Crops are one of the main factors affecting soil erosion in sloping fields. To determine the characteristics of splash erosion under crop canopies, corn, soybean, millet, and winter wheat were collected, and the relationship among splash erosion, rainfall intensity, and throughfall intensity under different crop canopies was analyzed through artificial rainfall experiments. The results showed that, the mean splash detachment rate on the ground surface was 390.12 g/m2·h, which was lower by 67.81% than that on bare land. The inhibiting effects of crops on splash erosion increased as the crops grew, and the ability of the four crops to inhibit splash erosion was in the order of winter wheat>corn>soybeans>millet. An increase in rainfall intensity could significantly enhance the occurrence of splash erosion, but the ability of crops to inhibit splash erosion was 13% greater in cases of higher rainfall intensity. The throughfall intensity under crop canopies was positively related to the splash detachment rate, and this relationship was more significant when the rainfall intensity was 40 mm/h. Splash erosion tended to occur intensively in the central row of croplands as the crop grew, and the non-uniformity of splash erosion was substantial, with splash erosion occurring mainly between the rows and in the region directly under the leaf margin. This study has provided a theoretical basis for describing the erosion mechanisms of cropland and for assisting soil erosion prediction as well as irrigation and fertilizer management in cultivated fields.
State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on Loess Plateau, Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province, China;College of Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province, China;College of Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province, China;Institute of Desertification Control, Ningxia Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Science, Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China;State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on Loess Plateau, Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province, China;College of Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province, China
Recommended Citation:
Bo Ma,Xiaoling Yu,Fan Ma,et al. Effects of Crop Canopies on Rain Splash Detachment[J]. PLOS ONE,2014-01-01,9(7)