Morphology and causes of recent peat slides on Skerry Hill,Co. Antrim,Northern Ireland

Two shallow translational slides occurred in blanket peat on Skerry Hill, Co. Antrim, in November 1991 at sites adjacent to slides activated c. 25 years ago. Heavy rainfall, degraded drainage ditches and slope morphology are considered to have been important factors contributing to peat instability. The failure planes are located close to the peat base, at the boundary between less compact fibrous peat above and more compact humified peat below. The preservation of large blocks and rafts of intact peat and the limited amount of liquefied peat in the debris tongues is thought to reflect the degree of peat humification. There is also some evidence to suggest that the peat was probably undersaturated at the time of failure and this may have assisted preservation of intact peat blocks. Tension cracks, resulting from either short-term desiccation or long-term slow mass movement, are thought to have facilitated the rapid transfer of heavy rain to the subsurface peat, causing high pore-water pressures and lubrication of the failure planes. Vegetation recolonization will probably follow a pattern similar to that observed on the adjacent earlier slides.     

Seepage erosion and its implication to the formation of amphitheatre valley heads: A case study at Obara,Japan

Seepage erosion was investigated in an amphitheatre with a semicircular valley head, steep slopes, and a flat bottom developed in granodiorite hills at Obara, Aichi prefecture, Japan. A high sediment yield occurred where the measuring sites were located at the base of the landslide debris in the base of the convex slopes, whereas sediment outflows were small where the measuring sites were located at the base of the strong convex slopes. This implies that the seepage erosion was an effective agent for removal of debris deposited at the base of the slope. Small landslides can be found at the lower slopes within the area of the observed amphitheatre. The slope stability analysis and subsurface water observation of the lower slope suggest that the small landslides in this amphitheatre are due to over-steepened slopes, and relatively insensitive to subsurface water status. Colluvium in the flat valley bottom thinly covers the bedrock surface. Therefore the topography of the amphitheatre was found to be formed by parallel retreat of slopes by the repetition of basal seepage erosion and subsequent small landslides.     

Initiation of a multiple peat slide on Cuilcagh Mountain,Northern Ireland

In October 1998 a multiple peat slide occurred on the northern slopes of Cuilcagh Mountain, Co. Fermanagh, in response to a high‐magnitude rainfall event. Few peat slides have been recorded in Ireland, and a detailed field survey and investigation of the failure was undertaken within four weeks of the event. The morphological evidence indicated a distinct sequence of events which appeared to begin with the failure of a small segment of slope above a degraded transverse drainage ditch which was cut less than ten years previously. This segment of slope was no more than 42 m wide and 25 m long, with 0·7 m of peat overlying up to 0·5 m of a pale coloured clay, the latter containing small pipes and resting on the surface of a darker coloured loamy material. The failure surface was located at or near the base of the pale clay layer. Finite element software was used to model hydrological conditions within the upper segment of slope and to calculate factors of safety for different slope configurations including the presence or absence of a drain or a subsurface pipe. Using the peak shear strength of the pale clay, as determined in the laboratory, both the drain and subsurface pipes were required to obtain a factor of safety of 1·0 or less. Allowing for the uncertainties associated with the hydrological modelling of the pipes, it is suggested that the cutting of the drain and the hydrological impacts of its subsequent degradation are ultimately responsible for the failure. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The impact of pipe flow in riparian peat deposits on nitrate transport and removal

The effect of preferential flow in soil pipes on nitrate retention in riparian zones is poorly understood. The characteristics of soil pipes and their influence on patterns of groundwater transport and nitrate dynamics were studied along four transects in a 1‐ to >3‐m deep layer of peat and marl overlying an oxic sand aquifer in a riparian zone in southern Ontario, Canada. The peat‐marl deposit, which consisted of several horizontal layers with large differences in bulk density, contained soil pipes that were generally 0.1 to 0.2 m in diameter and often extended vertically for 1 to >2 m. Springs that produced overland flow across the riparian area occurred at some sites where pipes extended to the peat surface. Concentrations of NO₃^?–N (20–30 mg L^?1) and dissolved oxygen (DO) (4–6 mg L^?1) observed in peat pipe systems and surface springs were similar to values in the underlying sand aquifer, indicating that preferential flow transported groundwater with limited nitrate depletion. Low NO₃^?–N concentrations of <5 mg L^?1 and enriched δ¹⁵N values indicated that denitrification was restricted to small areas of the peat where pipes were absent. Groundwater DO concentrations declined rapidly to <2 mg L^?1 in the peat matrix adjacent to pipes, whereas high NO₃^?–N concentrations of >15 mg L^?1 extended over a larger zone. Low dissolved organic carbon values at these locations suggest that supplies of organic carbon were not sufficient to support high rates of denitrification, despite low DO conditions. These data indicate that it is important to develop a greater understanding of pipes in peat deposits, which function as sites where the transport of large fluxes of water with low biogeochemical reaction rates can limit the nitrate removal capacity of riparian zones. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Mid‐Holocene sub‐blanket‐peat alluvia and sediment sources in the upper Liffey valley,Co. Wicklow,Ireland

A recently exposed section across a ?rst‐order valley buried beneath the regional blanket peat on hillside slopes in the upper Liffey valley, Co. Wicklow, is described. The section shows two alluvia within a shallow valley form underlain by an extensive boulder and stone line over regional till and weathered granite. ¹⁴C dates from wood in the alluvia indicate the older alluvium to have formed between 4324 ± 53 BP and 4126 ± 45 BP and the younger between 3217 ± 53 BP and 2975 ± 53 BP . The basal layer of the overlying peat yielded a date of 2208 ± 61 BP . The younger alluvium shows the effects of soil paludi?cation prior to the peat expansion. Dated pollen analyses elsewhere in the upper catchment con?rm the spread of blanket peat over most areas above 350 m after 4000–3600 BP . The buried valley was contributing sediments to the mid‐Holocene ?oodplains in the upper Liffey valley prior to the extension of blanket peat over the catchment after which sediment yields from it and the other catchment slopes declined. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Morphology,structure and flow phases in soil pipes developing in forested hillslopes underlain by a Quaternary sand–gravel formation,Hokkaido, northern main island in Japan

Preferential flow pathways, such as soil pipes, are usually present in the soil of slopes. Subsurface flow through the soil pipes affects the subsurface drainage system and is responsible for sediment removal from slopes. However, a record of the inner structure of soil pipes has rarely been reported for slopes. A fibrescope examination of the morphology and flow phases in soil pipes in hillslopes underlain by a Quaternary sand–gravel formation provided the following information: the main pores of the soil pipes ran mostly parallel with the slope gradient; the cross‐sections of the soil pipes were approximately circular; and occurred on a few occasions; with some triple junctions being present. In addition, both full flow and partly full‐depth conditions occurred simultaneously in the soil pipe. The full flow condition has long been used in hydrological studies to model the pipe flow mechanism. Both the full flow condition and the partly full‐depth condition, however, must be examined closely in order to evaluate the subsurface hydrology in heterogeneous soil and the hydrogeomorphological processes of subsurface hydraulic erosion. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Application of ground‐penetrating radar to the identification of subsurface piping in blanket peat

Natural soil pipes are common and significant in upland blanket peat catchments yet there are major problems in finding and defining the subsurface pipe networks. This is particularly important because pipeflow can contribute a large proportion of runoff to the river systems in these upland environments and may significantly influence catchment sediment and solute yields. Traditional methods such as digging soil pits are destructive and time‐consuming (particularly in deep peat) and only provide single point sources of information. This paper presents results from an experiment to assess the use of ground‐penetrating radar (GPR) to remotely sense pipes in blanket peat. The technique is shown to be successful in identifying most of the pipes tested in the pilot catchment. Comparison of data on pipes identified by GPR and verified by manual measurement suggests that pipes can be located in the soil profile with a depth accuracy of 20 to 30 cm. GPR‐identified pipes were found throughout the soil profile; however, those within 10–20 cm of the surface could not be identified using the 100 or 200 MHz antennae due to multiple surface reflections. Generally pipes smaller than 10 cm in diameter could not be identified using the technique although modifications are suggested that will allow enhanced resolution. Future work would benefit from the development of dual‐frequency antennae that will allow the combination of high‐resolution data with the depth of penetration required in a wetland environment. The GPR experiment shows that pipe network densities were much greater than could be detected from surface observation alone. Thus, GPR provides a non‐destructive, fast technique which can produce continuous profiles of peat depth and indicate pipe locations across survey transects. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

How hydrological factors initiate instability in a model sandy slope

Knowledge of the mechanisms of rain‐induced shallow landslides can improve the prediction of their occurrence and mitigate subsequent sediment disasters. Here, we examine an artificial slope's subsurface hydrology and propose a new slope stability analysis that includes seepage force and the down‐slope transfer of excess shear forces. We measured pore water pressure and volumetric water content immediately prior to a shallow landslide on an artificial sandy slope of 32°: The direction of the subsurface flow shifted from downward to parallel to the slope in the deepest part of the landslide mass, and this shift coincided with the start of soil displacement. A slope stability analysis that was restricted to individual segments of the landslide mass could not explain the initiation of the landslide; however, inclusion of the transfer of excess shear forces from up‐slope to down‐slope segments improved drastically the predictability. The improved stability analysis revealed that an unstable zone expanded down‐slope with an increase in soil water content, showing that the down‐slope soil initially supported the unstable up‐slope soil; destabilization of this down‐slope soil was the eventual trigger of total slope collapse. Initially, the effect of apparent soil cohesion was the most important factor promoting slope stability, but seepage force became the most important factor promoting slope instability closer to the landslide occurrence. These findings indicate that seepage forces, controlled by changes in direction and magnitude of saturated and unsaturated subsurface flows, may be the main cause of shallow landslides in sandy slopes. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Evidence that piezometers vent gas from peat soils and implications for pore‐water pressure and hydraulic conductivity measurements

Entrapped gas bubbles in peat can alter the buoyancy, storativity, void ratio and expansion/contraction properties of the peat. Moreover, when gas bubbles block water‐conducting pores they can significantly reduce saturated hydraulic conductivity and create zones of over‐pressuring, perhaps leading to an alteration in the magnitude and direction of groundwater flow and solute transport. Some previous researches have demonstrated that these zones of over‐pressuring are not observed by the measurements of pore‐water pressures using open‐pipe piezometers in peat; rather, they are only observed with pressure transducers sealed in the peat. In has been hypothesized that open‐pipe piezometers vent entrapped CH₄ to the atmosphere and thereby do not permit the natural development of zones of entrapped gas. Here we present findings of the study to investigate whether piezometers vent subsurface CH₄ to the atmosphere and whether the presence of piezometers alters the subsurface concentration of dissolved CH₄. We measured the flux of methane venting from the piezometers and also determined changes in pore‐water CH₄ concentration at a rich fen in southern Ontario and a poor fen in southern Quebec, in the summer of 2004. Seasonally averaged CH₄ flux from piezometers was 1450 and 37·8‐mg CH₄ m^?2 d^?1 at the southern Ontario site and Quebec site, respectively. The flux at the Ontario site was two orders of magnitude greater than the diffusive flux at the site. CH₄ pore‐water concentrations were significantly lower in open piezometers than in water taken from sealed samplers at both the Ontario and Quebec sites. The flux of CH₄ from piezometers decreased throughout the season suggesting that CH₄ venting through the piezometer exceeded the rate of methanogenesis in the peat. Consequently we conclude that piezometers may alter the gas dynamics of some peatlands. We suggest that less‐invasive techniques (e.g. buried pressure transducers, tracer experiments) are needed for the accurate measurement of pore‐water pressures and hydraulic conductivity in peatlands with a large entrapped gas component. Furthermore, we argue that caution must be made in interpreting results from previous peatland hydrology studies that use these traditional methods. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Spatial interaction between collapsed pipes and landslides in hilly regions with loess‐derived soils

While most studies focus on the effect of soil pipes on hillslope stability, this present study investigates the impact of landsliding on pipe development. It is hypothesized that poorly drained active and dormant landslides change the hillslope hydrology through (i) surface flow obstruction, by changing topography, as well as (ii) subsurface flow obstruction by tilting less‐permeable clay‐rich substrates. Hence, new preferential flow paths are created at reverse slopes within the landslide zone and at the boundary of the landslide, enhancing pipe formation. This study aims at a better understanding of the interaction between collapsed pipe (CP) occurrence and landslide (LS) occurrence in the Flemish Ardennes (Belgium) by comparing their respective spatial patterns. At least 24.5% of the 139 sites with CP were related to the occurrence of an observed LS. Poorly drained LS may create favourable conditions for pipe development. Outside LS, natural and anthropogenic (e.g. broken field drains, road drainage) causes may result in concentrated subsurface flow, resulting in pipe development. No evidence was found that pipe development enhanced LS, probably because the subsurface drainage discharge generated upslope of the LS is too low. Even when pipes become blocked, it is more likely that new pipes develop and new collapses occur than they trigger or reactivate LS. A conceptual model is presented summarizing all elements that influence piping erosion in the Flemish Ardennes, including the role of LS. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Peat slides in Teesdale and Weardale,northern pennines,july 1983: Description and failure mechanisms

Peat landslides that occurred in Upper Teesdale and Weardale in 1983 are described. The slides occurred after thunderstorm rainfall of a very rare intensity and return period. The slope geomorphological features and the vegetation associated with the slide areas are detailed. Baseline geotechnical data are used in a simple retrospective stability analysis, treating the peat slides as shallow translational slips. The analysis demonstrates the probable important role played by open moor drains, natural soil pipes, and prior cracking of the peat (owing to dessication or slow mass movement) in the rapid transfer of water to the failure zone within an impervious sensitive clay beneath the peat. The frequency of peat landslides and the visual persistence of sites is considered briefly in relation to substratum and peat stability within a context of climatic change. It is suggested that there may be a gradation of type from the classic Irish bog-burst, through failures of intermediate character, to peat slips involving rigid peat blocks. Antecedent conditions and the mechanism of failure need not be similar for mass movements at either end of this spectrum.     

Heuristic numerical and analytical models of the hydrologic controls over vertical solute transport in a domed peat bog,Jura Mountains,Switzerland

We report the results of numerical and analytical simulations to test the hypothesis that downward vertical flow of porewater from the crests of domed alpine and kettle bogs controls vertical porewater distributions of major solutes such as Ca and Mg. The domed Etang de la Gruère bog (EGr), Switzerland, characterized by a vertical downward gradient of 0·04 and stratified layers of peat, is chosen as a field site for the model calibration and evaluation. The middle 4‐m section of the 6·5 m thick bog peat is heavily humified and has a hydraulic conductivity of ～10^?5·6 cm s^?1. Above and below, peat is less humified with a hydraulic conductivity of ～10^?3 cm s^?1. Heuristic finite difference simulations, using Visual MODFLOW, of the bog hydraulics show that the higher conductivity peat at the bog base is critical to create the observed deep, local flow cells that substantively recharge porewater. Model results and Peclet number calculations show that before ～7000 ¹⁴C yr BP diffusion of solutes from underlying mineral soils controlled the vertical distribution of porewater chemistry. From 7000 to ～1250 ¹⁴C BP the porewater chemistry was probably controlled by both upward diffusion and downward advection, and after ～1250 ¹⁴C yr BP porewater chemistry was probably controlled by downward advection. Concentrations of conservative major solutes in the porewaters of alpine, ombrotrophic bogs are the net effect of both downward vertical porewater movement and upward vertical diffusion, the magnitudes of which are delicately poised to the configuration of the bog water table over time and subsurface peat stratigraphy. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Microtopography,water storage and flow patterns in a fine‐textured soil under agricultural use

Agricultural use of soils implies tillage and often compaction and therefore influences processes on soil surface and affects infiltration of water into the subsoil. Although many studies on soil surface processes or flow patterns in soils exist, works relating both are rare in literature. We did two tracer experiments with Brilliant Blue FCF on a tilled and compacted plot and a non‐tilled one to investigate water storage on the soil surface during simulated rainfall and changes of soil microtopography, to analyse the associated flow patterns in the soil and to relate both to tillage and compaction. Our results show that storage was larger on the tilled and compacted plot than on the non‐tilled one. After tillage, transport processes above the plough pan were partly disconnected from those underneath because macropores were disrupted and buried by the tillage operation. However, preferential flow along cracks occurred on both plots and the macropores buried below the tillage pan still functioned as preferential flow paths. Therefore, we conclude that the studied soil is susceptible to deep vertical solute propagation at dry conditions when cracks are open, irrespective of tillage and compaction. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effects of rainfall,overland flow and their interactions on peatland interrill erosion processes

Interrill erosion processes on gentle slopes are affected by mechanisms of raindrop impact, overland flow and their interaction. However, limited experimental work has been conducted to understand how important each of the mechanisms are and how they interact, in particular for peat soil. Laboratory simulation experiments were conducted on peat blocks under two slopes (2.5° and 7.5°) and three treatments: Rainfall, where rainfall with an intensity of 12 mm h^?1 was simulated; Inflow, where upslope overland flow at a rate of 12 mm h^?1 was applied; and Rainfall + Inflow which combined both Rainfall and Inflow. Overland flow, sediment loss and overland flow velocity data were collected and splash cups were used to measure the mass of sediment detached by raindrops. Raindrop impact was found to reduce overland flow by 10 to 13%, due to increased infiltration, and reduce erosion by 47% on average for both slope gradients. Raindrop impact also reduced flow velocity (80–92%) and increased roughness (72–78%). The interaction between rainfall and flow was found to significantly reduce sediment concentrations (73–85%). Slope gradient had only a minor effect on overland flow and sediment yield. Significantly higher flow velocities and sediment yields were observed under the Rainfall + Inflow treatment compared to the Rainfall treatment. On average, upslope inflow was found to increase erosion by 36%. These results indicate that overland flow and erosion processes on peat hillslopes are affected by upslope inflow. There was no significant relationship between interrill erosion and overland flow, whereas stream power had a strong relationship with erosion. These findings help improve our understanding of the importance of interrill erosion processes on peat. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The dynamics of natural pipe hydrological behaviour in blanket peat

Natural soil pipes are found in peatlands, but little is known about their hydrological role. This paper presents the most complete set of pipe discharge data to date from a deep blanket peatland in Northern England. In a 17.4‐ha catchment, we identified 24 perennially flowing and 60 ephemerally flowing pipe outlets. Eight pipe outlets along with the catchment outlet were continuously gauged over an 18‐month period. The pipes in the catchment were estimated to produce around 13.7% of annual streamflow, with individual pipes often producing large peak flows (maximum peak of 3.8 l s^?1). Almost all pipes, whether ephemerally or perennially flowing, shallow or deep (outlets > 1 m below the peat surface), showed increased discharge within a mean of 3 h after rainfall commencement and were dominated by stormflow, indicating good connectivity between the peatland surface and the pipes. However, almost all pipes had a longer period between the hydrograph peak and the return to base flow compared with the stream (mean of 23.9 h for pipes, 19.7 h for stream). As a result, the proportion of streamflow produced by the pipes at any given time increased at low flows and formed the most important component of stream discharge for the lowest 10% of flows. Thus, a small number of perennially flowing pipes became more important to the stream system under low‐flow conditions and probably received water via matrix flow during periods between storms. Given the importance of pipes to streamflow in blanket peatlands, further research is required into their wider role in influencing stream water chemistry, water temperature and fluvial carbon fluxes, as well as their role in altering local hydrochemical cycling within the peat mass itself. Enhanced piping within peatlands caused by environmental change may lead to changes in the streamflow regime with larger low flows and more prolonged drainage of the peat. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Sediment detachment and transport processes associated with internal erosion of soil pipes

Subsurface flow can be an important process in gully erosion through its impact on decreasing soil cohesion and erosion resistance as soil water content or pressure increases and more directly by the effects of seepage forces on particle detachment and piping. The development of perched water tables fosters lateral flow that can result in seepage at the surface and/or formation of soil pipes by internal erosion of preferential flow paths. Continued internal erosion of soil pipes can lead to gullies, dam and levee failures. However, the processes involved in particle and aggregate detachment from soil pipe walls and transport processes within soil pipes have not been well studied or documented. This paper reviews the limited research on sediment detachment and transport in macropores and soil pipes and applies the knowledge learned from the much more extensive studies conducted on streams and industrial pipes to hydrogeologic conditions of soil pipes. Knowledge gaps are identified and recommendations are made for future research on sediment detachment and transport in soil pipes. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Hydrological connectivity of soil pipes determined by ground‐penetrating radar tracer detection

Soil pipes are common and important features of many catchments, particularly in semi‐arid and humid areas, and can contribute a large proportion of runoff to river systems. They may also signi?cantly in?uence catchment sediment and solute yield. However, there are often problems in ?nding and de?ning soil pipe networks which are located deep below the surface. Ground‐penetrating radar (GPR) has been used for non‐destructive identi?cation and mapping of soil pipes in blanket peat catchments. While GPR can identify subsurface cavities, it cannot alone determine hydrological connectivity between one cavity and another. This paper presents results from an experiment to test the ability of GPR to establish hydrological connectivity between pipes through use of a tracer solution. Sodium chloride was injected into pipe cavities previously detected by the radar. The GPR was placed downslope of the injection points and positioned on the ground directly above detected soil pipes. The resultant radargrams showed signi?cant changes in re?ectance from some cavities and no change from others. Pipe waters were sampled in order to check the radar results. Changes in electrical conductivity of the pipe water could be detected by the GPR, without data post‐processing, when background levels were increased by more than approximately twofold. It was thus possible to rapidly determine hydrological connectivity of soil pipes within dense pipe networks across hillslopes without ground disturbance. It was also possible to remotely measure travel times through pipe systems; the passing of the salt wave below the GPR produced an easily detectable signal on the radargram which required no post‐processing. The technique should allow remote sensing of water sources and sinks for soil pipes below the surface. The improved understanding of ?owpath connectivity will be important for understanding water delivery, solutional and particulate denudation, and hydrological and geomorphological model development. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Characteristics of landslides in forests and grasslands triggered by the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake

We examined the characteristics of landslides triggered by the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake (Mw = 7.0: focal depth=10.0 km) in forests and grasslands within two affected watersheds (Tokosegawa: 6.9 km² and Nigorigawa: 6.1 km²) in southwestern Japan. We identified 190 landslides using aerial photographs and analyzed their sizes by geographic information system (GIS). Field investigations were conducted to obtain landslide depth, volume and residual sediment for 38 selected landslides (21 in forests and 17 in grasslands). The minimum area of detected landslides in grasslands (400 m²) was smaller than in forests (1000 m²), probably because of reduced detectability of landslides under tree cover. The ratio of total area occupied by landslides for a given range of slope gradient in the watersheds increased from 3.2% on gentle grassland slopes (10–15°) to 15.5% on steep (>45°) slopes, whereas the maximum landslide-area ratio in forest sites (7.4%) occurred on relatively gentle slopes (25–30°). Estimated landslide volume ranged from 27 to 9622 m³, based on mean depth of each landslide measured around individual landslide scars. Moreover, the volumetric ratio of landslide deposit volume to total landslide volume exceeded 100% for 48% of the landslides within forests and 35% of the landslides within grasslands. Our findings show that land cover had extensive and recognizable effects on the characteristics of landslides and resulting in-channel sediment accumulations. Resetting sediment dynamics after earthquakes associated with different land cover distributions needs to be considered within watersheds. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Hillslope response under variable microclimate

Solar radiation-controlled microclimatic variation has been considered a major force on hillslope evolution via feedback among geomorphology, vegetation, soil and hydrology. In this study, we investigate the influence of solar radiation on hillslope dynamics on Santa Catalina Island, CA by comparing hillslope morphology and frequency–magnitude relationships of shallow landslides, rills and gullies on slopes receiving low annual solar radiation (LSR) and high annual solar radiation (HSR), which were found equivalent to north- and south-facing slopes, respectively. LSR slopes on Santa Catalina Island were found more vegetated compared to HSR slopes. LiDAR elevation-derived hillslope morphology showed LSR slopes steeper, rougher and more concave than HSR slopes. Similarly, frequency–magnitude plots showed larger relative frequency of high-magnitude shallow landslides, rills and gullies on LSR slopes, and low-magnitude shallow landslides, rills and gullies on HSR slopes. We argue that the morphology, mass movement and erosion characteristics of LSR and HSR slopes reflect the process–response of microclimate-controlled variation in type and density of vegetation cover, soil physical properties – including moisture, texture, structure, infiltration and erodibility – and surface and subsurface hydrology. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Subsurface flow from a forested slope in the Ife area of southwestern Nigeria

ABSTRACT

Lateral subsurface flow within a 10% forested slope in a part of the humid tropics of southwestern Nigeria during 1982 is described with particular regard to the cumulative amount, timing and frequency of seepage, the relative contributions of the various soil horizons to the total seepage, and factors affecting these seepage parameters. Seepage was collected at 30, 500, 900, 1200 and 1800 mm depths by means of troughs connected to plastic collectors, and measurements were made between March and November 1982. The total amount of seepage during the study year was 67.7 mm and this was obtained from a total of 29 seepage days. This is considered low given the number of rainy days (106), the total rainfall for this period (924 mm) and results from other environments. The impeding layer in the soil is within the 900–1200 mm horizon, but the largest relative contribution to total seepage was not from the horizon immediately above this layer (i.e. 500–900 mm), but from the surface 0–30 mm horizon. Soil moisture status and hydraulic conductivity as influenced by the rainfall pattern were found to be very important in controlling the seepage patterns.