Abstract
ABSTRACT A soil erosion submodel (SES) was developed to estimate sediment yield from disturbed lands with steep slopes and a high content of rock fragments. The model is based on the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) and was developed to interact with a biogeochemical model that determines above- and below-ground biomass. Following the simulation of 15 surface-mined plots on three sites in Ohio and Kentucky, SES appeared to more accurately predict sediment yield than both RUSLE and the Water Erosion Prediction Project model (WEPP). The coefficient of determination (r2) and standard error for the three sites were 39%, 81%, 97% and 33, 308, and 20 for WEPP, RUSLE, and SES respectively. The improved accuracy of SES over other models is attributed to its ability to simulate rock fragments and steep slopes in addition to the changes made to the support-practice factor (P) used in RUSLE. The process-based construction of SES enables it to be integrated with a biogeochemical model making it useful for research in ecosystem rehabilitation over large spatial and temporal scales.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
