Articles | Volume 11, issue 1
https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-11-413-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-11-413-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Using 3D observations with high spatio-temporal resolution to calibrate and evaluate a process-focused cellular automaton model of soil erosion by water
Anette Eltner
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Institute of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, TUD Dresden University of Technology, Dresden, Germany
David Favis-Mortlock
British Geological Survey, Nicker Hill, Keyworth, Nottingham, NG12 5GG, UK
Oliver Grothum
Institute of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, TUD Dresden University of Technology, Dresden, Germany
Martin Neumann
Faculty of Civil Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague, Prague, Czechia
Tomáš Laburda
Faculty of Civil Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague, Prague, Czechia
Petr Kavka
Faculty of Civil Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague, Prague, Czechia
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Oliver Grothum, Lea Epple, Anne Bienert, Xabier Blanch, and Anette Eltner
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2291, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2291, 2025
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for SOIL (SOIL).
Short summary
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Soil erosion threatens landscapes worldwide, and understanding how surfaces change over time is key to addressing this issue. We developed a new camera-based system that automatically captures and analyzes daily surface changes on a hillside over several years. Triggered by rain and a clock, the system showed how weather and farming impact the land. Our method offers a powerful way to monitor surface changes and can help improve predictions and solutions for soil erosion.
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This study presents a low-cost, automated system for monitoring river water levels using cameras and AI. By combining AI-based image analysis with photogrammetry, it accurately measures water levels in real-time, even in challenging conditions. Tested over 2.5 years at four sites, it achieved high accuracy (errors of 1.0–2.3 cm) and processed over 219,000 images. Its resilience makes it ideal for flood detection and water management in remote areas.
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Int. Arch. Photogramm. Remote Sens. Spatial Inf. Sci., XLVIII-2-W8-2024, 243–250, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLVIII-2-W8-2024-243-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLVIII-2-W8-2024-243-2024, 2024
Pedro Alberto Pereira Zamboni, Hanne Hendrickx, Dennis Sprute, Holger Flatt, Muhtasimul Islam Rushdi, Florian Brodrecht, and Anette Eltner
Int. Arch. Photogramm. Remote Sens. Spatial Inf. Sci., XLVIII-2-W8-2024, 483–490, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLVIII-2-W8-2024-483-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLVIII-2-W8-2024-483-2024, 2024
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EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2570, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2570, 2024
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This study introduces a novel AI-based method to track and analyse the movement of rock glaciers and landslides, key indicators of permafrost dynamics in high mountain regions. Using time-lapse images, our approach provides detailed velocity data, revealing patterns that traditional methods miss. This cost-effective tool enhances our ability to monitor geohazards, offering insights into climate change impacts on permafrost and improving safety in alpine areas.
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ISPRS Ann. Photogramm. Remote Sens. Spatial Inf. Sci., X-2-2024, 57–64, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-annals-X-2-2024-57-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-annals-X-2-2024-57-2024, 2024
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Geosci. Instrum. Method. Data Syst., 13, 163–176, https://doi.org/10.5194/gi-13-163-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/gi-13-163-2024, 2024
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Low-cost sensors could fill gaps in existing observation networks. To ensure data quality, the quality of the factory calibration of a given sensor has to be evaluated if the sensor is used out of the box. Here, the factory calibration of a widely used low-cost rain gauge type has been tested both in the lab (66) and in the field (20). The results of the study suggest that the calibration of this particular type should at least be checked for every sensor before being used.
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We present cost-effective photogrammetric systems for high-resolution rockfall monitoring. The paper outlines the components, assembly, and programming codes required. The systems utilize prime cameras to generate 3D models and offer comparable performance to lidar for change detection monitoring. Real-world applications highlight their potential in geohazard monitoring which enables accurate detection of pre-failure deformation and rockfalls with a high temporal resolution.
R. Blaskow and A. Eltner
Int. Arch. Photogramm. Remote Sens. Spatial Inf. Sci., XLVIII-1-W1-2023, 45–50, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLVIII-1-W1-2023-45-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLVIII-1-W1-2023-45-2023, 2023
Robert Ljubičić, Dariia Strelnikova, Matthew T. Perks, Anette Eltner, Salvador Peña-Haro, Alonso Pizarro, Silvano Fortunato Dal Sasso, Ulf Scherling, Pietro Vuono, and Salvatore Manfreda
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 25, 5105–5132, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-5105-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-5105-2021, 2021
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The rise of new technologies such as drones (unmanned aerial systems – UASs) has allowed widespread use of image velocimetry techniques in place of more traditional, usually slower, methods during hydrometric campaigns. In order to minimize the velocity estimation errors, one must stabilise the acquired videos. In this research, we compare the performance of different UAS video stabilisation tools and provide guidelines for their use in videos with different flight and ground conditions.
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Revised manuscript not accepted
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Intensified extreme weather events due to climate change can result in changes of soil erosion. These unclear developments make an improvement of soil erosion modelling all the more important. Assuming that soil erosion models cannot keep up with the current data, this work gives an overview of 44 models, their strengths and weaknesses and discusses their potential for further development with respect to new and improved soil and soil erosion assessment techniques.
A. Eltner, D. Mader, N. Szopos, B. Nagy, J. Grundmann, and L. Bertalan
Int. Arch. Photogramm. Remote Sens. Spatial Inf. Sci., XLIII-B2-2021, 717–722, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLIII-B2-2021-717-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLIII-B2-2021-717-2021, 2021
T. S. Akiyama, J. Marcato Junior, W. N. Gonçalves, P. O. Bressan, A. Eltner, F. Binder, and T. Singer
Int. Arch. Photogramm. Remote Sens. Spatial Inf. Sci., XLIII-B2-2020, 1189–1193, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLIII-B2-2020-1189-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLIII-B2-2020-1189-2020, 2020
Anette Eltner, Hannes Sardemann, and Jens Grundmann
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 24, 1429–1445, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-1429-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-1429-2020, 2020
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An automatic workflow is introduced to measure surface flow velocities in rivers. The provided tool enables the measurement of spatially distributed surface flow velocities independently of the image acquisition perspective. Furthermore, the study illustrates how river discharge in previously ungauged and unmeasured regions can be retrieved, considering the image-based flow velocities and digital elevation models of the studied river reach reconstructed with UAV photogrammetry.
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H. Sardemann, A. Eltner, and H.-G. Maas
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D. Lin, A. Eltner, H. Sardemann, and H.-G. Maas
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A. Eltner, D. Schneider, and H.-G. Maas
Int. Arch. Photogramm. Remote Sens. Spatial Inf. Sci., XLI-B5, 813–819, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLI-B5-813-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLI-B5-813-2016, 2016
Anette Eltner, Andreas Kaiser, Carlos Castillo, Gilles Rock, Fabian Neugirg, and Antonio Abellán
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Short summary
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Three-dimensional reconstruction of earth surfaces from overlapping images is a promising tool for geoscientists. The method is very flexible, cost-efficient and easy to use, leading to a high variability in applications at different scales. Performance evaluation reveals that good accuracies are achievable but depend on the requirements of the individual case study. Future applications and developments (i.e. big data) will consolidate this essential tool for digital surface mapping.
Oliver Grothum, Lea Epple, Anne Bienert, Xabier Blanch, and Anette Eltner
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2291, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2291, 2025
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for SOIL (SOIL).
Short summary
Short summary
Soil erosion threatens landscapes worldwide, and understanding how surfaces change over time is key to addressing this issue. We developed a new camera-based system that automatically captures and analyzes daily surface changes on a hillside over several years. Triggered by rain and a clock, the system showed how weather and farming impact the land. Our method offers a powerful way to monitor surface changes and can help improve predictions and solutions for soil erosion.
Xabier Blanch, Jens Grundmann, Ralf Hedel, and Anette Eltner
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-724, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-724, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
This study presents a low-cost, automated system for monitoring river water levels using cameras and AI. By combining AI-based image analysis with photogrammetry, it accurately measures water levels in real-time, even in challenging conditions. Tested over 2.5 years at four sites, it achieved high accuracy (errors of 1.0–2.3 cm) and processed over 219,000 images. Its resilience makes it ideal for flood detection and water management in remote areas.
Robert Krüger, Xabier Blanch, Jens Grundmann, Ghazi Al-Rawas, and Anette Eltner
Int. Arch. Photogramm. Remote Sens. Spatial Inf. Sci., XLVIII-2-W8-2024, 243–250, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLVIII-2-W8-2024-243-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLVIII-2-W8-2024-243-2024, 2024
Pedro Alberto Pereira Zamboni, Hanne Hendrickx, Dennis Sprute, Holger Flatt, Muhtasimul Islam Rushdi, Florian Brodrecht, and Anette Eltner
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Hanne Hendrickx, Xabier Blanch, Melanie Elias, Reynald Delaloye, and Anette Eltner
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2570, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2570, 2024
Short summary
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This study introduces a novel AI-based method to track and analyse the movement of rock glaciers and landslides, key indicators of permafrost dynamics in high mountain regions. Using time-lapse images, our approach provides detailed velocity data, revealing patterns that traditional methods miss. This cost-effective tool enhances our ability to monitor geohazards, offering insights into climate change impacts on permafrost and improving safety in alpine areas.
Melanie Elias, Steffen Isfort, Anette Eltner, and Hans-Gerd Maas
ISPRS Ann. Photogramm. Remote Sens. Spatial Inf. Sci., X-2-2024, 57–64, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-annals-X-2-2024-57-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-annals-X-2-2024-57-2024, 2024
Robert Krüger, Pierre Karrasch, and Anette Eltner
Geosci. Instrum. Method. Data Syst., 13, 163–176, https://doi.org/10.5194/gi-13-163-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/gi-13-163-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Low-cost sensors could fill gaps in existing observation networks. To ensure data quality, the quality of the factory calibration of a given sensor has to be evaluated if the sensor is used out of the box. Here, the factory calibration of a widely used low-cost rain gauge type has been tested both in the lab (66) and in the field (20). The results of the study suggest that the calibration of this particular type should at least be checked for every sensor before being used.
O. Grothum, A. Bienert, M. Bluemlein, and A. Eltner
Int. Arch. Photogramm. Remote Sens. Spatial Inf. Sci., XLVIII-1-W2-2023, 163–170, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLVIII-1-W2-2023-163-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLVIII-1-W2-2023-163-2023, 2023
Xabier Blanch, Marta Guinau, Anette Eltner, and Antonio Abellan
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 23, 3285–3303, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-23-3285-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-23-3285-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We present cost-effective photogrammetric systems for high-resolution rockfall monitoring. The paper outlines the components, assembly, and programming codes required. The systems utilize prime cameras to generate 3D models and offer comparable performance to lidar for change detection monitoring. Real-world applications highlight their potential in geohazard monitoring which enables accurate detection of pre-failure deformation and rockfalls with a high temporal resolution.
Petr Kavka, Jiří Cajthaml, Adam Tejkl, and Martin Hanel
Abstr. Int. Cartogr. Assoc., 6, 120, https://doi.org/10.5194/ica-abs-6-120-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/ica-abs-6-120-2023, 2023
R. Blaskow and A. Eltner
Int. Arch. Photogramm. Remote Sens. Spatial Inf. Sci., XLVIII-1-W1-2023, 45–50, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLVIII-1-W1-2023-45-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLVIII-1-W1-2023-45-2023, 2023
Petr Kavka, Luděk Strouhal, and Jiří Cajthaml
Abstr. Int. Cartogr. Assoc., 3, 142, https://doi.org/10.5194/ica-abs-3-142-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/ica-abs-3-142-2021, 2021
Robert Ljubičić, Dariia Strelnikova, Matthew T. Perks, Anette Eltner, Salvador Peña-Haro, Alonso Pizarro, Silvano Fortunato Dal Sasso, Ulf Scherling, Pietro Vuono, and Salvatore Manfreda
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 25, 5105–5132, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-5105-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-5105-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
The rise of new technologies such as drones (unmanned aerial systems – UASs) has allowed widespread use of image velocimetry techniques in place of more traditional, usually slower, methods during hydrometric campaigns. In order to minimize the velocity estimation errors, one must stabilise the acquired videos. In this research, we compare the performance of different UAS video stabilisation tools and provide guidelines for their use in videos with different flight and ground conditions.
Lea Epple, Andreas Kaiser, Marcus Schindewolf, and Anette Eltner
SOIL Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-2021-85, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-2021-85, 2021
Revised manuscript not accepted
Short summary
Short summary
Intensified extreme weather events due to climate change can result in changes of soil erosion. These unclear developments make an improvement of soil erosion modelling all the more important. Assuming that soil erosion models cannot keep up with the current data, this work gives an overview of 44 models, their strengths and weaknesses and discusses their potential for further development with respect to new and improved soil and soil erosion assessment techniques.
A. Eltner, D. Mader, N. Szopos, B. Nagy, J. Grundmann, and L. Bertalan
Int. Arch. Photogramm. Remote Sens. Spatial Inf. Sci., XLIII-B2-2021, 717–722, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLIII-B2-2021-717-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLIII-B2-2021-717-2021, 2021
T. S. Akiyama, J. Marcato Junior, W. N. Gonçalves, P. O. Bressan, A. Eltner, F. Binder, and T. Singer
Int. Arch. Photogramm. Remote Sens. Spatial Inf. Sci., XLIII-B2-2020, 1189–1193, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLIII-B2-2020-1189-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLIII-B2-2020-1189-2020, 2020
Anette Eltner, Hannes Sardemann, and Jens Grundmann
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 24, 1429–1445, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-1429-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-1429-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
An automatic workflow is introduced to measure surface flow velocities in rivers. The provided tool enables the measurement of spatially distributed surface flow velocities independently of the image acquisition perspective. Furthermore, the study illustrates how river discharge in previously ungauged and unmeasured regions can be retrieved, considering the image-based flow velocities and digital elevation models of the studied river reach reconstructed with UAV photogrammetry.
M. Landa, J. Jeřábek, O. Pešek, and P. Kavka
Int. Arch. Photogramm. Remote Sens. Spatial Inf. Sci., XLII-4-W14, 143–149, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLII-4-W14-143-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLII-4-W14-143-2019, 2019
Andres Payo, Bismarck Jigena Antelo, Martin Hurst, Monica Palaseanu-Lovejoy, Chris Williams, Gareth Jenkins, Kathryn Lee, David Favis-Mortlock, Andrew Barkwith, and Michael A. Ellis
Geosci. Model Dev., 11, 4317–4337, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-11-4317-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-11-4317-2018, 2018
Short summary
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We describe a new algorithm that automatically delineates the cliff top and toe of a cliffed coastline from a digital elevation model (DEM). The algorithm builds upon existing methods but is specifically designed to resolve very irregular planform coastlines with many bays and capes, such as parts of the coastline of Great Britain.
M. Kröhnert and A. Eltner
Int. Arch. Photogramm. Remote Sens. Spatial Inf. Sci., XLII-2, 543–550, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLII-2-543-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLII-2-543-2018, 2018
H. Sardemann, A. Eltner, and H.-G. Maas
Int. Arch. Photogramm. Remote Sens. Spatial Inf. Sci., XLII-2, 1023–1027, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLII-2-1023-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLII-2-1023-2018, 2018
D. Lin, A. Eltner, H. Sardemann, and H.-G. Maas
ISPRS Ann. Photogramm. Remote Sens. Spatial Inf. Sci., IV-2, 201–208, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-annals-IV-2-201-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-annals-IV-2-201-2018, 2018
Andrés Payo, David Favis-Mortlock, Mark Dickson, Jim W. Hall, Martin D. Hurst, Mike J. A. Walkden, Ian Townend, Matthew C. Ives, Robert J. Nicholls, and Michael A. Ellis
Geosci. Model Dev., 10, 2715–2740, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-10-2715-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-10-2715-2017, 2017
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CoastalME is a generic modelling environment to simulate coastal landscape evolution on spatial scales of kms to tens of kms, over decadal to centennial timescales. The novelty is that it simulates coastal morphology evolution as a set of dynamically linked raster and geometrical objects. Geometrical objects are derived from the raster structure providing a library of coastal elements (e.g. shoreline) that are conventionally used for modelling coastal behaviour on the timescales of interest.
M. Landa, P. Kavka, L. Strouhal, and J. Cepicky
Int. Arch. Photogramm. Remote Sens. Spatial Inf. Sci., XLII-4-W2, 101–105, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLII-4-W2-101-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLII-4-W2-101-2017, 2017
A. Eltner, D. Schneider, and H.-G. Maas
Int. Arch. Photogramm. Remote Sens. Spatial Inf. Sci., XLI-B5, 813–819, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLI-B5-813-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLI-B5-813-2016, 2016
Anette Eltner, Andreas Kaiser, Carlos Castillo, Gilles Rock, Fabian Neugirg, and Antonio Abellán
Earth Surf. Dynam., 4, 359–389, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-4-359-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-4-359-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
Three-dimensional reconstruction of earth surfaces from overlapping images is a promising tool for geoscientists. The method is very flexible, cost-efficient and easy to use, leading to a high variability in applications at different scales. Performance evaluation reveals that good accuracies are achievable but depend on the requirements of the individual case study. Future applications and developments (i.e. big data) will consolidate this essential tool for digital surface mapping.
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Identification of sensitive indicators to assess the interrelationship between soil quality, management practices and human health
Dan Wang, Benjuan Liu, Fei Li, Zhihui Wang, Jianfeng Hou, Rui Cao, Yuqian Zheng, and Wanqin Yang
SOIL, 11, 175–191, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-11-175-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-11-175-2025, 2025
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Chinese tea plantations are facing soil acidification, nutrient deficiencies, and imbalances. Less than 45 % of tea plantations are of high quality. The status of soil nutrients and pH are closely related to geological and climatic factors, varies among soil types, and significantly shaped by managerial practices such as cultivation period and fertilization strategy. Recommendations are made to tackle soil issues.
Marine Casetta, Sylvie Philippe, Lucie Courcot, David Dumoulin, Gabriel Billon, François Baudin, Françoise Henry, Michaël Hermoso, and Jacinthe Caillaud
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1875, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1875, 2024
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This study examines soils in the highly industrialized Dunkerque agglomeration in France. Our work reveals the contamination of urban soils by metals from industrial dust, including Cr, Ni, Mo, Mn, Cd and Zn. While Cr, Ni and Mo are relatively stable in soils, Mn, Cd and Zn are more mobile and may pose environmental and health problems. Our findings highlight the need of careful consideration of future land use near industrial emitters, such as allotment gardens, due to these potential hazards.
Wolde Mekuria, Euan Phimister, Getahun Yakob, Desalegn Tegegne, Awdenegest Moges, Yitna Tesfaye, Dagmawi Melaku, Charlene Gerber, Paul D. Hallett, and Jo U. Smith
SOIL, 10, 637–654, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-10-637-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-10-637-2024, 2024
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In Ethiopia, we studied (a) the effectiveness of low-cost gully rehabilitation measures in reducing soil loss and upward expansion of gully heads and (b) how farmers and communities view gully interventions. The tested low-cost gully rehabilitation measures were effective in mitigating the upward expansion of gully heads and in reducing soil loss. Farmers also perceive success, but scaling-out can be constrained by diverse challenges.
Lena Katharina Öttl, Florian Wilken, Anna Juřicová, Pedro V. G. Batista, and Peter Fiener
SOIL, 10, 281–305, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-10-281-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-10-281-2024, 2024
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Our long-term modelling study examines the effects of multiple soil redistribution processes on carbon dynamics in a 200 km² catchment converted from natural forest to agriculture about 1000 years ago. The modelling results stress the importance of including tillage erosion processes and long-term land use and land management changes to understand current soil-redistribution-induced carbon fluxes at the landscape scale.
Thomas Chalaux-Clergue, Rémi Bizeul, Pedro V. G. Batista, Núria Martínez-Carreras, J. Patrick Laceby, and Olivier Evrard
SOIL, 10, 109–138, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-10-109-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-10-109-2024, 2024
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Sediment source fingerprinting is a relevant tool to support soil conservation and watershed management in the context of accelerated soil erosion. To quantify sediment source contribution, it requires the selection of relevant tracers. We compared the three-step method and the consensus method and found very contrasted trends. The divergences between virtual mixtures and sample prediction ranges highlight that virtual mixture statistics are not directly transferable to actual samples.
Yuxin Wu, Guodong Jia, Xinxiao Yu, Honghong Rao, Xiuwen Peng, Yusong Wang, Yushi Wang, and Xu Wang
SOIL, 10, 61–75, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-10-61-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-10-61-2024, 2024
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Vegetation restoration is an important method of ecological restoration that aims to control soil erosion and prevent soil degradation. Our study suggests that combinations of species such as C. korshinskii and L. bicolor are optimal for improving the soil nutrients and soil erodibility for any slope aspect. This study provides insight into the rational planning of vegetation restoration measures for slopes with various aspects in semi-arid areas of the northern agro-pastoral ecotone.
Mahdi Boroughani, Fahimeh Mirchooli, Mojtaba Hadavifar, and Stephanie Fiedler
SOIL, 9, 411–423, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-9-411-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-9-411-2023, 2023
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The present study used several different datasets, conducted a field survey, and paired the data with three different machine learning algorithms to construct spatial maps for areas at risk of land degradation for the Lut watershed in Iran. According to the land degradation map, almost the entire study region is at risk. A large fraction of 43 % of the area is prone to both high wind-driven and water-driven soil erosion.
Katrin Meusburger, Paolo Porto, Judith Kobler Waldis, and Christine Alewell
SOIL, 9, 399–409, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-9-399-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-9-399-2023, 2023
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Quantifying soil redistribution rates is a global challenge. Radiogenic tracers such as plutonium, namely 239+240Pu, released to the atmosphere by atmospheric bomb testing in the 1960s are promising tools to quantify soil redistribution. Direct validation of 239+240Pu as soil redistribution is, however, still missing. Here, we used a unique sediment yield time series in southern Italy, reaching back to the initial fallout of 239+240Pu to verify 239+240Pu as a soil redistribution tracer.
Yang Yan, Wenjun Ji, Baoguo Li, Guiman Wang, Songchao Chen, Dehai Zhu, and Zhong Liu
SOIL, 9, 351–364, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-9-351-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-9-351-2023, 2023
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The response rate of soil organic matter (SOM) to the amount of straw return was inversely proportional to the initial SOM and the sand contents. From paddy to dryland, the SOM loss decreased with the increased amount of straw return. The SOM even increased by 1.84 g kg-1 when the straw return amount reached 60–100%. The study revealed that straw return is beneficial to carbon sink in farmland and is a way to prevent a C source caused by the change of paddy field to upland.
Pedro V. G. Batista, Daniel L. Evans, Bernardo M. Cândido, and Peter Fiener
SOIL, 9, 71–88, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-9-71-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-9-71-2023, 2023
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Most agricultural soils erode faster than new soil is formed, which leads to soil thinning. Here, we used a model simulation to investigate how soil erosion and soil thinning can alter topsoil properties and change its susceptibility to erosion. We found that soil profiles are sensitive to erosion-induced changes in the soil system, which mostly slow down soil thinning. These findings are likely to impact how we estimate soil lifespans and simulate long-term erosion dynamics.
Solène Quéro, Christine Hatté, Sophie Cornu, Adrien Duvivier, Nithavong Cam, Floriane Jamoteau, Daniel Borschneck, and Isabelle Basile-Doelsch
SOIL, 8, 517–539, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-8-517-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-8-517-2022, 2022
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Although present in food security key areas, Arenosols carbon stocks are barely studied. A 150-year-old land use change in a Mediterranean Arenosol showed a loss from 50 Gt C ha-1 to 3 Gt C ha-1 after grape cultivation. 14C showed that deep ploughing in a vineyard plot redistributed the remaining microbial carbon both vertically and horizontally. Despite the drastic degradation of the organic matter pool, Arenosols would have a high carbon storage potential, targeting the 4 per 1000 initiative.
Vanesa Santás-Miguel, Avelino Núñez-Delgado, Esperanza Álvarez-Rodríguez, Montserrat Díaz-Raviña, Manuel Arias-Estévez, and David Fernández-Calviño
SOIL, 8, 437–449, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-8-437-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-8-437-2022, 2022
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A laboratory experiment was carried out for 42 d to study co-selection for tolerance of tetracycline (TC), oxytetracycline (OTC), and chlortetracycline (CTC) in soils polluted with heavy metals (As, Cd, Zn, Cu, Ni, Cr, and Pb). At high metal concentrations, the bacterial communities show tolerance to the metal itself, occurring for all the metals tested in the long term. The bacterial communities of the soil polluted with heavy metals also showed long-term co-tolerance to TC, OTC, and CTC.
David Hobson, Mary Harty, Saoirse R. Tracy, and Kevin McDonnell
SOIL, 8, 391–408, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-8-391-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-8-391-2022, 2022
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Tillage practices and traffic management have significant implications for root architecture, plant growth, and, ultimately, crop yield. Soil cores were extracted from a long-term tillage trial to measure the relationship between soil physical properties and root growth. We found that no-traffic and low-tyre-pressure methods significantly increased rooting properties and crop yield under zero-tillage conditions compared to conventionally managed deep-tillage treatments with high tyre pressures.
Antonín Kintl, Vítězslav Vlček, Martin Brtnický, Jan Nedělník, and Jakub Elbl
SOIL, 8, 349–372, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-8-349-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-8-349-2022, 2022
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We have started to address this issue because the application of wetting agents is very widespread within the European Union and is often considered desirable because it increases the effectiveness of pesticides. While pesticides are thoroughly tested for their impact on the environment as a whole, testing for the effects of wetting agents is minimal. Today, there is no research on their impact on the soil environment.
Wenwen Zhou, Haoran Jia, Lang Liu, Baotong Li, Yuqi Li, and Meizhu Gao
SOIL, 8, 237–252, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-8-237-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-8-237-2022, 2022
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Our study focuses on (E) pyriminobac-methyl (EPM), a weedicide commonly applied to agricultural soils in China, which can potentially pose serious risks to groundwater quality once it percolates through the soil. We tested the adsorption–desorption, degradation, and leaching of this compound in five agricultural soils sampled from different provinces in China.
Veerle Vanacker, Armando Molina, Miluska A. Rosas, Vivien Bonnesoeur, Francisco Román-Dañobeytia, Boris F. Ochoa-Tocachi, and Wouter Buytaert
SOIL, 8, 133–147, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-8-133-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-8-133-2022, 2022
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The Andes region is prone to natural hazards due to its steep topography and climatic variability. Anthropogenic activities further exacerbate environmental hazards and risks. This systematic review synthesizes the knowledge on the effectiveness of nature-based solutions. Conservation of natural vegetation and implementation of soil and water conservation measures had significant and positive effects on soil erosion mitigation and topsoil organic carbon concentrations.
Mario Kirchhoff, Tobias Romes, Irene Marzolff, Manuel Seeger, Ali Aït Hssaine, and Johannes B. Ries
SOIL, 7, 511–524, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-7-511-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-7-511-2021, 2021
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This study found that the influence of argan trees on soil properties in southern Morocco is mostly limited to the area covered by the tree crown. However, the tree influences the bare soil outside the crown positively in specific directions because wind and water can move litter and soil particles from under the tree to the areas between the trees. These findings, based on soil samples around argan trees, could help structure reforestation measures.
Florian Wilken, Peter Fiener, Michael Ketterer, Katrin Meusburger, Daniel Iragi Muhindo, Kristof van Oost, and Sebastian Doetterl
SOIL, 7, 399–414, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-7-399-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-7-399-2021, 2021
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This study demonstrates the usability of fallout radionuclides 239Pu and 240Pu as a tool to assess soil degradation processes in tropical Africa, which is particularly valuable in regions with limited infrastructure and challenging monitoring conditions for landscape-scale soil degradation monitoring. The study shows no indication of soil redistribution in forest sites but substantial soil redistribution in cropland (sedimentation >40 cm in 55 years) with high variability.
Ming Lu, David S. Powlson, Yi Liang, Dave R. Chadwick, Shengbi Long, Dunyi Liu, and Xinping Chen
SOIL, 7, 333–346, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-7-333-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-7-333-2021, 2021
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Land use changes are an important anthropogenic perturbation that can cause soil degradation, but the impacts of land conversion from growing cereals to vegetables have received little attention. Using a combination of soil analyses from paired sites and data from farmer surveys, we found significant soil degradation in intensive vegetable cropping under paddy rice–oilseed rape rotation in southwestern China. This study may alert others to the potential land degradation in the subtropics.
Claire Froger, Nicolas P. A. Saby, Claudy C. Jolivet, Line Boulonne, Giovanni Caria, Xavier Freulon, Chantal de Fouquet, Hélène Roussel, Franck Marot, and Antonio Bispo
SOIL, 7, 161–178, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-7-161-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-7-161-2021, 2021
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Pollution of French soils by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), known as carcinogenic pollutants, was quantified in this work using an extended data set of 2154 soils sampled across France. The map of PAH concentrations in French soils revealed strong trends in regions with heavy industries and around cities. The PAH signatures indicated the influence of PAH emissions in Europe during the industrial revolution. Health risks posed by PAHs in soils were low but need to be considered.
Shixiu Zhang, Liang Chang, Neil B. McLaughlin, Shuyan Cui, Haitao Wu, Donghui Wu, Wenju Liang, and Aizhen Liang
SOIL, 7, 71–82, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-7-71-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-7-71-2021, 2021
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Long-term conservation tillage results in more complex and heterogeneous activities of soil organisms relative to conventional tillage. This study used an energetic food web modelling approach to calculate the mineralized N delivered by the whole soil community assemblages and highlighted the essential role of soil food web complexity in coupling N mineralization and soybean yield after a 14-year application of conservation tillage in a black soil of Northeast China.
Florian Wilken, Michael Ketterer, Sylvia Koszinski, Michael Sommer, and Peter Fiener
SOIL, 6, 549–564, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-6-549-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-6-549-2020, 2020
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Soil redistribution by water and tillage erosion processes on arable land is a major threat to sustainable use of soil resources. We unravel the role of tillage and water erosion from fallout radionuclide (239+240Pu) activities in a ground moraine landscape. Our results show that tillage erosion dominates soil redistribution processes and has a major impact on the hydrological and sedimentological connectivity, which started before the onset of highly mechanised farming since the 1960s.
José A. Gómez, Gema Guzmán, Arsenio Toloza, Christian Resch, Roberto García-Ruíz, and Lionel Mabit
SOIL, 6, 179–194, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-6-179-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-6-179-2020, 2020
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The long-term evolution of soil organic carbon in an olive orchard (planted in 1856) was evaluated and compared to an adjacent undisturbed natural area. Total soil organic carbon in the top 40 cm of the soil in the orchard was reduced to 25 % of that in the undisturbed area. The deposition downslope in the orchard of sediment coming from the eroded upslope area did not increase the accumulation of organic carbon in soil, but it quadrupled available phosphorus and improved overall soil quality.
Donia Jendoubi, Hanspeter Liniger, and Chinwe Ifejika Speranza
SOIL, 5, 239–251, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-5-239-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-5-239-2019, 2019
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This paper is original research done in north-western Tunisia; it presents the impacts of the topography (slope and aspect) and the land use systems in the SOC storage in a Mediterranean area. It provides a soil spectral library, describes the variation of SOC under different conditions, and highlights the positive impact of agroforestry as good management in improving the SOC. Therefore this finding is very important to support decision making and inform sustainable land management in Tunisia.
Tor-Gunnar Vågen, Leigh Ann Winowiecki, Constance Neely, Sabrina Chesterman, and Mieke Bourne
SOIL, 4, 259–266, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-4-259-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-4-259-2018, 2018
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Land degradation impacts the health and livelihoods of about 1.5 billion people worldwide. The state of the environment and food security are strongly interlinked in tropical landscapes. This paper demonstrates the integration of soil organic carbon (SOC) and land health maps with socioeconomic datasets into an online, open-access platform called the Resilience Diagnostic and Decision Support Tool for Turkana County in Kenya.
Dick J. Brus and Jan J. H. van den Akker
SOIL, 4, 37–45, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-4-37-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-4-37-2018, 2018
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Subsoil compaction is an important soil threat. It is caused by heavy machines used in agriculture. The aim of this study was to estimate how large the area with overcompacted subsoils is in the Netherlands. This was done by selecting locations randomly and determining the porosity and bulk density of the soil at these locations. It appeared that 43 % of the soils in the Netherlands is overcompacted, and so we conclude that subsoil compaction is indeed a serious problem in the Netherlands.
Frederick Büks and Martin Kaupenjohann
SOIL, 2, 499–509, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-2-499-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-2-499-2016, 2016
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Soil aggregate stability and POM occlusion are integral markers for soil quality. Besides physico-chemical interactions, biofilms are considered to aggregate primary particles, but experimental proof is still missing. In our experiment, soil aggregate samples were treated with biofilm degrading enzymes and showed a reduced POM occlusion and an increased bacteria DNA release compared with untreated samples. Thus, biofilms are assumed to be an important factor of POM occlusion in soil aggregates.
E. V. Taguas, C. Arroyo, A. Lora, G. Guzmán, K. Vanderlinden, and J. A. Gómez
SOIL, 1, 651–664, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-1-651-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-1-651-2015, 2015
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Biodiversity indices for spontaneous grass cover were measured in two olive orchards in southern Spain with contrasting site conditions and management to evaluate their potential for biodiversity metrics of soil degradation. Biodiversity indices were relatively high for agricultural areas. No correlation between the biodiversity indicators and soil quality features were observed. The mere use of vegetation presence as a proxy might mask relative intense soil degradation processes.
A. Kaiser, F. Neugirg, F. Haas, J. Schmidt, M. Becht, and M. Schindewolf
SOIL, 1, 613–620, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-1-613-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-1-613-2015, 2015
A. Ola, I. C. Dodd, and J. N. Quinton
SOIL, 1, 603–612, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-1-603-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-1-603-2015, 2015
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Plant roots are crucial in soil erosion control. Moreover, some species respond to nutrient-rich patches by lateral root proliferation. At the soil surface dense mats of roots may block soil pores thereby limiting infiltration, enhancing runoff; whereas at depth local increases in shear strength may reinforce soils at the shear plane. This review considers the potential of manipulating plant roots to control erosion.
C. Castillo, M. R. James, M. D. Redel-Macías, R. Pérez, and J. A. Gómez
SOIL, 1, 583–594, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-1-583-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-1-583-2015, 2015
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- We present SF3M, a new graphical user interface for implementing a complete 3-D photo-reconstruction workflow based on freely available software, in combination with a low-cost survey design for the reconstruction of a several-hundred-metres-long gully network.
- This methodology implied using inexpensive means, little manpower, in a short time span, being a promising tool for gully erosion evaluation in scenarios with demanding budget and time constraints and reduced operator expertise.
J. Casalí, R. Giménez, and M. A. Campo-Bescós
SOIL, 1, 509–513, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-1-509-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-1-509-2015, 2015
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Despite gullies having been intensively studied in the past decades, there is no general consensus on such basic aspects as the correct determination of the geometry (width and depth) of these erosion features. Therefore, a measurement protocol is proposed to characterize the geometry of a gully by its effective width and effective depth, which, together with its length, would permit the definition of the equivalent prismatic gully (EPG); this would facilitate the comparison between gullies.
E. A. C. Costantini, A. E. Agnelli, A. Fabiani, E. Gagnarli, S. Mocali, S. Priori, S. Simoni, and G. Valboa
SOIL, 1, 443–457, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-1-443-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-1-443-2015, 2015
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Earthworks carried out before planting a new vineyard caused, in the surface soil layer, an increase in lime and a decline in soil OC and N contents, along with a reduction in the abundance and diversity of microbial and mesofauna communities. Five years after the new vineyard establishment, soil was still far from its original quality and this limited vine development. The reduced OM input resulting from the management and the poor residue biomass was a major factor in delaying soil resilience.
J. P. van Leeuwen, D. Moraetis, G. J. Lair, J. Bloem, N. P. Nikolaidis, L. Hemerik, and P. C. de Ruiter
SOIL Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/soild-2-187-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/soild-2-187-2015, 2015
Manuscript not accepted for further review
R. Zornoza, J. A. Acosta, F. Bastida, S. G. Domínguez, D. M. Toledo, and A. Faz
SOIL, 1, 173–185, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-1-173-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-1-173-2015, 2015
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Executive editor
Annette Eltner et al. presented a very insightful and innovative study, which is exactly what is needed in erosion modelling. The high quality of the manuscript was underlined by both anonymous reviewers who were quite enthusiastic about it. Overall, it is a manuscript worth reading for new ideas in erosion modelling.
Annette Eltner et al. presented a very insightful and innovative study, which is exactly what is...
Short summary
This study develops a new method to improve the calibration and evaluation of models that predict soil erosion by water. By using advanced imaging techniques, we can capture detailed changes in the soil surface over time. This helps improve models that forecast erosion, especially as climate change creates new and unpredictable conditions. Our findings highlight the need for more precise tools to better model erosion of our land and environment in the future.
This study develops a new method to improve the calibration and evaluation of models that...