Exploring the interaction of surface roughness and slope gradient in controlling rates of soil loss from sloping farmland on the Loess Plateau of China

Li, Taotao; Zhao, Lu; Duan, Hongteng; Yang, Yifan; Wang, Yu; Wu, Faqi

doi:10.1002/hyp.13588

Cited by 25 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 52 publications

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“…Rough surfaces were manually prepared with the four tillage practices of CP, MH, AD, and CD [29]; a control plot with a smooth surface was also prepared (CK: Figure 2). The practices were as follows: (1) CP represents a customary tillage technique for preparation of new soil for planting.…”

Section: Tillage Treatmentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Anti-Erosion Influences of Surface Roughness on Sloping Agricultural Land in the Loess Plateau, Northwest China

Wang²,

Wu³

2022

Sustainability

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The roughness of surface soil and the benefits produced by tillage for slope runoff and sediment reduction have attracted considerable interest; however, there are inconsistencies in existing research results. In this study, we have studied the anti-erosion influences of several typical tillage practices on both runoff and sediment generation in areas of sloping farmland in the Loess Plateau of northwest China. Rough surfaces were prepared manually, according to the surface microtopography of the plateau’s sloping farmland, using four tillage practices; a smooth surface was used as a control. Rainfall simulation experiments were performed using three rainfall intensities and five slope gradients. A path analysis was used to analyze the interactive effects of the slope gradient, rainfall intensity, and the surface roughness on the sediment yield and runoff volume. According to our findings, the gradient of a slope and the intensity of the rainfall both had a positive effect, while the surface roughness had a negative effect; the rate of 40.8% and 21.0% was lower than the values under CK on sediment yield and runoff volume. The interaction between the rainfall intensity and surface roughness always had a runoff reduction effect. Conversely, there was a critical slope gradient between 5° and 10° for sediment yield. The interaction between the slope gradient and surface roughness also had a runoff reduction effect, which was diminished by increasing the rainfall intensity. However, their interactive influence on sediment yield was inconsistent, with a critical slope gradient between 10° and 15°. Based on the comprehensive interactive effects among all three factors, we concluded that rainfall intensity, slope gradient, and surface roughness collectively played a crucial role in promoting runoff and sediment generation under tillage. The results support soil and water conservation by tillage on the sloping farmlands of the Loess Plateau.

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Section: Tillage Treatmentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Anti-Erosion Influences of Surface Roughness on Sloping Agricultural Land in the Loess Plateau, Northwest China

Wang²,

Wu³

2022

Sustainability

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“…However, summer tillage tends to destroy the topsoil, creating bare soil on sloping land, and rainfall on the Loess Plateau is mostly concentrated during this period. When this bare sloping farmland is struck by raindrops during the rainy season, the soil structure is highly susceptible to damage and forms a soil crust, resulting in a reduced soil infiltration capacity and a surge in runoff; these conditions greatly increase the potential occurrence of soil erosion (Li et al, 2020;Wang et al, 2017). Studies have shown that approximately 60% of watershed runoff and sediment are sourced from sloping farmland due to natural and anthropogenic influences (Keesstra et al, 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The influence of wheat straw mulching and straw length on infiltration, runoff and soil loss

Wang

et al. 2022

Hydrological Processes

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Straw mulching is a typical soil and water conservation measure for slope farms, and it plays an important role in preventing soil erosion. The objective of this study was to quantify the effects of the length and coverage of wheat straw on infiltration, runoff and soil loss. In this study, an indoor simulated rainfall experiment was used to study the characteristics of infiltration, runoff and sediment yield under different straw lengths and coverage when the rainfall intensity was 90 mm h−1. The results show that the straw mulch contributes more to the effect of infiltration, runoff and sediment yield than straw length. Increasing the straw coverage increases the average infiltration rate and reduces the cumulative runoff and sediment yield. An increase in straw length, however, reduces the average infiltration rate of the slope and increases the cumulative runoff and sediment yield. The benefits of straw mulch in increasing average infiltration and reducing runoff and sediment yield are consistent with the law of diminishing marginal returns. The marginal benefit of straw is optimal when the straw cover is 3.5 t·hm−2. The sum of straw mulch and length multiplied by cover divided by length has a power function relationship with slope infiltration, while runoff and sediment yield have a power function relationship with its reciprocal. The average infiltration rate of the slope surface is significantly linearly related to the cumulative sediment yield. The simulation accuracy of the Horton model is higher than that of the Kostiakov model. In this study, when the straw length was 3–5 cm and the mulch rate was 4.5 t·hm−2, the average slope infiltration was highest, and the runoff and sediment yield were lowest. Wheat straw surface mulch, when applied as an effective measure for controlling soil erosion and maintaining soil and water resources on sloped fields, can effectively increase infiltration and reduce runoff and sediment yield; wheat mulch is thus critical for the sustainable development of agriculture and ecology on sloping land.

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“…The factors influencing soil erosion on loess slopes can be summarized into four categories: rainfall, soil erodibility, topography, and slope surface cover (Liu et al, 2019). By reducing the slope (Zhao et al, 2015;Li et al, 2019) and setting buffer steps (Duan et al, 2021a;Wen et al, 2021), we can effectively reduce the kinetic energy of runoff and control rill erosion (Wei et al, 2007;Fu et al, 2009;Zhao et al, 2013;Tang et al, 2020). For slope surface cover, erosion control can be achieved by, for example, planting trees and grass (Chen et al, 2018;Yan et al, 2021) or laying artificial turf (Li et al, 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Cross-Linked Polymer Soil Stabilizer for Hillslope Conservation on the Loess Plateau

et al. 2021

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The soil of the Loess Plateau is highly susceptible to erosion due to its distinct loess structure with poor water stability and disintegrates easily. Previous research has focused on improving soil strength without considering stability and ecological performance. Comprehensive improvements may be achieved by cross-linked polymers (CLPs), but their effect on loess structure remains unclear. In the present study, we investigate CLPs as a new organic soil stabilizer to improve soil aggregate stability. To determine the effect of CLPs on the stabilization of loess, a series of indoor tests was conducted to assess unconfined compressive strength, water stability, soil-water characteristics, and plant height. The stabilization mechanism was analyzed by comparing the microstructure, mineral composition, and features of functional groups of loess before and after treatment. The results showed that, compared with untreated loess, the unconfined compressive strength and anti-disintegration property of treated loess were significantly increased. The water retention capacity was improved, and the germination rate and growth of plants were promoted. Microscopic analysis showed that the use of CLPs did form new minerals in the loess or change the functional groups, rather, CLPs improved the microstructure, reduced the total volume of pores, and increased the degree of soil compaction. Field tests showed that the erosion of loess hillsides was effectively controlled by CLPs. Under the same erosive conditions, the slope surface treated with CLPs was more intact than the untreated slope surface. Our findings provide new strategies regarding the application of CLPs as soil stabilizers to control loess erosion and promote vegetation restoration.

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Exploring the interaction of surface roughness and slope gradient in controlling rates of soil loss from sloping farmland on the Loess Plateau of China

Cited by 25 publications

References 52 publications

Anti-Erosion Influences of Surface Roughness on Sloping Agricultural Land in the Loess Plateau, Northwest China

Anti-Erosion Influences of Surface Roughness on Sloping Agricultural Land in the Loess Plateau, Northwest China

The influence of wheat straw mulching and straw length on infiltration, runoff and soil loss

A Cross-Linked Polymer Soil Stabilizer for Hillslope Conservation on the Loess Plateau

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