scholarly journals Runoff-associated nitrogen and phosphorus losses under natural rainfall events in purple soil area: the role of land disturbance and slope length

Author(s):  
Ke Liang ◽  
Xiaorong He ◽  
Binghui He ◽  
Xiaomeng Guo ◽  
Tianyang Li

Abstract Land disturbance and slope length play key roles in affecting runoff-associated nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) losses in different forms under natural rainfall. Field monitoring was conducted in nine plots located parallel on a 15° purple slope in southwest China. Three slope lengths (20-, 40-, 60-m) combined with measures of artificial disturbance and natural restoration were implemented. The highest N concentration was observed in soft rainfall events across all plots. The highest P concentration was recorded in heavy rainfall events for the artificially disturbed plots and in soft rainfall events for the naturally restored plots. Land disturbance differed orthophosphate concentration in 20-m plot, and affected N and P loss amounts in different forms. Slope length differed total dissolved phosphorus concentration in naturally restored plots, and also differed the loss amounts of total dissolved nitrogen and orthophosphate in artificially disturbed plots. Naturally restoration reduced loss amounts of total nitrogen and total phosphorus by 62.14–79.05% and 79.28–83.43% relative to artificial disturbance, respectively. Concentrations of nitrate-nitrogen, total phosphorus and dissolved phosphorus were closely correlated with rainfall and runoff variables, respectively, in artificially disturbed plots. Our results highlight the dominant role of natural restoration in reducing erosion and nutrient loss in sloping land.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ke Liang ◽  
Binghui He

<p>Severe soil erosion occurs in southwestern China owing to the large expanses of human disturbance and sloping land. This field monitoring study was conducted during the rainy season to record the rainfall events, runoff, sediment yield, nitrogen, and phosphorous loss in 20-, 40-, and 60-m plots under conditions of artificial disturbance or natural restoration on a 15° slope in the purple soil area of southwestern China. The concentrations and loss amounts of total nitrogen (TN), total dissolved nitrogen (TDN), ammonium-nitrogen (NH4-N) and nitrate-nitrogen (NO<sub>3</sub>-N), total phosphorus (TP), total dissolved phosphorus (TDP) and orthophosphate (PO<sub>4</sub>-P) were comparatively determined. The highest N concentration was observed in long duration and soft rainfall events across all plots. The highest P concentration in artificial disturbed plots was found in long duration and intensive rainfall events while it was recordeds for measured variables were dominantly recorded under the long duration and lowest soft rainfall events in naturally restored plots intensity., while The the highest loss amounts for N and P in different forms for these variablesalmostmostly appeared under high rainfall intensity. Land disturbances differed orthophosphate PO<sub>4</sub>-P concentration in 20--m plot and and loss amounts of of measured variables N and P with different forms across in all plots. Plot lengths differed total dissolved phosphorus TDP concentration in natural restored plot and loss amounts of total dissolved nitrogenTDN and orthophosphate PO<sub>4</sub>-P in artificially disturbed plots. Naturally restoration reduced loss amounts of total nitrogen and total phosphorus by 69.4%62.14-79.05% and 79.28-83.43% TN, 68.8% TDN, 71.2% NH<sub>4</sub>-N, 74.3% NO<sub>3</sub>-N, 81.5% TP, 71.9% TDP and 70.0% PO<sub>4</sub>-P loss amounts comparedrelative to artificial disturbance, respectively. There were significant interrelationships among N and P concentrations in different forms in two land disturbance plots, while nitrate-NO<sub>3</sub>-nitrogenN concentration hadwas significantly negatively negative correlatedion with rainfall intensity and runoff rate in artificialally disturbanceed plots. Rainfall intensity was logarithmically correlated with TN, NO<sub>3</sub>-N concentrations in artificially disturbed plots and with NO<sub>3</sub>-N concentration in naturally restored plots. Runoff rate was logarithmically correlated with TN, TDN and NO<sub>3</sub>-N concentrations in artificially disturbed plots. Our results highlight the effects of land disturbance and plot length on nutrient losses in sloping land.</p>


1997 ◽  
Vol 77 (4) ◽  
pp. 669-676 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. C. Nolan ◽  
L. J. P. van Vliet ◽  
T. W. Goddard ◽  
T. K. Flesch

Interpreting soil loss from rainfall simulators is complicated by the uncertain relationship between simulated and natural rainstorms. Our objective was to develop and test a method for estimating soil loss from natural rainfall using a portable rainfall simulator (1 m2 plot size). Soil loss from 12 rainstorms was measured on 144-m2 plots with barley residue in conventional tillage (CT), reduced tillage (RT) and zero tillage (ZT) conditions. A corresponding "simulated" soil loss was calculated by matching the simulator erosivity to each storm's erosivity. High (140 mm h−1) and low (60 mm h−1) simulation intensities were examined. The best agreement between simulated and natural soil loss occurred using the low intensity, after making three adjustments. The first was to compensate for the 38% lower kinetic energy of the simulator compared with natural rain. The second was for the smaller slope length of the simulator plot. The third was to begin calculating simulator erosivity only after runoff began. After these adjustments, the simulated soil loss over all storms was 99% of the natural soil loss for CT, 112% for RT and 95% for ZT. Our results show that rainfall simulators can successfully estimate soil loss from natural rainfall events. Key words: Natural rainfall events, simulated rainfall, erosivity, tillage


2019 ◽  
Vol 67 (4) ◽  
pp. 297-304 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriel Minea ◽  
Gabriela Ioana-Toroimac ◽  
Gabriela Moroşanu

Abstract This paper aimed to investigate the dominant runoff processes (DRP’s) at plot-scale in the Curvature Subcarpathians under natural rainfall conditions characteristic for Romania’s temperate environment. The study was based on 32 selected rainfall-runoff events produced during the interval April–September (2014–2017). By comparing water balance on the analyzed Luvisol plots for two types of land use (grassland vs. bare soil), we showed that DRP’s are mostly formed by Hortonian Overland Flow (HOF), 47% vs. 59% respectively. On grassland, HOF is followed by Deep Percolation (DP, 31%) and Fast Subsurface Flow (SSF, 22%), whereas, on bare soil, DP shows a higher percentage (38%) and SSF a lower one (3%), which suggests that the soil-root interface controls the runoff generation. Concerning the relationship between antecedent precipitation and runoff, the study indicated the nonlinearity of the two processes, more obvious on grassland and in drought conditions than on bare soil and in wet conditions (as demonstrated by the higher runoff coefficients). Moreover, the HOF appeared to respond differently to rainfall events on the two plots - slightly longer lag-time, lower discharge and lower volume on grassland - which suggests the hydrologic key role of vegetation in runoff generation processes.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 209
Author(s):  
Chih-Ming Tseng ◽  
Yie-Ruey Chen ◽  
Chwen-Ming Chang ◽  
Yung-Sheng Chue ◽  
Shun-Chieh Hsieh

This study explores the impact of rainfall on the followed-up landslides after a severe typhoon and the relationship between various rainfall events and the occurrence, scale, and regional characteristics of the landslides, including second landslides. Moreover, the influence of land disturbance was evaluated. The genetic adaptive neural network was used in combination with the texture analysis of the geographic information system for satellite image classification and interpretation to analyze land-use change and retrieve disaster records and surface information after five rainfall events from Typhoon Morakot (2009) to Typhoon Nanmadol (2011). The results revealed that except for extreme Morakot rains, the greater the degree of slope disturbance after rain, the larger the exposed slope. Extreme rainfall similar to Morakot strikes may have a greater impact on the bare land area than on slope disturbance. Moreover, the relationship between the bare land area and the index of land disturbance condition (ILDC) is positive, and the ratio of the bare land area to the quantity of bare land after each rainfall increases with the ILDC. With higher effective accumulative rainfall on the slope in the study area or greater slope disturbance, the landslide area at the second landslide point tended to increase.


Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 1707
Author(s):  
Chulsang Yoo ◽  
Huy Phuong Doan ◽  
Changhyun Jun ◽  
Wooyoung Na

In this study, the time–area curve of an ellipse is analytically derived by considering flow velocities within both channel and hillslope. The Clark IUH is also derived analytically by solving the continuity equation with the input of the derived time–area curve to the linear reservoir. The derived Clark IUH is then evaluated by application to the Seolmacheon basin, a small mountainous basin in Korea. The findings in this study are summarized as follows. (1) The time–area curve of a basin can more realistically be derived by considering both the channel and hillslope velocities. The role of the hillslope velocity can also be easily confirmed by analyzing the derived time–area curve. (2) The analytically derived Clark IUH shows the relative roles of the hillslope velocity and the storage coefficient. Under the condition that the channel velocity remains unchanged, the hillslope velocity controls the runoff peak flow and the concentration time. On the other hand, the effect of the storage coefficient can be found in the runoff peak flow and peak time, as well as in the falling limb of the runoff hydrograph. These findings are also confirmed in the analysis of rainfall–runoff events of the Seolmacheon basin. (3) The effect of the hillslope velocity varies considerably depending on the rainfall events, which is also found to be mostly dependent upon the maximum rainfall intensity.


2013 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 906-922 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Rebora ◽  
L. Molini ◽  
E. Casella ◽  
A. Comellas ◽  
E. Fiori ◽  
...  

Abstract Flash floods induced by extreme rainfall events represent one of the most life-threatening phenomena in the Mediterranean. While their catastrophic ground effects are well documented by postevent surveys, the extreme rainfall events that generate them are still difficult to observe properly. Being able to collect observations of such events will help scientists to better understand and model these phenomena. The recent flash floods that hit the Liguria region (Italy) between the end of October and beginning of November 2011 give us the opportunity to use the measurements available from a large number of sensors, both ground based and spaceborne, to characterize these events. In this paper, the authors analyze the role of the key ingredients (e.g., unstable air masses, moist low-level jets, steep orography, and a slow-evolving synoptic pattern) for severe rainfall processes over complex orography. For the two Ligurian events, this role has been analyzed through the available observations (e.g., Meteosat Second Generation, Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer, the Italian Radar Network mosaic, and the Italian rain gauge network observations). The authors then address the possible role of sea–atmosphere interactions and propose a characterization of these events in terms of their predictability.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victoria Rivas ◽  
Juan Remondo ◽  
Jaime Bonachea ◽  
Javier Sánchez-Espeso

Abstract. The Deba area is intensely affected by frequent shallow landslides triggered by rainfall. Relationships between rainfall and landslides in northern Spain, particularly for rainfall events driving multiple movements simultaneously, have not been explored in depth so far. This contribution explores the role of rainfall in landslide activity during a quite long time span, (60 years), from a large network of rainfall gauges and a complete inventory of landslides, and utilizing three different strategies of analysis. 1,180 landslides have been inventoried, and 3,241 rainfall episodes automatically recognized and characterized in terms of rainfall amount, duration and intensity. Antecedent rainfall has also been considered. Six episodes of intense rainfall, which have produced multiple landslides (> 50 % of the recent past occurrences) have been identified. The analysis provides different results: the extraordinary character of the triggering rainfall has been assessed, the meteorological conditions associated to those extreme episodes have been recognized and empirical rainfall threshold producing multiple landslides has been found (I = 7.7D-0.428) and compared with others described in literature. Results show that multiple landslide occurrences are triggered by extreme convective rainfall, intense, short and with limited horizontal extent, as well as a marked summer-autumn seasonality, characteristic of Mediterranean climate.


Author(s):  
Yi Wang ◽  
Jiupai Ni ◽  
Chengsheng Ni ◽  
Sheng Wang ◽  
Deti Xie

Abstract Due to the difficulty in monitoring subsurface runoff and sediment migration, their loss loads are still not clear and need further study. This study monitored water and soil loss occurring within experimental field plots for two calendar years under natural rainfall events. The sediment loss load was quantified by considering the corresponding water flow flux and its sediment concentration. The results showed that 60.04% of the runoff and 2.83% of the sediment were lost underground. The annual underground sediment loss reached up to 54.6 kg*ha−1*yr−1. A total of 69.68% of the runoff yield and 67.25% of the sediment yield were produced during the corn planting stage (CPS: March–July). Heavy rain and torrential rain events produced 94.45%, 65.46% of the annual runoff and 94.45%, 76.21% of the sediment yields during the corn-planting stage and summer fallow period (SFP: August–September). The rain frequency, rainfall, and rainfall duration of each planting stage significantly affected the resulting runoff and sediment yield. Measures aimed at the prevention and control of water-soil loss from purple soil sloping land should heavily focus on torrential rain and heavy rain events during the CPS and SFP. This paper aims to provide a practical reference for quantifying the water and soil loss from purple soil sloping cropland.


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