Controlling Soil Water Erosion and Phosphorus Losses from Arable Land in England and Wales

Abstract

Soil water erosion and P losses were monitored annually in 13 erosion susceptible arable catchments (ca. 80 fields) in England and Wales between 1989 and 1994. Erosion was recorded in 38% of the 385 fields monitored, with ca. 80% of the erosion events occurring on land cropped to winter cereals. Three main factors were associated with the erosion events: poor crop cover (<15%), presence of valley floor features that concentrated surface runoff, and compacted tramlines/wheelings. The rainfall events causing erosion were generally greater than 15 mm/day (90% of cases), with maximum intensities >4 mm/h (94% of cases). Mean annual soil losses were 17 Mg/ha (median 0.48 Mg/ha). Annual edge‐of‐field P losses via soil (rill and gully) erosion from arable land were estimated at ca. 2300 Mg, equivalent to approximately 18% of estimated P losses from agricultural land in England and Wales. A number of erosion control techniques also were tested. The use of minimum (or noninversion) tillage techniques that leave straw on the soil surface were effective in reducing erosion, although there were some practical problems with crop establishment. Avoiding fine rolled seedbeds minimized slaking and capping at the soil surface, helping to maintain water infiltration rates and reduce runoff. Where winter cereals were grown, early drilling encouraged crop cover development during the autumn period, protecting the soil from the erosive impact of rainfall. To avoid wheeling compaction, tramlines were best set up after winter cereal crops had emerged and any trafficking delayed or avoided in the autumn.

Effects of land use on phosphorus loss in the hilly area of the Loess Plateau, China

“…Studies have showed that, rangeland, conservation tillage and crop residue management, riparian zones, and constructed wetland all can reduce the rate and amount of P loss via runoff and erosion (Sharpley et al 1996;Chambers et al 2000;Uusi-Kamppa et al 2000). In the Loess Plateau, for the purpose of controlling soil erosion and developing agriculture, most studies focus on the effect of single land use on soil erosion and nitrogen loss (Peng 1982;Lu et al 1988;Zhang and Lu 1996).…”

Carga máxima de fósforo admissível ao reservatório Piraquara II, uma aplicação do processo TMDL

“…Esta carga pode ser considerada alta de acordo com o valor de 0,5 kg ha -1 ano -1 para áreas agrícolas, valor sugerido por Von Sperling (1985), após compilação de diversos dados. No entanto, a amplitude de valores obtidos por diferentes autores é grande, variando de 0,691 a 7,8 kg ha -1 (Begston et al, 1988;Chambers et al, 2000).…”

Erosion-preventive crop rotations and water erosion rates on undulating slopes in Lithuania

“…Water erosion rates were assessed by measuring the length and cross-sectional area of rills, to calculate soil loss volume (Zaslavskij 1983;Watson and Evans 1991;Chambers et al 2000). Lost soil volume was calculated using the formula:…”