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Variations of soil hydraulic properties along granitic slopes in Benggang erosion areas

  • Soils, Sec 5 • Soil and Landscape Ecology • Research Article
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Abstract

Purpose

As soil hydraulic characteristics, including near-saturated hydraulic conductivity and water retention, influence slope stability and erosion development, this study aimed at the spatial distribution patterns of hydraulic properties along the Benggang slopes for a better understanding of the development mechanisms of Benggang erosion in southern China.

Materials and methods

Near-saturated hydraulic conductivity and soil water retention at different slope positions in two typical Benggang erosional areas were determined by the in situ infiltration test using tension disk infiltrometer and laboratory test using the high-speed freezing centrifuge method.

Results and discussion

The soil hydraulic conductivity, effective macropore, and pore size parameter, Gardner α, in lower slopes were greater than those in upper and middle slopes. From upper to lower slope, the total water flow showed an increasing trend in pores > 1 mm in diameter, in contrast to a decrease in pores between > 0.33 mm and < 0.5 mm in diameter, and < 0.33 mm in diameter. The effective macroporosity values in measured soils were statistically greater (p < 0.05) in the lower slope than in the upper or middle slope. Meanwhile, the soil water retention of lower slopes was lower than that of upper and middle slopes, and the lower slope had higher unsaturated hydraulic conductivity than the upper or middle slope. Erosion degree showed significant (p < 0.05, p = 0.016) influence on the soil hydraulic conductivity and effective macropore. Moreover, the soils on the severe erosion slope drain faster than that on the slight erosion slope, and the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity decreased faster on the severe erosion slope than on the slight erosion slope.

Conclusions

Vertical differentiation of granitic soil properties is the main factor influencing the soil hydraulic properties of the two slopes with a different erosion degree, while the macropores are the main factor influencing the soil hydraulic properties in different slope positions. Spatial variation may affect the rainwater infiltration during rainfall and soil water redistribution after the rainfall and finally affect the soil mass failure of the collapsing wall.

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Data availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41630858; 41807065) and China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (2018 M640714). The authors would like to thank the staff and students at the Soil and Water Conservation Research Centre for their assistance in this research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Arable Land Conservation (Middle and lower Reaches of Yangtze River) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Soil and Water Conservation Research Centre, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China

    Jinwen Xia, Chongfa Cai, Yujie Wei, Jingyao Gu, Yi Xiong & Xiaoquan Zhou

  2. Yangtze Soil Conservation Monitoring Center, Changjiang Water Resources Commission, Wuhan, 430010, China

    Yang Zhou

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  1. Jinwen Xia
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  2. Chongfa Cai
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  3. Yujie Wei
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  4. Yang Zhou
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  7. Xiaoquan Zhou
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Correspondence to Yujie Wei.

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Highlights

• We investigated the spatial variations in soil hydraulic properties of Benggang slopes.

• Variations in soil hydraulic properties were related to slope position and erosion degree.

• We explored the potential relationship of spatial variations in soil hydraulic properties with the development of Benggang erosion.

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Xia, J., Cai, C., Wei, Y. et al. Variations of soil hydraulic properties along granitic slopes in Benggang erosion areas. J Soils Sediments 21, 1177–1189 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-020-02843-5

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