Orogen‐scale drainage network evolution and response to erodibility changes: insights from numerical experiments

The continuous feedbacks among tectonics, surface processes, and climate are reflected in the distribution of catchments on active mountain ranges. Previous studies have shown a regularity of valley spacing across mountain ranges worldwide, but the origin of this geomorphological feature is currently not well known. In this work, we use a landscape evolution model to investigate the process of fluvial network organization and the evolution of regular ridge‐and‐valley patterns on simulated mountain ranges. In particular, we investigate the behavior of such patterns when subjected to a perturbation in landscape processes from a previous steady state, resulting from a sudden variation in the pattern of bedrock erodibility, from homogeneous to a gradient. We analyze the time evolution of the mean ratio λ' between the linear spacing of adjacent valleys and the half width of the mountain range. We show how a valley spacing ratio of ~0.5 is first achieved at steady state under uniform bedrock erodibility. After applying the gradient of bedrock erodibility across the landscape, we observe that λ' first increases and then decreases to a new steady‐state value that is smaller than the original value. A detailed analysis of the simulations, through observations of surface ‘snapshots’ at repeated time intervals, allows to gain some insight into the mechanisms governing this fluvial network reorganization process, driven by the migration of the main divide toward the side characterized by lower bedrock erodibility. On both sides of the range the new steady‐state valley spacing is obtained through mechanisms of catchment reorganization and competition between adjacent fluvial networks. In particular, catchment reorganization is characterized by the growth of smaller catchments between shrinking larger catchments on the side with lower erodibility, and the growth of larger catchments on the side with higher erodibility. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Assessment of Soil Erodibility in Taleghan Drainage Basin,Iran, Using Multivariate Statistics

Soil erosion has been recognized as one of the major forms of human-induced soil degradation. Due to land use changes in Iran, erosion has increased 800% between 1951 and 2002, calling for urgent action. But erosion research and policy development are hampered by a lack of information on the underlying factors controlling erosion. Soil types vary in their inherent susceptibility to erosion; but, like most countries, Iran lacks a network of field plots where erodibility is measured. A proxy for erodibility based on existing data and supplemented by an easily measured minimum data set is therefore needed. In this study, we use geological mapping and cluster, principal component, and factor analysis to group soils in the Taleghan Drainage Basin in Iran and subsequently determine their erodibility. First, a geological map of the area was prepared by photogeological methods and on-the-ground verification. Then, three soil profiles were investigated within similar landform units of each geological formation, and soil samples were taken. Physical and chemical properties that might impact soil erodibility (soil texture, pH, electrical conductivity, CaCO₃, and soil organic matter) were used to create a matrix of soil properties and parent material. Application of cluster analysis and factor analysis to the data allowed identification of three geological (parent material) clusters. To investigate the mutual effect of land use and parent material on soil erodibility, a soil erodibility factor was obtained for three land use types in each cluster: rangeland, cropland (irrigated), and dry-land farming (nonirrigated). Geological cluster 1, consisting of marl, gypsum, and gypsiferous mudstone, was the most erodible; geological cluster 2, consisting of recent alluvium, alluvial fan, and landslip deposits, was of intermediate erodibility; and geological cluster 3, consisting of igneous rocks, dolomite, and conglomerate, was the least erodible. Within each geological cluster, dry-land farming was the most erodible, cropland was medium erodible, and rangeland was least erodible. The study suggests that geological and land use maps provide a useful framework for assessing soil erodibility. This work can guide future soil erosion studies and direct soil conservation policy to areas most susceptible to erosion.     

黏性沉积物可侵蚀性研究现状与展望

沉积物可侵蚀性是沉积动力学的重要研究内容,在动力地貌学、海洋工程安全与生态保护等方面均具有重要意义。分别从沉积物可侵蚀性测定方法、经验模型和影响因素3个方面对过去近60年来的黏性沉积物可侵蚀性研究成果进行了总结与分析。前人对黏性沉积物可侵蚀性与影响因素进行了大量研究并取得了丰富的研究成果,但由于黏性沉积物受自身物理化学性质、沉积环境和生物过程等综合影响,导致可侵蚀性研究复杂、困难,不同研究结果间无法形成有效对比,黏性沉积物可侵蚀性经验模型适用性受到极大限制。在总结研究现状与科学问题的基础上认为,下一步黏性沉积物可侵蚀性研究应开展更为全面且系统的实验室与实地研究以及多种方法的综合研究,提高可侵蚀性判定与影响因素识别的准确性与客观性;同时,借助理论、技术创新以及多学科交叉融合研究,深入探讨黏结力形成机理与理论量化,进一步修正与完善黏性沉积物的可侵蚀性经验模型。     

Testing the Universal Soil Loss Equation‐MB equation in plots in Central and South Italy

Planning soil conservation strategies requires predictive techniques at event scale because a large percentage of soil loss over a long‐time period is due to relatively few large storms. Considering runoff is expected to improve soil loss predictions and allows relation of the process‐oriented approach with the empirical one, furthermore, the effects of detachment and transport on soil erosion processes can be distinguished by a runoff component. In this paper, the empirical model USLE‐MB (USLE‐M based), including a rainfall‐runoff erosivity factor in which the event rainfall erosivity index EI₃₀ of the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) multiplies the runoff coefficient Q_R raised to an exponent b₁ > 1 is tested by the measurements carried out for the Masse (10 plots) and Sparacia (22 plots) experimental stations in Italy. For the Masse experimental station, an exponent b₁ > 1 was also estimated by tests carried out by a nozzle‐type rainfall simulator. For each experimental site in fallow conditions, the effect of the sample size of the plot soil loss measurements on the estimate of the b₁ coefficient was also studied by the extraction of a fixed number N of randomly obtained pairs of the normalized soil loss and runoff coefficient. The analysis showed that the variability of b₁ with N is low and that 350 pairs are sufficient to obtain a stable estimate of b₁. A total of 1,262 soil loss data were used to parameterize the model both locally and considering the two sites simultaneously. The b₁ exponent varied between the two sites (1.298–1.520), but using a common exponent (1.386) was possible. Using a common b₁ exponent for the two experimental areas increases the practical interest for the model and allows the estimation of a baseline component of the soil erodibility factor, which is representative of the at‐site soil intrinsic and quasi‐static properties. Development of a single USLE‐MB model appears possible, and sampling other sites is advisable to develop a single USLE‐MB model for general use.     

Using fluidized bed and flume experiments to quantify cohesion development from aging and drainage

Temporal variations in soil erosion resistance are often the result of decreased soil cohesion due to physical disruption followed by a regain of soil strength through a process called aging, stabilization or consolidation. The goal of this study was to quantify changes in soil cohesion due to aging and subsurface hydrologic condition using a fluidized bed method. A flume experiment was also used to verify that findings from the fluidized bed experiment translated into measurable changes in soil erodibility. Tests were performed on three different soils (a Miami soil, a Cecil soil and Crosby–Miami soil complex). Changes in soil cohesion due to aging and drainage state were successfully detected by the fluidized bed technique. For all soils tested, cohesion developed in a two‐stage process where an increase in cohesion with aging duration immediately after the soil was rewetted, was followed by a decrease in cohesion which often started after 24 h of aging. When soils were aged at field capacity, the resulting cohesion measured by the fluidized bed method was on average 3.13 times higher than that measured when aging was performed at saturation. Trends in soil rill erodibility K_r with aging duration measured in the flume experiment were consistent with the two‐stage pattern observed in soil cohesion estimates but the legacy effect of suction applied at field capacity faded after 72 h of aging. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

西藏高原土壤可蚀性及其空间分布规律初步研究

采用数学模型和GIS分析相结合的方法，以西藏自治区土壤普查资料为数据源。计算出西藏高原各土种的土壤可蚀性K值。在此基础上，以县为单元并运用面积进行加权平均，获得该区的土壤可蚀性K值分布图。对高原特殊成土条件下可蚀性的研究与探索，有利于深入理解西藏高原的土壤侵蚀特点、规律及其成因，提高土壤侵蚀的预报精度。     

青海湖流域土壤可蚀性K值研究

以土壤亚类为基础,依据青海省第二次土壤普查资料建立了青海湖流域土壤亚类理化性质数据库.使用Wischmeier建立的通用方程计算土壤可蚀性K值,利用三次样条函数插值方法转换不同粒径标准的土壤质地;分别使用土壤有机质含量和土壤最小饱和水力传导率来确定土壤的结构和渗透级别.根据计算结果,建立了青海湖流域土壤可蚀性的分级指标.结果显示,中等和高等可蚀性K值的土壤面积分别占流域土壤总面积的72.1%和15.5%,土壤易于侵蚀.使用Arc/Info对青海湖流域土壤地图进行数字化得到值的K空间分布图,分析了流域可蚀性K值的分布规律及其土壤沙化原因,这对青海湖流域水土保持及流域长期规划具有重要意义.     

Effects of biological soil crusts on soil detachment process by overland flow in the Loess Plateau of China

Biological soil crusts (BSCs) cover up to 60 to 70% of the soil surface in grasslands after the ‘Grain for Green’ project was implemented in 1999 to rehabilitate the Loess Plateau. However, few studies exist that quantify the effects of BSCs on the soil detachment process by overland flow in the Loess Plateau. This study investigated the potential effects of BSCs on the soil detachment capacity (D_c), and soil resistance to flowing water erosion reflected by rill erodibility and critical shear stress. Two dominant BSC types that developed in the Loess Plateau (the later successional moss and the early successional cyanobacteria mixed with moss) were tested against natural soil samples collected from two abandoned farmland areas. The samples were subjected to flow scouring under six different shear stresses ranging from 7.15 to 24.08 Pa. The results showed that D_c decreased significantly with crust coverage under both moss and mixed crusts. The mean D_c of bare soil (0.823 kg m^?2 s^?1) was 2.9 to 48.4 times greater than those of moss covered soil (0.017–0.284 kg m^?2 s^?1), while it (3.142 kg m^?2 s^?1) was 4.9 to 149.6 times greater than those of mixed covered soil (0.021–0.641 kg m^?2 s^?1). The relative detachment rate of BSCs compared with bare soils decreased exponentially with increasing BSC coverage for both types of BSCs. The D_c value can be simulated by flow shear stress, cohesion, and BSC coverage using a power function (NSE ≥ 0.59). Rill erodibility also decreased with coverage of both crust types. Rill erodibility of bare soil was 3 to 74 times greater than those of moss covered soil and was 2 to 165 times greater than those of mixed covered soil. Rill erodibility could also be estimated by BSC coverage in the Loess Plateau (NSE ≥ 0.91). The effect of crust coverage on critical shear stress was not significant. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

阴山北麓不同用地方式下春季土壤可蚀性研究

阴山北麓位于中国北方农牧交错带内,此区属于生态环境脆弱地带,加之人类对土地资源的不合理利用,导致了严重的土壤风蚀问题,土壤可蚀性是影响土壤侵蚀大小的重要因素之一。本文通过对该区域土壤取样及室内理化分析,结合采样点的地表物质组成、植被覆盖度及土壤有机质含量等因素,分析了其潜在可蚀性。研究结果表明:阴山北麓草地的平均土壤潜在可蚀性最小,为63.82%,耕地的平均土壤潜在可蚀性最大,为66.05%,灌丛和林地居于其中,分别64.58%和64.88%。耕地的平均可蚀性>林地的平均可蚀性>灌丛的平均可蚀性>草地的平均可蚀性。随着春季温度的升高和不断的风蚀,土壤可蚀性也发生相应的变化,但这种变化并不是持续的,当温度达到一定程度时,土壤温度和湿度环境发生了变化,土壤潜在可蚀性反而降低,表现为第二次采样的土壤可蚀性>第三次采样的土壤可蚀性>第一次采样的土壤可蚀性。土地利用方式不同,土壤表层的理化性质、地表状况也会产生一定的差异,从而导致了表层土壤的潜在风蚀性不同。人类活动在土地利用过程中起主导作用,它是叠加在自然因素之上的影响土壤潜在风蚀性的人为因素。所以,应加强对耕地的保护,退耕还林草,减小其潜在风蚀性。     

Field investigation on rilling in the experimental Sparacia area,South Italy

In this paper the results of a field investigation on rilling carried out in the experimental Sparacia area are reported. The measurements were made on a plot 6 m wide and 22 m long subjected to natural rainfalls. For ten rainfalls the total soil loss (interrill and rill erosion) was collected in a storage system consisting of two tanks arranged in series at the base of the plot. Rill morphology (rill length and cross‐sections) was measured for five rainfall events, while the rill profile was surveyed for three events. First the contribution of each component (rill and interrill erosion) to total soil loss was established. Then the analysis allowed establishment of a power relationship between the rill length and the rill volume. Finally, for three events detailed information on rill erosion and rill morphology allowed verification of the applicability of WEPP and estimation of the rill erodibility constant. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.