Effects of transport capacity and erodibility on rill erosion processes: A model study using the Finite Element method

The characteristics of rill development and their effects on runoff and sediment yield under different slope gradients

“…Then it experienced an increase with the rate proportional to slope gradient. At last, it kept at stable levels (Figure 2), which are in a good agreement with Lei et al (1998) and Yan et al (2008), who stated that sediment concentration tends to approach a stable maximum value in the processes of rill erosion that is limited by the transport capacity of the water flow and is a function of slope energy that depends on the slope gradient (Nord and Esteves 2010). In general, the sediment concentration is positively related to the slope gradient in this study, and the rate of sediment concentration, increasing at any given …”

Land use impact on soil erosion at different scales in the Brazilian semi-arid

“…In 2010, because soils were unprotected by the slash and burn practice, sediment transport capacity increased and so did sediment yield. In 2011, although the erosivity index was higher than the previous year, pasture establishment reduced sediment transport capacity (YAN et al, 2008) and resulted in a lower sediment yield.…”

“…Since the soil in this semiarid region may be dry for a period of seven months (or more), antecedent moisture content in the first events is very low and precipitation events may not result in runoff. Nonetheless, sediment transport depends on runoff occurrence and transport capacity (YAN et al, 2008). , respectively (Table 3).…”

“…The catchment behaved similarly to the native dry tropical forest vegetation cover period after establishment of grass cover in 2011, confirming the importance of vegetation as a major protection agent against erosion (Figure 6). Sediment yield was again controlled by the detachment and flow transport capacity (YAN et al, 2008), in opposition to the on stream processes during the period of adaptation of the catchment to the land use change. As Verheijen et al (2009) actual soil erosion rates for tilled, arable land in Europe are, on average, 3 to 40 times greater than the upper limit of tolerable soil erosion, accepting substantial spatio-temporal variation.…”

“…For simplification purposes the two processes are often considered together in erosion modelling: sheet erosion, through raindrop action and runoff, removes an uniform thin layer (or sheet) of the fertile upper soil horizon (DLAMINI et al, 2011); and rill erosion that scours and transports sediments through a concentrated flow of water in narrow, erodible channels (YAN et al, 2008).…”