Wind tunnel test of the influence of moisture on the erodibility of loessial sandy loam soils by wind

Loessial sandy loam soils are the major soil categories in the northern Loess Plateau, China. Owing to a dry, windy climate and sparse surface cover, wind erosion is a serious problem and dust (sand) storms occur frequently. Soil moisture is one of the most important factors influencing resistance to wind erosion. The influence of moisture content on the erodibility of sandy loam soils was investigated through wind tunnel simulations. Results showed that the threshold velocity for soil particle movement by wind increases with increasing soil moisture by a power function. The intrinsic factor in the increase in soil resistance due to moisture content is the cohesive force of soil water. Cohesive forces of the film and capillary water are different; the influence of soil moisture on threshold velocity was shown to follow a step-like pattern. The wind erosion modulus of sandy loam was directly proportional to the cube of the wind velocity or the square of the effective wind velocity (V−V_t). There existed a negative exponential relationship between the wind erosion rate and soil moisture content. Initially, as soil moisture increased the decrease in the wind erosion rate was rather rapid. When the moisture content reached more than 4%, the rate of decrease in erosion slowed and became almost constant with successive increments of moisture. This suggests that different soil moisture contents can prevent wind erosion at different levels. Four percent soil moisture could only reduce the erodibility of the sandy loam soil by a small degree.     

Effects of soil surface components on soil hydrological behaviour in a dry Mediterranean environment (Southern Spain)

Various researchers have studied the spatial pattern of soil surface components such as vegetation, rock fragments, bare soil, litter and surface crusts, as a key factor of hydrological behaviour in Mediterranean settings with heterogeneous patches of vegetation cover and strong human impact. The studies indicate that there is a mosaic of patches that generate run-off or infiltrate overland flow, distributed in various ways along hillslopes. Few of these studies, however, have looked at areas underlain by metamorphic rocks such as phyllites or schists. This study analysed the temporal and spatial variability of the effects of soil surface components on hydrological processes in a small dry Mediterranean catchment underlain by metamorphic rocks. A systematic sampling of multiple sites throughout a hydrological year was carried out.We related the hydrological behaviour of soil surface components to 1) their position along the hillslope, 2) the distance of existing vegetation tussocks from the line of run-off, 3) rainfall intensity and 4) the main physical/chemical soil properties affecting infiltration processes. Statistical analysis was used to check the validity of the relationships. The results show that soil surface components have highly variable effects, in both space and time, on soil hydrological behaviour. These effects particularly depend on the location along the line of maximum slope and the intensity of preceding rainfall, whose interaction defines soil hydrological status. These results are similar to those for other Mediterranean settings with different lithology, in that the succession of contributing patches are hydrologically interconnected along a hillslope. The variables used and the grouping of explanatory variables through principal component analyses were found to be suitable for discussing the spatial distribution of soil surface components in the hydrologically dynamic environment of the study area.     

金衢盆地退化红砂土在不同利用方式下肥力逆转特征

以浙江省金衢盆地为例 ,探讨了我国南方山间盆地广泛分布的退化红砂土的特征 ,研究了退化红砂土在人为参与下土壤肥力的逆转及其与利用方式的关系 ,分析了各种利用方式下红砂土肥力性质的演变特征。     

我国南方山区土壤退化及其防治

我国南方山区土壤退化成因主要是土壤及生态系统的脆弱性、人地系统矛盾尖锐、土壤侵蚀的动力作用、盲目开发和工矿建设的影响．应从建设本区稳定平衡的生态系统、调整农业结构、建立持续发展的农业优化模式和政策上采取防治土壤退化的措施．     

Impact of Land Cover on Temperature and Moisture Sensitivity of Soil Organic Matter Mineralization in Subtropical Southeastern China

Understanding the temperature and moisture sensitivity of soil organic matter (SOM) mineralization variations with changes in land cover is critical for assessing soil carbon (C) storage under global change scenarios. We determined the differences in the amount of SOM mineralization and the temperature and moisture sensitivity of soils collected from six land-cover types, including an orchard, a cropland, and four forests, in subtropical southeastern China. The responses of SOM mineralization to temperature (5, 10, 15, 20, and 25°C) and moisture (30%, 60%, and 90% of water-holding capacity [WHC]) were investigated by placing soil samples in incubators. Soil C mineralization rate and cumulative C mineralization were higher in orchard and cropland soils than in other forest soils. With increasing temperature, soil C mineralization rates and cumulative C mineralization increased with the rise of WHC. The temperature sensitivity of soil C mineralization was not affected by land-cover type and incubation moisture. All soil temperature treatments showed a similar response to moisture. Cropland soil was more responsive to soil moisture than other soils. Our findings indicate that cropland and orchard soils have a higher ability to emit CO₂ than forest soils in subtropical southeastern China.     

Changes in intensity of wind erosion at different stages of degradation development in grasslands of Inner Mongolia, China

Overgrazing by increasing numbers of livestock in the Horqin Sandy Land of Inner Mongolia, China, has led to extensive degradation of the region's sandy steppes. Degraded grasslands are generally classified into four main types: fixed (least degradation), semi-fixed (light degradation), semi-shifting (moderate degradation) and shifting (severe degradation) sandy lands, representing four stages of degradation development. An experiment was conducted in the Horqin Sandy Land to investigate changes in intensity of wind erosion at different stages of degradation development in sandy grasslands and determine the extent to which surface wind erosion was affected by surface-related soil and vegetation factors through their effects on surface roughness length and wind regimes. Daily wind erosion rate was monitored at four sites of degraded grassland over an erosive period from 1 April to 10 June in 2001. Soil and vegetation properties for these sites were also measured twice: one in mid-April prior to the establishment of vegetation and again in mid-June after the establishment of vegetation. Relationships between surface roughness length and soil and vegetation variables were examined at each of the two stages of vegetation development. This study shows striking differences in the intensity of surface wind erosion among sites. The daily wind erosion rate in the fixed sandy land was, on average, only about 1/5 of the rate in the semi-fixed sandy land, 1/14 of the rate in the semi-shifting sandy land and 1/47 of the rate in the shifting sandy land suggesting a much higher resistance of the fixed sandy land to wind erosion compared to other sites. Differences in rate of wind erosion between sites were attributed to between-site differences in soil and vegetation properties that exerted significant effects on wind regimes by altering surface roughness length. At the pre-establishment stage of vegetation, surface roughness length was determined by a combination of litter amount on the ground, soil surface hardness and soil moisture content, with litter amount explaining the greatest proportion of the variation. At the post-establishment stage of vegetation, the development of the surface roughness effects was mainly governed by vegetation characteristics (vegetation cover in particular), while the effects of soil surface hardness and soil moisture on surface roughness length are likely to be masked by vegetation effects. The findings suggest that better management practices of restoring vegetation in degraded grasslands are required to reduce soil erosion losses and achieve a sustainable livestock production in the Horqin Sandy Land, an ecologically fragile sandy land ecosystem.     

威连滩冲沟砂黄土的风蚀与降雨侵蚀模拟实验

 通过风洞与模拟降雨实验，研究了风力与降雨对青海省贵南县威连滩冲沟砂黄土的复合侵蚀作用。实验得出：①风蚀后的降雨使砂黄土表面在风干过程中形成了一层较为坚硬的结壳，增大了土壤的抗蚀性，降低了第二次风洞实验后期的风蚀率;②土壤水分与人为扰动是影响土壤风蚀的两个重要因素。当土壤水分较小时，风蚀率受人为扰动影响巨大;当土壤水分较大时，人为扰动对土壤风蚀的影响较小;③在持续降雨的实验条件下，砂黄土的产流、产沙量随着雨强的变化而改变。这种变化与表土的侵蚀率、可蚀性物质的多少、土壤水分以及土壤的入渗率等都有很大的关系。     

云南省几种土壤的发生特性与发育环境演变

本文从孢粉组成及石英砂表面形态角度研究了滇东南几种土壤的沉积环境及其演变，并研究了土壤粘粒矿物特性及化学组成特点。结果表明，土壤除受着目前成土因子作用外，沉积古环境及其演变对土壤发育特性及矿物学化学组成也有深刻的影响。     

中国东部亚热带丘陵山区土地退化坡面分带性的成因

中国东部地区流水侵蚀所引起的土地退化具有明显的坡面分带性。以安徽绩溪、浙江兰溪和广东五华为典型区,从坡地地貌及其所引起破面侵蚀分带性入手,通过坡面不同部位地面物质及其理化性质、养分和水分状况以及植被、侵蚀地貌形态的分析,探讨土地退化坡面分带性的成因。     

Soil water property variations in three adjacent land use types in the Rift Valley area of Ethiopia

This study investigated the effects of land use change on infiltration and moisture content of soils in three land use types. A total of 81 soil and core samples (3 replications × 3 treatments × 3 profiles × 3 soil depths) were used to determine parameters that may affect the infiltration properties of soils. The infiltration rate was measured in the field using double-ring infiltrometer with three replicates in each land use type. Results showed that infiltration rates were generally slow in the open grazed and cultivated lands suggesting high potential for runoff, limited percolation, and very low amount of water available in the soil profiles. The accumulated infiltration in soils under cultivation and open-grazing was smaller than the controlled grazing by approximately 57%. Similarly, cultivation and open-grazing had reduced the soil moisture content by 29 and 33%, respectively, compared to the controlled grazing. Surface soil compaction, higher dry bulk density and lower soil organic carbon, appeared to be the principal factors for the low infiltration capacity and moisture content of the soils. Therefore, dry land management, with long term tree cover and well regulated grazing system, is very crucial for the sustainable ecosystem functioning of this environmentally fragile area.     

基于Hyperion高光谱数据的土地退化制图研究--以陕西省横山县为例

以陕西省横山县境内的Hyperion数据为数据源,提出一种针对土地退化的制图方法:土地退化指数法(LDI: Land Degradation Index)。在影像分类的基础上,利用在分类过程中提取的训练样本进行线性波谱分离,得到各个端元的分离影像和RMS误差影像,再通过设置新的端元和反复运行线性波谱分离算法得到最终的训练样本,然后利用神经网络法对影像进行二次分类,最后在掩膜处理的基础之上把土地分为:轻度退化,中度退化和高度退化三种类型(Kappa=0.90)。文中分别采用了三种分类方法:监督分类与非监督分类相结合的混合分类方法、光谱角制图(SAM)方法、混合调制匹配滤波(MTMF)方法。结果显示混合分类方法(Kappa=0.71)具有比光谱角制图方法(Kappa=0.54)和混合调制匹配滤波方法(Kappa=0.60)更高的分类精度,所以选择在混合分类的基础上进行土地退化指数LDI的分析。     

黄土丘陵小流域土地利用格局对径流与土壤养分流失的影响--土壤侵蚀控制的意义

Serious soil erosion is one of the major issues threatening sustainable land use in semiarid areas, especially in the Loess Plateau of China. Understanding the effects of land use on soil and water loss is important for sustainable land use strategy. Two sub-catchments: catchment A (CA) and catchment B (CB) with distinct land uses were selected to measure soil moisture, runoff and soil nutrient loss in Da Nangou catchment of the Loess Plateau of China. The effects of land use patterns on runoff and nutrient losses were analyzed based on soil moisture pattern by kriging and soil nutrients using multiple regression model. The results indicated that there were significant differences in runoff yield and soil nutrient losses between the two sub-catchments. With similar land uses, the CA produced an average sediment yield of 49 kg ha-1 and 22.27 kg ha-1 during two storm events.Meanwhile, there was almost no runoff in the CB with dissimilar land uses during the same events.Buffer zones should be established to re-absorb runoff and to trap sediments in catchment with similar land use structure such as the CA. Moreover, land use management strategy aiming to increase the infiltration threshold of hydrological response units could decrease the frequency of runoff occurrence on a slope and catchment scale.     

南亚热带丘陵赤红壤理化性质变化及其原因

本文研究了南亚热带丘陵赤红壤物理、化学性质变 (退 )化的特征及其原因。结果表明 ,丘陵赤红壤在物理性质退化方面 ,主要表现在土壤团聚体稳定性下降、土壤孔隙性和土壤水分性能变劣 ;在化学性质退化方面 ,主要表现在养分贫瘠化、保肥供肥能力降低。植被破坏会引起土壤养分减少、保肥供肥能力降低 ,有机质的减少是丘陵赤红壤物理性质退化的主要原因。有必要保护植被、提高土壤有机质含量 ,以防止丘陵赤红壤理化性质退化     

The effects of land use on runoff and soil nutrient losses in a gully catchment of the hilly areas: implications for erosion control

Serious soil erosion is one of the major issues threatening sustainable land use in semiarid areas, especially in the Loess Plateau of China. Understanding the effects of land use on soil and water loss is important for sustainable land use strategy. Two sub-catchments: catchment A (CA) and catchment B (CB) with distinct land uses were selected to measure soil moisture, runoff and soil nutrient loss in Da Nangou catchment of the Loess Plateau of China. The effects of land use patterns on runoff and nutrient losses were analyzed based on soil moisture pattern by kriging and soil nutrients using multiple regression model. The results indicated that there were significant differences in runoff yield and soil nutrient losses between the two sub-catchments. With similar land uses, the CA produced an average sediment yield of 49 kg ha-1 and 22.27 kg ha-1 during two storm events. Meanwhile, there was almost no runoff in the CB with dissimilar land uses during the same events. Buffer zones should be established to re-absorb runoff and to trap sediments in catchment with similar land use structure such as the CA. Moreover, land use management strategy aiming to increase the infiltration threshold of hydrological response units could decrease the frequency of runoff occurrence on a slope and catchment scale.     

The relevance of humus forms for land degradation in Mediterranean mountainous areas

In the Gavarras (NE Spain), a large number of plots on respective schists, leucogranite and granodiorite was studied for their soils and vegetation. Results were used to check conclusions from earlier studies of Mediterranean forest soils (mostly shallow Regosols and Cambisols) on such acidic to intermediate rocks. They confirmed that the humus form depends on catenary position and lithology, and that aggregate stability and infiltration characteristics of the upper mineral soil horizon relate to humus form type. Aggregate stability of the topsoil was found to be relatively high in mor and mull type humus forms, but differences with moder type humus forms were not statistically significant. Differences in aggregate stability are attributed to the presence of stable humus–clay–iron complexes in mulls and to high fungal activity and organic matter content of mors. Low infiltration rates were only encountered in topsoils with mor type humus form, in line with results from the earlier studies. In deeper soil horizons with low organic matter content, aggregate stability will be largely related to soil reaction and base saturation. On leucogranite and granodiorite, these were found to vary strongly, most probably largely due to local differences in fast acid neutralizing capacity (ANC_f). These local differences are primarily attributed to differences in the mineralogical composition and texture of the soil material, connected with differences in lithology and/or brought about by erosion, colluviation and soil formation. Consonant with earlier studies, it is concluded that the susceptibility of these forest soils to erosion largely depends on properties of the upper mineral soil horizon, which are controlled by or related with humus form development. General trends in the latter are clear and can be used to predict this susceptibility. In the case of land degradation, which implies a more severe erosion, deeper soil horizons are also involved. Spatial variability in properties of these horizons, relevant for degradation, is considerable and not clearly related to humus form development. Accordingly, the abovementioned trends in humus form development cannot be used to predict the susceptibility to land degradation.     

有机质对青藏高原多年冻土活动层土壤持水性能的影响

土壤水分特征曲线描述土壤基质势ψ和含水量θ之间的函数关系,表征土壤的持水性能,是研究土壤水分入渗、蒸发、土壤侵蚀及溶质运移的关键。高寒气候特征使有机质在青藏高原地区大量积累,为确定多年冻土活动层土壤持水性能的影响因素,尤其是有机质的影响,在长江源北麓河地区采样分析。结果表明：相比于土壤粒度分布,容重和有机质是影响土壤持水性能的主要因素,其中高基质势下（0~-30 kPa）以容重影响为主,低基质势下（-100~-1 500 kPa）以有机质影响为主;有机质通过改变土壤结构和增强土壤的吸附性而影响土壤持水性能,同时影响程度取决于有机质的多少,土壤持水性与有机质含量呈正相关关系。本次研究有助于认识高寒地区土壤水文特征,对展开土壤水文过程的研究提供理论基础。     

西双版纳热带山地利用过程中的土壤退化

土壤养分和土壤微生物生长代谢水平的衰退是热带山地退化的重要表现形式。二者的变化基本是一致的。即从热带雨林→33a次生林→6a轮歇地→4a轮歇地→旱谷地→橡胶林→荒草坡呈降低趋势；相对于热带雨林而言，不同利用方式土壤微生物和土壤养分状况均有不同程度的下降，且随退化程度增高减幅增大，土壤微生物衰减的速率比土壤养分的衰减更快。说明山地的退化严重影响着土壤微生物的生长代谢水平以及它们之间的协同作用，从而影响土壤碳氮循环代谢途径。降低土壤肥力水平。     

Soil erosion at Albourne, West Sussex, England

Few measurements of the rate of soil erosion from agricultural land in Britain have been published. Loamy soils in England may be particularly vulnerable to erosion. Thus, in a field of strawberries near Albourne at least 181 t ha⁻¹ of fine loamy soil was eroded in a 9-month period; this is almost 100 times greater than a suggested ‘acceptable’ figure. Factors which have induced erosion at Albourne are: the removal of field boundaries; the choice of crop which left the ground bare for a prolonged period ; and the working of the land downslope. Other factors contributing to erosion are the low clay and organic matter content of the soil. The soil slakes and the resultant crust reduces the rate of infiltration of rainfall into the soil and this produces overland flow. Large amounts of rainfall are not necessary to cause erosion. Erosion in the Albourne area is probably a relatively recent phenomenon brought about by changes in land use.     

Long-term impact of agricultural practices on biological soil crusts and their hydrological processes in a semiarid landscape

The natural landscapes of semiarid areas worldwide comprise a series of scattered patches of shrubs within a matrix of biologically crusted soils (BSC). As BSCs are considered ecosystem engineers the relationships between the BSC and the shrub patches determine system functioning. The objective of our study was to investigate long-term effects of agricultural practices on biological soil crusts and their influence on hydrological aspects of a semiarid ecosystem. During 1991, we experimentally simulated five of the area's agricultural practices; 1) Scraping – the topsoil was removed to a depth of 2 cm, 2) Spraying – phototrophic organisms were chemically killed with herbicide, 3) Mowing – perennial vegetation was cut and spread to simulate grazing practices, 4) Car track – a heavy roller was used to simulate car-tracks, 5) Control – undisturbed natural plots. Sixteen years later, in 2007, these agricultural practices were found to have a long-term effect on the crusted soil surface and the related soil-surface properties. Mowing and car-track treatments led to decreased overland runoff and increased hydraulic conductivity, whereas scraping and spraying treatments led to increased overland runoff production and decreased hydraulic conductivity. We conclude that the practices had a long-term residual impact on BSC succession and related soil surface properties, which affected the hydrological processes and system functioning.     

腾格里沙漠人工固沙植被区浅层土壤水分对降水和生物结皮的响应

选择腾格里沙漠东南缘人工植被区3种典型的地表覆被类型（藓类结皮、藻类结皮和流沙）土壤为对象,选取发生在7月和9月的两次降水事件,研究浅层土壤（3、5、10 cm）水分入渗与再分布过程。结果表明：浅表层3 cm深度土壤水分在降雨初期均表现为跳跃式增加,而在降雨中后期由于土壤剖面不同深度水势梯度减小,降水入渗速率降低,土壤水分仅呈现小幅波动。在两次降水事件中,藓类结皮和藻类结皮对降水入渗的阻碍作用比较显著,入渗速率表现为沙土 > 藻类结皮 > 藓类结皮;从水分再分布看,生物土壤结皮的存在致使水分再分配过程表现出明显的浅层化;降水过程结束后,结皮促进水分的蒸发损失,从而减少植被可利用水分含量。人工固沙植被区广泛发育的生物土壤结皮对降水入渗与再分布过程以及土壤水量平衡具有重要影响。