A field technology for soil erosion research: Conceptual analysis and preliminary results

Abstract

Soil erosion is a ubiquitous geomorphologic process that critically affects land degradation rates and ecosystem sustainability. Yet we still don’t have a proper field technology to observe it under field-scale experiments let alone having the data for the verification and calibration of soil erosion models. A desirable soil erosion field technology needs to meet at least the following requirements: (1) it does not restrict natural field runoff; (2) it can be conveniently applied to a field-scale experiment with or without vegetation; (3) it is sensitive for short-term soil erosion observations; (4) it provides information on the sediments and (5) it can quantify soil loss and in-field sedimentation budget. There is a mesh-marker method that meets most of the above mentioned requirements except it does not determine soil loss, a major limitation to its application. This study was initiated to develop a soil erosion field technology that can meet the five criteria mentioned. Reported here is the conceptual analysis of the methodology and the preliminary results of the experiments. Other than meeting the above five criteria, the technology can determine soil erosion parameters such as the sediment delivery ratio.