Project 6: Effect of land use options on erosion loss of surface soil

Project 6: Effect of land use options on erosion loss of surface soil

Introduction:
The top soil is precious to all living beings. The top soil is being continuously eroded by the different natural agents like air and water. The vegetation cover checks the soil erosion in two ways. The canopy/leaves of the vegetation absorb the momentum of the falling raindrop where as the root system holds the soil particles against the erosive action of flowing water and wind. The erosion problem is more severe in the dry land areas where the vegetation cover is sparse. In hilly areas proper land shaping like, terracing, ploughing (across the slope) are some of the popular approaches to check soil erosion. Injudicious land use planning aggravates the erosion problem. The proposed experiment is aimed at assessment of erosion potentiality of different land use system.

Objective:
1. To monitor the quantity of soil loss under different cover vegetation
2. To analyze the role root system in binding soil particles to the land surface
3. To study the fate of rainfall on land as influenced by soil characteristics
Materials required:
• Leak proof tin tray 2´x3´x8´´ size
• Sample planting materials (seeds of fast growing herbaceous plants propagation materials- root cuttings of different grasses)
• Small funnels water collecting cylinders
• Typical soils collected from different locations (soils should be of different characters)
• Rose can
Methodology:
• Make wholes in the bottom of each tray at the both ends and middle of the bottom plate and one side of the tray
• Fit the funnel in each of the whole and seal the side of the funnels for leak proof.
• Fill the trays in each tray with different types of soil (make compact) leaving 1” from the top and place the trays side by side at slide inclination (1:20) sufficiently above the ground surface so that water can be collected in receiving cylinders placed below the funnels at the bottom of each tray.
• Treat different trays by -
a) Root cuttings of different grasses, b) Sow fast growing herbaceous plants like spinach, c) Barren (no vegetation) -compact, d) Barren- tilled (surface made loose using some hand implement), e) Barren- furrow and ridge along the slope, f) Barren- furrow and ridge accross the slope, g) Mulching with straw (or other materials)
• After setting the trays water was applied periodically at 7 days interval to each tray with help of rose can.
• Water collected in the cylinders is dried up and the dry weight of sediments is recorded after watering.
• Note the sediments collected under each system and find how it is related to the vegetation cover (that is gradually growing during the study period), tillage practice, furrow and ridge system along the and across the slope

Relevance:
Water is the main agent for soil erosion in sloppy lands. Vegetation cover as well as different land shaping practices can protect soil erosion due to water. This project will help the students understand the process of soil erosion by water and the ways and means to check the soil erosion due to flowing water.