Abstract
Soil erosion is one of the key challenges in soil and water conservation. Vegetation that covers soil and organic and inorganic mulch is very useful for the control of erosion processes. This study examined treatment with wheat residual (as agriculture mulch) on infiltration, time to runoff, runoff coefficient, sediment concentration and soil erosion processes. The study has been conducted for sandy-loam soil taken from summer rangeland (Northern Iran) with simulated rainfall intensities of 50 and 100 mm h-1. The experiment was conducted in slopes of 30% in three replications with two amounts of wheat residual of 50 and 90 %. The results showed that conservation percent of soil erosion for wheat residual 50 and 90% was 61.68 and 73.25%, respectively (in rainfall intensity of 50 mm h-1). Also, the conservation percent of soil erosion for wheat residual of 50 and 90% cover was 70.68 and 90.55, respectively (in rainfall intensity of 100 mm h-1). It was concluded that the conservation treatments could reduce runoff coefficient, sediment concentration and soil erosion and increase the time to runoff and infiltration coefficient. This effect was significant on time for infiltration, sediment concentration and soil erosion variables (R2=0.99), time to runoff and runoff coefficient variables (R2=0.95). The interaction effects of rainfall intensity and soil conservation was significant for sediment concentration and soil erosion variables (R2=0.99).
Highlights
Soil erosion is one of the most widespread and a major environmental threat which decreases agricultural productivity and affects water quality (Nearing et al, 2005; Khaledi Darvishan et al, 2012 and 2016; Spalevic et al, 2013; Mohammadi and Kavian, 2015; Kavian et al, 2017; Spalevic et al, 2017)
The present study aims to determine the efficiency of wheat residual as agricultural residual on infiltration, runoff coefficient, sediment yield and soil loss for a sandy-loam soil taken from summer rangeland in Alborz Mountains, Northern Iran
The effect of wheat residual on the change of time to runoff and runoff coefficient with cover of 90% was more effective toward cover of 50%, but this efficient effect was observed in rainfall intensity of 50 mm h-1
Summary
Soil erosion is one of the most widespread and a major environmental threat which decreases agricultural productivity and affects water quality (Nearing et al, 2005; Khaledi Darvishan et al, 2012 and 2016; Spalevic et al, 2013; Mohammadi and Kavian, 2015; Kavian et al, 2017; Spalevic et al, 2017). Residual can be more effective in preventing soil erosion (Centre for Watershed Protection, 2001). The straw mulch can protect soil moisture (Ji and Unger, 2001) and this conditioner adds organic matter to soil (García-Orenes et al, 2010), has potential in runoff reduction (Poesen and Lavee 1991) and soil erosion controls (Morgan, 1986; Gholami et al, 2016a). The wheat residual may increase cultivation amount, improving at the same time infiltration, reducing runoff and soil erosion; as well as increasing water storage capacity (Mannering and Meyer, 1963; Shi et al, 2013; Wang et al, 2017) and decreasing evaporation (Mooers et al 1948)
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