『Abstract
Erosion is a major threat to soil resources in Europe, and may
impair their ability to deliver a range of ecosystem goods and
services. This is reflected by the European Commission's Thematic
Strategy for Soil Protection, which recommends an indicator-based
approach for monitoring soil erosion. Defined baseline and threshold
values are essential for the evaluation of soil monitoring data.
Therefore, accurate spatial data on both soil loss and soil genesis
are required, especially in the light of predicted changes in
climate patterns, notably frequency, seasonal distribution and
intensity of precipitation. Rates of soil loss are reported that
have been measured, modelled or inferred for most types of soil
erosion in a variety of landscapes, by studies across the spectrum
of the Earth sciences. Natural rates of soil formation can be
used as a basis for setting tolerable soil erosion rates, with
soil formation consisting of mineral weathering as well as dust
deposition. This paper reviews the concept of tolerable soil erosion
and summarises current knowledge on rates of soil formation, which
are then compared to rates of soil erosion by known erosion types,
for assessment of soil erosion monitoring at the European scale.
A modified definition of tolerable soil erosion is proposed as
‘any actual soil erosion rate at which a deterioration or loss
of one or more soil functions does not occur,’ actual soil erosion
being ‘the total amount of soil lost by all recognised erosion
types.’ Even when including dust deposition in soil formation
rates, the upper limit of tolerable soil erosion, as equal to
soil formation, is ca. 1.4 t ha-1 yr-1 while
the lower limit is ca. 0.3 t ha-1 yr-1,
for conditions prevalent in Europe. Scope for spatio-temporal
differentiation of tolerable soil erosion rates below this upper
limit is suggested by considering (components of) relevant soil
functions. Reported rates of actual soil erosion vary much more
than those for soil formation. Actual soil erosion rates for tilled,
arable land in Europe are, on average, 3 to 40 times greater than
the upper limit of tolerable soil erosion, accepting substantial
spatio-temporal variation. This paper comprehensively reviews
tolerable and actual soil erosion in Europe and highlights the
scientific areas where more research is needed for successful
implementation of an effective European soil monitoring system.
Keywords: erosion tolerance; soil formation; climate change; soil
protection; monitoring; dust deposition』
Contents
1. Introduction
1.1. General
1.2. Scale
1.3. Consequences, mitigation, costs and monitoring
2. Tolerable soil erosion rates
2.1. Concept
2.2. Current evidence for soil formation rates
2.2.1. Soil formation rates by weathering
2.2.2. Soil formation rates by dust deposition
2.2.3. Overall soil formation rates
2.2.4. Tolerable rates of soil erosion in Europe
3. Actual soil erosion rates
3.1. Soil erosion types
3.1.1. Soil loss by water erosion
3.1.2. Soil loss by wind erosion
3.1.3. Soil loss by tillage erosion
3.1.4. Soil loss by crop harvesting
3.1.5. Soil loss by slope engineering
3.2. Current evidence for actual soil erosion rates
3.2.1. Rates of soil loss by water (sheet, rill and gully) erosion
3.2.2. Rates of soil loss by wind erosion
3.2.3. Rates of soil loss by tillage erosion
3.2.4. Rates of soil loss by crop harvesting
3.2.5. Rates of soil loss by slope engineering
3.2.6. Overall soil erosion rates
3.2.7. Soil erosion rates for Europe
4. Summary and conclusions
Acknowledgements
References