Assessing the large-scale impacts of environmental change using a coupled hydrology and soil erosion model

Joris P. C. Eekhout,Wilco Terink,Joris de Vente

doi:10.5194/esurf-6-687-2018

Joris P. C. Eekhout, Wilco Terink + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-6-687-2018

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Abstract

Abstract. Assessing the impacts of environmental change on soil erosion and sediment yield at the large catchment scale remains one of the main challenges in soil erosion modelling studies. Here, we present a process-based soil erosion model, based on the integration of the Morgan–Morgan–Finney erosion model in a daily based hydrological model. The model overcomes many of the limitations of previous large-scale soil erosion models, as it includes a more complete representation of crucial processes like surface runoff generation, dynamic vegetation development, and sediment deposition, and runs at the catchment scale with a daily time step. This makes the model especially suited for the evaluation of the impacts of environmental change on soil erosion and sediment yield at regional scales and over decadal periods. The model was successfully applied in a large catchment in southeastern Spain. We demonstrate the model's capacity to perform impact assessments of environmental change scenarios, specifically simulating the scenario impacts of intra- and inter-annual variations in climate, land management, and vegetation development on soil erosion and sediment yield.

Highlights

Climate change will likely affect soil erosion and sediment yield at a wide variety of scales (Nearing et al, 2004; Li et al, 2006; Burt et al, 2016)
The model is described in full detail by Terink et al (2015); here we only provide a summary of the processes that are simulated by the model, some hydrological processes that have been changed with respect to the original Spatial Processes in HYdrology” (SPHY) model, and a detailed description of the processes that are related to the integration of MMF
We have presented a new coupled hydrology, soil erosion, and sediment yield prediction model (SPHY–MMF), and its application to the upper Segura catchment for different climate and land management scenarios

Summary

Introduction

Climate change will likely affect soil erosion and sediment yield at a wide variety of scales (Nearing et al, 2004; Li et al, 2006; Burt et al, 2016). Most soil erosion and sediment yield models adopt simplified model formulations, are applied at low temporal resolutions, and in many cases only partly represent the impacts of changes in land use or climate conditions. This often leads to unreliable results that do not sufficiently increase process understanding or support decision making (de Vente et al, 2013). To overcome part of these limitations, we present a process-based, large-scale, soil erosion model, coupled to a hydrological model, which accounts for the most relevant factors determining soil erosion by water, including saturated and infiltration excess surface runoff, dynamic vegetation development, and sediment deposition.

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