Effect of different land use on soil erosion in the pre-alpine fringe (North-East Italy): Ion budget and sediment yield

Abstract

Data concerning ion budget from rainfall, runoff and soil loss measurements from two experimental plots located in North-East Italy, under different land cover (beech forest and vineyard, respectively), are reported. The chemical composition of rainfall, soil solution and runoff was determined to study the solute cycle within the soil, and the relationships between water, soil and vegetation. The forest ecosystem is more prone to acidification than the agricultural one; the elemental concentration of runoff water is considerably lower than that of soil solution. Comparing the ion input (rainfall) and output (runoff) at the two sites, it was possible to estimate the ion budget in the two soil-vegetation systems. The runoff amount and the ion balance are related to rainfall volumes and composition; the measured runoff under vineyard is 59% in comparison to the one under beech. The soil loss at the two experimental sites (170 kg/ha and 132 kg/ha, respectively) is quite limited. The measured sediment yield of the two catchments (0.24-0.19 t/ha/year, respectively) is consistent with data reported for native forests of western Europe. Comparing rainfall and soil loss at the two sites proved that maintenance of some form of land cover is advisable if runoff and erosion are to be minimized. In the European context, where the most important consequences of erosion are sedimentation downstream and loss of productivity, this type of data will yield valuable information for the understanding of such processes occurring at catchment scale, and will help policy-makers develop appropriate programs for the territory safeguard.