Hay mulching to reduce runoff and soil loss under intensive potato production in northwestern New Brunswick, Canada

2002 ◽  
Vol 82 (2) ◽  
pp. 249-258 ◽  
Author(s):  
H W Rees ◽  
T L Chow ◽  
P J Loro ◽  
J. Lavoie ◽  
J O Monteith ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Brunswick ◽  
Soil Loss ◽  
Potato Production ◽  
Potato Yield ◽  
Available P ◽  
Soil Conditions ◽  
Nutrient Losses ◽  
Application Rates ◽  
Runoff And Soil Loss ◽  
The Impact

Soil erosion by water associated with potato production in northwestern New Brunswick has been identified as one of the most severe soil degradation problems affecting soil quality in Canada. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effectiveness of applying various rates of hay mulch following potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) harvest in reducing runoff and soil loss rates under northwestern New Brunswick climatic and soil conditions and to determine the impact of the various hay mulch application rates on potato yield. Wischmeier-like runoff-erosion plots (10 m wide by 30 m long) on a Holmesville gravelly loam soil were used. Annual hay mulch application rates of 0.00, 2.25, 4.50 and 9.00 t ha-1 wet mass were evaluated under continuous up-and-down-slope potato production on 8 and 11% slopes between October 1995 and October 1999. During the study period, annual precipitation was lower than normal. Calculated rainfall erosivities were 102, 66, 73 and 133% of the value typically used for conservation planning in this region (1276 MJ mm ha-1h-1). Seventy-three percent of the average annual erosivity for the 4-yr period was associated with storms occurring in June, July, August and September. Hay mulching at rates of 2.25, 4.50 and 9.00 t ha-1 conserved on average 13, 18 and 28 mm of June to September precipitation, respectively. Mean annual soil losses were reduced to 14, 7 and 2% of the control (5.6 t ha-1) by the 2.25, 4.50 and 9.00 t ha-1 treatments, respectively, on the 11% slope and to 43 and 24% of the control (2.0 t ha-1) on the 2.25 and 4.50 t ha-1 treatments, respectively, on the 8% slope. Eroded sediment silt, clay and organic matter (OM) contents were 1.6, 1.9 and 2.3 times the content of the surface soil at the experimental site. Mulching at rates as low as 2.25 t ha-1 reduced nutrient losses of NO3-N and available P, K, Ca and Mg to 26, 18, 28, 20 and 24% of control, respectively, on the 11% slope, and to 81, 50, 82, 66 and 77% of control, respectively, on the 8% slope. However, levels of nutrient losses from the controls were low to begin with (2.0, 0.4, 2.8, 10.9 and 1.6 kg ha-1 of NO3-N, and available P, K, Ca and Mg, respectively). Both total and marketable potato crop yields from all 2.25 and 4.50 t ha-1 treatments were in excess of 5% greater than their controls; however, only the increases in total yields from the 2.25 and 4.50 t ha-1 treatments and marketable yield from the 4.50 t ha-1 treatment on the 8% slope were significantly greater at P< 0.05. Yield of potato on the 9.00 t ha-1 treatment showed a consistent increase in total yield over the 4-yr period, going from 80% of control in 1996 to 127% of control in 1999, indicating a possible improvement in soil productivity. Hay mulching at rates up to 9.00 t ha-1 did not increase the incidence of disease or other defects. Hay mulching was found to be an effective tool for reducing soil loss while maintaining, and in some cases enhancing, potato yield. Key words: Hay mulching, soil loss, water erosion, organic residues, sediment composition, nutrient loss, erosivity

Seasonal distribution of runoff and soil loss under four tillage treatments in the upper St. John River valley New Brunswick, Canada

2000 ◽  
Vol 80 (4) ◽  
pp. 649-660 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. L. Chow ◽  
H. W. Rees ◽  
J. Monteith
Keyword(s):  
New Brunswick ◽  
Soil Loss ◽  
Potato Production ◽  
Seasonal Distribution ◽  
Soil Erodibility ◽  
Hordeum Vulgare L ◽  
Cropping Season ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Runoff And Soil Loss ◽  
Soil Losses

The effect of four different tillage treatments on surface runoff and soil loss, their seasonal distribution and temporal variation in soil erodibility were examined using runoff-erosion plots (10 m wide × 30 m long), on a Holmesville gravelly loam soil, a major soil type used for potato production in New Brunswick. Fall moldboard plowing, fall chisel plowing, spring moldboard plowing and subsoiling followed by fall moldboard plowing were evaluated under barley and fallow conditions on 8 and 11% slopes between 1989 and 1993. With exception of one year, annual precipitation was lower than normal. However, due to higher rainfall during the cropping season, the calculated erosivities were higher than those typically used for conservation planning in this region. Runoff data revealed that fall moldboard plowing generated the highest runoff. Either performing subsoiling prior to fall moldboard plowing or delaying moldboard plowing until the next spring, reduced runoff by approximately 10%. Chisel plowing, which loosens the soil without inverting it and leaves a large amount of residues on the surface, provided by far the greatest benefit in reducing runoff (20% reduction over fall moldboard plowing). Soil loss from fall moldboard plowing on the 11% slope under fallow was 2.8 and 2.6 times greater than from spring moldboard plowing and fall chisel plowing, respectively. The majority of the difference in soil loss occurred during the summer months. The benefit of spring moldboard and fall chisel plowing was considerably less on the 8% slope in which soil loss from the fall moldboard plowing was only 24 and 19% higher than spring moldboard and fall chisel plowing, respectively, indicating that the benefits are slope dependent and increase with increasing slope from 8 to 11%. When the plots were planted in Chapais barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), soil losses were negligible. Tillage treatments, and particularly cropping practices, play a major role in seasonal distribution of runoff and soil loss. Under fallow, approximately 79% of runoff and 8.1% of soil loss occurred during the non-cropping season whereas 96% of runoff and 68% of soil loss were found when the plots were planted in barley. The soil erodibility factor was two to three times higher during March and April, which coincide with the winter-spring thaw period, than during the rest of the year. This seasonal variation must be considered when using event-based models to predict soil losses. Key words: Moldboard plow, chisel plow, subsoiling, erodibility, erosivity, universal soil loss equation, crop residue

scholarly journals Effects of gravel-sand mulch on the runoff, erosion, and nutrient losses in the Loess Plateau of north-western China under simulated rainfall

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (No. 1) ◽  
pp. 22-28
Author(s):  
Yang Qiu ◽  
Xinping Wang ◽  
Zhongkui Xie ◽  
Yajun Wang
Keyword(s):  
Grain Size ◽  
Surface Runoff ◽  
Soil Loss ◽  
Bare Soil ◽  
Western China ◽  
Nutrient Losses ◽  
Gravel Mulch ◽  
Runoff And Soil Loss ◽  
North Western ◽  
Fine Gravel

Gravel mulching is a characteristic agricultural technique that has been used for hundreds of years in the north-western Loess Plateau of China. However, the effects of the gravel-sand mulch on the processes of the runoff, soil erosion, and nutrient losses are neither fully distinguished nor even known in many parts of the world. This study investigated how different gravel particle sizes in the mulch affected the runoff, erosion as well as the extent of the nutrient losses in the surface runoff. The laboratory experiments were conducted using a rainfall simulator with three gravel mulch treatments: (1) fine gravel mulch (FG); (2) medium gravel mulch (MG); (3) coarse gravel mulch (CG) and a control group, bare soil (BS). The results of these rainfall simulation experiments gave estimates on how the grain size influences the runoff and losses of the soil and its nutrients. Applying the gravel mulch significantly delayed the runoff’s starting time when compared with the bare soil. Both the total runoff and soil loss increased with the grain size of the gravel mulch. Compared with the bare soil, the lowest surface runoff and soil loss was observed from the fine gravel treatment. These results clearly show that gravel mulch plays an important role in the runoff and sediment generation processes, and that it significantly reduces the surface runoff and soil loss. The losses of the total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), and total organic carbon (TOC) from the bare soil were much higher than those under the gravel mulching. The fluctuations in these nutrient-loss processes were the most intense in the CG treatment, while the TC content, in initial runoff, was significantly higher in the FG than the other treatments. Our findings suggest gravel mulch is a useful water and soil conservation technique in the loess area of north-western China, and these results can inform one on the theoretical principles for properly utilising gravel-mulched fields.

A comparison of effects of one-pass and conventional potato hilling on water runoff and soil erosion under simulated rainfall

2011 ◽  
Vol 91 (2) ◽  
pp. 279-290 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zisheng Xing ◽  
Lien Chow ◽  
Herb W. Rees ◽  
Fanrui Meng ◽  
John Monteith ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Cover Crop ◽  
Soil Loss ◽  
Canopy Cover ◽  
Potato Production ◽  
Water Runoff ◽  
Sigmoid Function ◽  
Simulated Rainfall ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Runoff And Soil Loss

Xing, Z., Chow, L., Rees, H. W., Meng, F., Monteith, J. and Stevens, L. 2011. A comparison of effects of one-pass and conventional potato hilling on water runoff and soil erosion under simulated rainfall. Can. J. Soil Sci. 91: 279–290. Hilling plays an important role in potato production, but is found to be inducing soil loss. An artificial rainfall simulation system was used to evaluate the differences between one-pass hilling (OPH, hilling performed when planting, or shortly after planting) and conventional hilling (CH, hilling performed approximately 35–45 d after planting) as well as their combination with a cover crop (ryegrass; _R) on runoff and soil loss. A three-replicate randomized block experimental design with constant rainfall intensity (120 mm h−1) was used in this study. No significant differences in runoff were found between different hilling methods. The soil losses, however, showed significant differences both among treatments, among canopy cover classes, and among their interaction terms (all P<0.001). The mean soil loss for CH was significantly higher than that for OPH, by 40%, and the mean soil loss for CH_R was higher than that for OPH_R by 57%. On average, the CH treatments (CH and CH_R) induced greater soil loss than the OPH treatments (OPH and OPH_R) by 47%. Further, the effects can vary with different canopy cover percentages. The OPH treatments (OPH and OPH_R) induced more soil loss than CH treatments (CH and CH_R), by 4.4 to 12.8%, in the <30% canopy cover group, while soil loss in the CH treatments was greater than that in OPH treatments for both the 30–70% and >70% canopy cover groups by 21–94%. Irrespective of treatment, soil loss before canopy forming was 2.4 to 8.9 times higher than the soil loss for the partial to full canopy period. With a cover crop, the CH and OPH treatments can reduce soil loss by 37–55%. One-pass hilling initiated runoff earlier than CH. The water runoff and soil loss with respect to the elapsed time since initialization of water runoff and soil loss could be modeled by a three-parameter Sigmoid function with r 2≥0.94. The information generated from this study could be used in landscape modeling to study the impacts of potato production on soil and stream water quality.

scholarly journals Modelling the Event-Based Hydrological Response of Mediterranean Forests to Prescribed Fire and Soil Mulching with Fern Using the Curve Number, Horton and USLE-Family (Universal Soil Loss Equation) Models

Land ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 1166
Author(s):  
Bruno Gianmarco Carra ◽  
Giuseppe Bombino ◽  
Manuel Esteban Lucas-Borja ◽  
Pietro Denisi ◽  
Pedro Antonio Plaza-Álvarez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Prescribed Fire ◽  
Soil Loss ◽  
Overland Flow ◽  
Curve Number ◽  
Soil Conditions ◽  
Mediterranean Forests ◽  
Hydrological Response ◽  
Infiltration Excess ◽  
Runoff And Soil Loss ◽  
Scs Cn

The SCS-CN, Horton, and USLE-family models are widely used to predict and control runoff and erosion in forest ecosystems. However, in the literature there is no evidence of their use in Mediterranean forests subjected to prescribed fire and soil mulching. To fill this gap, this study evaluates the prediction capability for runoff and soil loss of the SCS-CN, Horton, MUSLE, and USLE-M models in three forests (pine, chestnut, and oak) in Southern Italy. The investigation was carried out at plot and event scales throughout one year, after a prescribed fire and post-fire soil mulching with fern. The SCS-CN and USLE-M models were accurate in predicting runoff volume and soil loss, respectively. In contrast, poor predictions of the modelled hydrological variables were provided by the models in unburned plots, and by the Horton and MUSLE models for all soil conditions. This inaccuracy may have been due to the fact that the runoff and erosion generation mechanisms were saturation-excess and rainsplash, while the Horton and MUSLE models better simulate infiltration-excess and overland flow processes, respectively. For the SCS-CN and USLE-M models, calibration was needed to obtain accurate predictions of surface runoff and soil loss; furthermore, different CNs and C factors must be input throughout the year to simulate the variability of the hydrological response of soil after fire. After calibration, two sets of CNs and C-factor values were suggested for applications of the SCS-CN and USLE-M models, after prescribed fire and fern mulching in Mediterranean forests. Once validated in a wider range of environmental contexts, these models may support land managers in controlling the hydrology of Mediterranean forests that are prone to wildfire risks.

Soil and crop responses to long-term potato production at a benchmark site in northwestern New Brunswick

2008 ◽  
Vol 88 (3) ◽  
pp. 409-422 ◽  
Author(s):  
H W Rees ◽  
T L Chow ◽  
E G Gregorich
Keyword(s):  
Hydraulic Conductivity ◽  
New Brunswick ◽  
Soil Quality ◽  
Soil Loss ◽  
Crop Yields ◽  
Solanum Tuberosum L ◽  
Hordeum Vulgare L ◽  
Runoff Water ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Runoff And Soil Loss

Concerns about deteriorating soil quality led to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada establishing a network of 23 soil quality monitoring benchmark sites with the objective of providing a baseline data set for assessing change in soil quality and biological productivity of representative Canadian farming systems. A site (22-NB) was established in 1990 in northwestern New Brunswick to monitor changes in Podzolic and Brunisolic soils developed on coarse loamy till on a rolling landscape under intensive potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) production [potato-potato-barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) rotation] that was cultivated along the contour with variable grade diversions and a grassed waterway. Soil samples were collected in 1990 and again in 2000. Field saturated hydraulic conductivity (Kfs) at 10–20, 26–36 and 50–60 cm, earthworm counts and crop yield measurements were conducted annually. 137Cs data were collected in 1990 to estimate soil displacement at the site. Runoff and soil loss between May 01 and Nov. 30 were measured annually. The soil conservation system at site 22-NB has resulted in annual runoff and soil loss of only 9 mm and 311 kg ha-1, respectively. Measured values of 137Cs averaged 2114 Bq m-2 (70% of baseline). Changes in the Ap horizon properties between 1990 and 2000 included significant (P < 0.05) increases in available P (+ 86.7 mg kg-1) and K (+ 13.4 mg kg-1) and significant reductions in available Mg (−45.8 mg kg-1) and SOC (−0.51 g kg-1). The Kfs of 10- to 20-cm, 26- to 36-cm and 50- to 60-cm depths were 1.3, 1.0 and 1.0 cm h-1, respectively. Very few earthworms were present (0.05 worms m-2). The upper terrace was consistently the highest yielding in both potato and barley, while the lowest terrace was consistently the lowest yielding in both crops. Crop yields may have been affected by micro-climate and other soil differences as a result of site position.While the system of contour tillage with variable grade diversions and grassed waterway conserved both soil and water, the potato-potato-grain rotation did not maintain SOC levels or sustain earthworm populations. Associated heavy rates of fertilization also lead to increased levels of soil K and P. Key words: Soil quality, soil organic carbon, hydraulic conductivity, earthworms, runoff, water erosion

scholarly journals The effectiveness of jute and coir erosion control blankets in different field and laboratory conditions

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Kalibová ◽  
L. Jačka ◽  
J. Petrů
Keyword(s):  
Soil Loss ◽  
Peak Discharge ◽  
Slope Gradient ◽  
Laboratory Conditions ◽  
Discharge Ratio ◽  
Steep Slopes ◽  
Runoff And Soil Loss ◽  
Field And Laboratory Conditions ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. A vegetation cover is found to be an ideal solution to most problems with erosion on steep slopes. Biodegradable geotextiles (GTX) have been proved to provide a sufficient protection against soil loss in the period before the vegetation reaches maturity. In this study, 500 g.m−2 jute (J500), 400 g.m−2 (C400), and 700 g.m−2 coir (C700) GTX were installed firstly on 9° slope in “no-inf iltration” laboratory conditions, secondly on 27° slope in natural field conditions. The impact of GTX on runoff and soil loss was investigated to compare the performance of GTX in different conditions. Laboratory runoff ratio (percentage portion of control plot) equaled 78 %, 83 % and 91 % and peak discharge ratio equaled 83 %, 91 % and 97 % for J500, C700 and C400, respectively. In the field, a runoff ratio of 31 %, 62 % and 79 % and peak discharge ratio of 37 %, 74 % and 87 % were recorded for C700, J500 and C400, respectively. All tested GTX significantly decreased soil erosion. The highest soil loss reduction in the field was observed for J500 (by 99.4%) followed by C700 (by 97.9%) and C400 (by 93.8%). Irrespective of slope gradient or experiment condition, C400 provided lower runoff volume and peak discharge control than J500 and C700. The performance ranking of J500 and C700 in the laboratory differed from the field, which may be explained by different slope gradient and also by the role of soil, which was not included in the laboratory experiment.

scholarly journals The Effect of Soil Conservation Measures on Runoff, Soil Erosion, TN, and TP Losses Based on Experimental Runoff Plots in Northern China

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (17) ◽  
pp. 2334
Author(s):  
Haiyan Fang
Keyword(s):  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Soil Conservation ◽  
Soil Loss ◽  
Northern China ◽  
Nutrient Losses ◽  
Study Region ◽  
Conservation Measures ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Soil Conservation Measures ◽  
Runoff Plots

Total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorous (TP) are the main pollutants affecting the water quality of the Miyun Reservoir, Beijing. However, few studies have been conducted on their responses to implemented soil conservation measures at a slope scale in northern China. To explore the impact of soil conservation measures on TN and TP losses, field monitored data from 18 runoff plots under natural rainfalls were used to analyze the changing characteristics of runoff, soil loss, and nutrient losses during 2014–2019. The results indicated that runoff, soil erosion, as well a TN and TP losses from the plots varied significantly, depending on land use and soil conservation measures. Bare plots suffered the highest soil, TN, and TP losses, followed by cultivated plots without soil conservation measures, cultivated plots with contour tillage, and other plots. Event-averaged runoff and soil loss rates ranged from 0 to 7.9 mm and from 0 to 444.4 t km−2 yr−1, and event-averaged TN and TP losses from cultivated plots were the highest, with values of 39.8 and 3.0 kg km−2, respectively. Bare and cultivated plots were the main sediment and nutrient sources. Among the cultivated plots, the terraced plot had the lowest soil and nutrient losses. The vegetated plots had insignificantly lower soil and nutrient losses. Most TN and TP were lost in particulate status from the plots, especially from the plots with soil conservation measures. Soil conservation measures can effectively prevent TN and TP losses. To guarantee water resource use, contour tillage is preferred for the bare and cultivated lands in the study region.

scholarly journals The Use of Various Rainfall Simulators in the Determination of the Driving Forces of Changes in Sediment Concentration and Clay Enrichment

Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (10) ◽  
pp. 2856
Author(s):  
Judit Alexandra Szabó ◽  
Csaba Centeri ◽  
Boglárka Keller ◽  
István Gábor Hatvani ◽  
Zoltán Szalai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Loss ◽  
Driving Forces ◽  
Surface States ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
Sediment Concentration ◽  
Driving Factors ◽  
Rainfall Simulation ◽  
Soil Conditions ◽  
Runoff And Soil Loss ◽  
Field And Laboratory Conditions

Soil erosion is a complex, destructive process that endangers food security in many parts of the world; thus, its investigation is a key issue. While the measurement of interrill erosion is a necessity, the methods used to carry it out vary greatly, and the comparison of the results is often difficult. The present study aimed to examine the results of two rainfall simulators, testing their sensitivity to different environmental conditions. Plot-scale nozzle type rainfall simulation experiments were conducted on the same regosol under both field and laboratory conditions to compare the dominant driving factors of runoff and soil loss. In the course of the experiments, high-intensity rainfall, various slope gradients, and different soil surface states (moisture content, roughness, and crust state) were chosen as the response parameters, and their driving factors were sought. In terms of the overall erosion process, the runoff, and soil loss properties, we found an agreement between the simulators. However, in the field (a 6 m2 plot), the sediment concentration was related to the soil conditions and therefore its hydrological properties, whereas in the laboratory (a 0.5 m2 plot), slope steepness and rainfall intensity were the main driving factors. This, in turn, indicates that the design of a rainfall simulator may affect the results of the research it is intended for, even if the differences occasioned by various designs may be of a low order.

Spatial and temporal trends in soil properties and crop yield at a site under intensive up- and down-slope potato production in northwestern New Brunswick

2007 ◽  
Vol 87 (4) ◽  
pp. 383-398 ◽  
Author(s):  
H W Rees ◽  
T L Chow ◽  
E G Gregorich
Keyword(s):  
Hydraulic Conductivity ◽  
Soil Quality ◽  
Crop Yield ◽  
Soil Loss ◽  
Temporal Trends ◽  
Potato Production ◽  
Water Erosion ◽  
Annual Runoff ◽  
Potato Yield ◽  
Crop Parameters

Few quantitative data are available to assess temporal changes in the soil quality of Canada’s agricultural lands. Site 20-NB was established in 1989 to monitor changes in an Orthic Humo-Ferric Podzol developed on coarse loamy till on a rolling landscape under intensive potato production in Atlantic Canada with soil compaction and water erosion the dominant forms of degradation. Sampling of soil and crop parameters was conducted on a 20 × 25 and 25 × 25 m grid basis with 66–90 sample locations. Baseline soil samples were collected in 1989 and the site was re-sampled in 1999. Samples were analysed for pH, available P, K, Ca and Mg, and total soil organic carbon (SOC). Field saturated hydraulic conductivity (Kfs) at 12–22, 27–37 and 50–60 cm, earthworm counts and crop yield measurements were conducted annually. 137Cs data were collected to estimate long-term soil erosion. Annual runoff (May 01 to Nov. 30) and soil loss were measured. Seasonal soil loss between 1989 and 1999 was only 6522 kg ha-1 yr-1 compared with 137Cs-estimated soil displacement of 53 000 kgha-1 yr-1, occurring over the 1960 to 1990 period. In the Ap horizon, soil pH and P increased by 8 and 5%, respectively, while SOC was reduced by 8%. Some changes were identified in the subsoil (50–65 cm) with a 7% increase in pH and a 27% reduction in P. There was little annual variation in the Kfs of the Ap, B and C horizons which ranged from 0.4 to 1.3, from 0.7 to 1.3 and from 0.8 to 2.0 cm h-1. Solum Kfs was significantly less than in an adjacent forested area by 52–80%. Earthworm numbers increased at a rate of 1.5 earthworms m-2 yr-1. Crop yield did not show any temporal trend over the 10-yr period other than that it appeared to be significantly influenced by crop rotation. Potato yield (CV = 12) tended to be less variable than barley (CV = 22) or clover (CV = 21). The benefits of site specific management were found to be questionable. 137Cs-estimated soil loss was most strongly related to SOC (r = −0.66) and average potato yield (r = −0.55). Key words: Soil quality, soil carbon, hydraulic conductivity, earthworms, water erosion

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