Splash erosion under natural rainfall on three soil types in NE Spain

Abstract

Splash detachment and transport of soil particles by raindrops impacting the soil surface is the initiating mechanism of water erosion. The amount of splash depends on the rainfall characteristics (mainly kinetic energy and intensity) and the soil properties. Experimental results of rainfall and splash monitoring in three soil types under natural rainfall in NE Spain are presented. Some 27 rainfall events were evaluated, during which high rates of soil splash were measured (≤6.06 g per splash cup), stressing its importance as an erosion process on bare soils. Sources of variation of soil splash were analysed by a linear mixed-effect model. Significant relationships were found with the rainfall erosivity index EI30. No significant differences were found between the soil types analysed. The LME model explained 55% of variance, and most of the residual variability (≤ 74%) was due to differences between splash cups within a single soil type and event (i.e. to random effects).