137Cs finger printing technique for erosion and sedimentation studies

137 Cs is an artificial radionuclide with a half-life of 30.2 years,which was released into the environment as a byproduct of atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons during the period of 1950s to 1970s with a peak deposition in 1963.137 Cs fallout was strongly and rapidly adsorbed by soil particles when it deposited on the ground mostly with precipitation.Its following movements will associate with the adsorbed particles.137 Cs tracing technique has been widely used in soil erosion and sedimentation studies since 1980s.This paper introduces the basis of the technique and shows several case studies of assessment of soil erosion rates,investigation of sediment sources and dating of reservoir deposits by using the technique in the Loess Plateau and the Upper Yangtze River Basin.     

Assessment of soil erosion by compensatory hoeing tillage in a purple soil

This study explores the role of a traditional tillage method,i.e.,compensatory hoeing,for sustainable agro-ecosystem management in the hilly areas of the Chongqing municipality,south-western China.To validate the effects of compensatory tillage on the terraced slopes,the tillage method of noncompensatory hoeing was conducted on a linear slope.To acquire information about 137 Cs inventories and soil texture,soil samples were collected by a core sampler with a 6.8-cm diameter at 5.0-m intervals along the toposequence and the linear slope in the dry season(March) of 2007.Meanwhile,a tillage erosion model was used for evaluating the spatial pattern of tillage erosion.The 137 Cs data showed that on the terraced slope,soil was lost from the upper slope,and soil deposition occurred at the toe slope positions on each terrace.As a result,abrupt changes in the 137 Cs inventories of soil were found over short distances between two sides of terrace boundaries.Results obtained from the tillage erosion model and the 137 Cs data indicate that soil redistribution mainly results from tillage erosion in the terraced landscape.Consecutive non-compensatory tillage caused soil redistribution on the linear slope,resulting in thin soil profile disappearing at the top and soil accumulating at the bottom positions of the linear slope.This result further validates that compensatory tillage could avoid the complete erosion of the thin soil layer at the summit position.Therefore,this traditional tillage.method,i.e.,compensatory tillage,has maintained the soil quality at the summit of the slope in the past decades.     

云南抚仙湖近现代沉积速率变化研究

借助GPS定位,采集了云南抚仙湖不同区域的7 个沉积物柱芯。通过对抚仙湖沉积物柱芯样品的放射性核素²¹⁰Pb 和¹³⁷Cs 测试分析,发现所有柱芯中均存在3 个公认的¹³⁷Cs 计年时标(1954 年¹³⁷Cs首次沉降、1963 年全球公认的¹³⁷Cs最大沉降蓄积峰和1986 年前苏联切尔诺贝利核事故产生的¹³⁷Cs 沉降蓄积峰),部分柱芯中存在20 世纪70 年代中期中国大气核试验形成的1975/1976 年次级蓄积峰,分析了该次级定年时标存在的合理性。借助²¹⁰Pb CRS计年模式获得了抚仙湖过去百余年来的沉积年代,与¹³⁷Cs 时标计年结果相比较存在一定偏差,对两种计年结果产生差异的可能原因进行了探讨。基于²¹⁰Pb 和¹³⁷Cs 计年结果,结合历史文献记载得出,自19 世纪中期以来,抚仙湖各个沉积物柱芯(FX6 除外) 的沉积速率变化规律具有相似性,大致可以划分为3 个阶段：A：自然演化阶段,B：人为扰动阶段,C：人为改造阶段。这种不稳定的沉积环境与抚仙湖地区相应历史时期的人类活动有密切关系,表明人类活动是影响短时间尺度下环境变化的主要驱动力。     

Slope‐area thresholds of road‐induced gully erosion and consequent hillslope–channel interactions

Pikes Peak Highway is a partially paved road between Cascade, Colorado and the summit of Pikes Peak. Significant gully erosion is occurring on the hillslopes due to the concentration of surface runoff, the rearrangement of drainage pathways along the road surface and adjacent drainage ditches, and the high erodibility of weathered Pikes Peak granite that underlies the area. As a result, large quantities of sediment are transported to surrounding valley networks causing significant damage to water quality and aquatic, wetland, and riparian ecosystems. This study establishes the slope/drainage area threshold for gullying along Pikes Peak Highway and a cesium‐137 based sediment budget highlighting rates of gully erosion and subsequent valley deposition for a small headwater basin. The threshold for gullying along the road is S_cr = 0 · 21A^–0·45 and the road surface reduces the critical slope requirement for gullying compared to natural drainages in the area. Total gully volume for the 20 gullies along the road is estimated at 5974 m³, with an erosion rate of 64 m³ yr^–1 to 101 m³ yr^–1. Net valley deposition is estimated at 162 m³ yr^–1 with 120 m³ yr^–1 unaccounted for by gullying. The hillslope–channel interface is decoupled with minimal downstream sediment transport which results in significant local gully‐derived sedimentation. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Assessment of accumulation rates in small reservoirs by core analysis, 137Cs measurements and bathymetric mapping in Burkina Faso

Reservoir siltation is one of the most important off‐site effects of soil erosion. In Burkina Faso a large number of small dams have been built to store rainfall and runoff water in the rainy season, which is much needed for domestic use, irrigation and stock watering in the dry season. This study quantifies the siltation rates of two small reservoirs in southwestern Burkina Faso by comparing the initial and current reservoir bed morphology and by analyzing variations in accumulated sediment in terms of stratigraphical changes and ¹³⁷Cs concentrations. Results of a bathymetric survey show that both reservoirs have already lost approximately 10% to 15% of their original storage capacity at normal pool level and more than 60% of their initial inactive storage volume at spillway level in the last 15 to 20 years. During this period, inflow sediment had accumulated on the bottom of the reservoir to a thickness of 0.3 m to 0.5 m. Sediment core measurements confirmed this thickness by showing a clear stratigraphical change in core properties with significant variations in the ¹³⁷Cs concentrations at these specific depths. The thickness of accumulated sediment on top of the relict soil indicates that the reservoirs have a ‘half‐life’ of about 40 to 45 years before siltation might affect its water supply and flood control. Compared with other reservoir studies in West Africa these siltation rates can be seen as reasonable but not alarmingly high. Nevertheless, many of the small dams built during the 1980s are likely to reach their ‘half‐life’ in about 10 to 20 years causing hydrological and geomorphological changes upstream and downstream of the dams. Therefore, further research studies should focus on prevention measures to reduce the off‐site effects of erosion and thus to slow down the process of siltation. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

辽宁省海岸带主要河口区近百年沉积速率变化规律

基于¹³⁷Cs法和²¹⁰Pb法的相互校验,利用13孔岩心663个样品,定量分析了辽宁省海岸带主要河口区近百年沉积速率变化规律.研究表明,辽宁海岸带不同地区、不同时间段沉积速率是不同的.辽河河口区沉积最快,为23.66 mm/a,属于中高速沉积区;辽西海岸带沉积最慢,且总的趋势是沉积速率逐渐减小.随深度增加,辽西海岸带沉积速率逐渐加大,辽东湾大辽河、大凌河入海口沉积速率出现多个峰值,辽东半岛黄海西北岸沉积速率则逐渐减少.     

独流减河盐沼210Pbexc和137Cs剖面记录的现代洪水事件沉积

在独流减河入海口附近河道之间的盐沼采用人工探坑侧壁连续取样,获得2个站位的沉积物样品。通过²¹⁰Pb和¹³⁷Cs定年法建立年代框架,结合粒度分析、有孔虫鉴定和水文数据,探讨了该区的现代洪水事件沉积。结果表明,该区沉积物的²¹⁰Pb_exc比活度-深度剖面中存在2处明显的低值沉积层,分别在3~6 cm和10~14 cm深度,这2个沉积层分别对应¹³⁷Cs曲线的次峰和主峰。这两层与上下相邻层位相比呈现粒径较粗、分选较差,有孔虫丰度较低、破损百分比较高的特征。²¹⁰Pb测年结果显示,¹³⁷Cs曲线下部的主峰对应的年龄为1963年,与全球性的最大峰值形成时间相对应,而上部的次峰对应的并非1986年切尔诺贝利核泄漏事故形成的次峰。区内水文数据显示,在1963和1996年分别发生了2次较大的洪水事件。因此,推断S4和S5站位剖面中2个特殊的沉积层是由洪水事件造成的。本研究说明高分辨率沉积特征的多指标研究可以较为准确地揭示洪水等灾害性事件发生的年代和频率,这有利于系统地揭露海陆过渡带地区地质历史时期灾害和气候事件的频率和强度,为灾害预防和未来规划提供科学依据。     

Simulation of long‐term soil redistribution by tillage using a cellular automata model

The process of tillage translocation is well studied and can be described adequately by different existing models. Nevertheless, in complex environments with numerous obstacles, such as olive orchards, the application of conventional tillage erosion models is not straightforward. However, such obstacles have important effects on the spatial pattern of soil redistribution and on resulting soil properties. Cellular automata could provide a valuable alternative here. This study aims at developing a cellular automata model for tillage translocation (CATT) that can take into account such obstacles, exploring its possibilities and limitations. Firstly, model outcome was tested on a traditional field with rolling topography, for which caesium‐137 (¹³⁷Cs) inventories are available. The observed spatial soil redistribution patterns could be adequately represented by the CATT model. Secondly, a global sensitivity analysis was performed to explore the effect of input parameter uncertainty on several selected model outputs. The variance‐based extended Fourier Amplitude Sensitivity Test (FAST) method was used to determine first‐ and total‐order sensitivity indices. Tillage depth was identified as the input parameter that determined most of the output variance, followed respectively by tillage direction and speed. The high difference between the total‐ and first‐order sensitivity indices indicated that, in spite of the simple model structure, the model behaves non‐linearly with respect to some of the model output variables. Higher order interactions were especially important for determining the proportion of eroding and deposition cells. Finally, simulations were performed to analyse the model behaviour in complex landscapes, applying it to a field with protruding obstacles (representing olive trees). The model adequately represented some morphological features observed in actual olive orchards, such as mounds around the olive trees. The results show that cellular automata are an appropriate tool to describe long‐term tillage soil redistribution. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

太湖THS孔现代沉积物137Cs和210Pb的分布及计年

太湖THS沉积物柱状岩心中存在3个明显的137Cs蓄积峰,高含水率和有机质含量是前苏联切尔诺贝利核电站核泄漏对应的137Cs蓄积峰向表层迁移的一个可能的原因。利用137Cs核素1963年和1975年对应的蓄积峰计算出沉积速率为0.34 cm/a。利用137Cs核素1963年对应的蓄积峰进行校正,采用210Pb计年的CRS模式获得不同时段的沉积速率,发现在80年代末沉积物堆积通量最高,达到0.6 g/(cm2.a)。两种计年方法的结合有助于认识沉积速率的变化情况。     

137Cs测年在海岸盐沼中的应用

海岸盐沼广泛分布在海岸和河口环境,滩面有盐生植被覆盖,并且被潮水沟分割成片。研究海岸盐沼沉积过程和沉积速率,对于深入认识人类活动与海岸系统之间的相互作用具有非常重要的意义1。37Cs测年技术是近20年用来测定现代沉积速率的一个有效方法,人工核试验产生的137Cs被释放到大气中,再经气-水、水-沉积物界面的交换和吸附而沉淀在地层里,通过几次出现的峰值年代来计算不同时段的沉积速率;该方法在计算湖泊沉积速率方面取得了成功,在陆架、海湾、潮滩等区域也取得了较好的成果。但由于该方法对研究区域地层记录的稳定性有较高的要求,沉积物黏土含量、分选程度均对137Cs含量有显著影响;海岸盐沼由于植被生长茂盛,根系伸入地层深处,对沉积地层有较大扰动,因此,很难分辨出特征峰值,需要借助其他手段来综合判断特征沉降峰值。