K, the soil erodibility factor, is the soil loss rate per rainfall erosion index unit for the specified soil under unit plot conditions. It will assess road layout and provide guidance on practices to correct any erosion or hydrologic impacts. Soil erosion and transport processes in forest watersheds are poorly understood dissmeyer and foster, 1980. Managing forests to 235control soil erosion managing.
Value inputs for the rusle2 model were based on climate, soil, topography, and land use within varying regions of the project area. Forest practices soil erosion in forests generally follows a disturbance, such as road construction, logging operations, or fire. Pdf impacts of forest restoration on soil erosion in the three. Forest managers have a responsibility to ensure that soil erosion and the release of sediments into catchments are minimised through continued improvement of forest management practices. Agroforestry for soil conservation world agroforestry. The main impacts of forest management operations on forest soils are. Shabestar, iran 45 international journal of forest, soil and erosion ijfse, 2012 2 1. International journal of forest, soil and erosion ijfse, ghb journal, editor department, department member.
A field method for soil erosion measurements in agricultural. The focus of the manual is on water and soil quality rather than wildlife or other broader ecological concerns. Soil productivity and sustainable forest management soil plays an important role in forest growth and management. This file was created by scanning the printed publication. C, the cover and management factor, is the ratio of soil loss from an area. Erosion and runoff control erosion and runoff control north carolina forestry bmp quick reference field guide ways to prevent erosion and sedimentation. In barren areas, wind erosion is the main cause of soil degradation and in windy areas, trees are an effective factor in soil stabilization. Upland forests were cleared and fifty years later, a quarter of the colonys land was under coffee.
Leblanc, university of california cooperative extension the forest you currently see on your property is the way it is because of a combination of factors that shaped it as it was growing. Pdf depletion of forest cover and its impact on soil. Soil erosion has been an environmental concern in such countries as china and those bordering the mediterranean sea for millennia. Rainfall causes splash erosion of exposed soil, and flowing water may cause sheet, rill, and gully erosion. Managing forests to control soil erosion many of our forests are traversed by roads and have been cut over and logged several times. The surface soil that can be used by humans is not more than a few centimetres, so its preservation is vital. A forestland is a nonagricultural land with at least 10% of tree cover fao, 2000. Forest soils have been studied by many generations of soil scientists.
Department of agriculture, forest service, pacific northwest research station. Controlling soil erosion during logging activities by reducing the impact of logging and combining ecologically based vegetation structure design is an effective way to control runoff and soil erosion. Soil erosion in an undisturbed forest is extremely low, generally under 1 t ha1 yr1. The effects of forest management on erosion and soil. As the human population increases, the demand on the land also increases. After a wildfire, runoff and erosion can increase dramatically, often times by several orders of magnitude over prefire conditions leading to extreme flooding, erosion, and sediment. Erosion reduces the waterholding capacity because of rapid water runoff, and reduces. Pierson is a research soil scientist with the usdaagricultural research service at the northwest watershed research center in boise, idaho. International journal of forest, soil and erosion ijfse. In this context, the global forest area is estimated at 4 billion ha or about 30%. Soil carbon and nitrogen erosion in forested catchments.
For each topic, detailed information is provided regarding the types of data collected by fia, the monitoring questions that these measurements were designed to address, and the importance of these measurements to the assessment of forest health. Forest restoration in dryland areas is vital for soil protection. The energy derived from falling or flowing water and gravity dominates erosion processes in pacific northwest forests. Furthermore, the prevention of soil degradation is also limited by the scarcity of data. Soil erosion is the global soil degradation problem that causes significant environmental and socioeconomic problems eswaran et al. Some studies have been focused mainly on ecologic characteristics, for example on surface organic layers in forests in denmark, which introduced the terms mor and mull. Large areas of woodland are heavily grazed, and many acres of forest land have been burned repeatedly. Plant trees on barren lands to limit erosion of soil. It will also address rehabilitation for any water resource concerns such as diverted streams or intermittent flows. Managing forests to 235control soil erosion managing forests. Surface erosion is the result of water running across the soil surface.
Loss of soil vegetative cover is especially widespread in developing countries. Human activities too are responsible for soil erosion to a great extent. Disturbances, however, can dramatically increase soil erosion to levels exceeding 100 mg ha. Pdf the effects of forest management on erosion and soil. Disturbances, however, can dramatically increase soil erosion to levels exceeding 100 t ha1 yr1. Water erosion in soils under eucalyptus forest as affected by. Ground cover by forest litter, duff and organic material is the most important component of the forest environment for protecting the mineral soil from erosion and provides most of the. Watershed based management plan for honouliuli watershed. The revised universal soil loss equation version 2. The main morphometric parameters of ravines were analyzed in each studied ep as follows. Ground cover by forest litter, duff and organic material is the most important component of the forest environment for protecting the mineral soil from erosion. Studies forestry, natural sciences, and soil science. Following are some of the methods of soil erosion prevention. Original research impact of forest road construction on.
The system of plantation monoculture and cleancultivation between rows of coffee, indigo, tobacco, and sugarcane exhausted soil nutrients and led to rapid erosion paskett and philoctete, 1990. The measurements, related to forest structural traits, focusing on canopy cover and biomass, and also on management approaches and forest types, are compared with rates of soil erosion provided by. Soil erosion, ground cover, slopes, surface runoff, conservation. Trees help the land retain water and topsoil and without forests, the soil erodes and washes awayogging and smallscale removal of trees exposes soil to rain splash loosening and. When a harvest is planned on private property, it is necessary to go to the local soil conservation district to obtain the plan and receive approval. When a harvest is planned on private property, it is necessary to go to the local soil conservation district to. Annotated bibliography on soil erosion and erosion control in subarctic and highlatitude regions of north america. Concerning the soil loss, this work points to the need of improving soil conservation practices to prevent soil erosion at the earlier stages of eucalyptus plantation.
Soil erosion is a phenomenon that has existed throughout geological time, but lately human activities have accelerated it. Though mechanical and cultural methods are available for erosion control, current. Ghbs journals publish all aspects in the original research of agriculture. The mechanics of erosion for erosion to occur two things must happen. Trees and their roots provide the soil with an anchor, as well as shelter from the wind and rain. Agroforestry systems that provide permanent tree cover can be valuable forest and landscape restoration options, especially in initiatives in which neither natural forest. Soil erosion, sedimentation and turbidity are natural processes.
The impact of timber harvest on soil and water resources. Soil erosion in india is widespread and a serious threat to survival and wellbeing. Maintaining soil productivity is critical to sustainable. Reduction of soil erosion on forest roads usda forest service. The influence of some forest operations on the sustainable. Study of soil watererosion intensity and vegetation cover of. Forest soll and water protection forestry corporation. Assessing soil erosion although soil erosion has been taking place very slowly in natural ecosystems throughout geologic time, its cumulative impacts on soil quality over billions of years has been signi. Soil erosion occurs when soil is removed through the action of wind and water at a greater rate than it is formed soil the soil covering the surface of the earth has taken millions of years to form and we must learn to respect it. It occurs in forest lands, arid and semi arid lands, agricultural lands.
Forest erosion processes forest disturbances such as forestry operations and wildfire have major effects on both the vege tation and the soil properties. Destruction of forest can cause a habitat loss b floods and droughts c soil erosion and degradation d all of the above ans. Conservation of natural forest ecosystems will require a land ethic as prelude to understanding the functioning of forest ecosystems, ecological and physiological. His research focuses on rangeland hydrology and erosion. Study of soil watererosion intensity and vegetation cover. Add mulch and rocks to prevent the plants and grass underneath to prevent soil erosion. It continues at slow rate in natural forests, but soil disturbances by several operations promote erosion in forest plantations. International journal of forest, soil and erosion ijfse, 2012 2 1. L and s are the slope length and steepness factors in relation to the conditions on a unit plot. Accelerated erosion is usually caused by a manmade disturbance and it is this type of erosion that should be controlled.
Soil erosion and deforestation are the main forms of land degradation responsible for the decline in land productivity in turn reducing income of farm households in ethiopia. In this view, soil erosion has severely threatened the productivity of fertile cropping areas as they are continually degraded. Climate change, in particular, is expected to impact on forest biodiversity and the ability of forests to provide soil and water protection, habitat for species and other. These disturbances include natural events such as wildfires and mass movements and humaninduced. Forest soils, where soil formation has been influenced by forest vegetation, are generally characterized by deeply rooted trees, significant litter layers or o horizons, recycling of organic matter and nutrients, including wood, and wide varieties of soil dwelling organisms figure 1. Erosion is the product of complex interactions among geomorphic processes, climate, vegetation, soils, and landforms. Reducing erosion from forest roads and skid trails by management. The most important forest shaping factors are soil, climate, and human actions.
The lack of soil erosion field data is a major factor hindering our ability to predict soil erosion in a. In undisturbed forests, erosion is generally due to epochal events associated with fire cycles, land slides, and geologic gully incision. Rocky mountain research station home us forest service. This annotated bibliography emphasizes the physical processes of upland soil ero.
In the highly porous soils of oregons forest land, this form of erosion is not common unless the soil surface is severely disturbed or unless the soil reservoir is filled to capacity rills, small channels, or gullies are evidence of this type of erosion. Effects of forest land use on erosion and slope stability scholarspace. Evaluation of forest conversion effects on soil erosion, soil. Direct runoff, intensive line planting, loggedover forest, peak discharge, selective logging, soil erosion, virgin forest. Sunyesf professor russ briggs for 345 lecture on soil erosion. Our study catchments are located in the southern sierra nevada, at two. In total 60 soil samples in both forest and open area were collected from topsoil 020 cm of a cut slope, fill slope, and control points along with a forest road route. Soil erosion eats away the top soil which is the fertile layer of the land and also the component that supports the soil s essential microorganisms and organic matter.
This natural process is caused by the dynamic activity of erosive agents, that is, water, ice glaciers, snow, air wind, plants, animals, and humans. To determine the major causes of soil erosion and deforestation through interviews with both farmers and experts, as well as through. The sustainable forestry initiative sfi and the forest stewardship council fsc. Soil and water are the foundation for all other forest resources. Studies have been conducted to understand the relationships between forest disturbances and slope stability and erosion, including soil mechanics of slopes and. Modeling of soil erosion and its implication to forest management.
The soil properties were determined in the laboratory and the soil loss. This plan lists the general sediment control requirements for each harvest and may be obtained at any soil conservation district office. Soil erosion in an undisturbed forest is extremely low, generally under 1 mg ha. Soil erosion, especially by water, is a critical environmental problem throughout the worlds forest ecosystems. The effects of forest management on erosion and soil productivity. Soil erosion is the displacement of the upper layer of soil. Pdf vegetation recovery is a promising strategy to mitigate soil loss risk across different landscapes and human disturbance levels. Disperse surface flow of runoff dont let it funnel or concentrate. The state of soil in europe european soil data centre europa eu. It provides moisture and nutrients for tree growth, serves as a medium for root growth, and physically supports the equipment used in harvesting, yarding and other operations.
Soil erosion in forests generally follows a disturbance, such as road construction, logging operations, or fire. Forests climate change, biodiversity and land degradation. Mans influence on this process can come from several sources. In the united states, there are two primary forest certification systems. Wildfires change soil characteristics and vegetative cover resulting in profound changes to hillslope and channel erosion and sedimentation processes. Soil erosion is one of the most important watershed processes in nature, yet quantifying it under field conditions remains a challenge. E666a maintaining and improving forest soil quality. The extensive removal of forests for crops and pastures is followed by extensive soil erosion. There are also soils now covered with forest vegetation, often plantations, on lands that were not. Roads are necessary in the use and management of forests and rangclands. For example, forest soil disturbance is often patchy and discontinuous, so the erosion and deposition processes are more complex compared to agricultural lands.
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