Soil erodibility and its prediction in semi-arid regions

Ostovari, Yaser; Ghorbani-Dashtaki, Shoja; Kumar, Lalit; Shabani, Farzin

doi:10.1080/03650340.2019.1575509

Author(s)

Ostovari, Yaser

Ghorbani-Dashtaki, Shoja

Kumar, Lalit

Shabani, Farzin

Publication Date

2019-02-15

Abstract

Pedotransfer functions (PTFs) have been used to save time and cost in predicting certain soil properties, such as soil erodibility (K-factor). The main objectives of this study were to develop appropriate PTFs to predict the K-factor, and then compare new PTFs with Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) and the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) K-factor models. The K-factor was measured using 40 erosion plots under natural rainfall in Simakan Watershed, an area of 350 km2 in central of Iran. The Regression Tree (RT) and Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) were used to develop PTFs for predicting the K-factor. The result showed that the mean of measured K was 0.01 t h MJ−1 mm−1. The mean K value predicted by USLE and RUSLE was 2.08 and 2.84 times more than the measured K, respectively. Although calcium carbonate was not considered in the original USLE and RUSLE K-factors, it appeared in the advanced PTFs due to its strong positive significant impact on aggregate stability and soil infiltration rate, resulting in decreased K-factor. The results also showed that the RT with R2 = 0.84 had higher performance than developed MLR, USLE and RUSLE for the K estimation.

Citation

Archives of Agronomy and Soil Science, 65(12), p. 1688-1703

ISSN

1476-3567

0365-0340

Link

https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/29987

Language

en

Publisher

Taylor & Francis

Title

Soil erodibility and its prediction in semi-arid regions

Type of document

Journal Article

Entity Type

Publication

Author(s)	Ostovari, Yaser Ghorbani-Dashtaki, Shoja Kumar, Lalit Shabani, Farzin
Publication Date	2019-02-15
Abstract	Pedotransfer functions (PTFs) have been used to save time and cost in predicting certain soil properties, such as soil erodibility (<i>K</i>-factor). The main objectives of this study were to develop appropriate PTFs to predict the <i>K</i>-factor, and then compare new PTFs with Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) and the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) <i>K</i>-factor models. The <i>K</i>-factor was measured using 40 erosion plots under natural rainfall in Simakan Watershed, an area of 350 km<sup>2</sup> in central of Iran. The Regression Tree (RT) and Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) were used to develop PTFs for predicting the <i>K</i>-factor. The result showed that the mean of measured <i>K</i> was 0.01 t h MJ<sup>−1</sup> mm<sup>−1</sup>. The mean <i>K</i> value predicted by USLE and RUSLE was 2.08 and 2.84 times more than the measured <i>K</i>, respectively. Although calcium carbonate was not considered in the original USLE and RUSLE <i>K</i>-factors, it appeared in the advanced PTFs due to its strong positive significant impact on aggregate stability and soil infiltration rate, resulting in decreased <i>K</i>-factor. The results also showed that the RT with R<sup>2</sup> = 0.84 had higher performance than developed MLR, USLE and RUSLE for the <i>K</i> estimation.
Citation	Archives of Agronomy and Soil Science, 65(12), p. 1688-1703
ISSN	1476-3567 0365-0340
Link	https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/29987
Language	en
Publisher	Taylor & Francis
Title	Soil erodibility and its prediction in semi-arid regions
Type of document	Journal Article
Entity Type	Publication

Soil erodibility and its prediction in semi-arid regions

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