Abstract
Abstract Soil erosion poses a major threat to the sustainability of soil and water resources. Soil horizons differ in their properties due to pedogenic differentiation. Currently, limited research attempts have been made to assess the impact of the removal of topsoil horizons on the subsequent erosion process. The main objective in this study was to investigate the effects of erosion degree and rainfall intensity on erosion process and sediment transport mechanism. Field plot experiments were conducted on pre-wetted bare fallow Ultisols (derived from quaternary red clay) under four erosion degrees (no (E0), moderate (E1), severe (E2), and very severe (E3)) and two rainfall intensities (60 and 120 mm h−1). The erosion degrees were judged according to the outcrop of eluvium, illuvium (B1, B2) and parent material horizons. The simulated rainfall lasted one hour after runoff generation, and runoff and sediment were sampled at 3-min intervals to determine the runoff coefficient, sediment concentration, soil detachment rate and sediment effective size distribution. Runoff coefficient was negatively correlated with bulk density (r = −0.76, p E0 > E2 > E3 at the high rainfall intensity. Rainfall intensity and clay content played the negative and positive roles in the erosion process, respectively (Adj-R2 > 0.80, p
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
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 callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
