SPLASH TRANSPORT OF ORGANIC CARBON AND ASSOCIATED CONCENTRATION AND MASS ENRICHMENT RATIOS FOR AN OXISOL,HAWAII

Rainsplash is an important component of interrill erosion. To date, few studies have critically examined the linkages between aggregate entrainment by splash and associated nutrient flux. An Oxisol was used in laboratory rainfall experiments with two different antecedent moisture contents (AMC) and ten different rainfall energy flux densities (EFD). Splash and soil organic carbon (SOC) flux increased with increased EFD regardless of initial AMC. Aggregates were not transported in proportion to their content in the original soil matrix, those of 2000–4000 μm and <105 μm were found to be the most resistant to splash. Energy required to detach 1 gC varied from a median of 1870 J for the 2000–4000 μm fraction to 120 J for the 425–850 μm fraction. Temporal variation in cumulative splash flux and carbon flux for various combinations of AMC and EFD indicated distinct patterns. Under dry AMC, splash increased during 1 h duration storms and this was explained by increased aggregate breakdown by air-slaking, decreased soil strength and increased erodibility as soil moisture increased. Wet soil runs exhibited the opposite pattern of decreased flux with time, probably indicating a complex response to limited aggregate availability, increased seal development by raindrop compaction, and transient water layer effects in drop impact craters. The formulation of mass-based SOC enrichment ratios (ER) clearly indicated preferential detachment and transport of splashed aggregates between 250 and 2000 μm. A reliance of chemical transport models on concentration-based ER values can be misleading, because it is the balance between nutrient concentration and sediment quantity that is important for soil quality and non-point source modelling.     

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.     

Crusting effects on erosion processes under simulated rainfall on a tropical Alfisol

Sealing and crusting of soil surfaces have dramatic effects on water infiltration into and runoff from soils, thereby greatly influencing erosion processes. This study focused on the effect of the initial stage of crusting on inter-rill erosion processes for a crust-prone Alfisol sampled from south-central India. Soil aggregates ranging from 2·4 to 8 mm collected from ploughed (PL) and naturally vegetated (NV) treatments were subjected to rainfall simulation under laboratory conditions. Runoff from PL soil aggregates was 2–2·5 times higher, while percolation was 20–100% lower, than for NV aggregates. Soil wash and splash losses were 0·5–3 times greater for PL than for NV soil. Runoff and inter-rill erosion were significantly higher during the wet simulation run compared with the dry run. The results indicated that NV soil aggregates were more resistant to breakdown from raindrop impact and slaking, and subject to less rapid sealing, than PL soil. Total soil loss was influenced most by initial aggregate stability and the extent of seal development. Splash and wash losses of soil both increased as a result of surface sealing regardless of soil condition for short (30–60 min) rainfall durations. High drying rates resulted in the highest crust bulk densities. Increased crust strength for PL soil compared with NV soil reflected the greater susceptibility of cultivated soil to surface sealing and crusting. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Soil detachment and transport on field‐ and laboratory‐scale interrill areas: erosion processes and the size‐selectivity of eroded sediment

Field‐ and laboratory‐scale rainfall simulation experiments were carried out in an investigation of the temporal variability of erosion processes on interrill areas, and the effects of such variation upon sediment size characteristics. Poorly aggregated sandy soils from the semi‐arid environment of Senegal, West Africa, were used on both a 40 m² field plot and a 0·25 m² laboratory plot; rainfall intensity for all experiments was 70 mm h^?1 with a duration of 1 to 2 hours. Time‐series measurements were made of the quantity and the size distribution of eroded material: these permitted an estimate of the changing temporal balance between the main erosion processes (splash and wash). Results from both spatial scales showed a similar temporal pattern of runoff generation and sediment concentration. For both spatial scales, the dominant erosional process was detachment by raindrops; this resulted in a dynamic evolution of the soil surface under raindrop impact, with the rapid formation of a sieving crust followed by an erosion crust. However, a clear difference was observed between the two scales regarding the size of particles detached by both splash and wash. While all measured values were lower than the mean weight diameter (MWD) value of the original soil (mean 0·32 mm), demonstrating the size‐selective nature of wash and splash processes, the MWD values of washed and splashed particles at the field scale ranged from 0·08 to 0·16 mm and from 0·12 to 0·30 mm respectively, whereas the MWD values of washed and splashed particles at the laboratory scale ranged from 0·13 to 0·29 mm and from 0·21 to 0·32 mm respectively. Thus only at the field scale were the soil particles detached by splash notably coarser than those transported by wash. This suggests a transport‐limited erosion process at the field scale. Differences were also observed between the dynamics of the soil loss by wash at the two scales, since results showed wider scatter in the field compared to the laboratory experiments. This scatter is probably related to the change in soil surface characteristics due to the size‐selectivity of the erosion processes at this spatial scale. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Measuring sheet erosion using synthetic color‐contrast aggregates

The bulk of eroded soils measured at the outlets of plots, slopes and watersheds are suspended sediments, splash‐induced sheet erosion. It is depending on rainfall intensity and antecedent soil moisture contents and contributes to a significant proportion of soil loss that usually is ignored in soil erosion and sediment studies. A digital image processing method for tracing and measuring non‐suspended soil particles detached/transported by splash/runoff was therefore used in the present study. Accordingly, fine mineral pumice grains aggregated with white cement and coloured with yellow pigment powder, with the same size, shape and specific gravity as those of natural soil aggregates, called synthetic color‐contrast aggregates, were used as tracers for detecting soil particle movement. Subsequently, the amount of non‐suspended soil particles detached and moved downward the slope was inferred with the help of digital image processing techniques using MATLAB R2010B software (Mathworks, Natick, Massachusetts, USA). The present study was conducted under laboratory conditions with four simulated rainfall intensities between 30–90 mm h^‐1, five antecedent soil moisture contents between 12–44 % v v^‐1 and a slope of 30%, using sandy loam soils taken from a summer rangeland in the Alborz Mountains, Northern Iran. A range of total transported soil between 90.34 and 1360.93 g m^‐2 and net splash erosion between 36.82 and 295.78 g m^‐2were observed. The results also showed the sediment redeposition ratio ranging from 87.27% [sediment delivery ratio (SDR) = 12.73%] to 96.39% (SDR = 3.61%) in various antecedent soil moisture contents of rainfall intensity of 30 mm h^‐1 and from 80.55% (SDR = 19.45%) to 89.42% (SDR = 10.58%) in rainfall intensity of 90 mm h^‐1. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The deposition of stony colluvium on clay soil as a cause of gully formation in the Rif Mountains,Morocco

V-shaped gullies are formed on slopes in the Rif Mountains where stony colluvium covers a truncated Luvisol in finegrained, early pleistocene slope deposits. The colluvium resulted from large-scale deforestation of summit areas in recent times. A number of properties related to the response of soil material to rainfall were investigated. Colluvium has a high infiltration capacity compared to the Luvisol. Consequently, the deposition of colluvium reduced overland flow and erosion by surface wash. Gully-forming processes on the other hand were activated by the superposition of permeable over impermeable material.     

The effect of a new zealand beech forest canopy on the kinetic energy of water drops and on surface erosion

Rain and throughfall drops were sampled during rain events in a New Zealand beech forest and the frequency distributions of drop mass and kinetic energy calculated. The kinetic energy of throughfall under the canopy was always greater than that of rainfall in the open, notwithstanding interception losses. During a typical rain event in which 51 mm fell in 36 h, the total kinetic energy of throughfail was 1.5 times greater than that of rainfall, and the mean amount of sand splashed from sample cups was 3.1 times greater under the canopy than in the open. It appears that where mineral soil is exposed at the surface, by animal trampling or burrowing for example, rates of soil detachment by splash under a forest canopy will probably exceed those in the open.     

Developing a sediment budget for a small drainage basin in Australia

A sediment budget was developed for the 1.7 km² Maluna Creek drainage basin located in the Hunter Valley, New South Wales, Australia, for the period 1971-86. the impact of viticulture, which commenced at Maluna in 1971, was studied using erosion plots, with caesium-137 as an indicator of both soil erosion and sedimentation. Two methods were used to estimate vineyard soil losses from caesium-137 measurements. Sediment output from the catchment was measured for three years, and extrapolated from readings taken at a nearby long-term stream flow gauging station for the remaining 13 years. Relative amounts of soil loss from forest (60 per cent basin area), grazing land (30 per cent) and vineyards (10 per cent) were calculated. Soil losses by rain splash detachment were ten times greater from bare/cultivated sufaces than from the forest. Erosion plots of area 2 m² showed no significant differences in soil loss between forest and grassland but, under bare soil, losses were 100 times greater. the ¹³⁷Cs method was employed to calculate net soil loss from all vineyard blocks using both a previously established calibration curve and a proportional model. the latter method gave estimates of soil loss which were 3-9 times greater than by the calibration curve, and indicated that average soil losses from the vineyard were equivalent to 62 t ha^?1 y^?1 (1971-86). It was estimated that the forest contributed 1-8 per cent, the grazing land 1.6 per cent, and the vineyard 96.6 per cent of the total soil loss during that period. Sediment storages within the fluvial system adjacent to the vineyard ws 9460 t for the period, whereas sediment output was equivalent to 215 t km^?1 y^?1. Independent measurements of soil erosion, storage, and output showed that 56 per cent of the eroded sediment remained in the catchment, and 34 per cent was transported out by Maluna Creek. the budget was able to be balanced to within 10 per cent.     

The relationship between the soil erodibility factor K (Universal soil loss equation), aggregate stability and micromorphological properties of soils in the Hornos area,S. Spain

Wischmeier's soil erodibility factor K calculated for 10 surface soils in the Hornos area, S. Spain, is compared with 3 aspects of aggregate stability. A significant correlation is found with the percentage of particles < 100 μm after aggregate breakdown, which is used as a measure of the vulnerability of the soil to erosion by overland flow. No significant correlation exists with the number of water drops required to cause breakdown of the aggregates nor with the mean size of the shattered aggregates, both being aspects of the resistance of aggregates to splash erosion. Of the micromorphological and analytical soil properties explaining aggregate stability, only the clay and silt content and the number of closed voids are significantly correlated with the factor K. The aggregate stability of the investigated soils is mainly determined by soil properties inherited from the parent material; the stabilizing effect of pedological features is small.     

Modelling raindrop impact and splash erosion processes within a spatial cell: a stochastic approach

A new approach is proposed to simulate splash erosion on local soil surfaces. Without the effect of wind and other raindrops, the impact of free‐falling raindrops was considered as an independent event from the stochastic viewpoint. The erosivity of a single raindrop depending on its kinetic energy was computed by an empirical relationship in which the kinetic energy was expressed as a power function of the equivalent diameter of the raindrop. An empirical linear function combining the kinetic energy and soil shear strength was used to estimate the impacted amount of soil particles by a single raindrop. Considering an ideal local soil surface with size of 1 m × 1 m, the expected number of received free‐falling raindrops with different diameters per unit time was described by the combination of the raindrop size distribution function and the terminal velocity of raindrops. The total splash amount was seen as the sum of the impact amount by all raindrops in the rainfall event. The total splash amount per unit time was subdivided into three different components, including net splash amount, single impact amount and re‐detachment amount. The re‐detachment amount was obtained by a spatial geometric probability derived using the Poisson function in which overlapped impacted areas were considered. The net splash amount was defined as the mass of soil particles collected outside the splash dish. It was estimated by another spatial geometric probability in which the average splashed distance related to the median grain size of soil and effects of other impacted soil particles and other free‐falling raindrops were considered. Splash experiments in artificial rainfall were carried out to validate the availability and accuracy of the model. Our simulated results suggested that the net splash amount and re‐detachment amount were small parts of the total splash amount. Their proportions were 0·15% and 2·6%, respectively. The comparison of simulated data with measured data showed that this model could be applied to simulate the soil‐splash process successfully and needed information of the rainfall intensity and original soil properties including initial bulk intensity, water content, median grain size and some empirical constants related to the soil surface shear strength, the raindrop size distribution function and the average splashed distance. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A physically-based model of the dispersion of splash droplets ejected from a water drop impact

A model has been developed which predicts the dispersion of splash droplets produced by the impact of a water drop on a sloping soil surface. Experimental results of the ejection velocities and ejection angles of the splash droplets are generalized to a planar slope and the resulting splash distances are calculated taking into account the effects of air resistance. The predictions are presented in terms of the numbers of splash droplets from the impact point to surrounding squares arranged in a grid on the slope. The model explains many experimentally observed features of raindrop splash in terms of the mechanics of the processes involved and can make predictions of the effects of slope, wind, raindrop size, and soil properties on droplet dispersion. The component of the raindrop velocity parallel to the surface of the slope is identified as the main factor determining the degree and the direction of the asymmetry in the splash droplet dispersion. By combining the model with a theory of the entrapment of soil in the splash droplets it is possible to extend it to predict the dispersion of soil particles by raindrop impact, which is the basis of a model of soil erosion by rainsplash.     

First‐year post‐fire erosion rates in Bitterroot National Forest,Montana

Accelerated runoff and erosion commonly occur following forest fires due to combustion of protective forest floor material, which results in bare soil being exposed to overland flow and raindrop impact, as well as water repellent soil conditions. After the 2000 Valley Complex Fires in the Bitterroot National Forest of west‐central Montana, four sets of six hillslope plots were established to measure first‐year post‐wildfire erosion rates on steep slopes (greater than 50%) that had burned with high severity. Silt fences were installed at the base of each plot to trap eroded sediment from a contributing area of 100 m². Rain gauges were installed to correlate rain event characteristics to the event sediment yield. After each sediment‐producing rain event, the collected sediment was removed from the silt fence and weighed on site, and a sub‐sample taken to determine dry weight, particle size distribution, organic matter content, and nutrient content of the eroded material. Rainfall intensity was the only significant factor in determining post‐fire erosion rates from individual storm events. Short duration, high intensity thunderstorms with a maximum 10‐min rainfall intensity of 75 mm h^?1 caused the highest erosion rates (greater than 20 t ha^?1). Long duration, low intensity rains produced little erosion (less than 0·01 t ha^?1). Total C and N in the collected sediment varied directly with the organic matter; because the collected sediment was mostly mineral soil, the C and N content was small. Minimal amounts of Mg, Ca, and K were detected in the eroded sediments. The mean annual erosion rate predicted by Disturbed WEPP (Water Erosion Prediction Project) was 15% less than the mean annual erosion rate measured, which is within the accuracy range of the model. Published in 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effects of slope position and land use on the stability of aggregateassociated organic carbon in calcareous soils

Topography and land use affect soil organic carbon(SOC) storage, stabilization, and turnover, through several biogeochemical processes. This study investigated the aggregate composition and SOC content of bulk soils and aggregates at different slope positions under different land uses in a typical karst catchment of southwestern China. Our results show that the proportion of macro-aggregates and the SOC content of bulk soils and aggregates at different slope positions decreased from the upper to the lower slope. The SOC content generally increased with an increase in the mean weight diameter and proportion of macro-aggregates under different land uses. Our results indicate that macro-aggregates in forest and grassland soils make a greater contribution to both aggregate composition and SOC content than that in arable land soils. Therefore,converting farmland to forest or grassland can facilitate the accumulation of macro-aggregates as well as the storage of SOC.     

AGGREGATE STABILITY OF SOILS IN CENTRAL SPAIN AND THE ROLE OF LAND MANAGEMENT

The paper examines the relationships between soil aggregate stability, selected soil properties and land use in central Spain. Aggregate stability indices derived from three procedures were found to be significantly (p > 0.01) correlated with each other as well as with clay content, organic carbon and a range of water-soluble salts. Soils with a higher clay content have a lower aggregate stability. It appears that the presence of expandable clays has a major negative influence, although this impact is strongly modified by recent land-use history and contemporary land-management practices. Agricultural land, abandoned in the 1940s, was subsequently invaded by Cistus matorral or planted with Pinus. The most stable aggregates occur under matorral and may represent a lag of more resistant aggregates surviving past land-use-related erosional processes. Comparisons with aggregates under Pinus however suggest that hydrophobic substances from the Cistus may have increased aggregate stability. Aggregates from areas remaining in cultivation are the least resistant although the stability envelope overlaps with areas under Pinus. These differences may be related to cultivation practices whereby clay-rich subsurface horizons characterized by higher proportions of expandable clays are drawn to the surface, and to enhancement of aggregate stability under forest by fungal hyphae.     

Downslope soil detachment–transport on steep slopes via rain splash

This study developed a one‐dimensional model of downslope rain splash transport based on field experiments and previous studies. The developed model considers soil detachment processes, ground cover, probability densities, and the effect of overland run‐off in preventing detachment. Field monitoring was conducted to observe precipitation run‐off, ground cover, and sediment production on steep hillslopes. Field‐observed data were used to develop the splash detachment rate equation, probability densities for splash transport, and the maximum splash transport distance. Observed and estimated splash transport showed overall agreement, with some differences for small storm events or events with relatively low intensity, probably caused by variation of overland run‐off depth and connectivity as well as differences in soil surface cohesion at various degrees of wetness. Our model can provide insights on the interactions among rainfall intensity, soil surface condition, soil wetness, and splash transport on forested hillslopes. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A model of the redistribution of disaggregated soil particles by rainsplash

A model of the dispersion of splash droplets from a single raindrop impact on a sloping soil surface is combined with a theory of the entrainment of mineral particles from a disaggregated mixture in splash droplets to obtain a model of the dispersion of such particles by a raindrop impact. Stochastic modelling techniques extend this further to a model of the spatial redistribution of soil on a plot after a period of rainfall. Since the model is probabilistic and physically based it enables the incorporation of further advances in the understanding of splash erosion at all stages and can simulate the effect of the stochastic nature of rainfall and soil properties on the process. Several different situations are simulated. These include the movement of marked soil particles from point sources and the spatial patterns of erosion on a sloping plot. The model can also simulate the differential erosion of different soil particle size fractions.     

The extent of soil erosion in upland England and Wales

Following recommendations by the 19th Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution, the area, causes and rates of upland soil erosion in England and Wales were investigated between 1997 and 1999. This paper describes the methods and results of the field survey of 1999 in which the extent of eroded ground was determined. 2. The area of degraded soil and the volume of eroded material were both determined from the dimensions of individual erosion features at 399 field sites located on an orthogonal grid across the uplands. Using measurements of individual erosion features, degraded soil extent in upland England and Wales was estimated at almost 25 000 ha, 2·46 per cent of the total upland area surveyed. Half this eroded area was revegetated and no longer subject to continued accelerated soil loss in 1999. The total volume of eroded material was estimated at 0·284 km³. Although deposition of eroded material occurred within 20 per cent of eroded field sites, the total volume of redeposited material was less than 1 per cent of the total volume of eroded soil. 3. Erosion was more extensive on peat soils than on dry, wet mineral or wet peaty mineral soils. In addition, the higher incidence of erosion at high altitudes and on low slopes reinforced the relationship between erosion and areas of peat formation. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effect of organic matter on splash detachment and the processes involved

The influence of organic matter on splash detachment was investigated using soils with grass and peat treatments. The relationship between organic matter and aggregate stability to water disruption was positive for soils with grass treatment while it was negative for those with peat treatment. Organic matter from both treatments, however, reduced splash detachment by rainfall. Soils with grass did this by increasing aggregate stability while peat acted as a mulch on the soil surface. This implies that though organic matter always reduces splash detachment, different processes may be involved, depending on the form of the organic material. Because of the different processes involved, both negative and positive relationships between splash detachment and aggregate stability as reported in literature were obtained for the soils with grass and peat respectively.     

Using beryllium‐7 to monitor the relative proportions of interrill and rill erosion from loessal soil slopes in a single rainfall event

Quantifying the relative proportions of soil losses due to interrill and rill erosion processes during erosion events is an important factor in predicting total soil losses and sediment transport and deposition. Beryllium‐7 (⁷Be) can provide a convenient way to trace sediment movement over short timescales providing information that can potentially be applied to longer‐term, larger‐scale erosion processes. We used simulated rainstorms to generate soil erosion from two experimental plots (5 m × 4 m; 25° slope) containing a bare, hand‐cultivated loessal soil, and measured ⁷Be activities to identify the erosion processes contributing to eroded material movement and/or deposition in a flat area at the foot of the slope. Based on the mass balance of ⁷Be detected in the eroded soil source and in the sediments, the proportions of material from interrill and rill erosion processes were estimated in the total soil losses, the deposited sediments in the flat area, and in the suspended sediments discharged from the plots. The proportion of interrill eroded material in the discharged sediment decreased over time as that of rill eroded material increased. The amount of deposited material was greatly affected by overland flow rates. The estimated amounts of rill eroded material calculated using ⁷Be activities were in good agreement with those based on physical measurements of total plot rill volumes. Although time lags of 45 and 11 minutes existed between detection of sediment being removed by rill erosion, based on ⁷Be activities, and observed rill initiation times, our results suggest that the use of ⁷Be tracer has the potential to accurately quantify the processes of erosion from bare, loessal cultivated slopes and of deposition in flatter, downslope areas that occur in single rainfall events. Such measurements could be applied to estimate longer‐term erosion occurring over larger areas possessing similar landforms. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

From soil aggregates to riverine flocs: a laboratory experiment assessing the respective effects of soil type and flow shear stress on particles characteristics

Particles eroded from hillslopes and exported to rivers are recognized to be composite particles of high internal complexity. Their architecture and composition are known to influence their transport behaviour within the water column relative to discrete particles. To‐date, hillslope erosion studies consider aggregates to be stable once they are detached from the soil matrix. However, lowland rivers and estuaries studies often suggest that particle structure and dynamics are controlled by flocculation within the water column. In order to improve the understanding of particle dynamics along the continuum from hillslopes to the lowland river environment, soil particle behaviour was tested under controlled laboratory conditions. Seven flume erosion and deposition experiments, designed to simulate a natural erosive event, and five shear cell experiments were performed using three contrasting materials: two of them were poorly developed and as such can not be considered as soils, whilst the third one was a calcareous brown soil. These experiments revealed that soil aggregates were prone to disaggregation within the water column and that flocculation may affect their size distribution during transport. Large differences in effective particle size were found between soil types during the rising limb of the bed shear stress sequence. Indeed, at the maximum applied bed shear stress, the aggregated particles median diameter was found to be three times larger for the well‐developed soil than for the two others. Differences were smaller in the falling limb, suggesting that soil aggregates underwent structural changes. However, characterization of particles strength parameters showed that these changes did not fully turn soil aggregates into flocs, but rather into hybrid soil aggregate–floc particles. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.