Utilizing of magnetic parameters for evaluation of soil erosion rates on two different agricultural sites

Abstract:

Field measurements of magnetic susceptibility were carried out on regular grid, resulting in 101 data points at Brumovice and 65 at Vidim locality. Mass specific magnetic susceptibility χ and its frequency dependence χ_FD was used to estimate the significance of SP ferrimagnetic particles of pedogenic origin in topsoil horizons. The lowest magnetic susceptibility was obtained on the steep valley sides. Here the original topsoil was eroded and mixed by tillage with the soil substrate (loess). Soil profiles unaffected by erosion were investigated in detail. The vertical distribution of magnetic susceptibility along these “virgin” profiles was measured in laboratory on samples collected with 2-cm spacing. The differences between the distribution of susceptibility in the undisturbed soil profiles and the magnetic signal after uniform mixing of the soil material as a result of erosion and tillage are fundamental for the estimation of soil loss in the studied test fields. Maximum cumulative soil erosion depth in Brumovice and Vidim is around 100 cm and 50 cm respectively. The magnetic method is suitable for mapping at the chernozem localities and measurement of soil magnetic susceptibility is in this case useful and fast technique for quantitative estimation of soil loss caused by erosion. However, it is less suitable (due to lower magnetic differentiation with depth) in areas with luvisol as dominant soil unit. Acknowledgement: This study was supported by NAZV Agency of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Czech Republic through grant No QJ1230319.