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Enrichment of Organic Carbon in Sediment Transport by Interrill and Rill Erosion Processes
Author(s) -
Schiettecatte W.,
Gabriels D.,
Cornelis W. M.,
Hofman G.
Publication year - 2008
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/sssaj2007.0201
Subject(s) - rill , erosion , loam , sediment , flume , hydrology (agriculture) , environmental science , soil science , total organic carbon , silt , soil water , geology , environmental chemistry , chemistry , geomorphology , geotechnical engineering , psychology , breakup , psychoanalysis
Erosion and loss of organic carbon (OC) result in degradation of the soil surface. Rill and interrill erosion processes on a silt loam soil were examined in laboratory rainfall and flume experiments. These experiments showed that rill and interrill erosion processes have contrasting impacts on enrichment of OC in transported sediment. Rill erosion was found to be nonselective, while for interrill erosion the enrichment ratio of OC, ER OC , varied between 0.9 and 2.6 and was inversely related to the unit sediment discharge. At unit sediment discharge values >0.0017 kg s −1 m −1 , the ER OC remained equal to 1. The enrichment process was not influenced by raindrop impact. Enrichment of OC by “aggregate stripping” was found to be unimportant in our study. This was attributed to the low aggregate stability of the soil and the equal distribution of OC within the different soil aggregate classes.