ABSTRACT
A field plot experiment was conducted in the Palestinian Autonomous Areas to study the effect of stonewalled terracing on soil and water conservation as compared to the nonterraced areas. Effects of the wheat canopy were considered as a second treatment. The experiment was undertaken over a period of two seasons (2000 and 2001). The results of the experiment found that the mean soil erosion was significantly lower (P < 0.05) in the terraced plots than in those that were nonterraced (182 kg/ha and 3525 kg/ha during the first season, 1769 kg/ha and 5057 kg/ha during the second season for terraced and nonterraced plots, respectively). A similar trend was observed with respect to runoff in areas under the same treatments. The wheat canopy showed lower, but not significant runoff and erosion in most of the cases for both seasons. Due to better soil and water conservation, the terraced plots obtained significantly higher total plant dry matter than nonterraced plots (1570 and 630 kg/ha in 2000, 2545 and 889 kg/ha in 2001 for terraced and nonterraced treatment, respectively). The runoff coefficient was 20% and 4% for the nonterraced and terraced plots, respectively. Rainstorms with intensity ≥4 mm/hand rainfall ≥10 mm are more likely to cause runoff and erosion.
Similar content being viewed by others
Literature Cited
A. Abed (1999) Geology of Palestine Palestinian Hydrology Group Ramallah 234
E. Amezketa (1999) ArticleTitleSoil aggregate stability: A review Journal of Sustainable Agriculture 14 83–151 Occurrence Handle10.1300/J064v14n02_08
B. Barthes A. Azontonde B. Z. Boli C. Prat E. Roose (2000) ArticleTitleField-scale run-off and erosion in relation to topsoil aggregate stability in three tropical regions (Benin, Cameroon, Mexico) European Journal of Soil Science 51 485–495 Occurrence Handle10.1046/j.1365-2389.2000.00322.x
H. Bouwer (1986) Intake rate: Cylinder infiltrometer A. Klute (Eds) Methods of soil analysis. Part 1: Physical and mineralogical methods American Society of Agronomy Madison, Wisconsin 825–844
Dan, J., D. H. Yaloon, H. Koyundjinsky, and Z. Raz. 1976. The soils and association map of Israel. ISA Division of Scientific Publication, Volcanic Cenetr, Beit Dagan, Israel, 87 pp
G. Edelstein Y. Gat (1981) ArticleTitleTerraces around Jerusalem Israel Land and Nature 6 72–78
C. K. K. Gachene H. Linner J. P. Mbuvi (1997) ArticleTitleSoil erosion effects on soil properties in a highland area of central Kenya Soil Science Society of America Journal 61 559–564
R. A. M. Gardner A. J. Gerrard (2002) ArticleTitleRelationships between runoff and land degradation on non-cultivated land in the Middle Hills of Nepal International Journal of Sustainable Development and World Ecology 9 59–73
E. M. Gichangi R. K. Jones D. M. Njarui J. R. Simpson J. M. N. Mututho S. K. Kitheka (1992) Erosion, conservation and small-scale farming Geographica Bernensia Bern
W. R. S. Gritchley C. Reij T. J. Willcocks (1994) ArticleTitleIndigenous soil and water conservation: A review of the state of knowledge and prospects for building on traditions Land Degradation and Rehabilitation 5 293–314
H. Hartanto R. Prabhu A. S. E. Widayat C. Asdak (2003) ArticleTitleFactors affecting runoff and soil erosion: Plot-level soil loss monitoring for assessing sustainability of forest management Forest Ecology and Management 6210 1–14
N. W. Hudson (1981) Soil conservation B. T. Batsford Ltd. London
O. J. Idowu (2003) ArticleTitleRelationships between aggregate stability and selected soil properties in humid tropical environment Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis 34 695–708 Occurrence Handle10.1081/CSS-120018969
Land Research Center. 1999. Land cover of the West Bank of Palestine. Unpublished report. Ramallah Palestine, 296 pp
Y. Le Bissonnais D. Arrouays (1997) ArticleTitleAggregate stability and assessment of soil crustability and erodibility: II. Application to humic loamy soils with various organic carbon contents European Journal of Soil Science 48 39–48
InstitutionalAuthorNameMinistry of Transport (1998) Palestine climate data handbook Ministry of Transport Press Ramallah, Palestine
R. P. C. Morgan (1974) ArticleTitleEstimating regional variations in soil erosion hazard in Peninsular Malaysia Malay Nature Journal 28 94–106
Morgan, R. P. C. 1977. Soil erosion in the United Kingdom: field studies in the Silsoe area. National College of Agriculture Engineering Report, 1973 pp
R. P. C. Morgan (1986) Soil erosion and conservation Longman Group Harlow, UK
D. W. Nelson L. E. Sommers (1982) Methods of soil analysis. Part 2: Chemical and microbiological properties American Society of Agronomy Madison Wisconsin
D. Pimentel (2000) ArticleTitleSoil erosion and the threat to food security and the environment Ecosystem Health 6 221–226 Occurrence Handle10.1046/j.1526-0992.2000.006004221.x
D. Pimentel C. Harvey P. Resosudarmo K. Sinclair D. Kurz M. McNair S. Crist L. Sphpritz L. Fitton R. Saffouri R. Blair (1995) ArticleTitleEnvironmental and economic costs of soil erosion and conservation benefits Science 267 1117–1123
J. M. Reichert L. D. Norton (1994) ArticleTitleAggregate stability and rain-impacted sheet erosion of air-dried and prewetted clayey surface soils under intense rain Soil Science 158 159–169
P. Richards (1985) Indigenous agricultural revolution: ecology and food production in West Africa Hutchinson London
Ron, F. 1984. Separation of clods and rocks in a fluidized bed. Volcanic Cenetr Report, Beit Dagan, Israel
Z. Ron (1966) ArticleTitleAgricultural terraces in the Judean mountains Israel Exploration Journal 16 33–48
E. Roose (1996) Land husbandry: Components and strategy FAO Soils Bulletin No. 70, FAO, Rome
InstitutionalAuthorNameSoil and Water Conservation Society (1994) Soil erosion research methods St. Lucie Press Ankeny, Iowa
InstitutionalAuthorNameSoil Survey Staff (1998) Keys to soil taxonomy USDA–NRC Washington, DC
InstitutionalAuthorNameIFDA (The International Fund for Agricultural Development) (1998) West Bank and Gaza Strip Participatory Natural Resource Management Programme (PNRMP). 0837 IFAD Rome, Italy
F. R. Troeh J. A. Hobbs R. L. Donahue (1991) Soil and water conservation Prentice-Hall Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey
T. W. J. Van Asch ParticleVan G. F. Epema (1983) ArticleTitleThe power of detachment and the erosivity of low intensity rains Pedologie 33 17–27
I. I. C. Wakindiki M. Ben-Hur (2002) ArticleTitleIndigenous soil and water conservation techniques: Effect on runoff, erosion, and crop yields under semi-arid conditions Australian Journal of Soil Research 40 367–379
D. Ward K. Feldman Y. Avni (2001) ArticleTitleThe effects of loess erosion on soil nutrients, plant diversity and plant quality in Negev desert wadis Journal of Arid Environments 48 461–473 Occurrence Handle10.1006/jare.2000.0773
R. Webster (1977) Sampling and estimation P. H. T. Beckett V. C. Robertson R. Webster (Eds) Quantitative and numerical methods in soil classification and survey Oxford University Press Oxford 42–70
J. Wedum Y. Doumbia B. Sonogo J. Dicko C. Oussoumana (1996) Sustaining the soi Earthscan London
T. H. Willcocks S. J. Twomlow (1993) ArticleTitleA review of tillage methods and soil and water conservation in Southern Africa Soil and Tillage Research 27 73–94 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0167-1987(93)90062-T
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hammad, A.A., Haugen, L.E. & Børresen, T. Effects of Stonewalled Terracing Techniques on Soil-Water Conservation and Wheat Production Under Mediterranean Conditions. Environmental Management 34, 701–710 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-003-0278-9
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-003-0278-9