The Infona portal uses cookies, i.e. strings of text saved by a browser on the user's device. The portal can access those files and use them to remember the user's data, such as their chosen settings (screen view, interface language, etc.), or their login data. By using the Infona portal the user accepts automatic saving and using this information for portal operation purposes. More information on the subject can be found in the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. By closing this window the user confirms that they have read the information on cookie usage, and they accept the privacy policy and the way cookies are used by the portal. You can change the cookie settings in your browser.
In the semiarid loess region of northwest China, the use of gravel and sand as mulch has been an indigenous farming technique for crop production for over 300 years. However, systematic studies concerning the effects of surface gravel-sand (mixed gravel and sand) covers on soil and water conservation are scarce. Based on previous studies, this study investigates the effects of gravel-sand mulch on...
Wind erosion is not as significant or a widespread problem in Europe as in dryer parts of the world, but it can cause major damage in small areas. The hazard is greatest in the lowlands of northwestern Europe with more than 3 million ha at high-potential wind erosion risk. Crop damage and off-site damage have prompted farmers and policymakers to pay more attention to wind erosion control. A great...
Rainfall erosivity is the potential ability for rainfall to cause soil loss. Erosivity can be quantified by means of the R factor calculation of the universal soil loss equation (USLE). The purpose of this study was to investigate the spatial distribution of annual rainfall erosivity in Brazil. For each of eight Brazilian regions covering the whole of the territory of Brazil, one adapted equation...
The potential for global climate changes to increase the risk of soil erosion is clear, but the actual damage is not. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the potential impacts of climate change on soil erosion, surface runoff, and wheat productivity in central Oklahoma. Monthly projections were used from the Hadley Centre's general circulation model, HadCM3, using scenarios A2a, B2a, and...
Global climate has changed over the past century. Precipitation amounts and intensities are increasing. In this study we investigated the response of seven soil erosion models to a few basic precipitation and vegetation related parameters using common data from one humid and one semi-arid watershed. Perturbations were made to inputs for rainfall intensities and amounts, and to ground surface cover...
This study was carried out in Pang Prarachatan village, which is located in Chiang Rai province of northern Thailand. The farmers in this village construct bench terraces to reduce soil erosion and increase plant productivity. However, severe soil erosion occurs frequently on the bare bench terraces. This study investigates the impact of bench terracing on soil erosion. The use of weeds and plant...
In Japan, heavy rains from June to October cause severe erosion in the agricultural fields. Natural weed buffers may help conserve the soil and water. We measured the mass balances of the water, soil and nitrogen components in a plot of 159 m 2 (7.2 m wide and 22.1 m long). Plant growth in the plot was dominated by the weeds Humulus scandens Merrill and Poa annua L. We also evaluated the ability...
To date erosion scientists have failed to address — or have addressed inadequately — some of the ‘big questions’ of our discipline. For example, where is erosion occurring? Why is it happening, and who is to blame? How serious is it? Who does it affect? What should be the response? Can we prevent it? What are the costs of erosion? Our inability or reluctance to answer such questions damages our credibility...
Mapping and assessment of erosion risk is an important tool for planning of natural resources management, allowing researchers to modify land-use properly and implement management strategies more sustainable in the long-term. The Grande River Basin (GRB), located in Minas Gerais State, is one of the Planning Units for Management of Water Resources (UPGRH) and is divided into seven smaller units of...
Catchment-level soil and water conservation programmes have been widely employed in Brazil. An important component of these programmes is the implementation of water and sediment monitoring projects to evaluate the impact of changes in soil management on water resources. In general, results from monitoring projects have been inconclusive, due to a series of difficulties associated with data collection...
This paper outlines an analysis of the spatial distribution of sediment production, delivery and yield in the Xihanshui River basin, South Gansu, China, using the modelling tools of SedNet (Prosser et al., 2001). This model can assess the delivery efficiency to downstream locations, as well as identifying locations with high rates of sediment production. Preliminary model experiments assist understanding...
Quantitative assessment of soil redistribution in landscapes remains a challenging task. In this study we used radioactive soil redistribution tracer 137 Cs together with soil morphological characteristics and empirically-based modeling for quantitative assessment of long-term soil conservation effectiveness. Three pairs of arable slopes were selected, all located within the territory of the...
Cover crops are a very effective erosion control and environmental conservation technique. When cover crops freeze at the beginning of the winter period, the above-ground biomass becomes less effective in protecting the soil from water erosion, but roots can still play an important role in improving soil strength. However, information on root properties of common cover crops growing in temperate climates...
An inter-disciplinary assessment of the conservation practices on forest soils in Mexico was conducted (i) to evaluate their effectiveness in terms of soil quality indicators and (ii) to use social indicators of their acceptance and execution; such information would be a means of improving the design and implementation of public policy. After four years of soil conservation measures in areas under...
Traditionally, research on soil degradation focused on water erosion. Recent studies, however, point to the importance of tillage operations as a source of soil translocation in traditional animal-powered farming systems comparable to those applied in the Cuyaguateje watershed, Cuba. Together with the effect of some controlling factors, the extent of tillage erosion on a Ferralsol (Ferralítico Rojo)...
Agricultural activities on hillslopes often cause soil erosion and degradation. Permanent vegetation strips on cultivated slopes could be an effective soil conservation technique to reduce erosion. Previous studies showed that cultivated Mahonia aquifolium can be an effective plant for water erosion control. However, no detailed studies have been carried out to evaluate the efficiency of M. aquifolium...
Soil erosion control is the most essential principle for the sound utilization of soil and water. The application of soil amendments is considered as an appropriate and new strategy for soil erosion control. Despite the application of different amendments used for soil and water conservation, the durability of the effects of soil amendments during subsequent rainfalls has not been considered yet....
The issue of soil erosion is considered highly important by local administrators of the Chianti region. Thus, a methodology for predicting the long-term average annual soil loss, by using the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) in a Geographical Information System framework was developed and assessed. The rainfall and runoff erosivity factor was calculated using 35 raingauges with an acquisition...
Soil loss from an 8% sloping Teff field in north-western Ethiopia is significant (~70tha−1yr−1), and thus found to be an important source of sediment. Grass barriers showing sediment trapping efficacy (STE) are important measures in trapping sediment inside Teff fields and protecting downstream reservoirs and lakes from sedimentation. There are many indigenous grass species available that have the...
One of the challenges of modern agriculture is to adapting to climatic effects, including the capacity of rainy events in causing erosion. The understanding of these phenomena relies on monitoring rain variables that express the magnitude and pattern of erosive agents. Kinetic energy (E) is a fundamental variable to represent the erosivity and to enable the estimation of erosion and sediment yield...
Set the date range to filter the displayed results. You can set a starting date, ending date or both. You can enter the dates manually or choose them from the calendar.