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Analysis of Erodibility of Two Tropical Soils Using a Process Model
Author(s) -
Lo A.,
ElSwaify S. A.,
Rose C. W.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
soil science society of america journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.836
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1435-0661
pISSN - 0361-5995
DOI - 10.2136/sssaj1988.03615995005200030033x
Subject(s) - surface runoff , environmental science , erosion , hydrology (agriculture) , soil water , universal soil loss equation , entrainment (biomusicology) , sediment , deposition (geology) , sedimentation , soil science , soil loss , geology , geotechnical engineering , geomorphology , ecology , philosophy , rhythm , biology , aesthetics
Field‐scale runoff and sediment data obtained by rainfall simulation are conventionally analyzed to derive empirical erodibility such as the K ‐factor in the universal soil loss equation (USLE). In this study such data were obtained under standardized rainstorms on two highly weathered tropical soils from Hawaii (Typic Torrox and Hydric Dystrandept). In addition, a simplified version of a physicallybased model which embodies the processes of rainfall detachment, runoff detachment (entrainment) and deposition (sedimentation) was used to analyze the same data set. Higher USLE erodibility values corresponded well with higher values for the entrainment efficiency of overland flow. It was concluded that this process‐based model can complement the empirical USLE to provide a transferable quantitative understanding of soil susceptibility to erosion.