Michael A. Fullen

Effects of grass ley set-aside on runoff, erosion and organic matter levels in sandy soils in east Shropshire, UK

Abstract Investigations were conducted to assess the potential contribution of grass ley set-aside to soil conservation. Ten runoff plots at the Hilton experimental site, Shropshire, UK, were put to a temporary grass ley in April 1991, to simulate one specific set-aside land use. Plot slope angles varied between 7 and 15°. Runoff and erosion rates over 5 years were low, despite the occurrence of potentially erosive rains. Mean runoff was 0.22% of precipitation (S.D. 0.16, n = 49 plot years), compared with an 11-year mean value of 0.14% on permanent grassland. Erosion rates decreased to tolerable levels once ∼ 30% vegetation cover had established, then rates remained low, despite the occurrence of potentially erosive rains. Under developed ley cover, plot erosion rates were ∼ 0.1−0.5 t ha−1 year−1, with a mean value of 0.23 t ha−1 year−1 (S.D. 0.14) for 49 plot years. Results suggest erosion rates progressively decrease through time, as the ley cover matures. Erosion rate and slope angle were poorly correlated, suggesting leys are highly effective for soil conservation, even on steep slopes. Physical processes of slope wash became inefficient in transporting soil, while plot observations suggest that biological processes became more important, particularly exposure and subsequent erosion of soil from mole hills and worm casts. Mean soil organic matter content increased consistently and significantly on the set-aside plots, by a mean value of 0.39% in 2 years and 0.78% in 4 years. Soil erodibility significantly decreased. Results suggest that using grass leys for set-aside could prove a viable soil conservation technique. Grassland could also be used as ‘soakaways’ in arable systems; braking, filtering and infiltrating runoff, thus decreasing net sediment transfer downslope.

Compaction, hydrological processes and soil erosion on loamy sands in east Shropshire, England

Field investigations on loamy sands in east Shropshire show that compaction by agricultural machinery increases soil bulk density and soil erodibility, and decreases infiltration rates. Structural and hydrological changes, in combination with runoff concentration in cultivation lines, can contribute to serious erosion of arable soils. Compacted soils are also more responsive to rainfall and evidence is presented that intensities as low as approximately 1 mm h−1 can be erosive. Evidence suggests that compacted subsoils impede infiltration and so contribute to surface runoff and serious topsoil erosion.

Relationships between soil characteristics and species richness in two botanically heterogeneous created meadows in the urban English West Midlands

Understanding the relationship between soil fertility and species richness in mesotrophic meadows is important for the conservation of species-rich grassland and particularly for habitat creation. This relationship was investigated in surveys of two heterogeneous created meadows. Redundancy analyses of species abundance data and related soil parameters (extractable phosphorus and extractable potassium, mineral nitrogen, pH, loss-on-ignition, texture and moisture) indicated that phosphorus and potassium concentrations separately accounted for most variation in species composition at the different meadows. Contrary to expectation, low potassium was associated with low diversity, although low phosphorus was associated with high diversity. The concentration ranges in the optimal stands most closely related to species richness are: <7 mg extractable P 100 g−1 (Truogs extraction) and 10–30 mg extractable K 100 g−1. These ranges are expected to be useful in evaluating soil nutrient status prior to habitat creation.

Gully erosion as a natural and human-induced hazard

The Author(s) 2015. This article is published with open access at Springerlink.com Gully erosion is an important environmental threat throughout the world and affects multiple soil and land functions. There is ample physical evidence of intense gully erosion occurring at various times in the past in different parts of the world. Gullies are one of the few sources of morphological evidence in the landscape of past phases of intense soil erosion, reflecting the impact of environmental change (especially due to interactions between geomorphological features, changes in land use and extreme climatic events). Gully erosion represents a major sediment source, although gully channels often occupy \5 % of the area of a catchment. The development of gullies increases run-off and sediment connectivity in the landscape, hence increasing the risk of flooding and reservoir sedimentation (Verstraeten and Poesen 1999; Poesen et al. 2003). Assessing interactions between environmental change and land degradation is a key issue for environmental scientists, land managers and policy-makers.

Erosion of arable soils in Britain

Changing perspectives on erosion problems on British arable soils are reviewed. Current agricultural practices are increasing the magnitude and extent of soil erosion in Britain and other parts of Europe. Current trends in soil erosion research are examined, in particular recent field survey developments and the potential value of radar‐satellite based monitoring of erosive weather systems. More attention should be devoted to assessing levels of erosion on British arable soils and to the implications of current erosion rates on the long‐term ability of soil to act as a medium for sustained crop yield. Proposed strategies for soil conservation include avoiding cultivation of steep slopes, increasing soil organic content, reducing soil compaction, investigating and remedying sub‐soil compaction, developing a mature crop cover before convective storms occur in early summer and reducing cultivations to a minimum.

Environmental and socio-economic contributions of palm-leaf geotextiles to sustainable development and soil conservation

Geotextiles are employed in civil engineering and construction applications to efficiently and economically conserve soil. Palm-leaf geotextiles offer considerable potential to contribute to sustainable development and soil conservation. Their use can promote sustainable and environmentally-friendly palm agriculture, labourintensive employment and earn hard currency. Ongoing field and laboratory research is investigating geotextile mats manufactured from palm-leaves to evaluate their long-term effectiveness in controlling soil erosion and assess their sustainability and economic viability. Palm-leaf geotextiles are novel and offer new bioengineering solutions to environmental problems. This is achieved through: (i) Promotion of sustainable and environmentally-friendly palm agriculture to discourage deforestation, promote both reforestation and agroforestry and offer a potential for commercial development. (ii) Construction of palm geotextiles to develop into a rural based labour-intensive industry, particularly encouraging employment of socially disadvantaged groups. In turn, this contributes to the stabilization of rural populations, thus decreasing migration to urban areas. (iii) Export of completed palm geotextiles to industrialized countries earns hard currency for rural developing economies, based on the principles of fair trade. (iv) Application of palm geotextiles are especially beneficial for complex engineering problems, as temporary application of geotextiles allows sufficient time for plant communities to stabilize engineered slopes. Investigations suggest palm geotextiles are an effective, cheap and economicallyviable soil conservation method, with tremendous potential. Palm geotextiles offer enormous multi-faceted environmental benefits, which include technologies for sustainable plant production, promoting sustainable use of indigenous plants, improved ecosystem management, decreasing deforestation, improved agroforestry and successful and cost-effective geotextile applications in diverse environments. Palm geotextiles improve socio-economic foundations for sustainable development and the benefits for developing countries include poverty alleviation, engagement of disadvantaged groups as stakeholders, employment for disadvantaged groups, SME (small and medium enterprise) development, earning hard currency, environmental education and local community involvement in reclamation and environmentalimprovement programmes.

Slope Processes, Mass Movement and Soil Erosion: A Review

Abstract Soil erosion and land degradation are global problems and pose major issues in many countries. Both soil erosion and mass movement are two forms of land degradation and humans play important roles in these geomorphological processes. This paper reviews slope processes associated with mass movement and soil erosion and contributory factors, including physical and human agents. Acting together, these cause diverse geomorphological features. Slope processes are illustrated by reference to case studies from Brazil and UK. The causes and impacts of erosion are discussed, along with appropriate remedial bioengineering methods and the potential of the measures to prevent these types of environmental degradation. Although there are several agents of erosion, water is the most important one. Cultivation can promote soil erosion, due to ploughing and harvesting, which moves soil down slopes. Soil erosion and mass movement data would inform the viability of soil conservation practices. Integrated management of drainage basins offers a promising way forward for effective soil conservation and soil remedial bioengineering in Brazil and UK.

Use of Farmers' Indicators to Evaluate the Sustainability of Cropping Systems on Sloping Land in Yunnan Province, China

Diversity in the biophysical and socio-economic attributes of agricultural systems makes them uniquely niche based. Farmers are expert in local biophysical and socio-economic situations and can contribute in developing pragmatic indicators of agro-environmental development. During evaluation of an agricultural research project in Yunnan, China, local farmers were capable of evaluating the efiects of modifled technologies on existing cropping systems and discussed their attitudes to the interventions using their own indicators. Farmers’ response can be grouped into seven major aspects: i) efiects on income, ii) efiects on production resources, iii) efiects on crop management, iv) existing local knowledge about the technology, v) availability of inputs, vi) access to information, and vii) socio-economic conditions of farming households. Farmers concluded that environmental conditions in the experimental catchment in comparison to an adjacent untreated catchment were better in terms of soil and water losses, vegetation cover and natural resources, infrastructures and catchment management, use of environmentally-friendly technologies, and crop productivity. Success in soil and water conservation programmes depends on the efiorts of the farmers and other local users and their greater involvement helps to identify more pragmatic indicators. Furthermore, it increases ownership of the programme, enhances interactions with the project scientists, increases farmers’ awareness of agro-environmental problems and their possible consequences. These development will enable scientists to develop better targeted interventions and increase the likelihood of adoption of tested technologies by local communities. The use of paired adjacent catchments improved evaluation activities and is proposed as good practice for future catchment improvement programmes.

A comparison of the effects of four arable crops on the fertility depletion of a sandy silt loam destined for grassland habitat creation

Species-rich grassland habitat creation depends on low soil fertility for success. However, past eutrophication of potential sites frequently requires fertility depletion before the establishment of species-rich swards. Therefore, this experiment investigated the effectiveness of four arable crops in depleting the fertility of a sandy silt loam. Barley, potatoes, maize and tobacco were grown for two full seasons without fertiliser and the changes in several soil parameters (total nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium; nitrate; extractable P and K; soil pH and loss-on-ignition) were compared. Bioassays using Lolium perenne as a test species were performed. There were major changes in available nutrients, with significant differences between treatments after two years. Barley depleted soil concentrations of nitrate, extractable phosphorus and bioassay yields significantly more than other treatments. Therefore, we believe that cereal growth over two years or more provides the best crop treatment for fertility depletion prior to habitat creation. Although no continuing decline in total nutrient pools was achieved, it is postulated that the removal of available soil nutrients immediately prior to seeding allows the establishment of a species-rich sward, which can be maintained subsequently by appropriate management.

Wind erosion of arable soils in east shropshire (England) during spring 1983

Abstract Severe blowing of light sandy soils in east Shropshire during spring 1983 was caused by a particular combination of hydrological, pedological, meteorological and agricultural factors. The characteristics of eroded topsoil demonstrated selective removal of finer-textured material. Deposition took two forms. Fine sand was deposited at field boundaries as small dune features, whereas very fine sand and silt were deposited further downwind as a veneer of dust. Analysis of the dust indicates that it is of high value for crop nutrition. Selective export of such high quality soil from sites of active plant growth is considered as detrimental for the soils ability to act as a medium for sustained crop yield.