Cautionary notes on the assumptions made in erosion studies using fallout <sup>137</sup>Cs as a marker

VandenBygaart, A.J.; King, David; Groenevelt, P. H.; Protz, R.

doi:10.4141/s98-083

Cited by 13 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…We have little knowledge about the relative importance of redistribution of contaminants within an area vs. off‐site transport of those contaminants. Wind erosion models do not account for spatial heterogeneity (Vanden‐Bygaart et al, 1999), such as that at the scale of canopy and intercanopy patches. Contaminants, such as 137 Cs, may be spatially heterogeneous with greater concentrations under canopy patches (Coppinger et al, 1991), which could then be more vulnerable to post‐fire mobility (Fig.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Temporal and Spatial Variation of Episodic Wind Erosion in Unburned and Burned Semiarid Shrubland

et al. 2002

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Redistribution of soil, nutrients, and contaminants is often driven by wind erosion in semiarid shrublands. Wind erosion depends on wind velocity (particularly during episodic, high-velocity winds) and on vegetation, which is generally sparse and spatially heterogeneous in semiarid ecosystems. Further, the vegetation cover can be rapidly and greatly altered due to disturbances, particularly fire. Few studies, however, have evaluated key temporal and spatial components of wind erosion with respect to (i) erosion rates on the scale of weeks as a function of episodic high-velocity winds, (ii) rates at unburned and burned sites, and (iii) within-site spatial heterogeneity in erosion. Measuring wind erosion in unburned and recently burned Chihuahuan desert shrubland, we found (i) weekly wind erosion was related more to daily peak wind velocities than to daily average velocities as consistent with our findings of a threshold wind velocity at approximately 7 m s(-1); (ii) greater erodibility in burned vs. unburned shrubland as indicated by erosion thresholds, aerodynamic roughness, and nearground soil movement; and (iii) burned shrubland lost soil from intercanopy and especially canopy patches in contrast to unburned shrubland, where soil accumulated in canopy patches. Our results are among the first to quantify post-fire wind erosion and highlight the importance of accounting for finer temporal and spatial variation in shrubland wind erosion. This finer-scale variation relates to semiarid land degradation, and is particularly relevant for predictions of contaminant resuspension and redistribution, both of which historically ignore finer-scale temporal and spatial variation in wind erosion.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Temporal and Spatial Variation of Episodic Wind Erosion in Unburned and Burned Semiarid Shrubland

et al. 2002

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“…A considerable problem in relating the inventories of radioactive fallout to an actual erosion rate is the spatial heterogeneity of the fallout deposition. Only a few works have intensively studied the variability of 137 Cs at undisturbed landscapes that are often taken as reference locations (Lance et al, 1986;Sutherland, 1994Sutherland, ,1996Owens and Walling, 1996;VandenBygaart et al, 1999).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quantifying sediment transport across an undisturbed prairie landscape using cesium-137 and high resolution topography

2006

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“…Before the initial 137 Cs at the surface was incorporated into the till layer by tillage and adsorbed to soil particles, any high‐intensity rainfall event could have potentially redistributed the 137 Cs in the near‐surface (VandenBygaart et al , 1999). Therefore, the corrected 137 Cs reference inventory was used to eliminate impacts of 137 Cs surface enrichment during the nuclear explosion period, which could cause an overestimation of the amount of soil lost (Zhang et al , 2003).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dual roles of tillage erosion in lateral SOC movement in the landscape

Zhang

2012

European J Soil Science

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The facts that the global carbon budget cannot be currently balanced and current estimates of agricultural sources and sinks may be inaccurate, may be linked to unaccounted‐for erosion‐induced changes in soil organic carbon (SOC). A closed landscape with field banks and an open landscape without field banks were selected from two sites located in Jianyang County, Sichuan Province, and Zhongxian County, Chongqing Municipality, respectively. In these landscapes, the role of tillage and water erosion was examined using measurements of soil redistribution in relation to 137Cs radionuclide depth‐stratigraphy, to elucidate the mechanism of SOC depth distribution in the soil profile and resultant stocks in agricultural landscapes of terraced field systems. Changes in the 137Cs inventory at different landscape positions depend on both 137Cs concentrations of individual subsample layers (5‐cm depth) and the vertical extent of 137Cs depth distribution in the terrace system with field banks, while the changes are only associated with the vertical extent of 137Cs depth distribution in the terrace system without field banks because of similar 137Cs concentrations of individual subsample layers. The profile shape of SOC depth distribution exhibits notable differences between the upper and lower parts of the terrace in systems with field banks, but no apparent differences were found in the systems without field banks and the SOC profile shape is similar to that of the upper part of the terrace in systems with field banks. It is suggested that SOC depth distribution in these two types of terraced field systems is controlled by different soil erosion patterns. Tillage erosion playing a dominant role in the process of soil erosion within a landscape can increase SOC stocks. However, SOC depletion takes place in situations where the two processes of tillage and water erosion are both important and tillage erosion acts as a delivery mechanism for water erosion. We conclude that tillage erosion plays a dual role: enhancing carbon storage at depositional positions, and accelerating carbon depletion when combined with water erosion within the same landscape.

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Cautionary notes on the assumptions made in erosion studies using fallout ¹³⁷Cs as a marker

Abstract: not available

Cited by 13 publications

References 15 publications

Temporal and Spatial Variation of Episodic Wind Erosion in Unburned and Burned Semiarid Shrubland

Temporal and Spatial Variation of Episodic Wind Erosion in Unburned and Burned Semiarid Shrubland

Quantifying sediment transport across an undisturbed prairie landscape using cesium-137 and high resolution topography

Dual roles of tillage erosion in lateral SOC movement in the landscape

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Cautionary notes on the assumptions made in erosion studies using fallout 137Cs as a marker

Abstract: not available

Cited by 13 publications

References 15 publications

Temporal and Spatial Variation of Episodic Wind Erosion in Unburned and Burned Semiarid Shrubland

Temporal and Spatial Variation of Episodic Wind Erosion in Unburned and Burned Semiarid Shrubland

Quantifying sediment transport across an undisturbed prairie landscape using cesium-137 and high resolution topography

Dual roles of tillage erosion in lateral SOC movement in the landscape

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Cautionary notes on the assumptions made in erosion studies using fallout ¹³⁷Cs as a marker