Soil degradation by Erosion of a typic hapludalf in central Ohio and its rehabilitation

Abstract

Soil erosion and runoff were monitored from 1988 to 1990 on a Miamian soil (Typic Hapludalf) of 5‐6 per cent slope using field runoff plots. Four treatments were studied: (i) disk‐plough up and down the slope to 0.3 m depth (DP); (ii) disk‐plough up and down the slope followed by a protective netting (PN); (iii) uncultivated fallow without any vegetation followed by surface soil removal (R); (iv) uncultivated fallow with natural vegetation followed by ploughing (F). Mean annual runoff losses were 6, 114 and 128 mm, or 4, 20 and 18 per cent of the rainfall, and mean annual soil losses were 1.2, 85.0 and 64.0 Mg ha−1 in 1988, 1989 and 1990, respectively. Mean runoff amounts were 26, 69, 116 and 118mm and mean annual soil losses were 0.4, 23.2, 58.6 and 118 Mg ha−1 for the F, PN, DP and R treatments, respectively. In comparison with DP, PN decreased annual runoff by 40.3 per cent and annual soil loss by 79.5 per cent. The high mean soil loss for the R treatment was due to erosion following soil removal. An additional 2920 Mg ha−1 of surface soil was removed from the R treatment in May 1990. The F treatment reduced runoff by 78, 77 and 62 per cent and reduced soil loss by 99.7, 99.4 and 98.4 per cent compared with the R, DP and PN treatments, respectively. Mean losses of K, Ca, Mg and P were 1.3, 4, 1 and 01 kg ha−1, respectively for F, 3, 16, 5 and 0.3kg ha−1, respectively, for PN, 5, 31, 1 and 0.6kg ha−1, respectively, for DP, and 3, 32, 12 and 0.4 kg ha−1, respectively, for R. Soil and nutrient losses for each treatment were in the order R > DP > PN > F. The soil organic carbon (SOC) content was significantly affected by soil erosion and management treatments, and ranged from 0.98 per cent for the R treatment to 2.3 per cent for the F treatment. Soil surface removal for the R treatment in 1990 reduced water‐stable aggregates (WSA) by 9.0 per cent, SOC by 0.6 per cent, and clay content of the uppermost 0‐50 mm depth by about 7.0 per cent. Mean total porosity (ft) ranged from 0.43 for the F to 0.52 for the DP treatment. Cumulative infiltration for 3h ranged from 13 cm for R to 34cm for PN, with corresponding infiltration rates of 4 cm h−1 and 13 cm h−1, respectively. Regardless of the treatment, there were also temporal changes in soil properties. In comparison with 1988, measurements made in 1990 showed a significant decrease in WSA of 21.3 per cent, an increase in clay content of 2.8 per cent, and a decrease in SOC of 0.39 per cent. Runoff and soil losses were significantly correlated with the mean weight diameter (MWD), SOC, bulk density (pb) and available water capacity (AWC). Plant height measured 8 weeks after planting (WAP) for the R treatment was reduced by 33.3 per cent, 33.0 per cent and 29.0 per cent compared withh DP, PN and F, respectively. Nitrogen uptake by maize plants (Zea mays L.) 10 WAP for the R treatment was lower by 15 per cent, 8 per cent, and 6 per cent compared with the DP, PN and F treatments, respectively, while P uptake was lower by 33 per cent, 32 per cent and 29 per cent, respe...

Effects of topsoil depth and soil amendments on corn yield and properties of two Alfisols in central Ohio

“…At site 2, however, the SOC concentration for soil removal and undisturbed treatments were lower and statistically similar to the soil addition treatment for 10-to 30-cm (4-to 12-in) depth. The adverse effect of erosion-induced topsoil loss on SOC concentration has been widely reported in different soil types and locations (Changere and Lal 1995;Lal 1998;Wairiu and Lal 2003;Fenton et al 2005;Oyedele and Aina 2006). The mean SOC concentration in our study, across all TSD levels, was significantly affected by the amendment type (table 1), being higher in 0-to 10-cm (0-to 4-in) depth for soils treated with organic amendments at both sites: 29.0 g kg -1 versus 20.8 g kg -1 for site 1 and 25.8 g kg -1 verus 15.2 g kg -1 for site 2.…”

The impact of erosion on soil productivity—an experimental design applied in são paulo state, brazil

“…It is only the decline in organic C and pH that seems to be erosion induced, as there are more plots with a low degree of cover that are affected (Table 6). Chengere and Lal (1995) also found that temporal changes in soil chemical properties seemed to take place independent of treatment. Such changes can possibly be attributed to leaching or mineralization.…”

Spatial distribution of carbon over an eroded landscape in southwest Wisconsin

“…Olson and Nizeyimana (1988) observed an increase in clay content in eight eroded soils throughout Illinois, while Chengere and Lal (1995) also reported an increase in clay content after removal of the surface 20 cm of a silty clay loam soil to simulate severe erosion. This increase in clay content in the Ap horizon is attributed to the exposure and subsequent mixing by tillage operations of lower soil horizons (B) rich in clay.…”