Soil carbon losses by sheet erosion: a potentially critical contribution to the global carbon cycle

Despite soil erosion through water being a ubiquitous process and its environmental consequences being well understood, its effects upon the global carbon cycle still remain largely uncertain. How much soil organic carbon (SOC) is removed each year from soils by sheet wash, an important if not the most efficient mechanism of detachment and transport of surficial soil material? What are the main environnemental controls worldwide? These are important questions which largely remain unanswered. Empirical data from 240 runoff plots studied over entire rainy seasons from different regions of the world were analysed to estimate particulate organic carbon (POC) losses (POC_L), and POC enrichment in the sediments compared to the bulk soil (ER), which can be used as a proxy of the fate of the eroded POC. The median POC_L was 9.9 g C m^‐2 y^‐1 with highest values observed for semi‐arid soils (POC_L = 10.8 g C m^‐2 y^‐1), followed by tropical soils (POC_L = 6.4 g C m^‐2 y^‐1) and temperate soils (POC_L = 1.7 g C m^‐2 y^‐1). Considering the mean POC_L of 27.2 g C m^‐2 y^‐1, the total amount of SOC displaced annually by sheet erosion from its source would be 1.32 ± 0.20 Gt C, i.e. 14.6% of the net annual fossil fuel induced C emissions of 9 Gt C. Because of low sediment enrichment in POC, erosion‐induced CO₂ emissions are likely to be limited in clayey environments while POC burial within hillslopes is likely to constitute an important carbon sink. In contrast, most of the POC displaced from sandy soils is likely to be emitted to the atmosphere. These results underpin the major role sheet wash plays in the displacement of SOC from its source and in the fate of the eroded SOC, with large variations across the different pedo‐climatic regions of the world. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Characterizing the dynamics of soil organic carbon in grasslands on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

Carbon dynamics of grasslands on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau may play an important role in regional and global carbon cycles. The CENTURY model (Version 4.5) is used to examine temporal and spatial variations of soil organic carbon (SOC) in grasslands on the Plateau for the period from 1960 to 2002. The model successfully simulates the dynamics of aboveground carbon and soil surface SOC at the soil depth of 0-20 cm and the simulated results agree well to the measurements. Examination of SOC for eight typical grasslands shows different patterns of temporal variation in different ecosystems in 1960-2002. The extent of temporal variation increases with the increase of SOC of ecosystem. SOC increases first and decreases quickly then during the period from 1990 to 2000. Spatially, SOC density obtained for the equilibrium condition declines gradually from the southeast to the northwest on the plateau and showed a high heterogeneity in the eastern plateau. The results suggest that (i) SOC den-sity in the alpine grasslands shows remarkable response to climate change during the 42 years, and (ii) the net carbon exchange rate between the alpine grassland ecosystems and the atmosphere increases from 1990 to 2000 as compared with that before 1990.     

Hydrological and catchment controls on event-scale dissolved organic carbon dynamics in boreal headwater streams

Hydrological events transport large proportions of annual or seasonal dissolved organic carbon (DOC) loads from catchments to streams. The timing, magnitude and intensity of these events are very sensitive to changes in temperature and precipitation patterns, particularly across the boreal region where snowpacks are declining and summer droughts are increasing. It is important to understand how landscape characteristics modulate event-scale DOC dynamics in order to scale up predictions from sites across regions, and to understand how climatic changes will influence DOC dynamics across the boreal forest. The goal of this study was to assess variability in DOC concentrations in boreal headwater streams across catchments with varying physiographic characteristics (e.g., size, proportion of wetland) during a range of hydrological events (e.g., spring snowmelt, summer/fall storm events). From 2016 to 2017, continuous discharge and sub-daily chemistry grab samples were collected from three adjacent study catchments located at the International Institute for Sustainable Development-Experimental Lakes Area in northwestern Ontario, Canada. Catchment differences were more apparent in summer and fall events and less apparent during early spring melt events. Hysteresis analysis suggested that DOC sources were proximal to the stream for all events at a catchment dominated by a large wetland near the outlet, but distal from the stream at the catchments that lacked significant wetland coverage during the summer and fall. Wetland coverage also influenced responses of DOC export to antecedent moisture; at the wetland-dominated catchment, there were consistent negative relationships between DOC concentrations and antecedent moisture, while at the catchments without large wetlands, the relationships were positive or not significant. These results emphasize the utility of sub-daily sampling for inferring catchment DOC transport processes, and the importance of considering catchment-specific factors when predicting event-scale DOC behaviour.     

Carbon cycle and climate change during the Cretaceous inferred from a biogeochemical carbon cycle model

The carbon cycle and climate change during the Cretaceous are reconstructed by using a carbon cycle model, and discussed. The model takes into account the effects of the enhanced magma eruption and organic carbon burial rates, both of which characterize the carbon cycle during the Cretaceous. The result for the CO₂ variation is roughly consistent with the pattern of paleoclimate change inferred from the geological record. The CO₂ level during the mid-Cretaceous is estimated to be 4–5 times the present atmospheric level, corresponding to a surface temperature of 20–21°C. The warm, equable Cretaceous resulted from the effects of tectonic forcing such as enhanced CO₂ degassing, although the enhanced organic carbon burial has a tendency to decrease the CO₂ level. The organic carbon burial rate during the Cretaceous is generally larger than those for the Cenozoic, and is characterized by three major peaks (~ 1.5–1.8 times the present-day value) corresponding to the major oceanic anoxic events. In the case for the extensive mantle plume degassing, although the CO₂ levels are only 10% higher than those for the standard case during 120–100 Ma, the causes for the enhanced CO₂ levels would be quite different. If the globally averaged surface temperature had increased due to paleogeographic forcing effects, the greenhouse effect of CO₂ (and thus the CO₂ level) should be lower than the values estimated for the standard case. If the CO₂ levels are similar to, but the surface temperature is higher than, those for the standard case, either the parameter β (an influence of the Himalayas–Tibetan Plateau on the global weathering today) may be unreasonably large or the dependence of the silicate weathering rate on the CO₂ partial pressure and the surface temperature should be much weaker than those previously proposed.     

Towards constraining the magnitude of global agricultural sediment and soil organic carbon fluxes

Reliable quantitative data on the extent and rates of soil erosion are needed to understand the global significance of soil‐erosion induced carbon exchange and to underpin the development of science‐based mitigation strategies, but large uncertainties remain. Existing estimates of agricultural soil and soil organic carbon (SOC) erosion are very divergent and span two orders of magnitude. The main objective of this study was to test the assumptions underlying existing assessments and to reduce the uncertainty associated with global estimates of agricultural soil and SOC erosion. We parameterized a simplified erosion model driven by coarse global databases using an empirical database that covers the conterminous USA. The good agreement between our model results and empirical estimates indicate that the approach presented here captures the essence of agricultural erosion at the scales of continents and that it may be used to predict the significance of erosion for the global carbon cycle and its impact on soil functions. We obtained a global soil erosion rate of 10.5 Mg ha^‐1 y^‐1 for cropland and 1.7 Mg ha^‐1 y^‐1 for pastures. This corresponds to SOC erosion rates of 193 kg C ha^‐1 y^‐1 for cropland and 40.4 kg C ha^‐1 y^‐1 for eroding pastures and results in a global flux of 20.5 (±10.3) Pg y^‐1 of soil and 403.5 (±201.8) Tg C y^‐1. Although it is difficult to accurately assess the uncertainty associated with our estimates of global agricultural erosion, mainly due to the lack of model testing in (sub‐)tropical regions, our estimates are significantly lower than former assessments based on the extrapolation of plot experiments or global application of erosion models. Our approach has the potential to quantify the rate and spatial signature of the erosion‐induced disturbance at continental and global scales: by linking our model with a global soil profile database, we estimated soil profile modifications induced by agriculture. This showed that erosion‐induced changes in topsoil SOC content are significant at a global scale (an average SOC loss of 22% in 50 years) and agricultural soils should therefore be considered as dynamic systems that can change rapidly. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Land use changes and their relations with carbon cycles over the past 300 a in China

Land use and land cover in China have changed greatly during the past 300 a, indicated by the rapid abrupt decrease of forest land area and the rapid increase of cropland area, which can affect terrestrial carbon cycle greatly. The first-hand materials are used to analyze main characteristics for land use and land cover changes in China during the study period. The following conclusions can be drawn from this study. The cropland area in China kept increasing from 60.78×106 hm2 in 1661 to 96.09×106 hm2 in 1998. Correspondingly, the forest land area decreased from 248.13×106 hm2 in 1700 to 109.01×106 hm2 in 1949. Affected by such changes, the terrestrial ecosystem carbon storage decreased in the mean time. Car-bon lost from land use and land cover changes mainly consist of the loss from vegetation biomass and soil. In the past 300 a, about 3.70 PgC was lost from vegetation biomass, and emissions from soil ranged from 0.80 to 5.84 PgC. The moderate evaluation of soil losses was 2.48 PgC. The total loss from vegetation and soil was between 4.50 and 9.54 PgC. The moderate and optimum evaluation was 6.18 PgC. Such carbon losses distribution varied spatially from region to region. Carbon lost more significantly in Northeast China and Southwest China than in other regions, because losses of forest land in these two regions were far greater than in the other regions during the past 300 a. And losses of carbon in the other regions were also definite, such as Inner Mongolia, the western part of South China, the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. But the carbon lost very little from the traditional agricultural regions in China, such as North China and East China. Studies on the relationship between land use and land cover change and carbon cycle in China show that the land use activities, especially those related to agriculture and forest management, began to affect terrestrial carbon storage positively in recent years.     

Soil organic carbon enrichment of dust emissions: magnitude,mechanisms and its implications for the carbon cycle

Soil erosion is an important component of the global carbon cycle. However, little attention has been given to the role of aeolian processes in influencing soil organic carbon (SOC) flux and the release of greenhouse gasses, such as carbon dioxide (CO₂), to the atmosphere. Understanding the magnitude and mechanisms of SOC enrichment in dust emissions is necessary to evaluate the impact of wind erosion on the carbon cycle. This research examines the SOC content and enrichment of dust emissions measured using Big Spring Number Eight (BSNE) wind‐vane samplers across five land types in the rangelands of western Queensland, Australia. Our results show that sandy soils and finer particulate quartz‐rich soils are more efficient at SOC emission and have larger SOC dust enrichment than clay‐rich aggregated soils. The SOC enrichment ratios of dusts originating from sites with sand‐rich soil ranged from 2·1–41·9, while the mean enrichment ratio for dusts originating from the clay soil was 2·1. We hypothesize that stronger inter‐particle bonds and the low grain density of the aggregated clay soil explain its reduced capacity to release SOC during saltation, relative to the particulate sandy soils. We also show that size‐selective sorting of SOC during transport may lead to further enrichment of SOC dust emissions. Two dust samples from regional transport events were found to contain 15–20% SOC. These preliminary results provide impetus for additional research into dust SOC enrichment processes to elucidate the impact of wind erosion on SOC flux and reduce uncertainty about the role of soil erosion in the global carbon cycle. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Geomorphic controls on floodplain sediment and soil organic carbon storage in a Scottish mountain river

River floodplains constitute an important element in the terrestrial sediment and organic carbon cycle and store variable amounts of carbon and sediment depending on a complex interplay of internal and external driving forces. Quantifying the storage in floodplains is crucial to understand their role in the sediment and carbon cascades. Unfortunately, quantitative data on floodplain storage are limited, especially at larger spatial scales. Rivers in the Scottish Highlands can provide a special case to study alluvial sediment and carbon dynamics because of the dominance of peatlands throughout the landscape, but the alluvial history of the region remains poorly understood. In this study, the floodplain sediment and soil organic carbon storage is quantified for the mountainous headwaters of the River Dee in eastern Scotland (663 km²), based on a coring dataset of 78 floodplain cross-sections. Whereas the mineral sediment storage is dominated by wandering gravel-bed river sections, most of the soil organic carbon storage can be found in anastomosing and meandering sections. The total storage for the Upper Dee catchment can be estimated at 5.2 Mt or 2306.5 Mg ha^-1 of mineral sediment and 0.7 Mt or 323.3 Mg C ha^-1 of soil organic carbon, which is in line with other studies on temperate river systems. Statistical analysis indicates that the storage is mostly related to the floodplain slope and the geomorphic floodplain type, which incorporates the characteristic stream power, channel morphology and the deposit type. Mapping of the geomorphic floodplain type using a simple classification scheme shows to be a powerful tool in studying the total storage and local variability of mineral sediment and soil organic carbon in floodplains. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Changes in hydrology and erosion over a transition from grassland to shrubland

The degradation of grasslands is a common problem across semi‐arid areas worldwide. Over the last 150 years, much of the south‐western United States has experienced significant land degradation, with desert grasslands becoming dominated by shrubs and concurrent changes in runoff and erosion which are thought to propagate further the process of degradation. Plot‐based experiments to determine how spatio‐temporal characteristics of soil moisture, runoff and erosion change over a transition from grassland to shrubland were carried out at four sites over a transition from black grama (Bouteloua eriopoda) grassland to creosotebush (Larrea tridentata) shrubland at the Sevilleta NWR LTER site in New Mexico. Each site consisted of a 10 × 30 m bounded runoff plot and adjacent characterization plots with nested sampling points where soil moisture content was measured. Results show distinct spatio‐temporal variations in soil moisture content, which are due to the net effect of processes operating at multiple spatial and temporal scales, such as plant uptake of water at local scales versus the redistribution of water during runoff events at the hillslope scale. There is an overall increase in runoff and erosion over the transition from grassland to shrubland, which is likely to be associated with an increase in connectivity of bare, runoff‐generating areas, although these increases do not appear to follow a linear trajectory. Erosion rates increased over the transition from grassland to shrubland, likely related in part to changes in runoff characteristics and the increased capacity of the runoff to detach, entrain and transport sediment. Over all plots, fine material was preferentially eroded which has potential implications for nutrient cycling since nutrients tend to be associated with fine sediment. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Response of soil aggregate disintegration to the different content of organic carbon and its fractions during splash erosion

Aggregate disintegration is a critical process in soil splash erosion. However, the effect of soil organic carbon (SOC) and its fractions on soil aggregates disintegration is still not clear. In this study, five soils with similar clay contents and different contents of SOC have been used. The effects of slaking and mechanical striking on splash erosion were distinguished by using deionized water and 95% ethanol as raindrops. The simulated rainfall experiments were carried out in four heights (0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 m). The result indicated that the soil aggregate stability increased with the increases of SOC and light fraction organic carbon (LFOC). The relative slaking and the mechanical striking index increased with the decreases of SOC and LFOC. The reduction of macroaggregates in eroded soil gradually decreased with the increase of SOC and LFOC, especially in alcohol test. The amount of macroaggregates (>0.25 mm) in deionized water tests were significantly less than that in alcohol tests under the same rainfall heights. The contribution of slaking to splash erosion increased with the decrease of heavy fractions organic carbon. The contribution of mechanical striking was dominant when the rainfall kinetic energy increased to a range of threshold between 9 J m⁻² mm⁻¹ and 12 m⁻² mm⁻¹. This study could provide the scientific basis for deeply understanding the mechanism of soil aggregates disintegration and splash erosion.     

Simulated soil erosion from a semiarid typical steppe watershed using an integrated aeolian and fluvial prediction model

Total soil erosion is a result of both aeolian and fluvial processes, which is particularly true in semiarid regions. However, although physically interrelated, these two processes have conventionally been studied and modelled independently. Recently, a few researchers highlighted the importance and need of considering both processes in concert as well as their interactions, but they did not give specific modelling approaches or algorithms. The objectives of this study were to (1) formulate an integrated aeolian and fluvial prediction (IAFP) model, (2) parameterize the IAFP model for a semiarid steppe watershed located in northeastern China by using literature and historical data and (3) use the model to predict soil erosion in the watershed and assess the sensitivity of predicted erosion to environmental factors such as soil moisture and vegetation coverage. The results indicated that the IAFP model can capture the dynamic interactions between aeolian and fluvial erosion processes. For the study watershed, the model predicted a higher occurrence frequency of fluvial erosion than that of aeolian erosion and showed that these two processes almost equivalently contributed to the average total erosion of 0.07 mm year^?1 across the simulation period. The ‘existing’ vegetation cover can provide an overall good protection of the soils, although the vegetation cover was predicted to play a larger role in a drier than a wetter year as well as in controlling aeolian than fluvial erosion. In addition, soil erosion was predicted to be more sensitive to soil moisture than land coverage. A soil moisture level of 0.23–0.25 was determined to be the probable switch point from aeolian‐to fluvial‐dominant process or vice versa. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effect of water table drawdown on peatland dissolved organic carbon export and dynamics

Peatlands play an important role in the global carbon cycle, and loss of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) has been shown to be important for peatland carbon budgets. The objective of this study was to determine how net production and export of DOC from a northern peatland may be affected by disturbance such as drainage and climate change. The study was conducted at a poor fen containing several pool–ridge complexes: (1) control site–no water table manipulation; (2) experimental site–monitored for one season in a natural state and then subjected to a water table drawdown for 3 years; (3) drained site–subjected to a water table drawdown 9 years prior to monitoring. The DOC concentration was measured in pore water along a microtopographic gradient at each site (hummock, lawn and hollow), in standing water in pools, and in discharge from the experimental and drained sites. The initial water table drawdown released ～3 g of carbon per square metre in the form of DOC, providing a large pulse of DOC to downstream ecosystems. This value, however, represents only 1–9% of ecosystem respiration at this site. Seasonal losses of DOC following drainage were 8–11 g of carbon per square metre, representing ～17% of the total carbon exchange at the experimental study site. Immediately following water table drawdown, DOC concentrations were elevated in pore water and open water pools. In subsequent seasons, DOC concentration in the pool declined, but remained higher than the control site even 11 years after water‐table drawdown. This suggests continued elevated net DOC production under lower water table conditions likely related to an increase in vegetation biomass and larger water table fluctuations at the experimental and drained sites. However, the increase in concentration was limited to initially wet microforms (lawns and hollows) reflecting differences in vegetation community changes, water table and soil subsidence along the microtopographic gradient. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Her Majesty the Queen in right of Canada.     

Dissolved organic carbon export from a cutover and restored peatland

High demand for horticultural peat has increased peatland drainage and peat extraction in Canada. The hydrology and carbon cycling of these cutover peatlands is greatly altered, necessitating active restoration efforts to permit the regeneration of Sphagnum mosses and the re‐establishment of natural peatland function. The effect of peatland extraction and restoration on the export of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) was examined for three successive seasons (May to October, 1999 to 2001) at two different sites (cutover and restored) in eastern Québec. A shift towards higher DOC concentrations was observed following peatland extraction (maximum: 182·6 mg L^?1) and concentrations remained high post‐restoration (maximum: 191·0 mg L^?1). The cutover site exported more DOC than the restored site in all three study seasons. The highest exports occurred during the wettest year (1999), with cutover and restored site export of 10·3 and 4·8 g m^?2, respectively. In 2000, 8·5 g C m^?2 was released from the cutover site, while the restored site released less than half that amount (3·4 g C m^?2). In 2001, the restored site released about the same amount of DOC as in the previous year (3·5 g C m^?2), while the cutover site load dropped to 6·2 g C m^?2. Both sites were net exporters of DOC in all years. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Using Rock‐Eval 6 pyrolysis for tracking fossil organic carbon in modern environments: implications for the roles of erosion and weathering

This work relates to the debate on the fossil organic carbon (FOC) input in modern environments and its possible implication for the carbon cycle, and suggests the use of Rock‐Eval 6 pyrolysis as a relevant tool for tracking FOC in such environments. Considering that such a delivery is mainly due to supergene processes affecting the continental surface, we studied organic matter in different reservoirs such as bedrocks, alterites, soils and rivers in two experimental catchments at Draix (Alpes de Haute Provence, France). Samples were subjected to geochemical (Rock‐Eval 6 pyrolysis) investigations and artificial bacterial degradations. After comparing the geochemical fingerprint of samples, geochemical markers of FOC were defined and tracked in the different reservoirs. Our results confirm the contribution of FOC in modern soils and rivers and display the various influences of weathering and erosional processes on the fate of FOC during its exchange between these pools. In addition, the contrasting behaviour of these markers upon the supergene processes has also highlighted the refractory or labile characters of the fossil organic matter (FOM). Bedrock to river fluxes, controlled by gully erosion, are characterized by a qualitative and quantitative preservation of FOM. Bedrock to alterite fluxes, governed by chemical weathering, are characterized by FOC mineralization without qualitative changes in deeper alterites. Alterite to soils fluxes, controlled by (bio)chemical weathering, are characterized by strong FOC mineralization and qualitative changes of FOM. Thus weathering and erosional processes induce different FOM evolution and affect the fate of FOC towards the global carbon cycle. In this study, gully erosion would involve maintenance of an ancient sink for the global carbon cycle, while (bio)chemical processes provide a source of CO₂. Finally, this study suggests that Rock‐Eval 6 pyrolysis can be considered as a relevant tool for tracking FOC in modern environments. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Prediction of carbon exchanges between China terrestrial ecosystem and atmosphere in 21st century

The projected changes in carbon exchange between China terrestrial ecosystem and the atmosphere and vegetation and soil carbon storage during the 21st century were investigated using an atmos-phere-vegetation interaction model (AVIM2). The results show that in the coming 100 a, for SRES B2 scenario and constant atmospheric CO2 concentration, the net primary productivity (NPP) of terrestrial ecosystem in China will be decreased slowly, and vegetation and soil carbon storage as well as net ecosystem productivity (NEP) will also be decreased. The carbon sink for China terrestrial ecosystem in the beginning of the 20th century will become totally a carbon source by the year of 2020, while for B2 scenario and changing atmospheric CO2 concentration, NPP for China will increase continuously from 2.94 GtC·a?1 by the end of the 20th century to 3.99 GtC·a?1 by the end of the 21st century, and vegetation and soil carbon storage will increase to 110.3 GtC. NEP in China will keep rising during the first and middle periods of the 21st century, and reach the peak around 2050s, then will decrease gradually and approach to zero by the end of the 21st century.     

Soil organic carbon and nitrogen content of density fractions and effect of meadow degradation to soil carbon and nitrogen of fractions in alpine Kobresia meadow

This research was conducted on the non-disturbed native alpine Kobresia meadow(YF) and the severely degraded meadow(SDL) of Dari County of Qinghai Province.By a density fractionation approach,each soil sample was divided into two fractions:light fraction(LF) and heavy fraction(HF).The obtained fractions were analyzed for organic carbon(OC) and nitrogen(N) concentrations.The results showed:(1) the OC concentration in HF and LF was 3.84% and 28.63% respectively while the nitrogen concentration in HF and LF wa...     

Impacts of land-use and climate changes on ecosystem productivity and carbon cycle in the cropping-grazing transitional zone in China

Terrestrial ecosystems are both a carbon source and sink, therefore play an important role in the global carbon cycle that act as a link of interactions between human activities and climate changes[1,2]. Climate change impacts ecosystem carbon cycle through af- fecting biological processes, e.g. plant photosynthesis, respiration, and soil carbon decomposition. Land-use change directly modifies the distribution and structure of terrestrial ecosystems and hence the carbon storage and fluxes. Usi…     

Evaporative losses from soils covered by physical and different types of biological soil crusts

Evaporation of soil moisture is one of the most important processes affecting water availability in semiarid ecosystems. Biological soil crusts, which are widely distributed ground cover in these ecosystems, play a recognized role on water processes. Where they roughen surfaces, water residence time and thus infiltration can be greatly enhanced, whereas their ability to clog soil pores or cap the soil surface when wetted can greatly decrease infiltration rate, thus affecting evaporative losses. In this work, we compared evaporation in soils covered by physical crusts, biological crusts in different developmental stages and in the soils underlying the different biological crust types. Our results show that during the time of the highest evaporation (Day 1), there was no difference among any of the crust types or the soils underlying them. On Day 2, when soil moisture was moderately low (11%), evaporation was slightly higher in well‐developed biological soil crusts than in physical or poorly developed biological soil crusts. However, crust removal did not cause significant changes in evaporation compared with the respective soil crust type. These results suggest that the small differences we observed in evaporation among crust types could be caused by differences in the properties of the soil underneath the biological crusts. At low soil moisture (<6%), there was no difference in evaporation among crust types or the underlying soils. Water loss for the complete evaporative cycle (from saturation to dry soil) was similar in both crusted and scraped soils. Therefore, we conclude that for the specific crust and soil types tested, the presence or the type of biological soil crust did not greatly modify evaporation with respect to physical crusts or scraped soils. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Characterization of rainfall generated by dripper‐type rainfall simulator using piezoelectric transducers and its impact on splash soil erosion

Rainfall erosivity represents the primary driver for particle detachment in splash soil erosion. Several raindrop erosivity indices have been developed in order to quantify the potential of rainfall to cause soil erosion. Different types of rainfall simulators have been used to relate rainfall characteristics to soil detachment. However, rainfall produced by different rainfall simulators has different characteristics, specifically different relationships between rainfall intensity and rainfall erosivity. For this reason, the effect of rainfall characteristics produced by a dripper‐type rainfall simulator on splash soil erosion (D_s) has been investigated. The simulated rainfall kinetic energy (KE) and drop size distribution (DSD) were measured using piezoelectric transducers, modified from the Vaisala RAINCAP^® rain sensor. The soil splash was evaluated under various simulated rainfall intensities ranging from 10 to 100 mm h^?1 using the splash‐cup method. The simulated rainfall intensity (I) and kinetic energy relationship (I–KE) was found to be different from natural rainfall. The simulated rainfall intensity and splash soil erosion relationship (I–D_s) also followed this same trend. The I–KE relationship was found to follow the natural rainfall trend until the rainfall intensity reached 30 mm h^?1 and above this limit the KE started to decrease. This emphasizes the importance of the I–KE relationship in determining the I‐D_s relationship, which can differ from one rainfall simulator to another. D_s was found to be highly correlated with KE (r = 0·85, P < 0·001), when data produced by the rainfall intensity ranged from 10 to 100 mm h^?1. However, when the threshold rainfall intensity (30 mm h^?1) was considered, the correlation coefficient further improved (r = 0·89, P = 0·001). Accordingly, to improve the soil splash estimation of simulated rainfall under various rainfall intensities the I–KE characterization relationship for rainfall simulators has to be taken into account. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.