scholarly journals Measurement of rill erosion through a new UAV-GIS methodology

2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (1s) ◽  
Author(s):  
Paolo Bazzoffi
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
Rill Erosion ◽  
Evaluation Tool ◽  
Runoff Water ◽  
Statistics Analysis ◽  
Erosion Rates ◽  
Quick Measurement ◽  
Soil Erosion By Water

Photogrammetry from aerial pictures acquired through micro Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV), integrated by post-processing is a promising methodology both in terms of speed of data acquisition, degree of automation of data processing and cost-effectiveness. The new UAV-GIS methodology has been developed for three main purposes: i) for a quick measurement of rill erosion at a field scale with the aim of combining the simplicity of field survey to reliability of results, at an affordable price; ii) to calibrate the RUSLE model to make it suitable for the purposes of the CAP common indicator; iii) to provide an easy evaluation tool to Regions and to non-research professionals who use the very popular ESRI ArcGis software for assessing the effectiveness of soil conservation measures adopted under CAP and to calibrate the common indicator “soil erosion by water”. High-resolution stereo photos pairs, acquired close to the soil, are of crucial importance in order to produce high resolution DEMs to be analysed under GIS. The GIS methodology consists of the measurement of rill erosion that occurred in a plot from the total volume of the incisions, regardless of internal sediment redeposition, based on Plan Curvature analysis and Focal Statistics analysis, described in detail, as they are the essential constituents of the new methodology. To determine the effectiveness and reliability of the new methodology a comparison between rill depth measured manually on field of 51 rill points and depth measured by UAV-GIS methodology was done. The best calibration equation was obtained by using 30 cm radius in the Focal statistics analysis. The linear regression equation resulted highly significant with R2 =0.87. Two case studies are presented, solved step by step, in order to help the user to overcome possible difficulties of interpretation in the application of the GIS procedure. The first solved exercise concerns a heavily eroded plot where only one DEM, derived from post erosion UAV photos, was used to calculate rills erosion. In this case, incisions due to tillage tools and wheel tracks (false rills) which were present on the soil surface before soil erosion had occurred were no longer present at flight time, as they have been fully incorporated (absorbed) by rills. The second exercise concerns a less rilled plot, where the diachronic analysis of DEMs was deemed necessary to subtract from the rill volume the false rill volume which was still present on the soil surface before soil erosion has occurred. In this case rill erosion increased the volume of preexisting mechanical incisions that are still distinguishable (with the naked eye on the field) from the incision forms due to runoff water. A solved exercise to assess interrill erosion from the calculated value of rill erosion, according to a previous study of 1989, is also reported. A comparison between UAV-GIS measured and RUSLE predicted erosion rates is also reported, which gives a first confirmation of validity of the new methodology.

Advances in techniques to assess soil erodibility

2021 ◽  
pp. 175-214
Author(s):  
R. J. Rickson ◽  
◽  
E. Dowdeswell Downey ◽  
G. Alegbeleye ◽  
S. E. Cooper ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Test Procedure ◽  
Aggregate Stability ◽  
Analytical Techniques ◽  
Soil Biology ◽  
Soil Erodibility ◽  
Erosion Rates ◽  
Erosion Processes ◽  
Assessment Techniques ◽  
Soil Erosion By Water

Soil erodibility is the susceptibility of soil to the erosive forces of rainsplash, runoff and wind. It is a significant factor in determining present and future soil erosion rates. Focusing on soil erosion by water, this chapter shows that erodibility is determined by static and dynamic soil properties that control a range of sub-processes affecting soil erosion, but there is no standardised test procedure, making comparison of erodibility assessment techniques and their results challenging. Most researchers agree that aggregate stability is the best indicator of soil erodibility. Selection of techniques to measure aggregate stability need to consider the type of disruptive forces and breakdown processes to which field aggregates are subjected. New indices must incorporate spatial and temporal variabilities in erodibility; the different erosion processes operating; the impact of climate change; and the role of soil biology. New analytical techniques such as computer aided tomography show promise in considering soil erodibility as a dynamic continuum operating over 3 dimensions.

scholarly journals Environmental effectiveness of GAEC cross-compliance Standard 1.1a (temporary ditches) and 1.2g (permanent grass cover of set-aside) in reducing soil erosion and economic evaluation of the competitiveness gap for farmers

2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (1s) ◽  
Author(s):  
Paolo Bazzoffi ◽  
Rosa Francaviglia ◽  
Ulderico Neri ◽  
Rosario Napoli ◽  
Alessandro Marchetti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Vegetation Cover ◽  
Bare Soil ◽  
Runoff Water ◽  
Rusle Model ◽  
Environmental Effectiveness ◽  
Additional Costs ◽  
Soil Erosion By Water ◽  
Cross Compliance ◽  
Made In

<p>This paper shows the results of the monitoring carried out in three hilly farms of the MONACO project in order to verify the effectiveness of the Standard 1.1 <sub>(commitment a)</sub> (temporary ditches) and Standard 1.2 <sub>(commitment g)</sub> (Vegetation cover throughout the year in set-aside land) in the reduction in soil erosion, contained in Rule 1: ‘minimum land management that meets specific conditions’ of the decree Mipaaf 2009 and following modifications, until the recent decree No. 180 of January 23, 2015. In addition, the assessment of the competitiveness gap was done. That is the evaluation of the additional costs borne by the beneficiary of the single payment determined from agronomic commitments. Monitoring has also compared the erosion actually observed in the field with that predicted by RUSLE model (Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation) (Renard et al., 1997) in the two situations: with and without the presence of temporary ditches, i.e. assuming Factual (compliance rules) and in that Counterfactual (infringement). This comparison was made in view of the fact that the RUSLE model was chosen by the 'European Evaluation Network for Rural Development (EEN, 2013) as a forecasting tool for the quantification of' Common Indicator ‘soil erosion by water’. The results of soil erosion survey carried out by using a new  UAV-GIS methodology  on two monitoring farms in two years of observations have shown that temporary ditches were effective in decreasing erosion, on average, by 42.5%, from 36. 59 t ha<sup>-1</sup> to 21.05 t ha<sup>-1</sup> during the monitoring period. It was also evaluated the effectiveness of grass strips (at variance with the commitment of temporary ditches). The results showed a strong, highly significant, reduction in erosion by about 35% times respect soil erosion observed in bare soil and also a significant reduction in the volume of runoff water.  With regard to Standard 1.2 <sub>(commitment g)</sub> the statistical analysis shows a strong and highly significant decrease in the erosion due to the vegetation cover of the soil compared to bare soil. The economic competitiveness gap of  Standard 1.1<sub>(commitment a)</sub> stood at € 4.07±1.42 € ha<sup>-1</sup> year<sup>-1</sup>, while CO<sub>2</sub> emissions due to execution of temporary ditches was 2.58 kg ha<sup>-1</sup>year<sup>-1</sup>. As for the Standard 1.2 <sub>(commitment g) </sub>the average differential competitiveness gap amounted to  50.22±13.7 € ha<sup>-1</sup> year<sup>-1</sup> and an output of CO<sub>2</sub> equal to 31.52  kg ha<sup>-1</sup> year.</p>

scholarly journals Applying the RUSLE and ISUM in the Tierra de Barros Vineyards (Extremadura, Spain) to Estimate Soil Mobilisation Rates

Land ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 93 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jesús Barrena-González ◽  
Jesús Rodrigo-Comino ◽  
Yeboah Gyasi-Agyei ◽  
Manuel Pulido Fernández ◽  
Artemi Cerdà
Keyword(s):  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
Tillage Practices ◽  
Erosion Rates ◽  
La Mancha ◽  
Soil Erosion Rates ◽  
Soil Depletion ◽  
Mapping Techniques

Spain is one of the largest wine producers in the world, with Extremadura (south-west Spain) being its second-largest producing region after Castilla La Mancha. Within Extremadura, the most traditional and productive viticulture region is the Tierra de Barros, which boasts an annual production of 3×106 litres. However, no soil erosion assessment has been undertaken in any vineyard in the region to ascertain environmental sustainability. Therefore, the Improved Stock Unearthing Method (ISUM) and the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) were applied to assess the long-term soil erosion rates. Both methods were applied using an experimental plot (2.8 m × 148.5 m) encompassing 99 paired vines in a 20-year-old vineyard under a tillage management system and on bare soils throughout the year. The ISUM and RUSLE found total soil mobilization values of 45.7 Mg ha−1 yr−1 and 17.4 Mg ha−1 yr−1, respectively, a difference of about 5 times. Mapping techniques showed that soil surface declined to an average of −6.2 cm, with maximum values of −28 cm. The highest values of soil depletion were mainly observed in the upper part and the form of linear features following the hillslope direction. On the other hand, under the vines, the soil surface level showed accumulations of up to +2.37 cm due to tillage practices. Our study demonstrated the potential of high soil erosion rates occurring in conventional vineyards managed with tillage in the inter-row areas and herbicides under the vines within the Tierra de Barros. Also, we demonstrated the elevated differences in soil mobilisation rates using the ISUM and RUSLE. Therefore, further research must be conducted in other vineyards to determine the suitability of the models for assessing soil erosion rates. Undoubtedly, soil conservation measures must be designed and applied immediately due to high erosion rates.

Evaluation of changes in soil erosion rates in Andalucia between 1990 and 2018

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Filippo Milazzo ◽  
Tom Vanwalleghem ◽  
Pilar Fernández, Rebollo ◽  
Jesus Fernández-Habas
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Land Management ◽  
Aerial Photographs ◽  
Frequency Distributions ◽  
Erosion Rates ◽  
Soil Erosion Rate ◽  
Soil Erosion Rates ◽  
Management Changes ◽  
Soil Erosion By Water

&lt;p&gt;Land use and land management changes impact significantly on soil erosion rates. The Mediterranean, and in particular Southern Spain, has been affected by important shifts in the last decades. This area is currently identified as a hotspot for soil erosion by water. In the effort to achieve the SDG Target 15, we aim to show the effect of land management change, assessing soil erosion rate based on historical data. We analyzed the evolution of land use from historical aerial photographs between 1990 and 2018. We then calculated soil erosion with RUSLE. For this, we first determined the distribution frequency of cover-management factors for each land use class, comparing current land use maps with the European Soil Erosion Map (Panagos et al., 2015). Past C factors where then assigned using a Monte Carlo approach, based on the obtained frequency distributions.&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;

scholarly journals Understanding soil profiles and sediment redistribution over long time scales in an agrarian setting: the case of Lauwerdal (Northern France)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nick Krekelbergh ◽  
Amaury Frankl ◽  
Stefaan Dondeyne
Keyword(s):  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Iron Age ◽  
Digital Terrain Model ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
Soil Profiles ◽  
Terrain Model ◽  
Erosion Rates ◽  
Northern France ◽  
Digital Terrain ◽  
Long Time

&lt;p&gt;Soil erosion constitutes a major problem in the European loess belt. From England to Eastern Europe, loess-derived soils are particularly susceptible to water and tillage erosion. This is certainly the case for the Aa River Basin (Nord-Pas-de-Calais, northern France), where a relatively thin Pleistocene loess cover is present on top of a substrate of clay-with-flints and Cretaceous chalk. This research aimed at quantifying the amount of soil eroded since its initiation. Making a gross balance of the soil erosion and sedimentation processes intends to study the evolution of the soil surface and the effects of different types of erosion over longer periods of time, and quantify erosion rates in agricultural areas.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The extent and amount of eroded soil was mapped in the Lauwerdal, a 63 ha large catchment in the headwaters of the Aa River Basin (Northern France). Based on four soil profiles, described and sampled along a topographic transect, and 256 augerings spaced along a grid, the original soil surface level was reconstructed. The current topographic surface was analysed based on a Digital Terrain Model obtained from UAV aerial photographs. The organic matter present in the filling of a former erosion channel, observed in one of the soil profiles, was dated by &lt;sup&gt;14&lt;/sup&gt;C as an indication of the onset of the erosion and sedimentation process.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Water and tillage erosion are the main processes characterizing the study area: eroded soils (Nudiargic Luvisols) dominate the upper reaches of the study area with colluvium at the footslopes (Colluvic Regosols). The sediment budget reveals that the bulk of the sediments are discharged from the headwater catchment as the quantity of eroded soil (0.87 &amp;#215; 10&lt;sup&gt;6&lt;/sup&gt; tonnes) is more than a ten-fold higher than the deposition (0.068 &amp;#215; 10&lt;sup&gt;6&lt;/sup&gt; tonnes). The &lt;sup&gt;14&lt;/sup&gt;C dating indicates that the erosion channels started filling up between the Early Iron Age and the Roman period, ca. 1200 years BP. The historical erosion rates are estimated at 491.4 t/km&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt; per year, and deposition rates at 91.8 t/km&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt; per year.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Our findings illustrate how the amount of soil eroded over a long time span can be estimated from soil morphologic features in combination with a detailed Digital Terrain Model. Indeed, human induced soil erosion dates back at least to Early Iron Age, when forest clearing for agricultural expanded. Surely, the mechanization and upscaling of agriculture in the 20&lt;sup&gt;th&lt;/sup&gt; century will have exacerbated this process. The results also show that sediments are evacuated from headwater catchments and, consequently, must accumulate in the lower alluvial plains. Our findings corroborate research findings from the silt-loess belt of central Belgium where it was shown that soil erosion started in the same period and also led to the formation of wide alluvial valleys.&lt;/p&gt;

scholarly journals Geomorphic Control on Soil Erosion – a Case Study in the Subarnarekha Basin, India

2021 ◽  
Vol 54 (1) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Amar Kumar Kathwas ◽  
Nilanchal Patel
Keyword(s):  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Soil Loss ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
Distant Location ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Degree Of Association ◽  
Soil Erosion By Water ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative Characteristics

<p>Geomorphology depicts the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of both terrain and landscape features combined with the processes responsible for its evolution. Soil erosion by water involves processes, which removes soil particles and organic matter from the upper sheet of the soil surface, and then transports the eroded material to distant location under the action of water. Very few studies have been conducted on the nature and dynamics of soil erosion in the different geomorphologic features. In the present investigation, an attempt has been made to assess the control of geomorphologic features on the soil loss. Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) was used to determine soil loss from the various geomorphological landforms. Principal component analysis (PCA) was implemented on the USLE parameters to determine the degree of association between the individual principal components and the USLE-derived soil loss. Results obtained from the investigation signify the influence of the various landforms on soil erosion. PC5 is found to be significantly correlated with the USLE-derived soil loss. The results ascertained significant association between the soil loss and geomorphological landforms, and therefore, suitable strategies can be implemented to alleviate soil loss in the individual landforms.</p>

scholarly journals Soil Erosion and Gaseous Emissions

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 2784 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rattan Lal
Keyword(s):  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Net Primary Productivity ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
Enrichment Ratio ◽  
Strong Impact ◽  
Gaseous Emissions ◽  
Research Information ◽  
Use Efficiency ◽  
Ch4 And N2o ◽  
Soil Erosion By Water

Accelerated soil erosion by water and wind involves preferential removal of the light soil organic carbon (SOC) fraction along with the finer clay and silt particles. Thus, the SOC enrichment ratio in sediments, compared with that of the soil surface, may range from 1 to 12 for water and 1 to 41 for wind-blown dust. The latter may contain a high SOC concentration of 15% to 20% by weight. The global magnitude of SOC erosion may be 1.3 Pg C/yr. by water and 1.0 Pg C/yr. by wind erosion. However, risks of SOC erosion have been exacerbated by the expansion and intensification of agroecosystems. Such a large magnitude of annual SOC erosion by water and wind has severe adverse impacts on soil quality and functionality, and emission of multiple greenhouse gases (GHGs) such as CO2, CH4, and N2O into the atmosphere. SOC erosion by water and wind also has a strong impact on the global C budget (GCB). Despite the large and growing magnitude of global SOC erosion, its fate is neither adequately known nor properly understood. Only a few studies conducted have quantified the partitioning of SOC erosion by water into three components: (1) redistribution over land, (2) deposition in channels, and (3) transportation/burial under the ocean. Of the total SOC erosion by water, 40%–50% may be redistributed over the land, 20%–30% deposited in channels, and 5%–15% carried into the oceans. Even fewer studies have monitored or modeled emissions of multiple GHGs from these three locations. The cumulative gaseous emissions may decrease at the eroding site because of the depletion of its SOC stock but increase at the depositional site because of enrichment of SOC amount and the labile fraction. The SOC erosion by water and wind exacerbates climate change, decreases net primary productivity (NPP) and use efficiency of inputs, and reduces soils C sink capacity to mitigate global warming. Yet research information on global emissions of CH4 and N2O at different landscape positions is not available. Further, the GCB is incomplete and uncertain because SOC erosion is not accounted for. Multi-disciplinary and watershed-scale research is needed globally to measure and model the magnitude of SOC erosion by water and wind, multiple gaseous emissions at different landscape positions, and the attendant changes in NPP.

Impact of plant roots on the resistance of soils to erosion by water: a review

2005 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 189-217 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Gyssels ◽  
J. Poesen ◽  
E. Bochet ◽  
Y. Li
Keyword(s):  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Vegetation Cover ◽  
Root Length ◽  
Root Length Density ◽  
Water Erosion ◽  
Root Density ◽  
Plant Roots ◽  
Rill Erosion ◽  
Erosion Rates ◽  
Soil Erosion Rates

Vegetation controls soil erosion rates significantly. The decrease of water erosion rates with increasing vegetation cover is exponential. This review reveals that the decrease in water erosion rates with increasing root mass is also exponential, according to the equation SEP e b RP where SEP is a soil erosion parameter (e.g., interrill or rill erosion rates relative to erosion rates of bare topsoils without roots), RP is a root parameter (e.g., root density or root length density) and b is a constant that indicates the effectiveness of the plant roots in reducing soil erosion rates. Whatever rooting parameter is used, for splash erosion b equals zero. For interrill erosion the average b-value is 0.1195 when root density (kg m 3) is used as root parameter, and 0.0022 when root length density (km m 3) is used. For rill erosion these average b-values are 0.5930 and 0.0460, respectively. The similarity of this equation for root effects with the equation for vegetation cover effects is striking, but it is yet impossible to determine which plant element has the highest impact in reducing soil losses, due to incomparable units. Moreover, all the studies on vegetation cover effects attribute soil loss reduction to the above-ground biomass only, whereas in reality this reduction results from the combined effects of roots and canopy cover. Based on an analysis of available data it can be concluded that for splash and interrill erosion vegetation cover is the most important vegetation parameter, whereas for rill and ephemeral gully erosion plant roots are at least as important as vegetation cover.

scholarly journals Improving the global applicability of the RUSLE model – adjustment of the topographical and rainfall erosivity factors

2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (9) ◽  
pp. 2893-2913 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Naipal ◽  
C. Reick ◽  
J. Pongratz ◽  
K. Van Oost
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Global Scale ◽  
Rainfall Erosivity ◽  
Large Spatial Scale ◽  
Rusle Model ◽  
Erosion Rates ◽  
Coarse Resolution ◽  
Soil Erosion Rates ◽  
The Usa

Abstract. Large uncertainties exist in estimated rates and the extent of soil erosion by surface runoff on a global scale. This limits our understanding of the global impact that soil erosion might have on agriculture and climate. The Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) model is, due to its simple structure and empirical basis, a frequently used tool in estimating average annual soil erosion rates at regional to global scales. However, large spatial-scale applications often rely on coarse data input, which is not compatible with the local scale on which the model is parameterized. Our study aims at providing the first steps in improving the global applicability of the RUSLE model in order to derive more accurate global soil erosion rates. We adjusted the topographical and rainfall erosivity factors of the RUSLE model and compared the resulting erosion rates to extensive empirical databases from the USA and Europe. By scaling the slope according to the fractal method to adjust the topographical factor, we managed to improve the topographical detail in a coarse resolution global digital elevation model. Applying the linear multiple regression method to adjust rainfall erosivity for various climate zones resulted in values that compared well to high resolution erosivity data for different regions. However, this method needs to be extended to tropical climates, for which erosivity is biased due to the lack of high resolution erosivity data. After applying the adjusted and the unadjusted versions of the RUSLE model on a global scale we find that the adjusted version shows a global higher mean erosion rate and more variability in the erosion rates. Comparison to empirical data sets of the USA and Europe shows that the adjusted RUSLE model is able to decrease the very high erosion rates in hilly regions that are observed in the unadjusted RUSLE model results. Although there are still some regional differences with the empirical databases, the results indicate that the methods used here seem to be a promising tool in improving the applicability of the RUSLE model at coarse resolution on a global scale.

scholarly journals Estimating Non-Sustainable Soil Erosion Rates in the Tierra de Barros Vineyards (Extremadura, Spain) Using an ISUM Update

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (16) ◽  
pp. 3317 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jesús Rodrigo-Comino ◽  
Jesús Barrena-González ◽  
Manuel Pulido-Fernández ◽  
Artemi Cerdá
Keyword(s):  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Spatial Variability ◽  
Management System ◽  
Soil Management ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
Surface Level ◽  
Erosion Rates ◽  
Erosion Processes ◽  
Sampling Points ◽  
Soil Erosion Rates

Monitoring soil erosion processes and measuring soil and water yields allow supplying key information to achieve land degradation neutrality challenges. Vineyards are one of the most affected agricultural territories by soil erosion due to human and natural factors. However, the spatial variability of soil erosion, the number of sampling points, and plot size necessary to estimate accurate soil erosion rates remains unclear. In this research, we determine how many inter-rows should be surveyed to estimate the soil mobilization rates in the viticulture area of Tierra de Barros (Extremadura, SW Spain) using the Improved Stock Unearthing Method (ISUM). This method uses the graft union of the vines as a passive biomarker of the soil surface level changes since the time of plantation and inter-row measures. ISUM was applied to three inter-row and four rows of vines (5904 sampling points) in order to determine how many surfaces and transects must be surveyed as all the previous surveys were done with only one inter-row. The results showed average values of soil depletion reaching −11.4, −11.8, and −11.5 cm for the inter-rows 1, 2, and 3, respectively. The current soil surface level descended 11.6 cm in 20 years. The inter-rows 1, 2, and 3 with a total area of 302.4 m2 each one (2016 points) recorded 71.4, 70.8, and 74.0 Mg ha−1 yr−1, respectively. With the maximum number of sampling points (5904), 71.2 Mg ha−1 yr−1 were obtained. The spatial variability of the soil erosion was shown to be very small, with no statistically significant differences among inter-rows. This could be due to the effect of the soil profile homogenization as a consequence of the intense tillage. This research shows the potential predictability of ISUM in order to give an overall overview of the soil erosion process for vineyards that follow the same soil management system. We conclude that measuring one inter-row is enough to get an overview of soil erosion processes in vineyards when the vines are under the same intense tillage management and topographical conditions. Moreover, we demonstrated the high erosion rates in a vineyard within the viticultural region of the Tierra de Barros, which could be representative for similar vineyards with similar topographical conditions, soil properties, and a possible non-sustainable soil management system.

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