Search

Soil erosion rates after wildfire are strongly controlled by intrinsic properties such as topography, weather, climate, soil, and vegetation. These landscape and hydroclimatic properties are important in determining post-fire erosion rates; however, their influence on post-fire erosion and their interaction with the intensity of a wildfire remains uncertain. A key limitation in resolving this uncertainty is the lack of conceptual models and frameworks for organising data related to the geomorphic sensitivity of landscapes to wildfire. Our aim is to develop a framework for consolidating understanding of post-fire erosion in the context of hydroclimatic conditions which contribute to system states, for example soil and vegetation properties, and wildfire regime. The framework is developed around a simple conceptual model where the change in erosion due to wildfire is a product of change in runoff generation and sediment supply, which is strongly related to landscape net primary productivity (NPP). We hypothesised that geomorphic sensitivity to wildfire should vary as a unimodal humped relationship across a gradient of NPP, peaking at an intermediate level. To develop this framework and to test the hypothesis, we first review intrinsic soil and vegetation properties related to the supply and transport of sediment from burned and unburned hillslopes. Net primary productivity is systematically related to these intrinsic properties because it integrates many processes involved in soil and vegetation development. Empirical data indicate a trend in the change in surface runoff generation with NPP after wildfire, peaking at an NPP of approximately 15 Mg C ha−1 y−1. A simple model of fuel availability and soil heating are correlated with a similar "humped" trend in sediment supply. These results are consistent with our conceptual model, which indicates that sediment supply and runoff contribute towards a distinct peak in wildfire effects on erosion at an intermediate level of NPP. We propose that landscapes of intermediate NPP typically have the highest quantity of fuel available to burn, which cause large changes to the soil surface properties. Landscapes at intermediate NPP also tend to produce intrinsic soil and vegetation properties that promote erosion after wildfire. The interplay between these short and long-term landscape characteristics is strongest at intermediate levels of NPP. Our proposed biogeographic model of geomorphic sensitivity to wildfire was supported by erosion data from burned hillslope and zero-order catchments studies from a range fire-prone landscapes in Australia and North America. Our proposed conceptual model will help identify areas most vulnerable to post-fire erosion changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Hillslope erosion dynamic model integrating vegetation effect was established. • Unified baseline parameters were obtained across different land uses. • Effect of vegetation on soil detachment and sediment transport was revealed. • Contribution rates of vegetation to sediment reduction along slopes were quantified. Developing a process-based soil erosion model that comprehensively considers the effects of vegetation is complex but crucial for evaluating sediment reduction during vegetation restoration. Current understanding of the effect of vegetation on sediment reduction along hillslopes across different land uses is limited. In this paper, we developed a dynamic model of hillslope erosion that integrates the effects of vegetation on soil detachability and hydrodynamics (VED) based on the feedback mechanism between soil detachment and sediment transport. The VED was calibrated and validated with runoff plot data for woodland, grassland, and farmland in the Wuding, Yan, Jing and Wei Rivers of the Loess Plateau in China. Unified baseline parameters and decay coefficients of vegetation were obtained. The model validation results indicated that the coefficient of determination, Nash–Sutcliffe simulation efficiency and relative error ranged from 0.59 to 0.99, 0.56 to 0.90, and −45.99 % to 46.36 %, respectively. The decay coefficients for soil detachment capacity (Φ), sediment transport capacity (T c), and the sediment reduction effect of vegetation exhibited the following order: woodland > grassland > farmland. Compared with VED, existing process-based soil erosion models failed to effectively characterize the influence of vegetation on Φ and T c on the Loess Plateau, with differences of several orders of magnitude. The individual contributions of runoff, soil detachability, and hydrodynamics with vegetation impact on sediment yield were quantified by VED. The contribution rates of vegetation to sediment reduction decreased gradually with increasing slope length because the soil detachment capacity of bare slopes exceeded that of vegetated slopes, resulting in a faster increase in sediment yield. The contribution rates of vegetation to sediment reduction for woodland, grassland, and farmland with 20 %–60 % vegetation covers were 66.75 %–99.95 %, 57.43 %–99.63 %, and 27.91 %–88.63 % in the boundary conditions of this study, respectively. The results reveal the potential for integrating VED into other distributed watershed hydrological and sediment models to assess the effects of vegetation restoration on sediment reduction at a watershed scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Wenchuan earthquake greatly reduced the forest water conservation capacity along the banks of Minjiang River. With the intensified soil erosion and the rapid increasing sediment transport, the sediment erosion of hydraulic turbines running on the river has become more and more serious, especially of high head Francis turbines. In this study, the k-ε multiphase flow turbulence model was used to calculate the sediment-water flow of a high head Francis turbine with long and short blades in Minjiang River. The distribution pattern of sediment concentration (sediment volume fraction) on the blade surface shows that the sediment particles mainly gather on the outlet edge at 10% of the blade height on the suction surface of the long blade, while the sediment concentration on the surface of the short blade is small. The erosion of the 0Cr13Ni5Mo runner blade was tested by the flow around erosion method, and the erosion amount on the blade surface in the severe erosion area was obtained. Based on the test data of erosion and the numerical calculation results of sediment flow, a formula to calculate the sediment erosion rate of flow passage components with 0Cr13Ni5Mo material was given for turbines operating in Minjiang River. By using this formula, the sediment erosion of flow passage components in hydraulic turbines with 0Cr13Ni5Mo or similar materials operating in Minjiang River can be predicted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Distribution of vegetation avoided erosion in China increased by 12.89% in 1990–2020. • Greening of the surface has significantly prevented soil and water loss. • Spatial distribution roughly conforms to the division of the Hu Huanyong line. • Surface greening promotes a increase in vegetation avoided erosion efficiency. Global surface greening is very important to slow down regional warming, promote ecological balance and sustainable development, and China has made a significant contribution to this in the past 30 years, and effectively alleviated environmental problems such as land degradation, water shortage and air pollution by rapidly increasing vegetation coverage. Previous studies have shown that vegetation plays a positive role in alleviating soil erosion, but there is no quantitative description of runoff erosion and sediment transport under vegetation evolution with long time series and high resolution in China area. In this study, we use the RUSLE model and multi-source satellite remote sensing data to simulate overland soil erosion in China from 1990 to 2020 and analyze both the temporal and spatial variation of vegetation avoided erosion (VAE) and its correlation with multiple driving factors, such as Gross Primary Production (GPP). The results show that: 1)The distribution has increased by 12.89 % from 1990 to 2020, which is significant, and indicates that greening of the surface has significantly prevented soil and water loss;2)The spatial correlation strength of VAE-GPP in China is roughly in line with the division of the Hu Huanyong line (Hu-line), which is the result of the combined effect of vegetation distribution and human activities;3)The efficiency of VAE was significantly improved, especially the forest, accounting for about 76.50 % of the total, which was twice the sum of the other types. The research conclusion is of great significance to soil erosion prevention and control, soil ecological improvement, vegetation dynamic planning and regional sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• SY and Sr of the SL was the largest, but the sediment MWD was the smallest. • Change in the flow discharge did not affect the distribution pattern of sediment particles. • Dynamic coupling of runoff hydraulics and EG morphology drove soil loss. • SDR was the most direct influencing factor on the Sr in EGs. Ephemeral gully (EG) erosion represents the early stage of large-scale gully (locally named as "Benggang") development on Ultisols in the granite hilly area. However, the EG erosion process and the mechanism underlying sediment production have not been fully elucidated. In this study, a series of field scouring experiments were conducted under different flow discharge levels (10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 L·min−1), and the primary EGs in three typical soil layers with different weathering degrees (red soil layer (RL), transition layer (TL), and sandy layer (SL)) was dynamically monitored. The results indicated that the ratio of width to depth of the EGs rapidly decreased as the flow discharge increased. At 30 L·min−1, the average sediment yield and transport rate (Sr) of the SL were 4.85 and 5.39 times, greater than those of the RL, respectively. The sediment particles were concentrated within the 1–2 mm particle size range, accounting for over 35 %. In addition, the mean weight diameter of the sediment particles in the RL was the largest. The sediment distribution characteristics did not respond to flow changes but were affected by EG morphological changes. With increasing flow discharge, the flow shear stress and stream power increased. Further analysis revealed that the coupling effect of flow hydraulic characteristics and EG morphological evolution drove the EG erosion sediment production process, and the Sr of the SL was highly sensitive to flow discharge changes. The soil disintegration rate was an internal factor that directly affected soil loss in the EGs, with a path coefficient of 0.71. The bulk density, organic matter content, and sand content were all indirect influencing factors. The RL exhibited greater anti-erodibility than the other layers and could serve as an effective protective layer for granite hilly areas. These findings provide a theoretical basis for improving soil loss management systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water erosion, a notorious major threat to food security and ecosystem sustainability, is strongly conditioned by spatial and temporal scale effects. This paper systematically reviews the scale issues in runoff and sediment delivery (SIRSD) as a research field by integrating the traditional review approach and bibliometric analysis. This review summarises SIRSD's roots and the scale effect on runoff and sediment delivery. Then, we provide quantitative insights into the SIRSD domain's development history, thematic structure, geographic distribution, international cooperation, and methodologies. Findings show that: i) SIRSD arises from the gap between the non-linearity of runoff and sediment delivery across scales and our ability to measure it. Point-based and short-term measurements cannot capture the non-linearities from the spatio-temporal heterogeneities and cross-scale interactions of factors or processes. ii) Previous literature provides evidence that the spatial scaling of specific runoff (r), soil erosion (SE), sediment yield (SSY), or sediment delivery ratio (SDR) with drainage area (A) or slope length (L) exhibits contrasting patterns due to distinct mechanisms. Infiltration-excess and saturation-excess processes account for inverse and positive r - A relations, respectively. Interrill-erosion and rill-erosion cause inverse and positive SE-L relations. Hillslope-erosion and channel/bank-erosion explain inverse and positive SSY-A relations. Downstream increasing deposition and additional sediment inputs drive inverse and positive SDR-A relations. These scaling relationships can be nonlinear or complex due to spatial heterogeneities in land use, vegetation, topography, climate, lithology, and soil characteristics. Hence, applying an empirical scaling equation developed from the region with distinct environmental contexts is not recommended. Furthermore, the existing scaling patterns or equations may require updating given global climate and land use change. iii) SIRSD is a complex and multidisciplinary issue investigated by scientists from 93 countries since 1928. International research has substantially facilitated the understanding of SIRSD; still, more collaboration should focus on less-developed countries with high soil and water loss risks and urgent conservation needs, such as those in Africa and South America under cropland expansion. iv) Scale mismatch and scale break have discredited large-scale erosion and sediment assessments. Incorporating gully and bank erosion into modelling, extending the scale range of the L factor, and expanding the sediment scaling scope from watershed to slope may make a difference. Therefore, more research with nested design incorporating multiple scales is necessary for cross-scale analysis and scalable modelling. Addressing global climate change requires improving real-time urban flood forecasting and integrating downscaled climate models with hydrology, erosion, and sediment transport models. • A bibliometric review of the global SIRSD research for the first time. • SIRSD is rooted in the gap between natural nonlinearity and our measuring ability. • Scaling of specific runoff, erosion, sediment yield, and SDR has diverse patterns. • Scale mismatch and scale break discredit large-scale modelling and assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Submarine canyons serve as important sediment transport conduits from littoral zones to the deep sea, with strong impacts on the sedimentation patterns in marginal areas of the ocean. Moreover, such canyons can be major geohazards for submarine infrastructure, warranting a good understanding of their past and current behavior. Here, we present a study of the geological history and the recent activity of the Nahariya submarine canyon, the longest of a system of ∼15 small blind canyons located in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, offshore Israel. Two piston cores retrieved from the middle and outlet of the canyon, at 650 m and 915 m water depth, respectively, were the focus of a multi-proxy study aiming to characterize sediment transport and deposition along the canyon during the Last Glacial and up to the present. Both cores reveal a sequence of homogenous sediment of late last glacial age, which are capped by an unconformity overlying by fine laminated sediment dated to the last ∼200 years. Thus, the deglacial and most of the Holocene intervals are absent from the record. Evidence for down canyon sediment transport are abundant and include a 70 cm interval of mud clasts with disordered glacial ages that appears immediately below the hiatus, as well as broken calcareous shells of dead benthic foraminiferal species of shallow marine habitats, which are abundant throughout both cores. Similarly, shelf-derived living benthic foraminiferal species were found in the core-tops, indicating that active sediment transport persists along this canyon today. We conclude that the history of Nahariya submarine canyon includes a period of sediment accumulation that lasted until the last deglaciation. Thereafter, the canyon was dominated by an erosive regime that persisted throughout the Holocene. Sediment accumulation resumed ∼200 years ago. We suggest that the recent resumption of sediment-accumulation is a result of anthropogenic amplification of on-land soil erosion accompanied by a wet period that persisted in the region and enhanced land to sea sediment transport. • The geological history of a blind submarine canyon of E. Mediterranean is studied. • In-canyon last glacial sediment accumulation and Holocene erosion are observed. • Resumption of sediment accumulation occurred ca. 200 years ago. • This resumption reflects anthropogenic on-land soil erosion and shift to wet climate. • Shelf origin sediment is transported to deep canyon during glacial period and recent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The runoff, sediment load and runoff erosion power decreased significantly. • Compared with runoff, runoff erosion power-sediment relationship is better. • The power function of runoff erosion power and sediment is better than linear. • Erosion in particular geographic locations responds strongly to runoff erosion power. In recent years, the acceleration of urbanization in the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB) has brought about problems such as soil erosion, ecosystem degradation and decline in ecological service functions. Therefore, this paper selects the Fujiang River Basin (FRB) in Upper Yangtze River (UYR), and analyzes the relationship between runoff erosion power (REP) and sediment transport (ST) on the basis of analyzing the variation characteristics of hydrological elements. Based on SWAT model, a variety of scenarios are set up to quantitatively analyze the impact of different land use changes on runoff and ST and REP in the basin. The results indicated that: (1) The annual precipitation in FRB from 1960 to 2018 did not change significantly, while the annual runoff, annual ST and annual REP decreased significantly. Compared with runoff and runoff depth, the relationship between sediment transport modulus (STM) and REP is the best, especially the power function between them is better than the linear function. (2) The results of the evaluation indexes of the simulation results of the SWAT model based on the measured runoff and sediment data from 2008 to 2018 are pass and above, that is, the simulation results are considered reliable. (3) Under the five scenarios of conversion of sloping farmland to forest, conversion of dry land to paddy field and conversion of grassland to bushland and forest land, the runoff and ST in the basin decreased but the overall range was small. The simulation results of SWAT model show that the erosion of specific areas in the basin shows the greatest degree of weakening with the decrease of REP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Literature review reveals that many erosion models have limitations for application to constructed landforms. The new EroCA model aims to address this gap. The model uses established erosion and sediment transport models applied to multiple particle size classes at fine spatial and temporal resolutions, covering both suspended load and bedload. Using data from an experimental plot in Northern Australia, global sensitivity analysis was used to investigate the sources of uncertainty, limitations of the model, and priorities for data collection. Further analysis explored sensitivity to model grid size. The results showed that the Manning roughness, erodibility parameters and particle size are the most important parameters. Results also showed low parameter identifiability and hence the difficulty of calibration, even when using high quality experimental data. EroCA has the capacity to be a powerful landform modelling tool at appropriate scales of application; however ideally its data needs would be considered during monitoring design. • In-depth attempt to develop and assess a high spatial resolution process-based erosion model for a mined landform. • Improved understanding of the effects of various parameters on soil erosion process and modelling. • New insight into the limitations of experimental plot data sets for supporting high resolution erosion models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploring overland flow resistance and sediment delivery capacity under different landscape vegetation conditions is critical for better understanding hydrodynamic mechanisms of soil erosion processes and hydrological connectivity on hillslopes. To evaluate flow resistance relations and sediment transport for landscape vegetation coverage and combinate effect of vegetation patches, field simulated rainfall experiments were conducted using a series of overland runoff and sediment transport rates in 3 m (L) × 2 m (W) experimental plots with coverages of 0%, 20%, 40%, 60% and 90% in a uniformly distributed condition and composited flow paths of different patches (horizonal path, vertical path, random patches and S-shaped path) in the same coverage (40% and 60%). The runoff rates for the grassland with coverages of 20–90% were decreased by 19.3–61.4% (P < 0.05), and the sediment concentrations were reduced by 81.7–97.8% (P < 0.05) compared to the bare land. The Darcy-Weisbach resistance coefficient doubled and the stream power declined by 60.0% when grassland coverage increases to 90%. The runoff rates varied little among the conditions of horizontal, vertical, random and S-shaped flow paths at the coverage of 60%, while the rate apparently reduced by 34.1% (P < 0.05) when the vertical flow path became horizontal under the same coverage of 40%. The sediments for poorly connected flow paths could reduce sediment >90% either on high-coverage or low-coverage grassland. Our field experiments confirmed that the increase of vegetation coverage and the combination of landscape patches could significantly reduce runoff rates, sediment yields and flow velocities, increase surface roughness, promote flow resistance and diminish hydraulic shear stress and the stream power. The poorly-connected paths (horizontal and random) exhibited a stronger flow resistance and weaker sediment transport capacity than the well-connected paths (vertical and S-shaped). • The runoff and sediment are considerably decreased with the coverage increasing. • The flow resistance to runoff is enhanced by poorly connected flow paths. • The sediment transport is significantly influenced by the different flow paths. • The sediments for poorly connected flow paths could reduce sediment >90%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water erosion on agricultural land and sediment delivery to streams are a major threat to soil productivity and surface water quality. Climate change and different national and international societal drivers now require Denmark to take action to protect soil and water resources. In this study, we adapted the spatially distributed sediment transport model WaTEM using the best data available at national scale. To calibrate and validate the model, sediment yield data from 31 catchments and 189 slope units in Denmark were compared with the model output, which was produced at a fine spatial resolution of 10 × 10 m. Residual analysis and cross-validation were used to identify potential catchment outliers and assess model robustness. We obtained a median Nash & Sutcliffe model efficiency range of 0.06–0.6 for the Danish environment. Based on the equifinality concept, an ensemble of 100, NSE-weighted model realisations for acceptable transport capacity coefficients was used to assess model uncertainty. The comparison between rill survey data and predicted values indicates that although the model captures well the spatial variability in erosion, it may underestimate the long-term average of soil erosion. Based on the modelling, 71% of the agricultural land in Denmark is mapped as stable in terms of the amount of erosion and deposited material. Overall, 6.1% of the farmland is estimated to have unsustainable erosion and 0.9% of the farmland exceeds erosion rates of 7.5 t ha−1 a−1. Sediment export into surface water in Denmark equals 92,000 t a−1, corresponding to an average sediment yield of 2.7 t km−2. The performance of WaTEM is considered satisfactory in this study. Importantly, modelled water erosion exceeds the perceived erosion risk in Denmark. Strengthened by distributed uncertainty assessment at national scale, our study provides an important national knowledge base for engaging land users and regulators in the process of targeted erosion mitigation planning that is required to comply with national and EU regulation. Future investigations concerning the deviation between predicted and observed data and specific catchment parameters for the non-behavioural catchments are required as well as studies that include the establishment of catchment sediment budgets. • High resolution national water erosion modelling for future mitigation planning • Model calibration and validation with 31 nationwide catchments and field surveys • Explicit consideration of model uncertainty [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The sediment transport capacity was developed for loessal slopes. • Two-dimensional erosion numerical model was developed for loessal slopes. • Erosion numerical model could accurately simulate slope runoff and sediment process. Simulated slope erosion sediment yield and its development process have great significance for quantitative evaluation of erosion and its sources. In this study, a loess slope erosion experiment was implemented indoors to establish a sediment transport capacity formula suitable for loess slope erosion. A two-dimensional slope erosion numerical model was developed with corrected sediment transport capacity formula, and the model was verified by a simulated indoor slope rainfall erosion experiment. The results showed that the corrected slope sediment transport capacity formula is suitable for loess slopes. The proposed two-dimensional slope erosion numerical model could simulate runoff and sediment processes in a relatively more accurate. The most severely eroded areas were the middle and lower parts on erosion spatial contribution based on the simulation erosion results. Good agreements between the simulated and observed results were found for erosion and its spatial distribution. The research results can further improve loessal slope erosion process simulation and prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Two crucial periods for suspended sediment transport were June and November/December. • Analysis of 236 floods highlighted their intermittency and did not show relationships. • Medium-term continuous time series are necessary to assess range of variations of SSF. Abstract In mountainous catchments, soil erosion and sediment transport are highly variable throughout time and their quantification remains a major challenge for the scientific community. Understanding the temporal patterns and the main controls of sediment yields in these environments requires a long term monitoring of rainfall, runoff and sediment flux. This paper analyses this type of data collected during 7 years (2007–2014), at the outlet of the Galabre River, a 20 km2 watershed, in south eastern France, representative of meso-scale Mediterranean mountainous catchments. This study is based on a hybrid approach using continuous turbidity records and automated total suspended solid sampling to quantify the instantaneous suspended sediment concentrations (SSC), sediment fluxes, event loads and yields. The total suspended sediment yield was 4661 Mg km−2 and was observed during flood events. The two crucial periods for suspended sediment transport at the outlet were June and November/December (63% of the total). The analysis of suspended sediment transport dynamics observed during 236 flood events highlighted their intermittency and did not show any clear relationship between rainfall, discharge and SSC. The most efficient floods were characterised by counter-clockwise hysteresis relationships between SSC and discharges. The floods with complex hysteresis were the more productive in the long term, during this measuring period exceeding a decade. Nevertheless, the current research outlines the need to obtain medium-term (five years) continuous time series to assess the range of variations of suspended sediment fluxes and to outline clearly the seasonality of suspended sediment yields. Results suggest the occurrence of a temporal dis-connectivity in meso-scale catchments over short time-scales between the meteorological forcing and the sediment yields estimated at the outlet. These findings have important methodological impacts for modelling and operational implications for watershed management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we examine the effect of vegetation on soil erosion, runoff generation and sediment transport on saline rangeland hillslopes. Rainfall simulations were conducted at a fixed 114 mm/h intensity on 6 m × 2 m erosion plots with varying degrees of vegetation. Plots were grouped into three categories (L, M and H) based on their canopy cover (L: <5%, M: 5–19%, H: >19%) and selected to limit variations in slope across canopy cover groups. Runoff and sediment samples were combined with three dimensional (3D) reconstruction data used to monitor soil surface microtopographic changes. Runoff initiation was significantly delayed on the L plots but cumulative runoff after 20 min of rainfall simulation indicated a positive effect of vegetation on infiltration processes. Cumulative sediment after 20 min of rainfall was similar across vegetation cover categories. The 3D data suggest that vegetation reduced net sediment delivery from the plots by primarily increasing opportunities for deposition while marginally affecting gross soil erosion. Plots with H vegetation cover experienced lower 3D-estimated erosion volumes but average erosion depth on L plots was lower than that on plots with M and H vegetation covers. Lower runoff volumes on M and H plots may have been compensated by greater runoff erosivity on these plots as runoff was concentrated in a narrower inter-patch space compared to L plots. This study highlights the need for an increased integration between traditional runoff measurement techniques and 3D reconstruction methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• CA models for describing runoff are established based on three water distribution rules which significantly impact on confluence. • Dynamic erosion CA models are built by distinguish inter-rill, rill and gully erosions based on critical water depths. • CA models excellently reproduce the runoff and erosion in both the hillslope with rills and the watershed with gullies. • Remain average multi-flow directions algorithm performs the best in runoff and erosion predictions. Rainfall erosion has been calculated and predicted by various soil loss equations, but the progressions of overland flow and sediment transport are less dynamically described. In this study, cellular automata (CA) models based on single flow direction algorithm (SFD), average value multi-flow direction algorithm (AMFD) and remaining average value multi-flow direction algorithm (RAMFD) were constructed. Simultaneously, erosion model was constructed by dividing soil erosion into inter-rill, rill and gully erosions according to critical water depth. The CA models were validated at three scales: a theoretical slope, an in-situ model slope and the natural basin. The results demonstrated the efficient performance of RAMFD in the runoff ascension and recession stages while SFD and AMFD presented unconcentrated runoff distribution, especially in the in-situ slope and basin simulation. Besides, RAMFD model occurred sediment deposition in the basin upstream while SFD and AMFD presented continuous erosion. Furthermore, the runoff Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE) of three models were 0.85 ∼ 0.95 and 0.65 ∼ 0.94, and the erosion root mean square error (RMSE) were 0.5 ∼ 1.0 kg/min and 0.3 ∼ 0.45 102kg/min in the theoretical slope and natural basin, respectively. Meanwhile, the NSE and RMSE values of RAMFD exhibited the best performance, indicating that this model effectively balanced water distribution while controlling the flow direction to a greater extent. Overall, it is justified to develop an erosion prediction model based on the classification of erosion types, and the rules governing water flow allocation will inevitably result in qualitative and quantitative differences of runoff and erosion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Computer-based coupled soilscape-landform evolution models provide an avenue for estimating the erosion potential of a landform over geological timescales. They also provide tools to understand soil-landform relationships in the context of both field and modelled pedogenesis processes. In this study, we used the State Space Soil Production and Assessment Model (SSSPAM) and CAESAR-Lisflood landform evolution model to simulate the evolution of a natural catchment where soil erosion rates have been closely monitored over the last 20 years. Both models predict comparable erosion rates to that of field measurements and produce similar catchment scale geomorphological patterns. Rock content data measured in the field along two transects were compared with SSSPAM simulations at the same representative points. The results showed that SSSPAM produced similar rock content variation along the respective transects. The findings demonstrate 'SSSPAM's ability to predict catchment scale erosion and surface soil distribution. The insights demonstrated here provide confidence in the SSSPAM model for Soilscape predictions for natural, agricultural and post-mining landform assessment. [Display omitted] • SSSPAM and CAESAR-Lisflood models were used to simulate the evolution of a natural catchment. • Both models produced catchment erosion rates comparable with field observations. • SSSPAM reproduced surface rock content variation on 2 transects observed in the field. • SSSPAM also revealed a possible relationship between area, slope and soil grading. • This study demonstrates SSSPAM's ability to predict erosion and surface soil distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Effective sediment sizes were determined along a gradient of soil structural stability. • Sediment average size exhibited a unimodal variation with soil structural stability. • Suspension-saltation dominated sediment transport for low and high stable soils. • Suspension-saltation and rolling jointly dominated erosion for medium stable soils. • Soil structural stability determined rainfall intensity effect on sediment transport. Sediment transport patterns (suspension, saltation and rolling) not only depend on flow hydrodynamic characteristics, but also on sediment properties, both of which are largely influenced by soil structural stability. However, how sediment sizes and transport patterns response to original soils over a wide range of structural stability remains unclear. Herein, field plot rainfall simulation experiments on five soils along an increased gradient of structural stability were conducted at two rainfall intensities of 45 and 90 mm h−1 to investigate effective sediment size characteristics and associated transport patterns in sheet erosion. Differing from runoff and sediment yield, sediment sizes were most influenced by soil structural stability (F = 386.9) rather than rainfall intensity (F = 246.7, p < 0.001). Mean weight diameter of sediment (0.16–0.84 mm) and the proportion of coarse particles (>0.25 mm) exhibited a unimodal variation with increased soil structural stability. The effective sediment size distribution shifted from unimodal with the peak at < 0.10 mm for low and high stable soils to bimodal with two peaks at < 0.10 mm and 0.5–1 mm for medium stable soils. Correspondingly, suspension-saltation (>74 %) dominated sediment transport for low and high stable soils, which was determined by fine sized fragments from aggregate breakdown and small flow transport capacity, respectively; while both suspension-saltation (<0.10 mm) and rolling (>0.25 mm) jointly contributed to sediment transport for medium stable soils, which was controlled by the interaction between fragment size and flow transport capacity. Moreover, the positive effect of rainfall intensity on sediment sizes was more remarkable for the medium than for the low and high stable soils. A conceptual model of sediment transport mechanisms in response to soil structural stability is firstly proposed, which merits consideration in the future development of erosion modeling and soil conservation techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are being used in many products as they have unique antimicrobial-biocidal properties. After disposal of these products AgNPs can reach the soil environment possibly affecting soil organisms and disrupting plants. This work aimed to study the transport of AgNPs by water and sediment during overland flow and soil erosion. This was done in a laboratory setting, using a flume and rainfall simulator. A low concentration of AgNPs (50 μg·kg − 1 ) was applied to two soil-flumes with slope percentages of 20% and 10%. The rainfall was applied in four events of 15 min each with a total amount of rainfall of 15 mm during each event. After applying the rainfall, samples of the non-transported background soil (BS) and the transported sediment (Sf) were collected from the flume surface. Runoff sediment (RS) and water (RW) were collected from the outlet. AgNPs were detected in all samples collected. However, concentration varied according to sample type (soil or water), time of collection (for runoff water and sediment) and the slope of the soil flume. Higher concentrations of AgNPs in soil were detected in the BS than in the Sf likely due to the BS having more fine particles (silt and clay). The AgNPs concentration in the runoff sediments increased with subsequent applied rain events. In addition, increasing the slope of the flume from 10% to 20% increased the total AgNPs transported with the runoff sediment by a factor 1.5. The study confirms that AgNPs can be transported by both overland flow and sediment due to erosion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficient mitigation of environmental loads from agricultural fields to surface waters requires sufficient knowledge of dominating erosion processes and sediment transport pathways. Computational models are often applied in sediment load assessments but their structure inherently includes assumptions and uncertainties, which can hinder their predictive and explanatory capabilities. In this study, a 3D dual-permeability model was applied with field-scale data from a high-latitude site to investigate sediment balances and structural uncertainties in sediment transport components. The two-year data encompassed hourly records of water flow and sediment concentration composite samples from tillage layer runoff and drain discharge in two adjacent clayey fields with different slopes (1% and 5%). Three model structures with different assumptions of sediment transport pathways were built to test their performance against the data. The simulations demonstrated how different model structures can reproduce the data with varying results on sediment balance. The varying results revealed the importance of flow, erosion, and sediment transport observations from the fields to improve the simulations. Structural uncertainty analysis revealed uncertainties which parameter sensitivity analysis could not describe. Concentration data was shown to include more information about erosion and sediment transport processes than solely the load data. The results suggest that a major part (48–69%) of the detached particles remained in the field and that lateral subsurface transport contributed to load generation (10–21% of total loads) especially in the steeper field. The results demonstrated that the majority (84–87%) of sediment loads occurred via subsurface drain discharge and groundwater outflow with the slope gradient of 1–5%, which suggests that load mitigation measures should also be directed to decrease loads via subsurface transport pathways. The simulations demonstrated how transport processes were controlled not only by water flow but also by soil structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Demonstration of rise and fall of carbon discharge with time. • Demonstration of enrichment of sand in loose layer above soil. • Demonstration of no carbon enrichment is sediment at the steady state. Soil carbon losses from sheet and interrill erosion areas have an impact on the global carbon cycle. Sediment discharged in many experiments where artificial rainfall has been applied to sloping soil surfaces show greater proportions of carbon in the sediment than found in the cohesive soil source. In many cases, conclusions drawn from these experiments fail to recognise that the enrichment of carbon in the sediment discharge is a result of unsteady conditions that occur before the steady state develops. It is known that particles of sand of different sizes move at different rates when raindrop induced salation occurs with the result that initially the particle size distribution is finer than the source but tends towards that of the source as time progresses. The presence of carbon in aggregates influences the density of aggregates. Here a qualitative model of sediment transport of sand and coal particles by raindrop induced saltation is used to demonstrate time varying enrichment of coal resulting from the effect of carbon on particle settling velocity. The model also demonstrates how the layer of loose particles that develops on top of the cohesive soil surface influences the relative amounts of carbon and sand in the sediment discharges. The steady state is not achieved until the slowest moving particle detached at the farthest distance from the downslope boundary is discharged. That may not be achieved in many of the experiments reported in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Sediment Transport and Erosion Prediction (STEP) model is methodically described in this paper. The STEP model was implemented at a 3.47 km × 3.47 km grid resolution in the Kalisapi sub-watershed, Central Java, Indonesia. It was calibrated and validated in the period of 2003–2008 and 2010–2014 respectively. The result shows that the STEP model functions satisfactorily at monthly and annual time window in the calibration and validation periods. In both periods, the STEP model is able to produce fruitful annual sediment transport rates with R2 values of 0.71 and 0.9 in the calibration and validation period respectively. Moreover, the STEP model exhibits more equitable spatial variability than that of the widely known USLE model. Correspondingly, it can be surmised that the STEP model is capable of simulating spatial and temporal variability of sediment transport from a watershed at monthly and annual time scales. • STEP model is developed to simulate soil erosion, deposition and sediment transport processes in time and space. • STEP model has been successfully implemented, calibrated and validated in the Kalisapi sub-watershed, Indonesia. • Calibrating STEP model to fit the observation is straightforward as it only needs to modify two model parameters. • STEP model source code and input data for the study area are freely available in the Bitbucket repository service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Physically based 2D hydrodynamic and sediment transport model, CCHE2D. • High resolution mesh, topography photogrammetry, experimental landform evolution. • Watershed hydrology, raindrop soil detachment, displacement, erosion and transport. • Distributed solution, tilled watershed, cornfield tillage ridge and furrow morphology. • Simulated runoff, sediment transport, landform evolution; channel network analysis. Soil and gully erosion is a critical threat to sustainable agricultural land management and productivity. Soil erosion by rain splash, sheet runoff, and concentrated flow are complex problems conditioned by the combined interactions of soil physical properties, hydrology, human activity, landscape topography, and climate. Effective management of erosion processes driven by rainfall and surface runoff requires a combined effort of field observation, physical experimentation, and numerical simulation. A physically-based hydrodynamic numerical model, CCHE2D with updated raindrop erosion effects, is applied to simulate landscape evolution processes as a result of raindrop impact and overland flow. The numerical model simulates a thin layer of runoff and concentrated flow over complex terrains, and predicts sediment transport due to raindrop splash detachment, transport and soil surface erosions. Soil erosion and landform evolution simulations due to rainfall are presented for an experimental landscape and a tilled large scale agricultural field. Photogrammetric field data were collected using an unmanned aerial system (UAS) following planting and subsequent rainstorms. Numerical simulation results agreed well with the observed experimental soil surface topography, sediment yield, and drainage network developments. The simulated soil and gully erosion in the tilled field also agreed well with observations. This research successfully demonstrates how high resolution spatial and temporal topographic measurements in experimental and field landscapes can be simulated and interrogated by 2D physically-based hydrodynamic and morphodynamic models. The accurate predictions of tillage field and gully erosion process in agriculture watersheds with complex tillage conditions also indicated the usefulness of the model for studying soil and landscape degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Mudstone deposits behave like noncohesive sediments in terms of erosion resistance. • High erosion resistance of laterites cannot be predicted merely by particle size. • Shields' parameter predicted by water content, clay content, and plasticity index. Soil erosion and sedimentation are major factors in landscape evolution and river morphology. The erosion resistance of sediments plays an important role in landscape evolution processes because it determines the threshold of an acting force at the initiative sediment motion, and the amount of sediment transports. This study examined the sediment properties and their correlations to the erosion resistance of mudstone deposits and laterites, which are two representative natural cohesive soils in hill and terrace topography in Taiwan. Soil physical properties and pore water chemical properties, and the erosion resistance were investigated and determined using laboratory tests and hydraulic flume experiments, respectively. Investigations of sediment properties showed that the mudstone deposits and laterites had significant differences in median particle size, soil texture, level of plasticity, internal structure, and pH value and electrical conductivity of their aqueous slurry. Results from the hydraulic flume experiments showed that the laterites had stronger erosion resistance, indicating by larger values of critical shear stress and the Shields' parameter, than the mudstone deposits. Through the stepwise multiple regression analysis, a quantitative equation was proposed to estimate the Shields' parameter using fine sediment properties including water content, clay content, and the plasticity index expressed in decimal fractions, of the two soils. Despite more experiments of the two natural soils with different ranges of the sediment properties are needed to validate the empirical equation for predicting the Shields' parameter, the proposed methodology provides an essential reference in which erosion resistance is an important parameter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Total volume and peak discharge are the most important drivers of sediment transport. • Antecedent moisture condition is correlated only with the initial discharge of floods. • Hysteresis loops between SSC and Q are analyzed with the hysteresis index (HI). • Negative HI are predominant indicating delayed SS transport and distant SS sources. • In the catchment soil erosion from hillslopes is the dominant process. This study aimed to evaluate the drivers of suspended sediment (SS) transport by analyzing the flood events recorded from July 2010 to June 2011 in the Celone River basin (Apulia, S-E Italy). High-resolution data of rainfall, streamflow (Q), and measurements of suspended sediment concentrations (SSC) were used to carry out the multivariate analysis. Among the initial 18 variables, the Principal Component Analysis revealed that total volume (m3), peak discharge (Qmax, m3/s), and the flood duration were the most important factors influencing SS transport. Total rainfall and total kinetic energy recorded in the gauging station located in the lowland were also important factors, whereas the same rainfall variables recorded in the remote mountainous area of the basin had a minor influence on SS transport. Antecedent moisture conditions were significantly correlated only with the initial discharge of the flood. Hysteresis loops between SSC and Q were analyzed for each flood event by using the hysteresis index (HI). Results showed that this catchment was dominated by anticlockwise loops (negative values of HI) representative of delayed SS transport and of distant SS source areas in terms of the gauging station. These results also suggested that soil erosion from hillslopes was the dominant process compared with channel and bank erosion and that there was no exhaustion of sediment availability in the basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The SWAT model supports better management of erosion processes. • Computational models can be used with methods of visual recording erosion. • Simple statistical models aligned to SWAT is adequate to analyze erosive processes. • The spatially distributed erosion identifies the susceptible areas to water erosion. Water-driven erosion associated with the transport and deposition of sediments in watersheds may lead to contamination problems causing significant damage to land and infrastructure. The key factors that influence erosive processes are well known and include the precipitation rate, terrain topography, soil type, and vegetation cover. The soil and water assessment tool (SWAT) considers these factors and may be used to identify areas susceptible to soil erosion and to estimate soil loss and sediment transport and deposition. To corroborate this assumption, real data on rill erosion and sediment transport from the Mogi Guaçu River Basin in southeastern Brazil were used to validate SWAT estimates. The study shows that the model is able to identify soil-eroded areas and replicate the scale and variation patterns of sediment production, although not with great precision. Hence, it can successfully be used for prioritizing areas that require action and for evaluating alternative soil management and conservation practices to mitigate erosive processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new modeling platform was developed to simulate spatially distributed sediment production and transport in agricultural landscapes. The sediment production at the grid scale was computed using the stand-alone Water Erosion Prediction Project-Hillslope Erosion code, while an advection-dispersion equation represented sediment transport. The model's performance was tested in the Water Resources and Erosion watersheds at the Oklahoma and Central Plains Agricultural Research Center, El Reno, OK, USA. Results showed that this modeling approach could capture the complex behavior of sediment under different management practices in the watersheds. The modeling framework provides mechanistic processes to simulate the fate and transport of sediment across the watershed at spatio-temporal scales that are useful in assessing the environmental impacts of management schemes. Therefore, this study is expected to help advance the current approaches to estimating soil erosion by bridging scale differences to capture the large-scale effects of small-scale soil erosion processes. • A new modeling framework was developed for estimating soil erosion. • Sediment production is evaluated in fully distributed settings. • Different sizes of sediment are considered in simulations. • The model provides mechanistic processes in simulating sediment transport. • The model is able to capture changes in land and management practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The proposed sediment connectivity framework integrates the rainfall regime. • Event-based sediment connectivity helps identify the sediment source contribution. • The mismatched area exists for erosion and sediment connectivity. • The overlay between erosion and connectivity is key to explaining sediment yield. Sediment connectivity quantifies the intermediate processes between initial erosion and the corresponding sediment yield. However, fully capturing the variations in sediment connectivity at the event scale and revealing their impact on watershed sediment sources remains challenging. Herein, we established an event-based model to assess sediment connectivity by integrating runoff factors. The spatiotemporal variability of sediment connectivity was evaluated for 58 rainfall events in three heterogeneous watersheds. The degree of sediment connectivity served as an indicator to quantify the proportion of potential sediment transport from units to the watershed outlet, with 1 indicating that the eroded sediment can be fully connected and 0 indicating that it cannot be transported. Moreover, the controls of sediment connectivity on watershed sediment sources and yield were determined. Our results indicated that the watersheds with poor vegetation and dense gullies were characterized by high sediment connectivity during all the rainfall events. The connectivity degree was below 0.5 in approximately 80 % of the watershed area, suggesting that most of the eroded sediment was deposited. Rainfall amount and duration dominated the degree of connectivity of the distal hillslopes, while rainfall intensity exerted a primary control on the transport of sediments from riverbanks to the outlet. In addition, the increase of mismatched area between sediment connectivity and erosion resulted in the decrease of sediment yield. The interaction between sediment connectivity and erosion effectively explained the spatial patterns of sediment sources (p < 0.05). Our work confirmed that the coupled erosion model and sediment connectivity predicted the sediment yield accurately. The predictions for different watersheds portrayed that the Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency and Willmott's agreement index were greater than 0.70 and 0.89, respectively. These findings revealed the role of sediment connectivity and are the critical basis to identify watershed-specific sediment management practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The proposed sediment connectivity framework integrates the rainfall regime. • Event-based sediment connectivity helps identify the sediment source contribution. • The mismatched area exists for erosion and sediment connectivity. • The overlay between erosion and connectivity is key to explaining sediment yield. Sediment connectivity quantifies the intermediate processes between initial erosion and the corresponding sediment yield. However, fully capturing the variations in sediment connectivity at the event scale and revealing their impact on watershed sediment sources remains challenging. Herein, we established an event-based model to assess sediment connectivity by integrating runoff factors. The spatiotemporal variability of sediment connectivity was evaluated for 58 rainfall events in three heterogeneous watersheds. The degree of sediment connectivity served as an indicator to quantify the proportion of potential sediment transport from units to the watershed outlet, with 1 indicating that the eroded sediment can be fully connected and 0 indicating that it cannot be transported. Moreover, the controls of sediment connectivity on watershed sediment sources and yield were determined. Our results indicated that the watersheds with poor vegetation and dense gullies were characterized by high sediment connectivity during all the rainfall events. The connectivity degree was below 0.5 in approximately 80 % of the watershed area, suggesting that most of the eroded sediment was deposited. Rainfall amount and duration dominated the degree of connectivity of the distal hillslopes, while rainfall intensity exerted a primary control on the transport of sediments from riverbanks to the outlet. In addition, the increase of mismatched area between sediment connectivity and erosion resulted in the decrease of sediment yield. The interaction between sediment connectivity and erosion effectively explained the spatial patterns of sediment sources (p < 0.05). Our work confirmed that the coupled erosion model and sediment connectivity predicted the sediment yield accurately. The predictions for different watersheds portrayed that the Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency and Willmott's agreement index were greater than 0.70 and 0.89, respectively. These findings revealed the role of sediment connectivity and are the critical basis to identify watershed-specific sediment management practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Soil erosion process on frozen-stony slope is experimentally investigated. • Sediment concentration on frozen-stony slope follows linear-exponent curves. • The impacts of thawed soil depth and rock fragment content on sediment transport process are quantified. Rill erosion on frozen-stony slope in high-altitude or high-latitude areas commonly undergo freeze–thaw cycle, which is significantly influenced by partially thawed soil with rock fragment. This research aims to investigate the influences of thawed soil depth (TSD) and rock fragment content (RFC) on rill erosion and quantifying the mathematical relationships among them. The laboratory experiment is conducted to evaluate the influences of TSD (1, 2, 5, and 10 cm) and RFC (0%, 10%, 20%, and 50%) on sediment delivery processes by concentrated meltwater flow under three slope gradients of 5°, 10°, and 15°, and three flow rates of 1, 2, and 4 L min−1 at nine rill lengths from 0.5 m to 8.0 m. Five runoff samples are obtained from each experiment run and used to calculate sediment concentration (SC). The SC increases linearly and then exponentially with rill length to approximate the extremum and fits well with piecewise functions. Restrictive effect of TSD and RFC on sediment supply is evident during linear stage induced by shallow TSD, which keeps a long distance under shallow TSD and low RFC to collect sufficient sediment for exponential period. However, TSD and RFC impacts become apparent during the exponential period and lead to higher sediment yield with RFC of 10% and 20% than that on totally thawed soil without rock fragment. In this research, the positive effect on sediment yield increases with RFC increases from 10% to 20%, which may need to be eliminated for efficiency in erosion control. In contrast to low RFC, the protection impact of rock fragment always exerts with RFC of 50%. The experimental data and the functional relationship can provide the basic knowledge for evaluating the model parameters such as soil detachment rate and erodibility of rill erosion on frozen-stony slope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Under the action of concentrated flow, the change of surface runoff of karst gently sloping farmland is mainly controlled by the magnitude of concentrated flow. • Under the action of concentrated flow, the underground runoff of karst gentle slope farmland is significantly negatively correlated with the slope. • Concentrated flow can lead to severe soil erosion in karst gently sloping farmland. Exposed bedrock in karst areas considerably alters runoff paths causing partial runoff to converge into a concentrated flow, which is a potential source of soil erosion risk. However, research is lacking on how concentrated flow affects regional soil erosion. In this study, the surface and underground dual structure in karst areas was simulated in a steel tank. Combined with runoff plot monitoring, the runoff conversion process and erosion characteristics of gently sloping farmland in karst areas under different water discharge rates were examined through indoor concentrated flow discharge scouring tests, and the influence of concentrated flow changes on the runoff spatial distribution and sediment yield in gently sloping farmland was clarified. The results demonstrated the following: (i) there existed a significant positive correlation between surface runoff and the water discharge rate (p < 0.01); the partial correlation coefficient value reached 0.87. The higher the water discharge rate, the more surface runoff formation was facilitated. (ii) When the slope remained the same, the underground runoff was relatively high at 3 L/min. Given the same discharge, a significant negative correlation between underground runoff and slope was found (p < 0.05); the partial correlation coefficient value reached −0.71. (iii) In response to a water discharge rate of 5 L/min, surface soil erosion was serious, and the maximum sediment transport modulus was 174.088 g/min∙m2. A significant cubic function relationship existed between the scouring time and surface sediment yield. Overall, a critical flow rate occurred between 3 and 5 L/min, which controlled changes in surface runoff, subsurface runoff and surface sediment yield. Under highly concentrated flow, drastic soil erosion could occur. These results can provide a scientific basis for the control and prevention of concentrated flow-induced erosion in karst areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Rill erosions impacted by saturation & subsurface water flow are compared. • Method is suggested to quantify rill erosion affected by subsurface water flow. • A method is evaluated to determine rill erosion function with few data points. • Rill erosion models are applicable to slopes with subsurface water flow. Understanding rill erosion processes on purple soil slopes with subsurface water flow at different depths is of great significance to determine rill erosion model parameters. The purposes of this study were to quantify the influences of subsurface water flow at different depths on the rill erosion process. Laboratory experiments were carried out to measure sediment delivery under 5°, 10°, 15°, and 20° slope gradients, 2, 4, and 8 L min−1 flow rates and 0, 5, 10, and 15 cm subsurface water flow depths (SWFDs) below the soil surface at eight slope lengths of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 m. The results showed that the rill erosion prediction model is applicable to rills on purple soil slopes with subsurface water flow at different depths. The effect of the slope gradient on the sediment concentrations is greater than that of the flow rate under various SWFDs. Slopes with shallower subsurface water flow depths from the soil surface produced higher soil erosion and sediment delivery, and the sediment concentrations of rill erosion under the impacts of SWFDs of 5, 10, and 15 cm from the soil surface were 61%, 50%, and 41% of that of the saturated soil slope, respectively. Moreover, the rill erosion process can be well simulated with sediment concentration data from 1 to 4 or 1–8 m rill lengths when the maximum sediment concentration at the sediment transport capacity level is determined. Our results provide a simplified and accurate method for predicting erosion processes with few data and reveal rill erosion processes under the effect of subsurface water flow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Changes in spatial variation of rock fragment contents (SVRFC) due to tillage altered hydrological and erosional processes. • Yields of subsurface flow and deep percolation increased with decreasing SVRFC. • The decreasing SVRFC caused a decrease in surface erosion, but an increase in subsurface erosion. • Effects of rainfall intensity on hydrological and erosional processes were associated with SVRFC. Cultivation activities play an important role in shaping the spatial distribution of rock fragments in hilly agricultural landscapes. The spatial variation in rock fragment contents (SVRFC) can exert strong effects on the spatial heterogeneity of soil properties with great implications for hydrological fluxes and soil erosion. However, previous research always assumed that rock fragments were homogenously distributed, but little has been known concerning the SVRFC over the hillslope and its influence on hydrological and erosional processes. In this study, simulated rock fragment contents (RFCs) in soil layers at the upper (0.6 kg kg−1) and lower slope positions (0, 0.2, 0.4 and 0.6 kg kg−1) were established in combination with artificial rainfall experiments, to investigate the influence of RFC difference between the upper and lower slope positions on hydrological and erosional processes. Results show that the decreasing RFC difference reduced the yield of surface flow (5–100%), but increased yields of subsurface flow (58–792%) and deep percolation (19–130%). Additionally, the decreasing RFC difference reduced the runoff velocity of surface flow and surface erosion rate, but aggravated subsurface erosion. Especially under the 0 kg kg−1 RFC difference, the intense soil loss occurred at the subsurface which may be due to the highly developed preferential flow. With increasing rainfall intensity, great increments in yields of subsurface flow, deep percolation and subsurface sediments were found under the small RFC difference which had small increments in yields of surface flow and surface sediments. These results suggest that the changing SVRFC related to tillage erosion can exert strong influence on behaviors of hydrological and erosional processes. Our study provides a better understanding of the interaction between agricultural cultivation and soil–water loss in hilly agricultural landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Upslope sediment-laden flow caused additional erosion in ephemeral gully zone. • Transport-dominated sediment regime was found under filed and laboratory conditions. • An increase in sediment concentration of inflow decreased downslope soil erosion rates. • Laboratory simulations verified the field monitoring results for extreme rainfall events. Ephemeral gully (EG) is an important linear erosion feature, often occurring at mid-slope position, that can be greatly influenced by upslope inflow and its sediment transport capacity. How sediment concentration in upslope inflow influences downslope EG erosion is still unclear. Thus, field monitoring on a natural hillslope and indoor simulations on a dual-box system were conducted to better understand their relationship. The results showed that both field monitoring and indoor simulation displayed the additional sediment delivery caused by upslope sediment-laden flow, verifying the transport-dominated sediment regime in EG systems. In field observations, the sediment increment coefficient (SIC , ratio of net sediment delivery caused by upslope sediment-laden flow to the total sediment delivery) on an event scale varied from 4.6% to 88.6%. In indoor simulations, the SIC changed from 24.9% to 87.5%. Indoor simulation experiments with a range of 0–378.2 g L−1 sediment concentration supplied by a feeder box, showed that SIC linearly decreased as sediment concentration of upslope inflow increased. Field monitoring showed complicated phenomenon because of natural random variations. For rainfall events with PI 30 (the product of precipitation and maximum 30-minute rainfall intensity) larger than 400 mm2 h−1 (similar to the designed extreme rainfall in laboratory simulations), SIC also generally decreased as sediment concentration of upslope inflow increased, especially when sediment concentration of upslope inflow was smaller than 400 g L−1. Thus, laboratory simulations verified the field monitoring results of extreme rainfall events with large rainfall amounts and intensities. This study illustrated the necessity of in-situ field monitoring and indicated that design of indoor simulation experiments needs more comprehensive considerations on complicated hydrological and sediment conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Upslope sediment-laden flow caused additional erosion in ephemeral gully zone. • Transport-dominated sediment regime was found under filed and laboratory conditions. • An increase in sediment concentration of inflow decreased downslope soil erosion rates. • Laboratory simulations verified the field monitoring results for extreme rainfall events. Ephemeral gully (EG) is an important linear erosion feature, often occurring at mid-slope position, that can be greatly influenced by upslope inflow and its sediment transport capacity. How sediment concentration in upslope inflow influences downslope EG erosion is still unclear. Thus, field monitoring on a natural hillslope and indoor simulations on a dual-box system were conducted to better understand their relationship. The results showed that both field monitoring and indoor simulation displayed the additional sediment delivery caused by upslope sediment-laden flow, verifying the transport-dominated sediment regime in EG systems. In field observations, the sediment increment coefficient (SIC , ratio of net sediment delivery caused by upslope sediment-laden flow to the total sediment delivery) on an event scale varied from 4.6% to 88.6%. In indoor simulations, the SIC changed from 24.9% to 87.5%. Indoor simulation experiments with a range of 0–378.2 g L−1 sediment concentration supplied by a feeder box, showed that SIC linearly decreased as sediment concentration of upslope inflow increased. Field monitoring showed complicated phenomenon because of natural random variations. For rainfall events with PI 30 (the product of precipitation and maximum 30-minute rainfall intensity) larger than 400 mm2 h−1 (similar to the designed extreme rainfall in laboratory simulations), SIC also generally decreased as sediment concentration of upslope inflow increased, especially when sediment concentration of upslope inflow was smaller than 400 g L−1. Thus, laboratory simulations verified the field monitoring results of extreme rainfall events with large rainfall amounts and intensities. This study illustrated the necessity of in-situ field monitoring and indicated that design of indoor simulation experiments needs more comprehensive considerations on complicated hydrological and sediment conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Earthworms are ecological engineers that play an important role in hydrological processes and soil erosion by their burrowing and casting activities. Little is known, however, about the ecological function of the activities of an anecic species (Metaphire guillelmi) from the Loess Plateau in China where the soil is severely eroded. We conducted rain-simulation experiments on artificial slopes (mesocosms) filled with soil from Loess Plateau. Two rain intensities (90 and 120 mm h−1) and slope gradients (5° and 15°) were used to investigate the influences of earthworm activity on runoff and soil loss under multiple conditions. Data from 15 d of earthworm activity and 1 h of rain indicated that earthworm activity significantly reduced runoff but aggravated soil erosion. Runoff initiation time increased 2.7–3.1-fold, contributing to the promotion of water infiltration, and the amounts and rates of runoff were 35.8–61.6% and 35.1–60.8% lower under earthworm activity than the controls, respectively. Earthworms greatly influenced the physical and chemical properties of the soil, and these properties were strongly correlated with runoff initiation time and cumulative runoff. The surface casts produced by the earthworms on the soil surface were completely dispersed, increasing the cumulative sediment by a maximum of 169%. Both rain intensity and slope gradient greatly influence runoff and soil detachment, but with earthworm activity, slope gradient was more influential due to its superior contribution to sediment transport. This study quantified the effects of M. guillelmi on runoff and soil erosion and provides basic data for developing a more integrated control of soil erosion on the Loess Plateau. • The increase in infiltration related to earthworm activities decreases runoff. • Soil erosion is aggravated by the low stability of surface cast under intense rainfall. • Earthworm impact on soil loss is larger at lower rain intensity and steeper slope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The erosion and transport of sediments allow us to understand many activities of significance, such as crust evolution, climate change, uplift rates, continental processes, the biogeochemical cycling of pollutants and nutrients. The Amazon basin of Peru has contrasting physiographic and climatic characteristics between the Andean piedmont and the plains and between the north and south of the basin which is why there are 8 gauging stations located along the principal rivers of the Andean piedmont (Marañón, Huallaga, Ucayali) and the plain (Marañón, Tigre, Napo, Ucayali and Amazon rivers). Since 2003, the ORE-Hybam (IRD-SENAMHI-UNALM) observatory has performed out regular measurements at strategic points of the Amazon basin to understand and model the systems, behavior and long-term dynamics. On the Andean piedmont, the suspended yields are governed by a simple model with a relationship between the river discharge and the sediment concentration. In the plain, the dilution effect of the concentrations can create hysteresis in this relationship on a monthly basis. The Amazon basin of Peru has a sediment yield of 541 *106 t year−1, 70% comes from the southern basin. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Analysis of typhoon- and earthquake-triggered landsliding and fluvial response in the Tachia River, central Taiwan, documents highly episodic sediment supply over decade to century timescales. Landslide data from the Chi-Chi earthquake (1999) and subsequent typhoons (2001, 2004, and 2005) quantify the sediment supply from these events. Fluvial response was investigated by decadal-scale and century-scale longitudinal river profile data spanning 1904 to 2008 and by sediment delivery recorded in suspended sediment load and reservoir sedimentation data. Our results show that the different time periods of satellite images and aerial photographs used in previous studies make it difficult to unambiguously identify the causes of landslides previously attributed by some studies to the effects of the Chi-Chi earthquake rather than subsequent high intensity precipitation. In response to significant variability in sediment delivery from hillslopes, century-scale profile variation data indicate substantial bed surface elevation change of 2.6±6.7m, and decade-scale bed surface elevation change of 1.1±3.3m. Since 1993, the downstream reaches incised in response to bedload sediment trapping by reservoirs while headwater reaches aggraded in response to increased sediment delivery from uplands. A tremendous increase in reservoir sedimentation after 2000 likely reflects the effects of the highest decade-average daily rainfall since 1900. Suspended sediment load data indicate a post Chi-Chi earthquake increase in sediment concentration in low-flow events but do not exhibit the clear influence on sediment yields at higher flows as (e.g., typhoons) reported by others for fluvial response in the epicentral region. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The tropics of northern Australia have received relatively little attention with regard to the impact of soil erosion on the many large river systems that are an important part of Australia''s water resource, especially given the high potential for erosion when long dry seasons are followed by intense wet season rain. Here we use 137Cs concentrations to determine the erosion processes supplying sediment to two major northern Australian Rivers; the Daly River (Northern Territory), and the Mitchell River (Queensland). We also present data from five sediment samples collected from a 100km reach of the Cloncurry River, a major tributary of the Flinders River (Queensland). Concentrations of 137Cs in the surface soil and subsurface (channel banks and gully) samples were used to derive ‘best fit’ probability density functions describing their distributions. These modelled distributions are then used to estimate the relative contribution of these two components to the river sediments. Our results are consistent with channel and gully erosion being the dominant source of sediment, with more than 90% of sediment transported along the main stem of these rivers originating from subsoil. We summarize the findings of similar studies on tropical Australian rivers and conclude that the primary source of sediment delivered to these systems is gully and channel bank erosion. Previously, as a result of catchment scale modelling, sheet-wash and rill erosion was considered to be the major sediment source in these rivers. Identifying the relative importance of sediment sources, as shown in this paper, will provide valuable information for land management planning in the region. This study also reinforces the importance of testing model predictions before they are used to target investment in remedial action. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We examined runoff and sediment transport associated with large-scale construction projects in Fujian Province, China. Six experimental plots, comprised of four plot types, were designed to mimic typical conditions immediately following disturbance. It was found that natural vegetative cover reduces both runoff and erosion by approximately 36 and 7457 times over bare ground, and 16 and 1801 times over typically planted grasses, respectively. The increase in erosion associated with the replacement of native vegetation with bare ground or grasses due to large-scale infrastructure projects in Fujian from 1999 to 2004, amounted to an estimated loss of 1.76×107 tonnes of top soil and 3.04×108 m3 of surface runoff from the province during the bare soil construction phase, and an additional 4.25×106 tonnes of top soil and 1.35×108 m3 of surface runoff from the province associated with the first year of operation for each project. This has implications for frequency and occurrence of landslides and other geographic hazards, the transport of chemicals into waterways, the transport of goods through shipping passages, and the fertility of land in Fujian. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The largest plain in the North Vietnam has formed by the redundant sediment of the Red River system. Sediment supply is not equally distributed, causing erosion in some places. The paper analyzes the evolvement and physical mechanism of the erosion. The overlay of five recent topographical maps (1930, 1965, 1985, 1995, and 2001) shows that sediment redundantly deposits at some big river mouths (Ba Lat, Lach, and Day), leading to rapid accretion (up to 100m/y). Typical mechanism of delta propagation is forming and connecting sand bars in front of the mouths. Erosion coasts are distributed either between the river mouths (Hai Hau) or nearby them (Giao Long, Giao Phong, and Nghia Phuc). The evolvement of erosion is caused by wave-induced longshore southwestward sediment transport. Meanwhile sediment from the river mouths is not directed to deposit nearshore. The development of sand bars can intensively reduce the erosion rate nearby river mouths. Erosion in Hai Hau is accelerated by sea level rise and upstream dams. Sea dike stability is seriously threatened by erosion-induced lowering of beach profiles, sea level rise, typhoon, and storm surge. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The contributions and relationships of erosion by splash and overland flow over a steep slope in a Japanese beech forest in plots with different percentages of ground cover were examined. Three erosion plots (2m wide×5m long) with average understory coverage of 1%, 45%, and 94% were installed. Sediment transported by rain splash and by overland flow was sampled separately. For the plots with sparse, moderate, and high understory coverage, the average proportions of splash soil to total soil erosion during the monitoring period were 16%, 32%, and 18%, respectively. A significant correlation between the amount of splash soil and precipitation was found in the plots with 1% and 45% understory coverage, whereas no statistical relationship was identified for the plot with high understory coverage. At the sparse ground cover plot showing the largest sediment movement, the contribution of splash transport decreased with increasing precipitation. The amount of sheetwash erosion was significantly correlated with the amount of splash soil under the condition of sparse ground cover. This relationship was more pronounced during high precipitation events and the rainy season. Splash contribution to the sediment transport was in the range of 0.8%–76.7%, 2.8%–81% and 2.1%–60.8% for plot with high, moderate and low ground cover, respectively. The sparse ground cover showed the largest variation of splash and sheetwash contribution in soil erosion. This variability was due to variation in ground cover and soil surface wetness condition which led to a variation of detachment and non-linear relationship of sheetwash splash. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Plutonium fallout from atmospheric nuclear-weapons testing in the 1950s and 1960s constitutes an artificial tracer suitable for the study of recent soil erosion and sediment accumulation rates. Traditionally 137Cs has been the fallout isotope of choice for such studies, but the plutonium isotopes confer a number of advantages, which can be realised using the ultra-sensitive detection technique of Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS). As a first application of plutonium to a whole-of-basin study, Pu has been measured in both soil and sediment across the catchment of the Herbert River, which is one of the major rivers draining into Australia’s Great Barrier Reef Lagoon. Its catchment includes undisturbed areas as well as regions of pasture and sugar cultivation. The Pu measurements allow the relative contributions of surface and gully erosion from the different land use areas to be determined, and permit the discharged material to be apportioned between the relevant sources. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The impact of unusual events on the sediment dynamics in rivers is discussed in this paper. The increase in the number of extreme precipitation events and other unusual weather events in Norway strongly suggests that weather conditions are changing. It is difficult to monitor sediment transport during large magnitude floods. It is however well known that they may deliver substantial amounts of sediment. The suspended sediment load in the upper Atna river during the springflood in 1995 was 44 times the mean load measured during the preceding years. The recurrence interval of this flood was estimated to be 100–200 years. The conditions during the occurrence of a particular flood event may also be of considerable importance and measurements during rainfall on frozen ground have indicated unusually high runoff and erosion rates. The seasonal distribution of runoff in several parts of Norway has changed in recent years and higher winter temperatures have produced an increase in the frequency of flood events. A very long lasting flood caused by a prolonged period of rain occurred in the Vikka stream during September to December 2000. The availability of sediment increased with the increasing soil moisture content in the area. As the ground became saturated, more active slope processes caused erosion rates to increase markedly. The combined effects of climate change and human impact on sediment transport in rivers appear to enhance downstream sediment delivery. Flood protection works along river channels prevent sediment from being deposited on the floodplain. River channels that have been lowered in order to reduce groundwater levels in agricultural floodplain areas will experience the same effect. During the last decade extensive ecological changes have taken place in the coastal areas of southern Norway as 90% of the sugar kelp forest has been lost. This change has been attributed to an apparent increase in sediment delivery to the sea along with a rise in sea temperatures. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

[Display omitted] • A theoretical framework was used to explain dynamic scale effect on soil erosion. • Scale effect on soil erosion varies with erosion types, rainfall, and soil properties. • Slope length factor of USLE/RUSLE performs better on rill erosion dominant slopes. The variation of soil erosion across scales remains a controversial issue. A theoretical framework, coupling the normalized Green-Ampt equation for infiltration, 1D kinematic wave model for overland flow, and WEPP erosion modeling approaches for soil erosion, was used to explain and quantify the direct effect of scale on the soil erosion process. The results show that the relation between interrill erosion and slope length accords with a power-law decreasing trend, while the relation of rill erosion versus slope length shows a power-law increasing trend. Moreover, the power-law scaling of interrill erosion becomes more prominent with an increase of rainfall duration and intensity but is nearly independent of the interrill erodibility factor. The rainfall duration, soil type, soil critical shear stress, sediment transport coefficient, and rill erodibility factor substantially influence the magnitude of scale effect on rill erosion, while rainfall intensity, slope gradient, and Manning's roughness have minor effects. It suggests that the scale effect on soil erosion is variable and dynamic for different erosion types, rainfall and soil characteristics, which can explain why the controversial scaling relationships of soil erosion exist in previous studies. The physically based soil erosion model WEPP is compared to the empirical models USLE and RUSLE at various scales. Only when rill erosion plays a dominant role in soil loss do all these models exhibit consistent scale effect on erosion. These results provide insights into the essence of scaling in the hillslope soil erosion process, which are expected to benefit the development of upscaling techniques for the large-scale hydrological, geomorphological, and ecological processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Three small catchments (<2.5km2 in size) were monitored in the Central Spanish Pyrenees to analyse the hydrological and geomorphological consequences of different land covers under the same climate scenario: (i) the San Salvador catchment represents a dense, undisturbed forest environment; (ii) the Arnás catchment corresponds to an old, abandoned cultivated area subjected to colonisation by plants; and (iii) the Araguás catchment consists in part of active badlands. The obtained results demonstrate that plant cover is a key factor, influencing (i) the seasonality and intensity of floods, (ii) the annual volume of discharge, and (iii) the suspended sediment concentration, total sediment yield and proportions of different types of sediment. The forested catchment tends to generate floods in late winter and spring, when the water table is close to the surface, and flood hydrographs are generally gentle, with solutes largely prevailing over suspended sediment. The old agricultural catchment produces in average twice the number of floods as that recorded in the forested catchment, with the highest floods recorded in autumn and spring; this catchment behaves as a complex mosaic, with a large spatial and temporal variability in terms of both sediment- and runoff-contributing areas; in addition, suspended sediment is equal to solutes, and bedload reaches a relatively high importance. Finally, the badland catchment reacts to all rainstorm events throughout the year, with a high suspended-sediment load. Sediment outputs from the Araguás catchment are two orders of magnitude higher than in the Arnás and San Salvador catchments. Suspended sediment concentrations exceed 300gl−1 in the Araguás catchment, whereas they rarely exceed 20gl−1 in the Arnás and rarely 1.5gl−1 in the San Salvador catchment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Initiated by the need to quantify erosion rates and the impacts of global changes on erosion, several attempts have been made to apply erosion models at regional scales. However, these models have often been directed towards on-site soil erosion estimates, emphasising sheet and rill erosion processes, and disregarding gully erosion, channel erosion and sediment transport. These models are therefore of limited use for the assessment of sediment yield, off-site impacts of erosion, and for the development of environmental management to control these impacts at regional scale. This study analyses and compares three spatially distributed models for the prediction of soil erosion and/or sediment yield at regional scales: the WATEM-SEDEM model that is based on the empirical Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) in combination with a sediment transport equation, the physics-based Pan European Soil Erosion Risk Assessment model (PESERA), and a newly developed Spatially Distributed Scoring model (SPADS). The three models were applied to 61 Spanish drainage basins and model predictions were evaluated against data on measured reservoir sedimentation rates. Global data sets on land use, climate, elevation and soil characteristics were used as model input for WATEM-SEDEM and SPADS, whereas published soil erosion estimates of PESERA at 1 km2 resolution were used directly. SPADS and WATEM-SEDEM provided best results after separate calibration for basins with a Sediment Delivery Ratio (SDR) higher than 5% and those with an SDR lower than 5%. In this way, SPADS explained 67% of variation in sediment yield, while WATEM-SEDEM explained 48% of the variation. PESERA represents a promising alternative to the use of empirical models at the regional scale as it can be applied to very diverse environments with little calibration. However, PESERA provides soil erosion rates and not sediment yield estimates. For most basins PESERA soil erosion rates vary between fifty and close to zero percent of total sediment yield. Two major factors may explain this discrepancy between modelled soil erosion rates and measured sediment yield. First, it may be that PESERA underestimates soil erosion under Mediterranean conditions, although PESERA soil erosion rates are of the same order of magnitude as erosion rates measured in erosion plot studies. Second, gully-, river channel erosion and sediment transport processes may be much more important than sheet- and rill erosion for regional scale sediment yield in these environments. These issues therefore require further attention in future model development. Although spatially lumped models provide better predictions of sediment yield at the basin scale, and while validation of the predicted spatial patterns of sources and sinks of sediment requires further research, spatially distributed models are expected to be of value to support management decisions regarding the assessment of on-site and off-site impacts of erosion at the regional scale. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: A stochastic model of sediment transport by rainfall-runoff was tested with a simple laboratory experiment. Although the conceptual basis of the model has been previously published [Lisle, I.G., Rose, C.W., Hogarth, W.L., Hairsine, P.B., Sander, G.C., Parlange, J.-Y., 1998. Stochastic sediment transport in soil erosion. Journal of Hydrology 204, 217–230] and its mechanistic underpinnings were convincingly theorized, it had not been corroborated with measurements. Small-scale flume experiments, ∼0.8m long, with simulated rainfall were used to imitate “wash-off” of sediment (0.225mm silica sand) from an impervious surface. Fitting two parameters (ejection and deposition rates) to minimize least squares error resulted in good agreement between stochastic model and measurements, R 2 ∼0.9. However, the fitted parameter values differed from values that would be expected following Lisle et al.’s (1998) physical explanation of the ejection and deposition rates. While some of the discrepancy may be attributable to particle interactions, the conceptualization of deposition as a quiescent settling process in mechanistic erosion models may need to be reevaluated. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: An un-mixing model is formulated within a Bayesian Markov Chain Monte Carlo framework for use within land-use fingerprinting to study watershed erosion processes. The model has two new components: (1) An equation and erosion process parameter are used to weight tracer signatures from each erosion process within a land-use. (2) An extra tracer distribution and episodic erosion parameter are used to represent soil eroded throughout the sampling duration and thus include the episodic nature of erosion. To test specification of these new parameters, the un-mixing model is applied in the 15km2 Jerome Creek Watershed in the Palouse Region of Northwestern Idaho. Erosion processes include surface erosion upon mountain slopes due to logging in the forest land-use and rill/interrill erosion on cultivated slopes and headcut erosion in riparian floodplains of the agricultural land-use (winter wheat/peas rotation and hay pasture). Episodic erosion occurs for the event where the model is applied. A sensitivity analysis shows that the smallest Bayesian credible set results when the new parameters are specified using hydrologic data and process-based models. The un-mixing model predicts that 90% of the eroded-soil originated from the agricultural land-use and 10% originated from the forest land-use. A comparative study is performed that estimates 90.5% and 9.5% of eroded-soil originated from the agricultural and forest land-uses. Successful performance of the un-mixing model highlights future application as a standalone probabilistic tool to monitor watershed erosion processes that exhibit non-equilibrium conditions and provide calibration data for process-based watershed models. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: This work presents three empirical models (MMFI, Morais Modification of Fournier Index; GJRM, Grimm–Jones–Rusco–Montanarella; REMDB, Diodato–Bellocchi Rainfall–Erosivity Model) where monthly-based climate data are used to estimate long-term (R)USLE (Universal Soil Loss Equation and its Revisions) rainfall erosivity factor (R m, MJmmh−1 ha−1 month−1). The objective was to evaluate two known models (MMFI and GJRM), and compare the results with the novel model REMDB meant for complex terrains. MMFI and GJRM are both based on the precipitation amount, whilst REMDB takes site latitude, elevation and precipitation seasonality also into account. The test area was the Italian region, where 30 stations (altitudes from about sea level up to 1270m, over the latitudinal range 36–46°North) with sufficient data to calculate R m according to USLE were available. The three models were evaluated against USLE rainfall erosivity over a validation data set of 14 stations, using a range of performance statistics. The REMDB estimates generally compared well with the USLE estimates according to different statistics. For REMDB, the relative root mean square error was, in average, 48.58% against 71.49% for MMFI and 66.55% for GJRM. The average modelling efficiency of REMDB was 0.51 against −0.02 (MMFI) and 0.13 (GJRM). REMDB was also superior in preventing biased errors in time, as quantified by the average pattern index versus months: 17.65MJmmh−1 ha−1 month−1, against 58.54MJmmh−1 ha−1 month−1 (MMFI) and 57.76MJmm h−1 ha−1 month−1 (GJRM). Of the two simplified models, the MMFI was the worst performer while the GJRM model performed similarly to the REMDB at two mid-altitude sites of Central Italy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Significant portions of the global soil organic carbon (SOC) pool must reside on sloping terrains where the spatial distribution of SOC reflects the combined effects of geomorphic processes and biological C cycling. Using a newly developed soil C mass balance model that explicitly includes soil production and sediment transport, we investigated the relative roles of sediment production/transport vs. biological C cycling in creating the observed spatial patterns of SOC storage within two grass-covered hillslopes in California. The study sites differed in bedrock geology, climate, and erosion rates. Measurements of SOC, soil texture, plant C inputs, and soil thickness were combined with topographic surveys and published soil erosion and production rates in the analysis. Soil thickness was found to be the key control on SOC storage, and soil thickness is balance between soil production and curvature-dependent erosional losses. Additionally, topographically varying rates of plant C inputs, decomposition rates, and SOC erosional losses or depositional inputs were found to only partially explain the observed SOC storage patterns. We used the measured relationships between SOC storage, soil thickness, and topographic curvature to create SOC storage maps of the two watersheds. At both sites, about 70% of the hillslope SOC is stored in depositional areas that are susceptible to episodic mass wasting. At the drier site, there was a larger SOC storage despite the lower soil C % because the clay-rich bedrock resulted in the development of relatively thick soils for a given slope curvature. We conclude that the geomorphic processes driving soil thickness provide fundamental mechanisms that control the spatial SOC patterns on vegetated hillslopes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]