• Macroaggregates are the main contributors to SOC mineralization. • The cumulative mineralization in the erosional area was lower than in the depositional area. • The breakdown of soil aggregates during transport accelerates SOC mineralization. Water erosion exerts a profound, but uncertain effect on the terrestrial carbon cycle. Therefore, the soil erosion intensity is uncertain in different terrains. Previous studies have focused on the slope and intensity of soil erosion, while ignored the special terrain such as gully created by erosion. To advance the understanding of the mineralization dynamics of soil organic carbon (SOC) from the micro perspective, the relationship between soil erosion and carbon source and sink is expected to be further improved. In this study, we explored the impact of water erosion on SOC mineralization in the areas of gully erosion in Qingyuan mountain, Jiangxi, China by combining the 137 Cs technique and laboratory incubation experiment, calculated the first-order kinetic model parameters of the SOC mineralization of bulk soil and aggregates in the area of gully erosion, and estimated the correlation between the factors that may affect SOC mineralization. The results showed that (1) the mineralization rates of SOC in the bulk soil and aggregates showed fluctuations and reached a peak, and finally became stable. The soil erosion intensity was significantly positively correlated ( p < 0.05 ) with the cumulative mineralization of SOC. (2) The cumulative mineralization in the depositional area (489.67 mg kg −1 ) was higher than that in the erosional area (402.69 mg kg −1 ). (3) Soil macroaggregates were the main contributors to SOC mineralization (63.56%–92.28%), and the soil macroaggregate organic carbon mineralization dynamics was more sensitive to soil erosion. Additionally, significant effects ( p < 0.05 ) of soil mechanical composition, capillary pores, saturated water content, and contents of carbon and nitrogen on SOC mineralization were observed. Erosion increased the risk of SOC loss by mineralization of SOC, especially in macroaggregates. The deposition process caused the enrichment and burial of SOC, and the background level of SOC and the content of macroaggregates in the depositional area were higher than those in the erosional area. The results showed that soil erosion increased the risk of SOC loss by mineralization of SOC based on laboratory simulation. The present study aiming at examining the effect of gully erosion on the mineralization and sequestration of SOC provides important insights into balancing the global carbon budget. 

The mineralization and sequestration of soil organic carbon in relation to gully erosion

Fine mesh nets (FMNs) are commonly used as a mulch material to control soil erosion in construction spoil deposits. Here, three rainfall intensities (60–120 mm·h−1) and seven slope gradients (5°–35°) were considered in relation to an FMN’s function of reducing soil erosion on spoil deposits. Soil surfaces covered with an FMN (NS) were prepared in 2 m × 0.5 m soil boxes, with a smooth surface (SS) as the control. Runoff and sediment reduction benefits (RRB and SRB, respectively) were used to quantify the role of the FMN in soil erosion reduction. The FMN performed better in controlling the total sediment yield (mean SRB: 35.9%) compared with total runoff (mean RRB: 5.3%). There was a difference in runoff between SS and NS under a low rainfall intensity (60 mm·h−1; p < 0.05). SS and NS on different slopes generated similar runoff, with significantly different sediment yields (p < 0.05). The benefits of the FMN basically decreased with increases in the rainfall intensity and slope, although the RRB fluctuated on different slopes. The results demonstrate that the soil and water conservation benefits of the FMN on spoil deposits were influenced by the rainfall intensity and slope. The effectiveness of FMNs in soil erosion control needs further investigation in the context of local climates.

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Influence of Rainfall Intensity and Slope on Runoff and Sediment Reduction Benefits of Fine Mesh Net on Construction Spoil Deposits

Impacts of slope morphological evolution on subsequent erosion for a coarse-textured soil

Estimation of gully erosion rate and its determinants in a granite area of southeast China

Upslope drainage area contributing inflow to downslope rill erosion can be affected by the dynamics of eroded sediment and soil surface microtopography. However, limited information has previously not recognized the variation of the sediment particles and microtopography on hillslopes where upslope inflow perpetually exists. A series of scouring flume experiments were performed on a 15° slope under upslope inflow rates (4, 6 and 8 L min-1) to investigate the inflow-driven microtopography and sediment particle-size distribution (PSD) during the rill erosion process. The results indicated that the surface elevation decay mostly occurred in the later stage of rill erosion. The spatial variability of microtopography increased gradually with increasing inflow rates, and obvious microtopography sharpness intensified with the development of rill erosion. The surface runoff under the 8 L min-1 inflow rate increased by 15.03% and 90.14% for 6 and 4 L min-1, respectively, and the sediment yield reached a maximum at the rill stabilization stage (RS). The overall particle-size distribution was mainly composed of silt-sized particles, accounting for approximately 40.97% -50.15% of the total eroded sediment. Considerable depletion of clay fractions occurred in the rill erosion process. High inflow rate significantly enhanced variation amplitude of critical hydrodynamic parameters (e.g., flow velocity, flow shear stress and Reynolds number). The spatial heterogeneity of microtopography was correlated with the coarser fraction of sediment PSD in rill erosion, suggesting that erosion processes were affected by the interaction between eroded sediment distribution and roughness. These findings highlight the importance of the PSD of eroded sediment and the development of soil surface structure for an in-depth understanding of the purple soil erosion mechanism at the hillslope scale. 

Upslope inflow-driven variations in microtopography and size fractions effect on rill erosion in purple soil hillslopes

Screen covering is a widely used soil conservation practice to control water erosion in coarse-textured soil areas. A better understanding of the effects of screen covers at reducing rainfall kinetic energy (KE) on the erosion behavior will improve erosion prediction and control measures development. The objective of this study was to investigate and quantify the effects of rainfall KE on the soil loss and sediment sorting for developing a prediction model in a coarse-textured soil. A series of rainfall simulation experiments were conducted in three horizons of a coarse-textured soil under five rainfall KEs (628, 443, 324, 231, and 110 J m−2 h-1) which were obtained by covering the soil surface with wire screens of different apertures at a coincident intensity of 90 mm h-1. The results showed that the increase in rainfall KE increased runoff rate and soil erosion rate. The soil erosion rate also increased with depth of the soil layer exposed to the soil surface. Based on the soil clay content, a power relationship could describe the relationships between soil erosion rate and geometric mean diameter of sediment and stream power. With increasing rainfall KE and runoff duration, although the percentage of clay- and silt-sized particles in the sediment decreased, both were still higher than the content in the original soil. The enrichment of fine particles in runoff produced a coarsening layer on the slope surface, which might restrain the subsequent erosion in situ. The observed large preferential loss of clay- and silt-sized particles by erosion emphasizes the importance of sediment sorting for subsequent erosion in these coarse-textured soils. These results suggest that the relationship of rainfall KE to erosion should be considered for practical and effective estimation and prediction of the potential erosiveness of rainstorms.

S.M. Ni

Papers

Exploring rainfall kinetic energy induced erosion behavior and sediment sorting for a coarse-textured granite derived soil of south China