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Evolution of Soil and Water Erosion
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Evolution of Soil and Water Erosion

A special issue of Water (ISSN 2073-4441). This special issue belongs to the section "Water Erosion and Sediment Transport".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 July 2024) | Viewed by 6357

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Jian Luo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of River and Lake Ecology, School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot 010021, China
Interests: soil roughness; microtopography; soil erosion; geomorphology; hydrological processes
Dr. Chengcheng Xia

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Geography and Tourism, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing 401331, China
Interests: ecohydrology; isotope hydrology; urban hydrology; water resources; water environment

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Soil erosion caused by water is a serious global ecological issue that leads to land degradation and threatens ecosystems’ sustainability. To understand the evolution of soil and water erosion, it is essential to explore both the natural and human-induced factors that have contributed to this phenomenon. The complex interplay between climate, geology, vegetation, and human interventions has shaped the present-day state of erosion in different regions of the world. Furthermore, we will unravel the intricate relationship between human activities and erosion, highlighting the detrimental consequences of deforestation, unsustainable agriculture practices, and improper land use. We will also explore how technological advancements and conservation efforts have provided potential solutions to mitigate erosion's detrimental effects. We welcome articles with a strong interdisciplinary approach covering the following topics:

  • Risk assessment of soil erosion;
  • Soil erosion evolution and its driving factors analysis;
  • The coupling mechanism between soil surface microtopography and soil erosion;
  • Soil erosion models;
  • Soil erosion and its control;
  • Soil erosion mechanisms;
  • Dynamic changes in soil erosion and ecological security assessment;
  • Water quality evolution under soil erosion processes;
  • Public participation in soil and water conservation projects;
  • The impact of climate change on erosion and sedimentation on various land use types.

Dr. Jian Luo
Dr. Chengcheng Xia
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • splash erosion
  • sheet erosion
  • rill erosion
  • gully erosion
  • soil roughness
  • geomorphology
  • hydrological connectivity
  • sediment connectivity
  • basin scale
  • hydrodynamics
  • climate change

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 2811 KiB  
Article
Effects of Frozen Layer on Composite Erosion of Snowmelt and Rainfall in the Typical Black Soil of Northeast China
by Qing Bai, Lili Zhou, Haoming Fan, Donghao Huang, Defeng Yang and Hui Liu
Water 2024, 16(15), 2131; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16152131 - 27 Jul 2024
Viewed by 867
Abstract
Composite erosion caused by snowmelt and rainfall causes considerable soil loss during spring thawing. However, research on the impact of frozen soil layers (FSL) on composite erosion is lacking. Therefore, indoor simulation experiments were conducted on soil conditions of 0 cm (unfrozen soil, [...] Read more.
Composite erosion caused by snowmelt and rainfall causes considerable soil loss during spring thawing. However, research on the impact of frozen soil layers (FSL) on composite erosion is lacking. Therefore, indoor simulation experiments were conducted on soil conditions of 0 cm (unfrozen soil, FSLUN) and 3 cm thawing depths to explore the influence of FSL on composite erosion in the black soil region of Northeast China. Three snowmelt runoff (SR) discharges (0.34 L min−1, 0.5 L min−1, and 0.67 L min−1), three rainfall (RF) intensities (80 mm h−1, 120 mm h−1, and 160 mm h−1), and three snowmelt–rainfall interactions (SRI; 0.34 L min−1–80 mm h−1, 0.5 L min−1–120 mm h−1, and 0.67 L min−1–160 mm h−1) were used in this study. The results indicate that FSL advanced the initial erosion times of SR, RF, and SRI by 42.06%, 43.33%, and 45.83%, respectively. FSL increased the soil erosion rate (SER) of SRI by 1.2 (1.0–1.6) times that of unfrozen soil, which was smaller than that of SR (16.3, 5.6–25.0) and RF (1.7, 1.6–1.9), indicating that the interaction had an inhibitory effect on the increase in water erosion in the frozen layer. Under FSL and FSLUN conditions, RF erosion was 1.5–4.1 times and 14.5–24.3 times greater than SR erosion. The SRI erosion was not a simple linear superposition of multiple types of single-phase erosion; it had a significant nonlinear superposition amplification effect (SAE), with SAE of ~100% and ~300% under frozen and unfrozen soil conditions. Flow velocity (0.11 < R2 < 0.68), stream power (0.28 < R2 < 0.88), and energy consumption (0.21 < R2 < 0.87) exhibited significant (p < 0.05) linear relationships with SER in both FSL and FSLUN. The research results deepen our understanding of the composite erosion process during the spring thawing period in the black soil region of Northeast China and provide a basis for the prevention and control of soil erosion in the region. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Evolution of Soil and Water Erosion)
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17 pages, 5267 KiB  
Article
Determining the Relevance of Commonly Used Hydraulic Parameters for Representing the Water Erosive Force in Rock Mass Erosion within Dam Spillways
by Aboubacar Sidiki Koulibaly, Ali Saeidi, Alain Rouleau and Marco Quirion
Water 2024, 16(9), 1261; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16091261 - 28 Apr 2024
Viewed by 1120
Abstract
Spillways are essential control structures in hydroelectric dams for evacuating excess water during periods of high-water flow. These structures are generally excavated within a rock mass, without lining, and they take the form of a flow channel or a plunge pool. Rock mass [...] Read more.
Spillways are essential control structures in hydroelectric dams for evacuating excess water during periods of high-water flow. These structures are generally excavated within a rock mass, without lining, and they take the form of a flow channel or a plunge pool. Rock mass erosion is an important issue facing engineers when designing unlined spillways. Methods commonly used to analyze this phenomenon are based on the threshold line concept, i.e., the correlation between rock mass resistance and its destruction against the erosive force of water. Multiple indices have been proposed for both rock mass quality and water energy (or erosive force) to assess rock mass erosion. The selection of appropriate indices is critical when evaluating hydraulic erosion. The erosive force of water is often represented by energy dissipation; however, other parameters, including average flow velocity and shear stress at the bottom of the flow channel, may also be relevant. Thus, a critical question is framed: which index best represents the erosive force of water? Here, we develop an approach to assess the applicability of the various indices used to represent the erosive force of water by relying on erosional events at more than 100 study sites. We determine that the most relevant parameters are linked to water pressure, as pressure head and flow velocity better explain the erosive force of the water than shear stress and water dissipation energy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Evolution of Soil and Water Erosion)
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22 pages, 33238 KiB  
Article
Water Erosion Response to Rainfall Type on Typical Land Use Slopes in the Red Soil Region of Southern China
by He Wang, Xiaopeng Wang, Shuncheng Yang, Zhi Zhang, Fangshi Jiang, Yue Zhang, Yanhe Huang and Jinshi Lin
Water 2024, 16(8), 1076; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16081076 - 9 Apr 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1112
Abstract
Land use and rainfall are two important factors affecting soil erosion processes. The red soil region of southern China is a representative region with high rainfall amounts and rapidly changing land use patterns where the water erosion process is sensitive to changes in [...] Read more.
Land use and rainfall are two important factors affecting soil erosion processes. The red soil region of southern China is a representative region with high rainfall amounts and rapidly changing land use patterns where the water erosion process is sensitive to changes in land use and rainfall. To comprehensively understand the water erosion response to land use and rainfall in this region, a 6-year in situ experiment based on eight plots (bare land and seven typical land uses) was conducted from 2015 to 2020. The 320 rainfall events were divided into 4 types, and there were 3 main rainfall types. The runoff of different rainfall types was primarily determined by the rainfall amount, while the soil erosion of different rainfall types was primarily determined by the rainfall intensity. High-intensity rainfall contributed the most to both total runoff and soil erosion. Compared with bare land, the seven typical land uses reduced runoff and soil erosion by more than 75%. Grassland, cropland, and forest with low vegetation coverage experienced high runoff and soil erosion, while shrubland most effectively reduced runoff and soil erosion. The combination of land use and rainfall type significantly affected the annual average runoff depth, soil erosion modulus, and soil loss coefficient. Rainfall types can change the relationship between runoff and soil erosion for different land uses. The runoff and soil erosion of bare land were highly correlated with rainfall characteristics, while vegetation weakened this relationship under short- or moderate-duration rainfall. To effectively reduce water erosion, high-intensity rainfall should receive special attention, and all land uses should ensure that vegetation is well developed, especially understory vegetation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Evolution of Soil and Water Erosion)
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20 pages, 7325 KiB  
Article
Effects of Erosion Control Works: Case Study–Reservoir Celije, Rasina River Basin, the Zapadna Morava River (Serbia)
by Irina Stefanović, Ratko Ristić, Nada Dragović, Milutin Stefanović, Nada Živanović and Jelena Čotrić
Water 2024, 16(6), 855; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16060855 - 15 Mar 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1112
Abstract
The aim of this research was to analyze the impact of implemented erosion control works (ECW) on soil erosion intensity in the watershed of the Ćelije reservoir (Rasina River) in the period between 1968 and 2022. The Erosion Potential Method was used to [...] Read more.
The aim of this research was to analyze the impact of implemented erosion control works (ECW) on soil erosion intensity in the watershed of the Ćelije reservoir (Rasina River) in the period between 1968 and 2022. The Erosion Potential Method was used to calculate the annual gross erosion (W), sediment transport (G), and erosion coefficient (Z) in the study area. As a result of the performed ECW there was a general decreasing trend in the intensity of soil erosion processes in the last 54 years. The specific annual gross erosion was 1189.12 m3/km−2/year−1 in 1968, while in 2022 it was 554.20 m3/km−2/year−1. The specific sediment transport was 540.18 m3/km−2/year−1 in 1968 and 253.55 m3/km−2/year−1 in 2022. Due to the changes in the intensity of erosion processes, the specific annual gross erosion decreased by 634.92 m3/km−2/year−1 and the specific sediment transport decreased by 286.63 m3/km−2/year−1. The erosion coefficient was reduced from Z = 0.62 to Z = 0.35. A dependence between the slope of siltation and the natural bed slope was defined. The results show a significant correlation between erosion intensity and performed ECW, providing a basis for future watershed management and defining a strategy for soil erosion control in the Ćelije reservoir watershed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Evolution of Soil and Water Erosion)
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18 pages, 4812 KiB  
Article
An Assessment of Soil Loss by Water Erosion in No-Tillage and Mulching, China
by Zhen Cao, Guohui Chen, Song Zhang, Shangshu Huang, Yan Wu, Fangjin Dong, Yuming Guo, Jianhao Wang and Fahui Jiang
Water 2023, 15(15), 2821; https://doi.org/10.3390/w15152821 - 4 Aug 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1522
Abstract
Soil erosion poses a global threat to arable land and its sustainability, particularly in China, where the most severe soil erosion exists worldwide. No-tillage (NT) and mulching (NTS) are considered the most effective soil management techniques for reducing erosion, but only 10% of [...] Read more.
Soil erosion poses a global threat to arable land and its sustainability, particularly in China, where the most severe soil erosion exists worldwide. No-tillage (NT) and mulching (NTS) are considered the most effective soil management techniques for reducing erosion, but only 10% of the global area utilizes them. Therefore, in comparison to conventional tillage (CT), we conducted a comprehensive national assessment of NT and NTS to evaluate their impact on water erosion across China’s croplands for the period spanning 2000 to 2018, through using Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE); subsequently, we projected the temporal and spatial erosion distribution, and examined their effects of various underlying driving factors by using a random-forest model. Nationally, the average soil loss rates were 1085, 564, and 396 t km−2 a−1 for the CT, NT, and NTS, respectively, across the entire arable land over a span of 18 years. This represents a reduction of 48% and 64% in the NT and NTS, respectively, compared to CT. From 2000 to 2018, water erosion-induced soil loss exhibited a slightly increasing trend with a wavelike pattern in CT, NT, and NTS. The spatial distribution of water erosion in China’s arable land was primarily influenced by local precipitation, accounting for 45% to 52% of the total impact on CT, NT, and NTS. Additionally, the soil slope degree played a role, contributing 29% to 36% of the erosion patterns. Overall, NT and NTS demonstrated superior performance in mitigating the soil erosion in the southern regions of China, including the Central South, Southwest, and East China, owing to the substantial local rainfall and steep terrain. In contrast, NT and NTS exhibited a lower but still significant reduction in soil loss in the northern regions of China due to the flat topography and limited rainfall. However, considering the trade-off between economic losses (yield) and ecosystem benefits (erosion control), we recommend implementing NT and NTS primarily in the northern parts of China, such as the Northeast, North China, and Northwest. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Evolution of Soil and Water Erosion)
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