Temporal variation in properties of an uncropped, ploughed Miamian soil in relation to seasonal erodibility

Abstract

Abstract:Knowledge of seasonal variation in soil structural and related properties is important for the determination of critical periods during which soil is susceptible to accelerated erosion and other degradative processes. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the magnitude of seasonal variations in selected soil and deposited sediment properties in relation to soil erodibility for a Miamian silt-loam soil (Typic Hapludalf) in central Ohio. Erosion plots (USLE-type) were established on a 4 . 5% slope and maintained under bare, ploughed conditions from 1988 to 1991. Particle size distribution, bulk density(r b ), percentage water stable aggregates (WSA), soil organic carbon(SOC), and total soil nitrogen (TSN) of both soil and sediment samples were monitored between Autumn 1989 and Spring 1991. The soil and sediment particle size distributions followed no clear seasonal trends. Soil r b increased following tillage (1 . 20 Mg m 73) and was highest (1 . 45 Mg m 73 ) during the autumn owing to soil slumping and consolidation upon drying. Low winter and spring values of r b and %WSA (20±50% lower than in autumn) were attributed to excessive wetness and freeze±thaw eects. Both SOC and soil TSN contents progressively declined (from 2 . 18 to 1 . 79% and 1 . 97 to 1 . 75 g kg 71 , respectively) after ploughing owing to maintenance of plots under bare, fallow conditions. Spring highs and autumn lows of sediment SOC (3 . 12 vs. 2 . 44%) and TSN (2 . 70 vs.

Temporal variations of reservoir sediment sources in a small mountainous catchment in Korea

“…Their results showed that erodibility was lower from summer to autumn, and that soil was most susceptible to erosion during spring. Bajracharya et al (1998) proposed that seasonal soil erodibility could be predicted using seasonal variation in bulk density, soil organic carbon, and percentage of water-stable aggregates, and suggested that freeze-thaw cycles and partly frozen, saturated conditions during the spring and early summer significantly increased soil erodibility.…”

Short-Term Dynamics of Soil Aggregate Stability in the Field

“…The stability of soil aggregates is a key property since it affects the movement and storage of water, soi aeration, biological activity, seedling emergence, and root penetration (Gallardo-Carrera et al, 2007). It also affects soil sensitivity to erosion and crusting (Le Bissonnais, 1996;Bajracharya et al,1998;Wang et al, 2013).…”

“…It is well-established that aggregate stability is a time dependent variable (e.g. Bullock et al 1988;Caron et al, 1992;Bajracharya et al, 1998;Denef et al, 2001). For now, numerous field monitoring studies have identified a seasonal pattern, with the largest aggregate stabilities recorded in summer and the lowest values in winter (Bullock et al 1988;Blackman, 1992;Chan et al 1994;Dimoyiannis, 2009).…”

An estimation method of soil wind erosion in Inner Mongolia of China based on geographic information system and remote sensing

“…Currently, systematic research in this regard is mostly at the macro level and focuses on natural conditions of wind erosion, sandstorm activities and regular sandstorm movement (McHenry and Ritchie, 1977;Sutherland et al, 1991;Bajracharya et al, 1998;Merrill et al, 1999;Zhang et al, 2003;Buschiazzo and Zobeck, 2008). Many previous studies were based on site surveys, fixed position observations and experiments, which were conducted to simulate the process of soil wind erosion (Bilbro and Fryrear, 1994;Fryrear et al, 1994;Thorne et al, 2003;Verheijen et al, 2009).…”