Ebook: Modelling Soil Erosion by Water

TO THE MODEL EVALUATION 1. MODELLING SOIL EROSION BY WATER l 2 John Boardman and David Favis-Mortlock 1 School of Geography and Environmental Change Unit Mansfield Road University of Oxford Oxford OX1 3TB UK 2 Environmental Change Unit University of Oxford 5 South Parks Road Oxford OX1 3UB UK Introduction This volume is the Proceedings of the NATO Advanced Research Workshop 'Global Change: Modelling Soil Erosion by Water', which was held on II-14th September 1995, at the University of Oxford, UK. The meeting was also one of a series organised by the IGBP­ 1 GCTE Soil Erosion Network, which is a component of GCTE's Land Degradation Task (3.3.2) (Ingram et aI., 1996; Valentin, this volume). One aim of the GCTE Soil Erosion Network is to evaluate the suitability of existing soil erosion models for predicting the possible impacts of global change upon soil erosion. Due to the wide range of erosion models currently, in use or under development, it was decided to evaluate models in the following sequence Favis-Mortlock et al., 1996): • field-scale water erosion models • catchmenr-scale water erosion models • wind erosion models • models with a landscape-scale and larger focus. As part of this strategy, the first stage of the GCTE validation of field-scale erosion models was carried out at the Oxford NATO-ARW. I A list of Acronyms fonns Appendix A.

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This book compares existing soil erosion models and determines their suitability for predicting the impacts of global change upon soil erosion. The common datasets used for the evaluation are drawn from both temperate and semi-arid areas; they represent 73 site-years of data from seven sites in three countries. Six field-scale erosion models are evaluated; five of these are continuous-simulation types (GLEAMS, EPIC, CSEP, MEDRUSH and WEPP), the other is event-based (EUROSERM). After an introduction, the results of the model evaluation exercise are presented. Subsequent sections deal with weaknesses or omissions in current modelling approaches, descriptions of specific erosion models, and potential or actual model applications.

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This book compares existing soil erosion models and determines their suitability for predicting the impacts of global change upon soil erosion. The common datasets used for the evaluation are drawn from both temperate and semi-arid areas; they represent 73 site-years of data from seven sites in three countries. Six field-scale erosion models are evaluated; five of these are continuous-simulation types (GLEAMS, EPIC, CSEP, MEDRUSH and WEPP), the other is event-based (EUROSERM). After an introduction, the results of the model evaluation exercise are presented. Subsequent sections deal with weaknesses or omissions in current modelling approaches, descriptions of specific erosion models, and potential or actual model applications.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages I-VIII
Front Matter....Pages 1-1
Modelling Soil Erosion by Water....Pages 3-6
Towards an Improved Predictive Capability for Soil Erosion under Global Change....Pages 7-16
Modelling Soil Erosion in Real Landscapes: A Western European Perspective....Pages 17-29
Front Matter....Pages 31-31
Evaluation of Plot Runoff and Erosion Forecasts Using the CSEP and MEDRUSH Models....Pages 33-42
Evaluation of the Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) Model for Hillslopes....Pages 43-53
GLEAMS Model Evaluation — Hydrology and Erosion Components....Pages 55-63
EUROSEM: An Evaluation with Single Event Data from the C5 Watershed, Oklahoma, USA....Pages 65-74
Comparison of Simulated and Observed Runoff and Soil Loss on Three Small United States Watersheds....Pages 75-88
Validation of Field-Scale Soil Erosion Models Using Common Datasets....Pages 89-127
Front Matter....Pages 129-129
Predicting Runoff in Semiarid Woodlands: Evaluation of the WEPP Model....Pages 131-140
Evaluation of Field-Scale Erosion Models on the UK South Downs....Pages 141-157
Front Matter....Pages 159-159
Modelling Across Scales: The Medalus Family of Models....Pages 161-173
Problems Regarding the Use of Soil Erosion Models....Pages 175-189
Cross-Scale Aspects of EPA Erosion Studies....Pages 191-199
Scale Issues and a Scale Transfer Method for Erosion Modelling....Pages 201-212
Infiltration for Soil Erosion Models: Some Temporal and Spatial Complications....Pages 213-224
Saturation Overland Flow on Loess Soils in the Netherlands....Pages 225-235
Incorporating Crusting Processes in Erosion Models....Pages 237-246
The Role of Soil Aggregates in Soil Erosion Processes....Pages 247-257
Process-Based Approaches to Modelling Soil Erosion....Pages 259-270
Front Matter....Pages 159-159
Sensitivity of Sediment-Transport Equations to Errors in Hydraulic Models of Overland Flow....Pages 271-284
Gully Erosion: Importance and Model Implications....Pages 285-311
Field Data and Erosion Models....Pages 313-327
Effects of Agricultural Land Use on Spatial and Temporal Distribution of Soil Erosion in Small Catchments: Implications for Modelling....Pages 329-338
Sensitivity of the Model LISEM to Variables Related to Agriculture....Pages 339-349
Applying GIS to Catchment-Scale Soil Erosion Modelling....Pages 351-363
Snowmelt and Frozen Soils in Simulation Models....Pages 365-376
The Use of USLE Components in Models....Pages 377-386
Front Matter....Pages 387-387
The EUROSEM Model....Pages 389-398
Griffith University Erosion System Template (GUEST)....Pages 399-412
A Continuous Catchment-Scale Erosion Model....Pages 413-427
LISEM: A Physically-Based Hydrologic and Soil Erosion Catchment Model....Pages 429-440
APEX: A New Tool for Predicting the Effects of Climate and CO2 Changes on Erosion and Water Quality....Pages 441-449
A Dynamic Model of Gully Erosion....Pages 451-460
Alternative Approaches to Soil Erosion Prediction and Conservation Using Expert Systems and Neural Networks....Pages 461-477
Front Matter....Pages 479-479
Soil Erosion Modelling in Hungary....Pages 481-490
Definition and Mapping of Desertification Units in Mediterranean Areas under Rainfed Cereals....Pages 491-501
Hydrological and Erosion Processes in the Research Catchments of Vallcebre (Pyrenees)....Pages 503-511
Front Matter....Pages 513-513
Modelling Soil Erosion by Water: Some Conclusions....Pages 515-517
Back Matter....Pages 519-535

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This book compares existing soil erosion models and determines their suitability for predicting the impacts of global change upon soil erosion. The common datasets used for the evaluation are drawn from both temperate and semi-arid areas; they represent 73 site-years of data from seven sites in three countries. Six field-scale erosion models are evaluated; five of these are continuous-simulation types (GLEAMS, EPIC, CSEP, MEDRUSH and WEPP), the other is event-based (EUROSERM). After an introduction, the results of the model evaluation exercise are presented. Subsequent sections deal with weaknesses or omissions in current modelling approaches, descriptions of specific erosion models, and potential or actual model applications.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages I-VIII
Front Matter....Pages 1-1
Modelling Soil Erosion by Water....Pages 3-6
Towards an Improved Predictive Capability for Soil Erosion under Global Change....Pages 7-16
Modelling Soil Erosion in Real Landscapes: A Western European Perspective....Pages 17-29
Front Matter....Pages 31-31
Evaluation of Plot Runoff and Erosion Forecasts Using the CSEP and MEDRUSH Models....Pages 33-42
Evaluation of the Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) Model for Hillslopes....Pages 43-53
GLEAMS Model Evaluation — Hydrology and Erosion Components....Pages 55-63
EUROSEM: An Evaluation with Single Event Data from the C5 Watershed, Oklahoma, USA....Pages 65-74
Comparison of Simulated and Observed Runoff and Soil Loss on Three Small United States Watersheds....Pages 75-88
Validation of Field-Scale Soil Erosion Models Using Common Datasets....Pages 89-127
Front Matter....Pages 129-129
Predicting Runoff in Semiarid Woodlands: Evaluation of the WEPP Model....Pages 131-140
Evaluation of Field-Scale Erosion Models on the UK South Downs....Pages 141-157
Front Matter....Pages 159-159
Modelling Across Scales: The Medalus Family of Models....Pages 161-173
Problems Regarding the Use of Soil Erosion Models....Pages 175-189
Cross-Scale Aspects of EPA Erosion Studies....Pages 191-199
Scale Issues and a Scale Transfer Method for Erosion Modelling....Pages 201-212
Infiltration for Soil Erosion Models: Some Temporal and Spatial Complications....Pages 213-224
Saturation Overland Flow on Loess Soils in the Netherlands....Pages 225-235
Incorporating Crusting Processes in Erosion Models....Pages 237-246
The Role of Soil Aggregates in Soil Erosion Processes....Pages 247-257
Process-Based Approaches to Modelling Soil Erosion....Pages 259-270
Front Matter....Pages 159-159
Sensitivity of Sediment-Transport Equations to Errors in Hydraulic Models of Overland Flow....Pages 271-284
Gully Erosion: Importance and Model Implications....Pages 285-311
Field Data and Erosion Models....Pages 313-327
Effects of Agricultural Land Use on Spatial and Temporal Distribution of Soil Erosion in Small Catchments: Implications for Modelling....Pages 329-338
Sensitivity of the Model LISEM to Variables Related to Agriculture....Pages 339-349
Applying GIS to Catchment-Scale Soil Erosion Modelling....Pages 351-363
Snowmelt and Frozen Soils in Simulation Models....Pages 365-376
The Use of USLE Components in Models....Pages 377-386
Front Matter....Pages 387-387
The EUROSEM Model....Pages 389-398
Griffith University Erosion System Template (GUEST)....Pages 399-412
A Continuous Catchment-Scale Erosion Model....Pages 413-427
LISEM: A Physically-Based Hydrologic and Soil Erosion Catchment Model....Pages 429-440
APEX: A New Tool for Predicting the Effects of Climate and CO2 Changes on Erosion and Water Quality....Pages 441-449
A Dynamic Model of Gully Erosion....Pages 451-460
Alternative Approaches to Soil Erosion Prediction and Conservation Using Expert Systems and Neural Networks....Pages 461-477
Front Matter....Pages 479-479
Soil Erosion Modelling in Hungary....Pages 481-490
Definition and Mapping of Desertification Units in Mediterranean Areas under Rainfed Cereals....Pages 491-501
Hydrological and Erosion Processes in the Research Catchments of Vallcebre (Pyrenees)....Pages 503-511
Front Matter....Pages 513-513
Modelling Soil Erosion by Water: Some Conclusions....Pages 515-517
Back Matter....Pages 519-535
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