Die Bodenkultur - Journal for Land Management, Food and Environment

J. Bug and T. Mosimann:

Rill erosion in Lower Saxony – results of an 11-year survey on the expansion, small-scale distribution and cause of soil erosion

Summary

Since 2000, for more than 11 years, the project “Long-term monitoring of erosion in Lower Saxony” has measured linear erosion. The rate of soil erosion, spatial distribution and the specific factors of linear erosion were documented. Rill erosion shows high spatial and temporal variability. One of the most important causes for temporal variability is the interaction between crops, soil cover and precipitation. The rate of linear soil erosion is higher in winter than in summer. A locally differentiated analysis shows that spatial variability within plots is mostly due to slope form and steepness and direction of tillage. This article presents the results of the 11-year study in detail and describes the implications for modeling and practice. Key words: Soil erosion, erosion damage mapping, long-term monitoring, rill erosion.