Radioisotopic and physicochemical background indicators to assess soil degradation affecting olive orchards in southern Spain

Mabit, Lionel; Chhem-Kieth, Sorivan; Toloza, Arsenio; Vanwalleghem, Tom; Bernard, Claude; Infante-Amate, Juan; Molina, Manuel González de; Gómez, José A.

doi:10.1016/j.agee.2012.06.014

Cited by 31 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 45 publications

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“…The 137 Cs baseline inventory of the remaining 10 depth-incremental samples was 1607 ± 292 Bq m −2 (cv. of 18 %) with an al- lowable error of 10 % at the 90 % confidence level (Mabit et al, 2010(Mabit et al, , 2012. The variability of the reference inventories is within the range for forest sites reported by Sutherland (1991Sutherland ( , 1996 and Owen and Walling (1996).…”

Section: Quantification Of Soil Redistributionmentioning

confidence: 48%

“…The method proposed by Schaub and Alewell (2009) and Alewell et al (2011) to use δ 13 C vs. SOC as an indicator for soil erosion and disturbance in uncultivated soils has been tested and validated in the Korean Haean catchment. We could further show that soil depth profiles of δ 15 N against % N of the soil profile can be used as a soil erosion indicator.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…They are also useful for process identification and even process quantification (Conen et al, 2007(Conen et al, , 2008. More recently, stable carbon isotopes have been used to track soil erosion and wetland degradation (Alewell et al, 2011;Schaub and Alewell, 2009). The latter studies were the first to show that isotope patterns reflect degradation processes such as soil erosion or wetland drainage.…”

Section: K Meusburger Et Al: Stable Isotopes and Fallout Radionuclimentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, the method has also some pitfalls (Mabit et al, 2008b(Mabit et al, , 2013Parsons and Foster, 2011). Assessment of soil redistribution rates is commonly based on a comparison of the 137 Cs inventory (areal activity density) at individual points in the landscape with that of "stable" landscape position (also termed reference site), where neither erosion nor deposition has occurred.…”

Section: K Meusburger Et Al: Stable Isotopes and Fallout Radionuclimentioning

confidence: 99%

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Combined use of stable isotopes and fallout radionuclides as soil erosion indicators in a forested mountain site, South Korea

et al. 2013

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Abstract. The aim of this study is to assess and to validate the suitability of the stable nitrogen and carbon isotope signature as soil erosion indicators in a mountain forest site in South Korea. Our approach is based on the comparison of the isotope signature of "stable" landscape positions (reference sites), which are neither affected by erosion nor deposition, with eroding sites. For undisturbed soils we expect that the enrichment of δ15N and δ13C with soil depth, due to fractionation during decomposition, goes in parallel with a decrease in nitrogen and carbon content. Soil erosion processes potentially weaken this correlation. The 137Cs method and the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) were applied for the soil erosion quantification. Erosion rates obtained with the 137Cs method range from 0.9 t ha−1 yr−1 to 7 t ha−1 yr−1. Considering the steep slopes of up to 40° and the erosive monsoon events (R factor of 6600 MJ mm ha−1 h−1 yr –1), the rates are plausible and within the magnitude of the RUSLE-modeled soil erosion rates, varying from 0.02 t ha−1 yr−1 to 5.1 t ha−1 yr−1. The soil profiles of the reference sites showed significant (p < 0.0001) correlations between nitrogen and carbon content and its corresponding δ15N and δ13C signatures. In contrast, for the eroding sites this relationship was weaker and for the carbon not significant. These results confirm the usefulness of the stable carbon isotope signature as a qualitative indicator for soil disturbance. We could show further that the δ15N isotope signature can be used similarly for uncultivated sites. We thus propose that the stable δ15N and δ13C signature of soil profiles could serve as additional indicators confirming the accurate choice of the reference site in soil erosion studies using the 137Cs method.

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Section: Quantification Of Soil Redistributionmentioning

confidence: 48%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: K Meusburger Et Al: Stable Isotopes and Fallout Radionuclimentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: K Meusburger Et Al: Stable Isotopes and Fallout Radionuclimentioning

confidence: 99%

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Combined use of stable isotopes and fallout radionuclides as soil erosion indicators in a forested mountain site, South Korea

et al. 2013

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“…the same scale as distance be- tween reference site replicates) measured at both or at least one sampling campaign by looking at the CV again, as presented in the previous sections, or through a statistical test (for example, the analysis of variance, ANOVA). If the spatial variability is highly significant, the site should not be envisaged as a reference site for the application of the 137 Cs method unless the number of samples collected for the determination of the reference baseline is large enough (at least 10) to counterweight the small-scale variability within the site (Mabit et al, 2012;Sutherland, 1996;Kirchner, 2013 (Porto et al, 2013;Fig. 2d).…”

Section: Signs Of a Heterogeneous Initial Fallout Of 137 Cs Over The mentioning

confidence: 99%

Decision support for the selection of reference sites using <sup>137</sup>Cs as a soil erosion tracer

Arata

Meusburger

Bürge

et al. 2017

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Abstract. The classical approach of using 137 Cs as a soil erosion tracer is based on the comparison between stable reference sites and sites affected by soil redistribution processes; it enables the derivation of soil erosion and deposition rates. The method is associated with potentially large sources of uncertainty with major parts of this uncertainty being associated with the selection of the reference sites. We propose a decision support tool to Check the Suitability of reference Sites (CheSS). Commonly, the variation among 137 Cs inventories of spatial replicate reference samples is taken as the sole criterion to decide on the suitability of a reference inventory. Here we propose an extension of this procedure using a repeated sampling approach, in which the reference sites are resampled after a certain time period. Suitable reference sites are expected to present no significant temporal variation in their decay-corrected 137 Cs depth profiles. Possible causes of variation are assessed by a decision tree. More specifically, the decision tree tests for (i) uncertainty connected to small-scale variability in 137 Cs due to its heterogeneous initial fallout (such as in areas affected by the Chernobyl fallout), (ii) signs of erosion or deposition processes and (iii) artefacts due to the collection, preparation and measurement of the samples; (iv) finally, if none of the above can be assigned, this variation might be attributed to "turbation" processes (e.g. bioturbation, cryoturbation and mechanical turbation, such as avalanches or rockfalls). CheSS was exemplarily applied in one Swiss alpine valley where the apparent temporal variability called into question the suitability of the selected reference sites. In general we suggest the application of CheSS as a first step towards a comprehensible approach to test for the suitability of reference sites.

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Relating Intensity of Soil Redistribution to Land Use Changes in Abandoned Pyrenean Fields Using Fallout Caesium‐137

et al. 2017

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Fallout caesium‐137 has been used to trace soil redistribution in abandoned fields located in the Central Spanish Pyrenees. A total of 28 fields with different lengths, slope angles and time since abandonment were selected on a representative south‐facing slope of the Estarrún valley. The local reference inventory and the magnitude and spatial distribution of 137Cs inventories within these fields were documented and used as a basis for assessing patterns of soil redistribution. The local reference inventory was estimated to be 4,500 Bqm−2. Within the fields, the average 137Cs inventory at the top of the slope was 3,920 Bqm−2, and accumulation of soil at the bottom of the slopes was demonstrated by an average 137Cs inventory of 5,320 Bqm−2. Deviations from the reference inventory were highest for fields with the longest slopes that had been abandoned for less than 30 years. Here, increases in the 137Cs inventory, relative to the reference inventory, in excess of 20% were found at the bottom of the slopes. Considering all the fields and all geomorphic positions within the fields, the greatest 137Cs losses and gains were found in the fields with the longest duration of abandonment, indicating more intense soil redistribution. Irrespective of the timing of abandonment, the ranges of 137Cs inventories in the fields were found to be proportional to the water erosion index. The 137Cs technique demonstrated that patterns of sediment redistribution were closely related to the topographic and physiographic characteristics of the slopes. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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Radioisotopic and physicochemical background indicators to assess soil degradation affecting olive orchards in southern Spain

Cited by 31 publications

References 45 publications

Combined use of stable isotopes and fallout radionuclides as soil erosion indicators in a forested mountain site, South Korea

Combined use of stable isotopes and fallout radionuclides as soil erosion indicators in a forested mountain site, South Korea

Decision support for the selection of reference sites using <sup>137</sup>Cs as a soil erosion tracer

Relating Intensity of Soil Redistribution to Land Use Changes in Abandoned Pyrenean Fields Using Fallout Caesium‐137

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Radioisotopic and physicochemical background indicators to assess soil degradation affecting olive orchards in southern Spain

Cited by 31 publications

References 45 publications

Combined use of stable isotopes and fallout radionuclides as soil erosion indicators in a forested mountain site, South Korea

Combined use of stable isotopes and fallout radionuclides as soil erosion indicators in a forested mountain site, South Korea

Decision support for the selection of reference sites using &lt;sup&gt;137&lt;/sup&gt;Cs as a soil erosion tracer

Relating Intensity of Soil Redistribution to Land Use Changes in Abandoned Pyrenean Fields Using Fallout Caesium‐137

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Decision support for the selection of reference sites using <sup>137</sup>Cs as a soil erosion tracer