Soil Erosion In Mountainous Areas Research Articles

Modelling Impact of Land Use Changes and Climate on Soil Erosion in the Uma Oya River Basin, Sri Lanka

Soil erosion is a significant environmental issue in most mountainous areas and is further exacerbated due to ongoing climatic changes and anthropogenic activities. Soil erosion not only triggers natural disasters like landslides but also degrades the fertile topsoil layers. Therefore, modeling and evaluation of soil erosion in mountainous areas and river basins are highly important. The Uma Oya River Basin (UORB), Sri Lanka is an area with rich biodiversity and is also important for agricultural production. Moreover, this area is frequently discussed due to the ongoing developments of the Uma Oya Project. This paper presents a comprehensive evaluation of soil erosion in the UORB and results are compared for two decades from 2000 to 2020. The Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) was used to determine the annual soil erosion rates. In addition, the spatial-temporal variation of land use and land cover was assessed in the UORB. Results revealed that extreme soil erosion scenarios occur when forests and other vegetation lands are converted to agricultural lands and farmlands. We found that soil loss in the area largely happened due to steep slopes, reduction of vegetation and forest covers, and growth of cultivation lands. Erosion-prone areas in the river basin are identified and conservation strategies are discussed. In addition, the impact of the ongoing climate change on the UORB is highlighted.

Retraction Note: Image detection of mountain soil loss and human avoidance trajectory based on cloud computing and machine learning

With the continuous progress and development of modern social science management and network security technology in China, the wide application of new-generation technologies such as intelligent robotics learning has made it more and more extensive in the field of analysis. At present, it has fully played an important technical leading role in many application fields, such as analysis methods, collection and sorting ability, analysis of various large-scale business computing application statistical data of enterprises, mining theoretical knowledge of natural environment science, image recognition, retrieval of global geographic location information and so on. Through the simulation of soil erosion in mountainous areas in my country, dynamic data analysis describes the basic situation of soil erosion in various mountainous areas in my country and the whole process of its evolution and development and comprehensively analyzes and studies various soil erosion events in mountainous areas in my country. The corresponding solutions can effectively and accurately respond to emergencies of soil erosion in mountainous areas and effectively reduce the loss of soil and water crops and economic losses in natural disasters. In recent years, information technology companies related to computer and machine learning capabilities, especially based on machine cloud computing, learning science and technology based on the theory of human machine artificial intelligence, and combining related professional technologies, have been used in various areas to prevent floods, droughts, risks, and rain in various areas. Disaster reduction and other non-natural engineering construction technology prevention measures have gradually been applied. The main research question of this paper is to design a related human body trajectory image detection system for new human facial image processing based on machine learning, and information collection and detection management system, and conduct in-depth research on its application prospects.

Does e-commerce drive rural households engaged in non-timber forest product operations to adopt green production behaviors?

The adoption of green production behaviors (GPBs) in non-timber forest product (NTFP) operations can improve soil quality and mitigate run-off and soil erosion in mountainous areas, which can support sustainable industry development. Selling NTFPs by e-commerce rather than traditional face-to-face trading can expand markets, prevent any high-quality product premium being lost to profit-seeking middlemen, and reduce the information asymmetry about the quality of products. Therefore, improvements in product quality can achieve a price premium, which can stimulate rural households engaged in NTFP operations (i.e. NTFP households) to adopt GPBs. This study uses survey data from 429 NTFP households in Zhejiang Province in southeastern China and econometric modelling to test whether e-commerce can foster NTFP households' adoption of GPBs The results show that the NTFP households are not commonly adopting GPBs but e-commerce does encourage their adoption of GPBs. In particular, e-commerce has a positive effect on the NTFP households' use of organic fertilizer and formula fertilizer (informed by soil testing). E-commerce has a negative effect on the households’ use of high-toxicity pesticides and the frequency of using pesticides. Compared with small-scale NTFP households whose forestland size is lower than the mean of the total sample (i.e. <1.91 ha), e-commerce has a stronger effect on the adoption of GPBs by large-scale (i.e. >1.91 ha) NTFP households. The implication for policymakers from these findings is that e-commerce can be used to drive NTFP households to adopt GPBs in countries with free markets and functioning e-commerce platforms.

Spatiotemporal variation of erosive rainfall and its influence on sediment discharge in the Ganjiang River Basin

Expected increases in extreme rainfall events due to global warming could lead to increased soil erosion in mountainous areas. In order to study this impact on specific areas, the present study identified the spatiotemporal variation of erosive rainfall and the influence of its variation on streamflow and sediment discharge within the Ganjiang River Basin. Daily average rainfall data were obtained from 23 national meteorological observation stations along with streamflow and sediment concentration data collected for 1964-2013 at 6 control stations. The nonparametric Mann-Kendall method and Pettitt test were used for trend analysis and change-point detection, and the modified double mass curve method was used to quantify the effects of both erosive rainfall variation and human activities on hydrological regime shifts. Results showed significant monthly variation in erosive rainfall and significant increases in rainstorms over the entire watershed, particularly in the downstream subzone and northeast corner of the upstream subzone. While moderate rain showed an insignificant decrease in both subzones and the entire watershed, heavy rain showed no significant variation over the entire watershed but did show a significant increase in both the midstream and downstream subzones. The changes in accumulative erosive rainfall had only small effects on reduction in sediment discharge after the change-point year. In contrast, human activities contributed to more than 50% of the changes in sediment discharge in the entire basin. These findings provide a research basis for the study of extreme climate, flood disaster prevention, and soil erosion prediction over the entire watershed.

Effects of soil conservation measures on soil erosion in the Yunnan Plateau, southwest China

Soil and water conservation (SWC) measures are among the most important ways to control soil erosion in mountainous areas. However, little is known about the application of SWC measures on soil erosion over large areas. We developed a new framework for investigating the distribution of engineering measures by using high-resolution remote sensing images at a large scale, and we assessed the soil conservation effects of those measures on the Yunnan Plateau (YP) in China using the Chinese Soil Loss Equation (CSLE). We detected 43,398 km2 of soil conservation measures on the YP, accounting for 53% of farmland. The area of conservation measures decreased with an increase in slope gradient. Different types of engineering measures had different spatial distribution patterns, and together they conserved 5.08 × 108 t of soil each year on the YP. The effects of engineering measures on soil erosion decreased with an increase in slope. Furthermore, more than 82% of soil loss from farmlands was attributed to areas without engineering measures, and steep-slope farmland without such measures was the main source of soil erosion on the YP. Our results suggest that engineering measures were effective in soil conservation, but the effects varied with topography on the YP. We suggest that further studies focus on the relationships between the soil erosion and grain supply of farmlands without engineering measures to provide a basis for the formulation of land use planning policy in China.

Estimating soil degradation in montane grasslands of North-eastern Italian Alps (Italy)

Grasslands cover a large portion of the terrestrial ecosystems, and are vital for biodiversity conservation, environmental protection and livestock husbandry. However, grasslands are degraded due to unreasonable management worldwide, i.e., soil erosion indirectly due to the damage of overgrazing on vegetation coverage and soil texture. An in-depth investigation is necessary to quantify soil erosion in alpine pastures, in order to manage grasslands more sustainably. In this work, we collected freely available satellite images and carried out intensive field surveys for the whole Autonomous Province of Trento (Northeastern Italian Alps) in 2016. The area (and volume) of soil erosions were then estimated and shown in maps. The average of the depths of soil erosion measured in field was used as a reference for estimating soil erosion of the entire study area. High-resolution DEMs difference in soil surface conditions was also computed in two representative areas between pre- and post-degradation to estimate the volume and the average depth of eroded soils. The degradation of soil in the study areas has been estimated in 144063 m2 and an estimated volume of 33610 ± 1800 m3. Results indicate that our procedure can serve as a low-cost approach for a rapid estimation of soil erosion in mountain areas. Mapping soil erosion can improve the sustainability of grazing management system and reduce the risk of pastureland degradation at large spatial scales.

137Cs-Based Variation of Soil Erosion in Vertical Zones of a Small Catchment in Southwestern China.

The study of the variability of soil erosion in mountainous areas provides the basis for soil and water conservation work and forest ecological construction in a targeted way. In this study, Liangshan Town catchment, a typical catchment in the Hengduan Mountains region, southwest China, was selected to investigate the variation of soil erosion in different vertical zones using the 137Cs tracing technique. The mean 137Cs reference inventories varied between 573.51 and 705.54 Bq/m2, with the elevation increasing from 1600 to 2600 m. The rates of soil erosion exhibited a significant variation. Under the same land cover condition, the average annual soil erosion modulus of high-elevation forest (elevation > 2200 m) was 400.3 t/(km2·a). However, the average annual soil erosion modulus of a low-elevation sparse forest (elevation < 1600 m) was as high as 1756 t/(km2·a). The average annual soil erosion modulus of the sloping farmland, mainly distributed at elevations of 1600–2200 m, was estimated to be 2771 t/(km2·a). These results indicate that effective soil management measures need to be implemented on the cultivated sloping land in the future.

Cropland physical disturbance intensity: plot-scale measurement and its application for soil erosion reduction in mountainous areas

Various kinds of human disturbances on cropland are the main reasons for soil erosion and land degradation. Farming practices in mountainous areas vary greatly among cropland plots because of the heterogeneity of biophysical conditions and differences in farmers' management behavior. The main purpose of this paper is to develop a composite index of cropland physical disturbance intensity (CLDI) to reflect the plot-scale discrepancy of potential soil erosion in mountainous areas. The study was based on both plot survey and household interview data, collected from six typical catchments in mountainous areas of southwestern China. Four kinds of physical disturbance practices and two kinds of conservation practices during one crop rotation period were synthesized to develop the CLDI index. The rough set theory was referenced to avoid subjectivity during weight allocation. The results show that conventional tillage, deep fertilization, and manual weeding are the main causes of cropland soil erosion, whereas manure application in combination with seasonal fallow reduces soil erosion. Different crop types as well as cropland location factors determine the spatial pattern of CLDI. Crop rotation modes with major crops of tobacco and maize resulted in a maximal CLDI, and cropland plots with a distance radius of 150 meters away from households received the most intensive physical disturbance. These results are critical to help better protect rural environments in mountainous areas. Based on the results, methods to reduce cropland soil erosion are suggested.

Analysis of Permeability for Different Soil Types in Chongqing

Permeability is an important link between the surface water and groundwater in the process of transformation, also a significant factor influencing the runoff production. The water infiltration experiment was carried out by single loop method in the different soil types in Beibei District, Chongqing, meanwhile, the permeability of different soil types and depths are discussed. The results showed: (1) The mean permeability of sandy land, grassland and forestland was 2.37mm/min, 1.48mm/min and 0.55mm/min respectively; (2) Under the same depth condition, Stable permeability of the different land types emerged as sandy land&gt; grassland&gt;forestland. (3) As for the same soil type, Stable permeability decreased with increasing soil depth. These results are helpful for the mitigation of soil erosion in mountain areas, Chongqing.

Experimental study on soil erosion characteristics in flooded terraced paddy fields

This experimental study assesses the effects of event rainfall on soil erosion characteristics in terraced rice paddy fields. A 0.75-ha terraced paddy field located in Northern Taiwan was used to investigate the soil erosion under the regular cultivation of rice during two crop seasons. The environmental changes were investigated in the neighboring areas in which terraced paddy fields have been converted to other land usages. The annual rate of soil erosion calculated from the observed rainfall runoff and suspended solid contained was 0.77 ton/ha, which is significantly less than the erosion rate associated with upland crop cultivation reported by other research conducted in Taiwan. Experimental results also showed that the terraced paddy field retained the highest percentages of clay, silt, and organic matter's content, as compared to those of other upland crops, indicating that the topsoil was less susceptible to rainfall erosion under flooded conditions of rice-cultivation. The results of this study show that the rice-planted terraced paddy offers the highest level of soil conservation. The function of soil and water conservation in terraced paddy fields could be further increased by effective maintenance of embankment and to raise the height of the bund. Poor management, abandoned cultivation, and converse to other upland crops of terraced paddy fields are regarded as major contributors to increased soil erosion in mountainous areas. The government in Taiwan should formulate effective measures and maintain sustainable rice cultivation in the terraced paddies.

Study on the impact of land use/land cover change on soil erosion in mountainous areas

As one of the most important study fields of global change, land use and land cover change has significant impacts on regional and global climate, soil characteristics, and function of terrestrial ecosystem. Most researchers, both in China and abroad, have given much more attentions to the study on land use types and the laws of regional land cover change with synthetic analysis of the factors that influence land use and land cover change. In recent years, some Chinese researchers have carried on studies in this field by stationary inspection methodology, e.g., Professor Fu Buojie and others studied the impacts of land use and land cover change on soil nutrients, regional hydrological condition in loess hilly areas and Zunhua low mountainous areas in Hebei province, Professor Shi Peijun and others studied the impacts of land use and land cover change on natural agricultural disasters in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on the basis of long period investigations and statistical materials. But few researchers studied the impact of land use and land cover change on soil erosion by stationary methodology, and few papers have been published in this area. This paper studied the impacts of land use and land cover change on soil erosion in Fujian mountainous areas on the basis of analysis on long period observational and experimental materials at Jianou Niukenglong Experimental Station and the Provincial Soil and Water Conservation Station, researched soil erosion mechanisms of mountain grassland ecosystem, and different soil erosion modulus under different land use and land cover types. The analytical results indicate that the coefficient of runoff has minus linear relation with grassland coverage, and the modulus of soil erosion has index relation with grassland coverage. This paper also studied the mechanisms and processes of land cover impacting runoff and soil erosion, i.e., land cover influences runoff and soil erosion through the following processes: 1) The grassland cover reduces the forces of rainfall that beats on earth surface, which will impact soil erosion on the surface of the earth, grassland cover has minus index relation with soil erosion modulus, and minus linear relation with coefficient of runoff. 2)The roots of vegetation strengthens the erosion resisting capacity of soils through interluding, twinning and fixing forces on soil particles, and increases the absorbing water capacity of soils . 3) The increase of soil organic material concentration makes the soil particles and structure more and more stable. This paper also points out that there are other mechanisms and processes that need to be further studied, e.g., the relation between land use/land cover and runoff coefficient, the variations of different vegetation's impacts on soil erosion,etc.

A new categorization of types of slope collapse in mountain areas

Regarding the collapse of a special type of soil erosion in mountain areas. Studying its types, processes and stages can provide a scientific basis for prediction. Collapses can be classified into three types, natural, man-made and compound, and each type can be subdivided into four kinds, break-falling, pull-splitting, toppling and slipping. The processes of collapse are creep-deformation, deformation-development and break-out. The second one is subdivided into two periods, the gentle and intense.