Prediction the soil erodibility and sediments load using soil attributes

Soil erodibility (K factor) is the most important tool for estimation the erosion. The aim of this study was to estimate the soil erodibility in Sanganeh area located in Naderi Kalat, Khorasan Razavi Province of northeastern Iran. The sediments load collected during the 17 rainfall events were measured at the end of 12 plots during 2009-2012. The K factor was calculated according to the USLE for each plot and rainfall event. The relationships between K factor and measured sediments load with soil attributes were studied. The results showed that calcium carbonate, SAR (sodium absorption ratio), silt, clay contents, and SI (structural stability index) were the most effective soil attributes for estimating the sediments load and OM (organic matter), sand, SI and calcium carbonate, silt, clay contents, and SI for K factor. The results of stepwise regression equations showed that the precision of regression equation derived from PCA for estimating the K factor and sediments load were more than ones derived from correlation test. According to the results of this research, it’s recommended that PCA be applied for determination the effective soil attributes for estimating the K factor in USLE and sediments load in studied area.

___

  • Ampontuah, E.O., Robinson, J.S., Nortcliff, S., 2006. Assessment of soil particle redistribution on two contrasting cultivated hillslopes. Geoderma 132 (3-4): 324-343.
  • Andrews, S.S., Carroll, C.R., 2001. Designing a soil quality assessment tool for sustainable agro-ecosystem management. Ecological Applications 11(6): 1573-1585.
  • Arnaez, J., Lasanta, T., Ruiz-Flaño, P., Ortigosa, L., 2007. Factors affecting runoff and erosion under simulated rainfall in Mediterranean vineyards. Soil and Tillage Research 93(2): 324-334.
  • Baldock, J.A., Skjemstad, J.O., 2000. Role of the soil matrix and minerals in protecting natural organic materials against biological attack. Organic Geochemistry 31(7-8): 697-710.
  • Barthès, B., Albrecht, A., Asseline, L., De Noni, G., Roose, E., 1999. Relationships between soil erodibility and topsoil aggregate stability or carbon content in a cultivated Mediterranean highland (Aveyron, France). Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis 30 (13-14): 1929-1938.
  • Biot, K., Lu, X.X., 1995. Loss of yield caused by soil erosion on sandy soils in the UK. Soil Use and Management 11(4): 157-162.
  • Bonilla, C.A., Johnson, O.I., 2012. Soil erodibility mapping and its correlation with soil properties in Central Chile. Geoderma 189-190: 116-123.
  • Bruce, R.R., Langdale, G.W., Est, L.J., Miller, W.P., 1995. Surface soil degradation and soil productivity restoration and maintenance. Soil Science Society of America Journal 59(3): 654–660.
  • Molnár, D.K., Julien, P.Y., 1998. Estimation of upland erosion using GIS. Computers & Geosciences 24(2): 183-192.
  • Dexter, A.R., Chant, K.Y., 1991. Soil mechanical properties as influenced by exchangeable cations. European Journal of Soil Science 42(2): 219-226.
  • Di Stefano, C., Ferro, V., 2002. Linking clay enrichment and sediment delivery processes. Biosystem Engineering 81 (4): 465-479.
  • Duiker, S., Flanagan, D., Lal, R., 2001. Erodibility and infiltration characteristics of five major soils of southwest Spain. Catena 45(2): 103-121.
  • Emami, H., Astaraei, A.R., 2012. Effect of organic and inorganic amendments on parameters of water retention curve, bulk density and aggregate diameter of a saline-sodic soil. Journal of Agriculture Science and Technology 14: 1625-1636.
  • Emami, H., Neyshabouri, M.R., Shorafa, M., 2012. Relationships between some soil quality indicators and in different agricultural soils from varamin. Journal of Agriculture Science and Technology 14(4): 951-959.
  • Gee, G.W., Bauder, J.W., 1986. Particle-size analysis. In: Methods of soil analysis. Part 1. Physical and mineralogical methods. Klute, A. (Ed.). Agronomy Monogroph No. 9. 2nd Edition. American Society of Agronomy and Soil Science Society of America, Madison, WI. USA. p. 383-411.
  • Govers, G., Van Oost, K., Poesen, J., 2006. Responses of a semi-arid landscape to human disturbance: A simulation study of the interaction between rock fragment cover, soil erosion and land use change. Geoderma 133(1-2): 19-31.
  • Jianping, Z., 1999. Soil erosion in Guizhou province of China: a case study in Bijie prefecture. Soil Use and Management 15(1): 68-70.
  • Karimi, H., Soofi, M., Haghnia, GH., Khorasani, R., 2007. Study the stability of aggregates and soil erosion potential in loamy and sandy clay loam soils (Case study: Lamerd plain- Fars province). Iranian Journal of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources 14(6): 11-21.
  • Kemper, W.D., Rosenau, R.C., 1986. Aggregate stability and size distribution. In: Methods of soil analysis. Part 1. Physical and mineralogical methods. Klute, A. (Ed.). Agronomy Monogroph No. 9. 2nd Edition. American Society of Agronomy and Soil Science Society of America, Madison, WI. USA. pp. 425-442.
  • Kirby, P.C., Mehuys, G.R., 1987. Seasonal variation in soil erodibility in southwestern Quebec. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation 42(3): 211-215.
  • Kirkby, M.J., Morgan, R.P., 1980. Soil erosion. John Wiley & Sons, New York. USA. 312 p.
  • Lal, R., 1994. Soil erosion research methods. 3rd edition. Soil and Water Conservation Society (Aukeny), & St. Lucie Press (Delray Beach), USA, 352 p.
  • Kodešová, R., Rohošková, M., Žigová, A. 2009. Comparison of aggregate stability within six soil profiles under conventional tillage using various laboratory tests. Biologia 64 (3): 550–554.
  • McConkey, B.G., Nicholaichuk, W., Steppuhn, H., Reimer, C.D., 1997. Sediment yield and seasonal soil erodibility for semiarid cropland in western Canada. Canadian Journal of Soil Science 77(1): 33–40.
  • Page, A.L., Miller, R.H., Keeney, D.R. 1982. Methods of Soil Analysis. 2nd edition. Part 2. Chemical and microbiological properties. No.9, American Society of Agronomy & Soil Science Society of America. Madison, WI, USA. 1143p.
  • Parysow, P., Wang, G., Gertner, G., Anderson, A.B., 2001. Assessing uncertainly of erodibility factor in national coope rative soil suveys: a case study at Fort Hood, Texas. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation 56(3): 207-211.
  • Pérez-Rodríguez, R., Marques, M., Bienes, R., 2007. Spatial variability of the soil erodibility parameters and their relation with the soil map at subgroup level. Science of the Total Environment 378 (1–2): 166-173.
  • Pieri, C.J.M.G., 1992. Fertility of soils: A future for farming in the west African Savannah. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Germany. 348 p.
  • Renard, K. G., Foster, G. R., Weesies, G. A., Mc Cool, D. K., Yoder, D.C., 1997. Predicting soil loss by water: A guide to conservation planning with the revised soil loss equation (RUSLE). U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Handbook No. 703. USA. 404 p.
  • Romero, C., Stroosnijder, L., Baigorria, G., 2007. Interril and rill erodibility in the northern Andean Highlands. Catena 70 (2): 105-113.
  • Santos, F.L., Reis, J.L., Martins, O.C., Castanheira, N.L., Serralheiro, R.P., 2003 Comparative assessment of infiltration, runoff and erosion of sprinkler irrigated soils. Biosystem Engineering 86(3): 355-364.
  • Virto, I., Gattzia-Bengoetxea, N., Fernández-Ugalde, O., 2011. Role of organic matter and carbonates in soil aggregation estimated using laser diffractometry. Pedosphere 21(5): 566-572.
  • Wang, Y.M., Guo, P.C., Gao, W.S., 1994. A study on soil anti-erodibility in Loess Plateau. Journal of Soil Erosion and Water Conservation 8(4): 11-16 [in Chinese].
  • Walkley, A., Black, I.A., 1934. An examination of digestion method for determining soil organic matter and a proposed modification of the chromic acid titration method. Soil Science 37(1): 29-38.
  • Wischmeier, W.H., Mannering, J.V., 1969. Relation of soil properties to its erodibility. Soil Science Society of America Journal 33(1): 131-137.
  • Wischmeier, W., Johnson, C., Cross, B., 1971. A soil erodibility nomograph for farmland and construction sites. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation 26 (3): 189–193.
  • Wischmeier, W.H. and Smith, D. D. 1978. Predicting rainfall erosion losses: a guide to conservation planning. Agriculture Handbook No. 537. US Department of Agriculture, Washington DC. USA. 58 p.
  • Zangiabadi, M., Rangavar, A., Rafahi, H. Gh., Shorafa, M., Bihamta, M. R. 2010. Investigation of the most important factors affecting on soil erosion in Kalat semi-arid rangelands. Journal of Water and Soil 24(4): 737-744 [in Persian].
  • Zhang, K., Li, S., Peng, W., Yu, B., 2004. Erodibility of agricultural soils on the Loess Plateau of China. Soil and Tillage Research 76 (2): 157-165.