| Abstract: | Although a number of studies of the variation of soil transport with increase in slope angle have appeared, few include an information on the interaction of sheetwash and rainsplash on high slope angles, which is necessary to test Horton's proposed polynomial relationship. Virtually no studies are available which compare the influence of changes in soil type or antecedent moisture on established relationships. This paper reports the testing of eight soils from Alberta, Canada, under simulated rainfall on ten slopes from 3° to 30°. Material eroded was separated into that transported by rainsplash and that by sheetwash. In general, it was found that the influence of changes in slope angle on soil transport is best described by polynomial relationships, but these are shown to vary considerably between rainspash and sheetwash, between different soil types and for different antecedent moisture conditions. Despite careful control of all factors other than slope angle very high variability of results was experienced. Causes of variability are examined and the need for evaluation of the effect of test plot size on variability of results is suggested. |
