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Agronomy
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Landscape Management Impacts on Soil Erosion Processes, Soil Quality and...
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Landscape Management Impacts on Soil Erosion Processes, Soil Quality and Water Regime Improvement

A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Soil and Plant Nutrition".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (28 February 2023) | Viewed by 8019

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Bořivoj Šarapatka

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Guest Editor
Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Palacký University in Olomouc, Czech Republic
Interests: soil quality; soil degradation; erosion; agroecology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Miroslav Dumbrovský

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Guest Editor
Department of Landscape Water Management, Brno University of Technology, Brno, Czech Republic
Interests: soil erosion; land consolidation; soil degradation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Jana Podhrázská

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Guest Editor
Department of Applied and Landscape Ecology, Mendel University Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
Interests: soil erosion; landscape planning; rural development
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Soil is an integral part of the landscape and ecosystems, including agroecosystems. It is a basic natural resource fulfilling a productive role, as well as other functions relating to ecosystem services. The rapid growth in the world’s population in recent times has contributed to an increasing area of land being used for food production. Globally, about 40% of the land surface is devoted to arable production in combination with grassland. Increased pressure on land to steadily increase production for a growing population (more than 9.5 billion people by 2050) is leading to ever-increasing degradation. We conclude that the majority of soil resources, which enable more than 95% of global food production, are not in good condition and are degraded to some degree. Erosion is one of the main soil threats among these degrading effects. It is accelerated by many human activities, including changes in land-use and intensive agriculture. Soil quality and productivity are negatively affected. The result is a situation where the rate of soil erosion is much higher than the rate of soil formation, and current conservational agricultural practices do not sufficiently solve this problem. These erosion processes also have off-site effects related to the threat to water resources and urban areas of municipalities, which must also be addressed. The low water retention capacity in the landscape and the damage caused by run-off are also a problem. Climate change may also lead to a further increase in global water erosion and changes in the landscape's water management. We see similar problems with other degradation effects. The main goal of this Special Issue is to show, in both current and historical context, the impact of land management on degradation and especially soil erosion processes, taking into account the productive function of the soil and also its non-productive functions, for example, concerning water retention capacity, run-off or biodiversity protection. Contributions are welcome that range from local studies to global perspectives on this issue.

Prof. Dr. Bořivoj Šarapatka
Prof. Dr. Miroslav Dumbrovský
Dr. Jana Podhrázská
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Agronomy is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • land management
  • soil degradation
  • erosion
  • soil properties
  • water regime improvement, run-off, modelling
  • GIS

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 2538 KiB  
Article
Characteristics of Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) Loss with Water Erosion in Sloping Farmland of Southwestern China during Maize (Zea mays L.) Growth Stages
by Zhouyao He, Hang Xu, Shuqin He, Xinlan Liang, Zicheng Zheng, Ziteng Luo, Yong Wang, Yunqi Zhang and Bo Tan
Agronomy 2023, 13(3), 738; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13030738 - 01 Mar 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1219
Abstract
Due to frequent human disturbance and the influence of crop growth and development, the migration of soil organic carbon (SOC) in sloping farmland is considerably different to those in other ecosystems. The impacts of maize over its entire growth period on the SOC [...] Read more.
Due to frequent human disturbance and the influence of crop growth and development, the migration of soil organic carbon (SOC) in sloping farmland is considerably different to those in other ecosystems. The impacts of maize over its entire growth period on the SOC loss in sloping farmland on purple soils under different erosion stages were investigated, in 2016. This was undertaken using rainfall simulation tests on 15° slopes with a rainfall intensity of 1.5 mm·min−1, in Sichuan Province, China. In this study, erosion development, fluctuating increasing trends in the surface runoff yield, interflow runoff yield, sediment yield, and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) migration flux were observed. Opposite trends were observed in the DOC mass concentration, total soil organic carbon (TOC) content of the sediment, the SOC content of sediment particle state, the DOC content of the sediment, and the SOC enrichment ratio. The DOC migration flux in the surface runoff and in interflow of the rill erosion stage was 1.39–2.84, 3.22–7.78 times significantly higher than that of the sheet erosion stage at each maize growth stage, respectively (p < 0.05). The average DOC mass concentration in the surface runoff, the total DOC content of the sediment, and the SOC enrichment ratio in the sheet erosion stage increased by 100.58–146.44%, 44.44–126.15%, 141.32–191.26%, respectively, compared with the rill erosion stage. Under the experimental conditions, we found that DOC loss mainly occurred at the seedling and mature stages for maize. We also found that maize growth could promote the production of soil interflow, leading to intense soil loss occurring at the subsurface. Compared with DOC mass concentrations in the surface runoff, there was an increase of 4.90–28.29% in the soil interflow, indicating that soil interflow plays a more important role in DOC loss. The growth of maize could impact formation of surface runoff and interflow, reducing the loss of SOC caused by soil erosion. This study helps to understand the carbon loss process in agricultural production in purple soil areas. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Landscape Management Impacts on Soil Erosion Processes, Soil Quality and Water Regime Improvement)
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16 pages, 8488 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of Monitored Erosion Events in the Context of Characteristics of Source Areas in Czech Conditions
by Michal Gebhart, Miroslav Dumbrovský, Bořivoj Šarapatka, Karel Drbal, Marek Bednář, Jiří Kapička, František Pavlík, Blanka Kottová, Vojtěch Zástěra and Zlatica Muchová
Agronomy 2023, 13(1), 256; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13010256 - 14 Jan 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1549
Abstract
Since the year 2012, nationwide monitoring of erosion on agricultural land has been carried out in the Czech Republic with more than 2,300 cases of erosion events recorded so far. The evaluation of the relationships between the actual manifestation of erosion and the [...] Read more.
Since the year 2012, nationwide monitoring of erosion on agricultural land has been carried out in the Czech Republic with more than 2,300 cases of erosion events recorded so far. The evaluation of the relationships between the actual manifestation of erosion and the characteristics of the 5600 erosion enclosed areas (EEAs), on which surface runoff develops after erosion-forming rainfall, are presented in this contribution. Most frequently grown crops during an erosion event include maize (49.8% of cases), rapeseed (13.7%), potatoes (8.1%) and sugar beets (2.1%). The distributions of affected erosion enclosed areas (EEAs) in terms of shares of soils with low susceptibility and medium susceptibility to compaction, drainage systems and contributing areas of critical points are bimodal; the low percentage (<10%) being more prominent than the high one (>90%). The percentage of hydrologic soil group B in EEA has the high share dominant over the low one. Unsurprisingly, erosion events have been recorded predominantly in EEAs with low forest cover and on arable land (share >90%). The distribution of EEAs across altitudes corresponds with the relief of the country. Obtained results will be used to validate the implementation of erosion-monitoring systems and for the adaptation of soil erosion prevention and mitigation measures in the sustainable land use policy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Landscape Management Impacts on Soil Erosion Processes, Soil Quality and Water Regime Improvement)
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11 pages, 7425 KiB  
Article
The Effects of Long-Acting Water Erosion on the Hydro-Pedological Characteristics of Chernozems
by Jana Podhrazska, Josef Kucera, Jan Szturc, Martin Blecha, Petr Karasek, Igor Pelisek and Jana Konecna
Agronomy 2022, 12(10), 2574; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12102574 - 20 Oct 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1354
Abstract
In sloped and intensively managed land, the soil characteristics are influenced mainly by water erosion intensity. In the present study, we evaluate the characteristics of Chernozems damaged by long-acting water erosion, particularly their retention and infiltration properties and possible impacts on soil fertility. [...] Read more.
In sloped and intensively managed land, the soil characteristics are influenced mainly by water erosion intensity. In the present study, we evaluate the characteristics of Chernozems damaged by long-acting water erosion, particularly their retention and infiltration properties and possible impacts on soil fertility. Using infiltration experiments and a collection of intact samples, we performed analyses of the physical soil properties in individual transects. Our results confirm the lower infiltration capacity of deteriorated soil in the accumulation slope parts, which corresponded with the analyses of soil samples. The reduced bulk density in the accumulation slope parts exceeded 1.5 g·cm−3, indicating unsatisfactory (non-structured) soil conditions. In the transportation and eluvial slope zones, porosity values reached satisfactory numbers only at a depth of 10 cm. The median values of aeration showed a similar trend, but we recorded a higher value fluctuation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Landscape Management Impacts on Soil Erosion Processes, Soil Quality and Water Regime Improvement)
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16 pages, 3283 KiB  
Article
Temporal Impact of Mulch Treatments (Pinus halepensis Mill. and Olea europaea L.) on Soil Properties after Wildfire Disturbance in Mediterranean Croatia
by Domina Delač, Ivica Kisić and Paulo Pereira
Agronomy 2022, 12(10), 2484; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12102484 - 12 Oct 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1481
Abstract
On 28 July 2019, in the hinterland of Šibenik City, 900 ha were affected by wildfire of moderate to high severity. This study aims to evaluate the effects of two mulch treatments—needles of Pinus halepensis Mill. (PM) and leaves of Olea europaea L. [...] Read more.
On 28 July 2019, in the hinterland of Šibenik City, 900 ha were affected by wildfire of moderate to high severity. This study aims to evaluate the effects of two mulch treatments—needles of Pinus halepensis Mill. (PM) and leaves of Olea europaea L. (OM), as compared to an unmulched control (UM)—on soil quality. The study was conducted over 15 months, and soil samples were collected every 3 months. The studied soil properties were soil water repellence (SWR; composite, 1–2, 0.5–1, 0.5–0.25, <0.25 mm), soil hydraulic conductivity (SHC), mean weight diameter (MWD), water stability of aggregates (WSA), soil pH and electrical conductivity (EC), soil organic matter (SOM), total sulphur (TS), total carbon (TC), total nitrogen (TN), extractable phosphorus (P2O5), and available potassium (K2O). Six principal component analyses (PCA) were applied to observe the temporal dynamics of the soil properties studied for each sampling date. Mulching increased the aggregate stability (MWD and WSA) and improved SHC. SWR was only indicated on the first sampling date. Soil pH and EC showed high variability due to natural soil processes and vegetation regrowth. PM showed higher efficiency in increasing the TS, TC, and SOM, while OM increased soil P2O5 and K2O. Both mulch treatments increased the soil nutrient content, but the effect was variable due to the different chemical compositions of the material. Using native mulch is recommended because it improves soil quality. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Landscape Management Impacts on Soil Erosion Processes, Soil Quality and Water Regime Improvement)
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17 pages, 9230 KiB  
Article
Mitigation of Flood Risks with the Aid of the Critical Points Method
by Karel Drbal, Miroslav Dumbrovský, Zlatica Muchová, Veronika Sobotková, Pavla Štěpánková and Bořivoj Šarapatka
Agronomy 2022, 12(6), 1300; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12061300 - 29 May 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1761
Abstract
Concentrated surface run-off caused by torrential rain leads to the transport of sediments from soil erosion processes within catchment areas of critical points, which represents a basic component of flood risks. Clear identification of such critical points offers a basis for a suitable [...] Read more.
Concentrated surface run-off caused by torrential rain leads to the transport of sediments from soil erosion processes within catchment areas of critical points, which represents a basic component of flood risks. Clear identification of such critical points offers a basis for a suitable new strategy of threat mitigation, via both organizational and structural measures in catchment areas. Critical points are determined in places where generated paths of concentrated surface run-off cross given boundaries of built-up areas. The threshold values for the catchment area of a critical point were derived on the basis of hydrological calculations, field research, and the evaluation of hundreds of specific manifestations of damage in built-up areas for particular critical profiles. The characteristics were determined as follows: contributing area between 0.3 and 10 km2, average slope more than 3.5%, and percentage of arable land more than 40%. Indicator F was determined for the distribution of the territory of the Czech Republic according to the risk of flooding. Knowledge of the existence of critical points enables the implementation of preventive measures, the evaluation of flood risk associated with the transport of sediment due to erosion processes, and the improvement of management measures in respective catchment areas, even before an event occurs. The proposed procedure outputs shall be reflected in spatial planning documentation, land consolidation, and catchment area management plans. Incorporation of critical points into open-access public web-maps can help with assessing the semi-quantitative expression of risk to built-up areas arising from the threat of local flooding. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Landscape Management Impacts on Soil Erosion Processes, Soil Quality and Water Regime Improvement)
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