with upstream catchment areas with bare (BLG) or cultivated land (CLG) that drained down to bare gully headcuts. Water discharge treatments ranged from 30 to 120 L Min⁻¹. Concentrated flow discharge clearly affected bank gully soil erosion rates. Excluding minimal discharge in the CLG upstream catchment area (30 L min⁻¹), a declining power function trend (p ≤ 0.1) was observed with time in soil erosion rates for both BLG and CLG upstream catchment areas and downstream gully beds. Non-steady state soil erosion rates were observed after an abrupt collapse along the headcut slope after prolonged scouring treatments. However, as the experiment progressed, ΔE and energy consumption of flow per unit soil loss (ΔEu) exhibited a logarithmic growth trend (p < 0.1) at each BLG and CLG position. Although similar temporal trends in soil erosion and infiltration rates were observed, values clearly differed between BLG and CLG upstream catchment areas. Furthermore, Darcy–Weisbach friction factor (f) values in the CLG upstream catchment area were higher than the corresponding BLG area. In contrast to the BLG upstream catchment area, lower ΔEu and higher soil erosion rates were observed in the CLG upstream catchment area as a result of soil disturbances. This indicated that intensive land use changes accelerate soil erosion rates in upstream catchment areas of bank gullies and increase soil sediment transport to downstream gullies. Accordingly, reducing tillage disturbances and increasing vegetation cover in upstream catchment areas of bank gullies are essential in the dry-hot valley region of Southwest China.

     

Hypsometric analysis of Shakkar river catchment through geographical information system

Hypsometric analysis of watershed (area-elevation analysis) has generally been used to reveal the stages of geomorphic development (stabilized, mature and young). The geologic stages of development and proneness of the watersheds for erosion are quantified by hypsometric integral. The estimation of hypsometric integral is carried out from the graphical plot of the measured contour elevation and encompassed area by using empirical formulae. In this study, efforts were made to estimate the hypsometric integral values of Shakkar river watershed which is a tributary of Narmada river located in Madhya Pradesh. The watershed was delineated into eight sub-watersheds and hypsometric analysis was carried out for all of them using digital contour maps, which was generated using Arc/Info GIS. The hypsometric integral values for all the sub-watersheds of Shakkar river ranges between 0.47 and 0.51. In the study area, only mature stage of erosion cycle is identified.     

黄土坡面径流侵蚀产沙动力过程模拟与研究

通过室内模拟冲刷试验系统研究了3°~30°坡度范围内坡面径流的侵蚀动力及产沙特征,分析了坡面径流能耗与径流侵蚀产沙之间的关系。结果表明,坡面径流平均流速随坡度和流量的增加而增大,流速与坡度和流量之间存在指数函数关系,坡度对流速的影响大于流量。在3°~21°坡度范围内,坡面径流单宽能耗随坡度的增加而增加,当坡度超过21°时,径流能耗随坡度的增加而降低。坡度对侵蚀产沙的影响也有类似的现象,在3°~21°坡度范围内,坡面径流平均单宽输沙率随坡度的增加而增大,当坡度达到临界极值21°和24°后,坡面径流平均输沙率随坡度增加而减小;在整个试验坡度范围内,径流平均单宽输沙率随流量的增大而增大;流量对坡面径流平均单宽输沙率的影响大于坡度。坡面径流平均单宽输沙率和单宽径流能耗之间存在明显的线性关系,其临界单宽径流能耗随坡度的增加而增加,土壤可蚀性参数随坡度的变化在10.368~30.366的范围变化,试验的土壤可蚀性的平均值为14.61。