Varied impact of land use on water and sediment parameters in fish ponds of the Dombes agro-ecosystem,France

Abstract

Agricultural land use in the area of water bodies is generally considered to increase the nutrient status of the water body water and sediments, but is this also the case for already nutrient-rich fish ponds? We studied 83 fish ponds in the Dombes region, France, where 1100 ponds are located in a heterogeneous agricultural landscape. Different water and sediment parameters were analysed for ponds and in ditches after rainfall events. Land use was studied in the primary catchment of ponds and in a 100-m zone around ponds. Soil parameters of different land-use types were analysed and farmers interviewed about agricultural practices. Increasing cropping area in the catchment of the ponds is significantly correlated to higher PO₄ ^3- concentration of pond water and to a lower degree, also to NO₃ ^?, but only in certain years with higher rainfall and with a more uneven distribution in spring. Sediment parameters were not significantly influenced. High NO₃- concentration in the water of a ditch during significant rainfall events was found for a cropland dominated catchment.

Citation Wezel, A., Arthaud, F., Dufloux, C., Renoud, F., Vallod, D., Robin, J., and Sarrazin, B., 2013. Varied impact of land use on water and sediment parameters in fish ponds of the Dombes agro-ecosystem, France. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 58 (4), 854–871.     

巢湖典型子流域上下游水塘对暴雨径流氮磷去除效率比较

从流域上下游环境条件及氮磷输出强度差异出发,探讨上下游水塘对径流氮磷去除的特征及效率,选取巢湖小柘皋河源头流域上下游水塘开展水塘去除暴雨径流氮磷的对比试验,研究暴雨及暴雨间期上下游水塘氮磷去除效率差异及原因,为流域上下游设计不同类型净化塘去除氮磷提供科学依据.结果表明:暴雨期,上游径流氮磷浓度高于下游,且颗粒态所占比例上游大于下游,流域上游应作为防治暴雨径流氮磷流失的重点区域;暴雨期,上游塘对暴雨径流中的氮磷去除效果明显,氮、磷去除率分别为74％和52％,且对颗粒态去除效果好于溶解态,下游塘没有表现出明显的去除效果;暴雨间期,上游塘塘内氮磷浓度平均下降50％和20％,下游塘则分别为72％和16％,且均以溶解态去除为主;水塘去除暴雨径流氮磷有一定的浓度适用范围,浓度过低,去除效果不明显;流域部位不同引起入塘径流氮磷浓度和形态的差异是上下游水塘对暴雨径流去除效果差异的主要外部原因.流域上游出山口,可以在渗透性好的山前洪积扇上构建深水宽塘,通过增加暴雨径流拦截量和降低流速增强物理沉降作用,实现暴雨径流氮磷的高效去除;流域下游农田区,宜构建水面较大的浅滩湿地,通过延长滞留时间和促进生物活动增强去除暴雨径流氮磷的效果.     

Spatio‐temporal sedimentation patterns in beaver ponds along the Chevral river,Ardennes, Belgium

With the recovery of the European beaver (Castor fiber) and their capacity to engineer fluvial landscapes, questions arise as to how they influence sediment transport, including the spatio‐temporal trends and patterns of sedimentation in beaver ponds. The Chevral river (Ardennes, Belgium) contains two beaver dam sequences, which appeared in 2004. Volumes of sediment deposited behind the dams were measured, and grain‐size distribution patterns were determined. Flow discharges and sediment fluxes were measured at the inflow and outflow of each dam sequence. Between 2004 and 2011, 1710.1 m³ of sediment was deposited behind the beaver dams, with an average sediment thickness of 25.1 cm. The thickness of the sediment layer was significantly (p < 0.001) related to the area of the beaver ponds. Along the stream, beaver pond sediment thickness displayed a sinusoidal deposition pattern, in which ponds with thick sediment layers were preceded by a series of ponds with thinner sediment layers. A downstream textural coarsening in the dam sequences was also observed, probably because of dam failures subsequent to surges. Differences in sediment flux between the inflow and outflow at the beaver pond sequence were related to the river hydrograph, with deposition taking place during the rising limbs and slight erosion during the falling limbs. The 7‐year‐old sequences have filtered 190.19 ton of sediment out of the Chevral river, which is of the same order of magnitude as the 374.4 ton measured in pond deposits, with the difference between the values corresponding to beaver excavations (60.24 ton), inflow from small tributaries, and runoff from the valley flanks. Hydrogeomorphic effects of C. fiber and Castor canadensis activity are similar in magnitude. The detailed analysis of sedimentation in beaver pond sequences confirms the potential of beavers to contribute to river and wetland restoration, and catchment management. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Variability of dry sediment bulk density between and within retention ponds and its impact on the calculation of sediment yields

Monitoring sediment yields from catchments is important for assessing overall denudation rates and the impact of environmental change. One of the methods used to assess sediment yield is by quantifying sedimentation rates in reservoirs, lakes or small ponds. Before reliable sediment yield values (t ha^?1 a^?1) can be computed from such sedimentation records, the measured sediment volumes need to be converted to sediment masses using representative values of the dry sediment bulk density. In textbooks, simple relations predicting dry sediment bulk density from sediment texture, time since deposition and hydrologic condition are presented. In this study, 13 small flood retention ponds in central Belgium were sampled to reveal the variability in dry sediment bulk density and to test the commonly used relations to predict dry sediment bulk density. Dry sediment bulk density varies not only between the selected ponds (0·78–1·35 t m^?3) but also within individual ponds (coefficient of variation at 95 per cent ranges from 7 to 80 per cent). The observed variability can be attributed primarily to the hydrologic condition of the retention pond and, also, to sediment texture. The existing relations are not a reliable predictor for the observed dry bulk densities, because they are primarily based on sediment texture. Thus, when using volumetric sedimentation data from small ponds with varying hydrologic condition to predict sediment yield, existing relations predicting dry sediment bulk density cannot be applied. Instead, frequent and dense sampling of sediments is necessary to calculate a representative value of the dry sediment bulk density. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Distributed empirical algorithms to estimate catchment scale sediment connectivity and yield in a subtropical region

The intensity of soil loss and sediment delivery, representing hydrologic and geomorphic processes within a catchment, accelerates with rapid changes in land cover and rainfall events. An underlying component of sustainable management of water resources is an understanding of spatial and temporal variability and the adverse influences of regional parameters involved in generating sediment following widespread changes in land cover. A calibrated algorithm of soil loss coupled with a sediment delivery ratio (SDR) was applied in raster data layers to improve the capability of a combined model to estimate annual variability in sediment yields related to changes in vegetation cover identified by analyses of SPOT imagery. Four catchments in Kangaroo River State forest were assessed for annual changes in sediment yields. Two catchments were selectively logged in 2007, while the two other sites remained undisturbed. Results of SDR estimates indicated that only a small proportion of total eroded sediment from hillslopes is transported to catchment outlets. Larger SDR values were estimated in regions close to catchment outlets, and the SDR reduced sharply on hillslopes further than 200–300 m from these areas. Estimated sediment yield increased by up to 30% two years after land cover change (logging) in 2009 when more storm events were recorded, despite the moderate density of vegetation cover in 2009 having almost recovered to its initial pre‐logging (2005) condition. Rainfall had the most significant influence on streamflow and sediment delivery in all catchments, with steeply sloping areas contributing large amounts of sediment during moderate and high rainfall years in 2007 and 2009. It is concluded that the current scenario of single‐tree selection logging utilized in the study area is an acceptable and environmentally sound land management strategy for preservation of soil and water resources. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Making connections: changing sediment sources and sinks in an upland catchment

The effect of changes in catchment processes and conditions can be studied by using connectivity as a framework for understanding the feedbacks and interactions occurring within the system. The sediment record preserved in reservoirs can be a useful archive of catchment changes, but needs to be considered in conjunction with the different elements that compose and act on the system to take into account its complexity. Changing patterns of connectivity have been studied in the Ingbirchworth Catchment (Yorkshire, UK), using a multiple methodology approach combining the analysis of reservoir‐sediment records with knowledge of recent land‐use history, high resolution rainfall records, catchment characteristics and management aspects. Sedimentation rates inferred from reservoir‐sediment cores from two reservoirs in the Ingbirchworth catchment show sedimentation peaks which coincide with periods of significant changes in the catchment, such as the introduction of arable crops, the establishment of land drainage and the widespread intensification and mechanization of agriculture. Rainfall patterns, including combinations of events such as droughts and increased precipitation, contribute to increased sediment transfer under catchment conditions in which more sediment and/or new pathways are made available due to catchment changes. Sediment fingerprinting supports the notion that changes in sedimentation rates are not just related to increased/reduced erosion and transport in the same areas, but also to the establishment of different pathways increasing sediment connectivity. The results demonstrate that typical calculations of catchment‐area yields are not sufficient as sediment‐contributing areas vary as a consequence of changing conditions. The study provides insights into the complex interactions influencing connectivity, such as the relation between catchment changes and climatic inputs, and the subsequent effect on catchment conditions and transfer networks. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Investigating meteorological effect on river flow recession rate in an arid environment

ABSTRACT

This study explores previously unreported linkage between recession rates of rainfall hyetograph and river flow hydrograph in an arid environment in Sultanate of Oman. Ephemeral streams are hydraulically disconnected from groundwater aquifers and depend on rainfall to produce water that flows only for hours or a few days at most. It therefore prompted to hypothesize that the recession rate of the rainfall event controls the corresponding recession of river flow. To test this assumption, 1-h river flow rates and 20-min rainfall rates in Al-Khoud catchment area for the period 1997–2013 were analysed. The river flow recession rate and antecedent river flow were found to be inversely proportional, while their relation improved with increasing time span of cumulating the antecedent river flow. The results further show that the simulation of river flow recession rate can be improved by incorporating the combined effects of rainfall recession rate and antecedent moisture content.     

Modelling the long‐term sediment trap efficiency of small ponds

A numerical model (sediment trap efficiency for small ponds—STEP) is developed to simulate sediment deposition in small ponds (i.e. <1 ha) and to calculate the sediment trap efficiency (STE). The algorithms are kept simple to allow the model to simulate larger time periods (i.e. several years). Eight runs with an experimental pond were executed to test the model. The STEP model produces reasonable predictions of STE as well as the shape and magnitude of the effluent sediment concentration graph. The model efficiency of STEP for the prediction of STE equals 0·38 and the root mean square error equals 4·7%. Similar models, such as DEPOSITS and CSTRS, were inefficient in predicting the experimental results. The STEP model was used to simulate the long‐term (33 years) STE of small retention ponds in central Belgium using 10‐min rainfall data. For a typical pond (1000 m²) with a catchment area of 25 ha, annual STE can vary from 58 to 100%, with a long‐term STE of only 68%. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Human influence upon sedimentation in Llangorse Lake,Wales

Palaeolimnological studies at Llangorse Lake, Wales, constitute part of the British contribution to IGCP Project 158 (The Palaeohydrology of the Temperate Zone in the Last 15000 Years). The lake has been adopted as the Reference Site for the South Wales region under Subproject 158B (Lake and Mire Environments) and is located in the Reference Area for Britain: the Severn Basin. Results of biological, physical, and multielement chemical analyses on a 12.35 m Livingstone core are presented and compared with previous analyses on short Mackereth cores taken from two troughs in the lake basin. Human impact upon post-glacial sedimentation is assessed with reference to sediment chemistry, physical properties, and sedimentation rates, based on relative pollen, ¹⁴C, and ²¹⁰Pb dating. Vegetational history of the catchment is inferred from a pollen diagram for a section of the core from c. 8 to 6.75 m depth in which evidence for human impact is first apparent. Water content, loss on ignition, and carbonate content are presented for the whole core; density, water content, loss on ignition, carbonates, and elemental analyses of P, Ca, Mg, K, Ti, Al, Fe, and Mn for the interval 6 75 and 8.25 m depth. Sedimentation rates were low during Boreal and Atlantic times (c. 9000- 5000 BP), rose significantly from the time of the elm decline (estimated at 5000 BP) and increased further at c. 1800 BP when nekron muds were succeeded by deposition of silty clay. Inferred rates of erosion of soils from the catchment are discussed and related to sediment chemistry.     

Soil loss,water ponding and sediment deposition variations as a consequence of rainfall intensity and land use: a multi‐criteria analysis

Prediction of areas prone to land degradation in agricultural catchments is a complex task. This is due to the difficulties encountered in data gathering over wide regions and in the translation of existing scientific knowledge to a quantitative and spatially explicit risk assessment system. This paper incorporates the use of remotely sensed data, terrain analysis and a multi‐criteria mechanism for evaluating risks of soil loss, water ponding, and sediment deposition in a mid‐size agricultural Mediterranean catchment, under 80 years of intensive cultivation. The research uses simulations to study the effect of topographic attributes, soil characteristics, vegetation cover, rainfall intensity and human activities on the three above‐mentioned processes. The results show that, from the methodological point of view, the integration of knowledge from several experts yields better predictive results than relying on a single expert, even the one found to be most consistent. Also, the use of a simple weighted linear combination was more useful than the more sophisticated computerized programming technique. From the phenomenological point of view, the increase in rainfall intensity and land‐use transformation from orchard to field‐crops has led to a significant increase in soil loss and sediment yield, while extreme changes in tillage direction have only yielded minor changes in water ponding. The developed system's predictive capabilities also show that the outcomes can be used as a basis for decisions on catchment management in regions of high environmental sensitivity. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The Runoff Declining Process and Water Quality in Songhuajiang River Catchment,China under Global Climatic Change

The runoff in Songhuajiang River catchment has experienced a decreasing trend during the second half of the 20th century. Serially complete daily rainfall data of 42 rainfall stations from 1959 to 2002 and daily runoff data of five meteorological stations from 1953 to 2005 were obtained. The Mann–Kendall trend test and the sequential version of Mann–Kendall test were employed in this study to test the monthly and annual trends for both rainfall and runoff, to determine the start point of abrupt runoff declining, and to identify the main driving factors of runoff decline. The results showed an insignificant increasing trend in rainfall but a significant decreasing trend in runoff in the catchment. For the five meteorological stations, abrupt runoff decline occurred during 1957–1963 and the middle 1990s. Through Mann–Kendall comparisons for the area‐rainfall and runoff for the two decreasing periods, human activity, rather than climatic change, is identified as the main driving factor of runoff decline. Analysis of land use/cover shows that farmland is most related with runoff decline among all the land use/cover change in Nenjiang catchment. From 1986 to 1995, the area of farmland increased rapidly from 6.99 to 7.61 million hm². Hydraulic engineering has a significant influence on the runoff decline in the second Songhuajiang catchment. Many large‐scale reservoirs and hydropower stations have been built in the upstream of the Second Songhuajiang and lead to the runoff decline. Nenjiang and the Second Songhuajiang are the two sources of mainstream of Songhuajiang. Decreased runoff in these two sub‐catchments then results in runoff decrease in mainstream of Songhuajiang catchment. It is, therefore, concluded that high percent agricultural land and hydraulic engineering are the most probable driving factors of runoff decline in Songhuajiang River catchment, China.     

Factors affecting rainfall interception determined by a forest simulator and numerical model

To elucidate the factors involved in interception loss, we conducted experiments in which we measured environmental variables such as rainfall intensity, forest structure, and weather conditions. An artificial forest consisting of 24 vinyl trees was used to examine the influences of forest structure and rainfall conditions on interception loss. The interception rate was higher at higher plant area index (PAI) values and wind speeds and lower with greater rainfall intensity. We confirmed the factors affecting interception loss by using an interception model based on the tank model. The artificial forest simulations provide new evidence that interception loss is influenced by the PAI, rainfall intensity, saturation deficit, and wind speed. The effect of the saturation deficit on the interception rate was unclear from the experimental results, but the single‐tank model revealed that wind speed strongly influences the effects of the saturation deficit on interception loss. Thus, whereas interception loss was not significantly affected by the saturation deficit at low wind speeds, it increased significantly with the saturation deficit under windy conditions. The model simulation also showed the sensitivity of each factor with regard to the interception rate. The sensitivity of rainfall intensity decreased as the PAI increased, and the sensitivity of the saturation deficit increased as the wind speed increased. The experiments and model calculations clarified the main elements affecting interception loss and their sensitivities. Compared with previous studies on interception loss, this study revealed a positive relationship between the PAI and interception loss, a negative exponential relationship with rainfall intensity, and the effects of the saturation deficit on interception loss. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effects of land use intensity on stormwater runoff and its temporal occurrence in cold climates

The impacts of land use intensity, here defined as the degree of imperviousness, on stormwater volumes, runoff rates and their temporal occurrence were studied at three urban catchments in a cold region in southern Finland. The catchments with ‘High’ and ‘Intermediate’ land use intensity, located around the city centre, were characterized by 89% and 62% impervious surfaces, respectively. The ‘Low’ catchment was situated in a residential area of 19% imperviousness. During a 2‐year study period with divergent weather conditions, the generation of stormwater correlated positively with catchment imperviousness: The largest annual stormwater volumes and the highest runoff coefficients and number of stormwater runoff events occurred in the High catchment. Land use intensity also altered the seasonality of stormwater runoff: Most stormwater in the High catchment was generated during the warm period of the year, whereas the largest contribution to annual stormwater generation in the Low catchment took place during the cold period. In the two most urbanized catchments, spring snow melt occurred a few weeks earlier than in the Low catchment. The rate of stormwater runoff in the High and Intermediate catchments was higher in summer than during spring snow melt, and summer runoff rates in these more urbanized catchments were several times higher than in the Low catchment. Our study suggests that the effects of land use intensity on stormwater runoff are season dependent in cold climates and that cold seasons diminish the differences between land use intensities. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Nutrient dynamics in water and sediment of Mediterranean ponds across a wide hydroperiod gradient

In Mediterranean ponds, summer drought enhances seasonality whose intensity varies along topographic and climatic gradients. The alternation of wet and dry periods in rain dependent ponds affects their biogeochemistry and differentiates them from ponds fed by more stable water sources, such as groundwater springs. Superimposed onto this, land use is also a very strong factor of variability. In this study we compared nutrients and organic matter concentrations, in water and in sediment, among different types of Mediterranean ponds based on the source of water, hydroperiod and land use. Forty-three ponds were sampled in Eastern Spain corresponding to five pond types: (1) permanent spring ponds in lowlands, (2) permanent spring ponds in mountains, (3) semi-permanent rain ponds, (4) temporary rain ponds with long hydroperiod and (5) temporary rain ponds with short hydroperiod.The results of this study indicate relevant differences among these pond types. The temporary rain ponds with short hydroperiod are characterized by high turbidity due to suspension of sediment particles rich in phosphorous adsorbed onto them (argillotrophic aquatic systems). They are used for watering domestic sheep that enhance sediment suspension by trampling. Total phosphorous (TP) concentrations in the water are high (like those of hypertrophic lakes), but planktonic chlorophyll a is very low and not correlated with TP, because of the low P-bioavailavility in the water. At the other extreme, we have permanent ponds in lowlands fed by groundwater springs. They are heavily loaded with nitrates due to the surrounding intensive agriculture. In these and other permanent/semipermanent ponds chlorophyll is highly correlated with TP. Sediment characteristics provide a good indication of the hydroperiod, since desiccation has important effects on biogeochemical transformations. A threshold of 5% organic matter (OM) in the sediment separates temporary ponds with a short hydroperiod from those with a long hydroperiod, and a threshold of 8% separates the later from the semi-permanent and permanent ponds. Besides OM reduction, important loss of N occurs during desiccation through mineralization, ammonia volatization and the sequential nitrification/denitrification pathway. On the other hand, the increase of organic P mineralization in dry sediments does not represent a loss of P from the system, since o-P remains adsorbed or bound onto the soil. This leads to a low TN/TP ratio in sediments in temporary ponds with short hydroperiod. These characteristics have to be taken into account when establishing pond typologies and ecological thresholds to assess water quality in these unique aquatic habitats.     

Sediment and nutrient storage in a beaver engineered wetland

Beavers, primarily through the building of dams, can deliver significant geomorphic modifications and result in changes to nutrient and sediment fluxes. Research is required to understand the implications and possible benefits of widespread beaver reintroduction across Europe. This study surveyed sediment depth, extent and carbon/nitrogen content in a sequence of beaver pond and dam structures in South West England, where a pair of Eurasian beavers (Castor fiber) were introduced to a controlled 1.8 ha site in 2011. Results showed that the 13 beaver ponds subsequently created hold a total of 101.53 ± 16.24 t of sediment, equating to a normalised average of 71.40 ± 39.65 kg m². The ponds also hold 15.90 ± 2.50 t of carbon and 0.91 ± 0.15 t of nitrogen within the accumulated pond sediment. The size of beaver pond appeared to be the main control over sediment storage, with larger ponds holding a greater mass of sediment per unit area. Furthermore, position within the site appeared to play a role with the upper‐middle ponds, nearest to the intensively‐farmed headwaters of the catchment, holding a greater amount of sediment. Carbon and nitrogen concentrations in ponds showed no clear trends, but were significantly higher than in stream bed sediment upstream of the site. We estimate that >70% of sediment in the ponds is sourced from the intensively managed grassland catchment upstream, with the remainder from in situ redistribution by beaver activity. While further research is required into the long‐term storage and nutrient cycling within beaver ponds, results indicate that beaver ponds may help to mitigate the negative off‐site impacts of accelerated soil erosion and diffuse pollution from agriculturally dominated landscapes such as the intensively managed grassland in this study. © 2018 The Authors. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.     

SEDIMENT MOBILIZATION BY SURFACE EROSION IN MIDDLE MOUNTAIN CATCHMENTS OF NEPAL

1 INTRODUCTION Soil erosion in the foothills of the Hindu Kush-Himalayas (HKH) is considered to be a hot topic in land degradation research in the region (Scherr and Yadav, 1996). The land degradation research has mainly addressed the issue of topsoil los…     

Removal mechanisms of nitrogen in waste stabilization ponds

The aim of this research work was to determine the major nitrogen transformation and removal mechanisms in primary and maturation ponds. To accomplished this objective, nitrogen mass balance in waste stabilization pond system was determined using a dynamic mathematical model in order to elucidate the biological nitrogen transformation mechanisms that are effective for removal of nitrogen in this pond system. Results show that nitrogen removal efficiency in a primary facultative pond unit was 13.2%, which was largely due to net loss of organic nitrogen to sediments (9.76%) and denitrification (3.42%). On the other hand, maturation pond removed 15.2% of nitrogen received in the influent with denitrification (13.55%) being the major pathway for nitrogen removal. Ammonia volatilization was not a predominant mechanism for nitrogen removal in both primary facultative and maturation ponds. The major nitrogen transformation routes were mineralization and ammonia uptake in the primary facultative pond, but ammonia uptake by microorganisms was a predominant nitrogen transformation mechanism in maturation pond.     

Simulated impacts of climate change and land‐clearing on runoff from a small Sahelian catchment

In the Sahel, there are few long‐term data series available to estimate the climatic and anthropogenic impacts on runoff in small catchments. Since 1950, land clearing has enhanced runoff. The question is whether and by how much this anthropogenic effect offsets the current drought. To answer this question, a physically based distributed hydrological model was used to simulate runoff in a small Sahelian catchment in Niger, from the 1950–1998 rain‐series. The simulation was carried out for three soil surface states of the catchment (1950, 1975 and 1992). The catchment is characterized by an increase in cultivated land, with associated fallow, from 6% in 1950 to 56% in 1992, together with an increase in the extent of eroded land (from 7 to 16%), at the expense of the savanna. Effects of climate and land use are first analysed separately: irrespective of the land cover state, the simulated mean annual runoff decreases by about 40% from the wet period (1950–1969) to the dry period (1970–1998); calculated on the 1950–1998 rainfall‐series, the changes that occurred in land cover between 1950 and 1992 multiplies the mean annual runoff by a factor close to three. The analysis of a joint climatic and anthropogenic change shows that the transition from a wet period under a ‘natural’ land cover (1950) to a dry period under a cultivated land cover (1992) results in an increase in runoff of the order of 30 to 70%. At the scale of a small Sahelian catchment, the anthropogenic impact on runoff is probably more important than that of drought. This figure for relative increase in runoff contributions to ponds, preferential sites of seepage to groundwater, is less than that currently estimated for aquifer recharge, which has been causing a significant continuous water table rise over the same period. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Attribution of changes in the water balance of a tropical catchment to land use change using the SWAT model

Changes in the water balance of the Samin catchment (277.9 km²) on Java, Indonesia, can be attributed to land use change using the Soil Water Assessment Tool model. A baseline‐altered method was used in which the simulation period 1990–2013 was divided into 4 equal periods to represent baseline conditions (1990–1995) and altered land use conditions (1996–2001, 2002–2007, and 2008–2013). Land use maps for 1994, 2000, 2006, and 2013 were acquired from satellite images. A Soil Water Assessment Tool model was calibrated for the baseline period and applied to the altered periods with and without land use change. Incorporating land use change resulted in a Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency of 0.7 compared to 0.6 when land use change is ignored. In addition, the model performance for simulations without land use change gradually decreased with time. Land use change appeared to be the important driver for changes in the water balance. The main land use changes during 1994–2013 are a decrease in forest area from 48.7% to 16.9%, an increase in agriculture area from 39.2% to 45.4%, and an increase in settlement area from 9.8% to 34.3%. For the catchment, this resulted in an increase of the runoff coefficient from 35.7% to 44.6% and a decrease in the ratio of evapotranspiration to rainfall from 60% to 54.8%. More pronounced changes can be observed for the ratio of surface runoff to stream flow (increase from 26.6% to 37.5%) and the ratio of base flow to stream flow (decrease from 40% to 31.1%), whereas changes in the ratio of lateral flow to stream flow were minor (decrease from 33.4% to 31.4%). At sub‐catchment level, the effect of land use changes on the water balance varied in different sub‐catchments depending on the scale of changes in forest and settlement area.     

Runoff and sediment loss responses to rainfall and land use in two agricultural catchments on the Loess Plateau of China

Soil erosion is a severe problem hindering sustainable agriculture on the Loess Plateau of China. Plot experiments were conducted under the natural rainfall condition during 1995–1997 at Wangdongguo and Aobao catchments in this region to evaluate the effects of various land use, cropping systems, land slopes and rainfall on runoff and sediment losses, as well as the differences in catchment responses. The experiments included various surface conditions ranging from bare soil to vegetated surfaces (maize, wheat residue, Robinia pseudoacacia L., Amorpha fruticosa L., Stipa capillata L., buckwheat and Astragarus adsurgens L.). The measurements were carried out on hill slopes with different gradients (i.e. 0 ° to 36 °). These plots varied from 20 to 60 m in length. Results indicated that runoff and erosion in this region occurred mainly during summer storms. Summer runoff and sediment losses under cropping and other vegetation were significantly less than those from ploughed bare soil (i.e. without crop/plant or crop residue). There were fewer runoff and sediment losses with increasing canopy cover. Land slope had a major effect on runoff and sediment losses and this effect was markedly larger in the tillage plots than that in the natural grass and forest plots, although this effect was very small when the maximum rainfall intensity was larger than 58·8 mm/h or smaller than 2·4 mm/h. Sediment losses per unit area rose with increasing slope length for the same land slope and same land use. The effect of slope length on sediment losses was stronger on a bare soil plot than on a crop/plant plot. The runoff volume and sediment losses were both closely related to rainfall volume and maximum intensity, while runoff coefficient was mainly controlled by maximum rainfall intensity. Hortonian overland flow is the dominant runoff process in the region. The differences in runoff volume, runoff coefficient and sediment losses between the catchments are mainly controlled by the maximum rainfall intensity and infiltration characteristics. The Aobao catchment yielded much larger runoff volume, runoff coefficient and sediment than the Wangdongguo catchment. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.