An experimental method to verify soil conservation by check dams on the Loess Plateau, China

Xu, Xiangzhou; Zhang, H. W.; Wang, G. Q.; Chen, Su‐Chin; Dang, Weiqin

doi:10.1007/s10661-008-0630-x

Cited by 10 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…Soil and water loss in the Chinese Loess Plateau has greatly depleted land resources and degraded the eco-environment. This rolling plateau is characterized by a large area and complex geomorphology, and it can be divided into two geomorphologic units: in the gully area (gully slopes), gully erosion and mass movement are predominant, and in the inter-gully area (hillslopes), land has been extensively cultivated, causing widespread sheet and rill erosion (Feng et al, 2003;Xu et al, 2009b). The relative sediment contributions in a small watershed of the loess hilly region from the inter-gully area and from the gully area are approximately 24-40% and 60-76%, respectively (Jing, 1986;Xu, 1987;Jiao et al, 1992;Wen et al, 1998;Feng et al, 2003;Yang et al, 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Gully erosion is most often triggered or accelerated by a combination of inappropriate land use and extreme rainfall events, so many gullies are required to capture sediment and reduce soil erosion (Valentin et al ., ). In the Chinese Loess Plateau, many years of soil and water conservation has demonstrated that check‐dams are effective measures to control gully erosion (Xu et al ., ; Xin et al ., ). Moreover, the check‐dams not only considerably reduced the stream bed slopes but also caused a disruption in the connectivity of the rivers and diminished their capacity to transport sediment (Díaz et al ., ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Variation in the sediment deposition behind check‐dams under different soil erosion conditions on the Loess Plateau, China

Wei

Jiao

et al. 2018

Earth Surf Processes Landf

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To maintain a reasonable sediment regulation system in the middle reaches of the Yellow River, it is critical to determine the variation in sediment deposition behind check‐dams for different soil erosion conditions. Sediment samples were collected by using a drilling machine in the Fangta watershed of the loess hilly–gully region and the Manhonggou watershed of the weathered sandstone hilly–gully (pisha) region. On the basis of the check‐dam capacity curves, the soil bulk densities and the couplet thickness in these two small watersheds, the sediment yields were deduced at the watershed scale. The annual average sediment deposition rate in the Manhonggou watershed (702.0 mm/(km2·a)) from 1976 to 2009 was much higher than that in the Fangta watershed (171.6 mm/(km2·a)) from 1975 to 2013. The soil particle size distributions in these two small watersheds were generally centred on the silt and sand fractions, which were 42.4% and 50.7% in the Fangta watershed and 60.6% and 32.9% in the Manhonggou watershed, respectively. The annual sediment deposition yield exhibited a decreasing trend; the transition years were 1991 in the Fangta watershed and 1996 in the Manhonggou watershed (P < 0.05). In contrast, the annual average sediment deposition yield was much higher in the Manhonggou watershed (14011.1 t/(km2·a)) than in the Fangta watershed (3149.6 t/(km2·a)). In addition, the rainfalls that induced sediment deposition at the check‐dams were greater than 30 mm in the Fangta watershed and 20 mm in the Manhonggou watershed. The rainfall was not the main reason for the difference in the sediment yield between the two small watersheds. The conversion of farmland to forestland or grassland was the main reason for the decrease in the soil erosion in the Fangta watershed, while the weathered sandstone and bare land were the main factors driving the high sediment yield in the Manhonggou watershed. Knowledge of the sediment deposition process of check‐dams and the variation in the catchment sediment yield under different soil erosion conditions can serve as a basis for the implementation of improved soil erosion and sediment control strategies, particularly in semi‐arid hilly–gully regions. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Variation in the sediment deposition behind check‐dams under different soil erosion conditions on the Loess Plateau, China

Wei

Jiao

et al. 2018

Earth Surf Processes Landf

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“…Road construction projects are developing in the country as an infrastructure to connect different places and to spur economic growth. Studies have been conducted on soil erosion occurring on construction sites, such as on highway embankments [1], roadside slopes [2] and soil deposits [3]. Soil erosion occurs on construction sites due to site clearing that exposes the land surface to erosion by rainfall and human activities.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessment of Soil Erosion by Simulating Rainfall on an Equatorial Organic Soil

A.H¹,

Law²,

S.N.L.³

et al. 2017

JCEST

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Soil erosion occurs on construction sites partly due to site clearing that exposes the land to the erosive power of rainfall. A proposed construction project requires the submission of an Environmental Impact Assessment EIA) to assess the impact of the project on the environment. Assessment of soil erosion is included in the EIA, but the equation to estimate soil erosion known as the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) is only applicable to a soil containing up to four percent organic matter. This limitation of USLE requires an alternative that can predict soil erosion on an organic soil. This study attempts to assess erosion that occurs on an organic soil by simulated rainfall. Field soil samples were reconstructed into three shapes and exposed to simulated rainfall. Results indicate that the amount of organic soil loss decreases with increasing duration of rainfall. Particle size distribution shows that particles with sizes finer than coarse sand (1.7 mm) remained on the slopes. Equations were developed from the graphs of soil loss versus duration of simulated rainfall to estimate soil loss occurring on slopes covered by an organic soil. The outcome of this study can be a precursor to developing an equation to estimate soil erodibility of a slope overlain by an organic soil.

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“…Such studies reflect the relationships between sediments and environmental change over a long period of time (Miao et al 2010(Miao et al , 2011(Miao et al , 2012. Meanwhile, physical model, Google Earth images and field survey are used to derive the spatial distribution of the check dams in Loess Plateau of China (Zheng et al 2013;Tian et al 2013;Xu et al 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Check dam sediments: an important indicator of the effects of environmental changes on soil erosion in the Loess Plateau in China

Wang

Chen

et al. 2014

Environ Monit Assess

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Check dam sediments document the process of soil erosion for a watershed. The main objectives of this research are as follows: first, to determine whether the sediments trapped in check dams can provide useful information about local erosion and the environment, and second, to obtain the extent to which they can be stratigraphically interpreted and correlated to the land use history of an area controlled by check dams. Particle size and the concentration of 137 Cs in sediments are the indicators used to study the effects of environmental changes on soil erosion in the Loess Plateau, China. A total of 216 soil samples were collected from four sediment profile cores at the Yangjuangou watershed check dam constructed in 1955 and fully silted with sediments by 1965. The results indicated that 137 Cs dating and sediment particle size can characterize the sediment deposition process. Silt makes up more than 50 % of the sediment; both the clay and silt sediment fractions decrease gradually in the upstream direction. The sediment profiles are characterized by three depositional layers. These layers suggest changes in the land use. The top layer showed tillage disturbance, with moderate sediments and new soil mixed from 0 to 20 cm. A transition stage from wetlands (characterized by vegetation such as bulrush) to cropland is inferred from sediments at depths of 20-85 cm. Below 85 cm, sedimentary layering is obvious and there is no tillage disturbance. At the downstream site, A0, the average rate of sediment deposition from 1958 to 1963 was approximately 6,125.4 t year −1 km −2 . Because of their high time resolution, check dam sediments indicate the effects of environmental changes on soil erosion, and they can provide a multiyear record of the soil erosion evolution at the local scale in the middle reaches of the Yellow River.

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An experimental method to verify soil conservation by check dams on the Loess Plateau, China

Cited by 10 publications

References 7 publications

Variation in the sediment deposition behind check‐dams under different soil erosion conditions on the Loess Plateau, China

Variation in the sediment deposition behind check‐dams under different soil erosion conditions on the Loess Plateau, China

Assessment of Soil Erosion by Simulating Rainfall on an Equatorial Organic Soil

Check dam sediments: an important indicator of the effects of environmental changes on soil erosion in the Loess Plateau in China

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