What is Erosivity and erodibility?

What is Erosivity and erodibility?

Conceptually, rainfall erosivity is the capacity of rain to produce erosion, whereas soil erodibility is the susceptibility of the soil to be eroded. Particles travel across the soil surface at virtual velocities that vary from the velocity of the flow to near zero.

What is soil erodibility?

Erodibility describes or is a measure of the inherent resistance of geologic materials (soils and rocks) to erosion. Highly erodible geologic materials are readily displaced and transported by water. This page provides basic information about soil erodibility.

What is soil erosivity index?

The soil erodibility index or the K factor is defined as the rate of soil loss per unit of R (rainfall erosivity index based on EI30—30 min rainfall intensity energy causing erosion) on a unit plot and indicates the relative ease at which the soil is detached and transported8.

Which type of erosion is most highly visible?

In cultivation or pastures, advanced rill erosion can develop into gully erosion. This type of erosion is highly visible and affects soil productivity, restricts land use, and can damage roads, fences and buildings.

What are the agents of soil erosion?

The agents of soil erosion are the same as the agents of all types of erosion: water, wind, ice, or gravity. Running water is the leading cause of soil erosion, because water is abundant and has a lot of power. Wind is also a leading cause of soil erosion because wind can pick up soil and blow it far away.

What are the factors that affect soil erodibility?

Soil Erodibility Factors

• Infiltration rate, movement of water through the soil, and water storage capacity.
• Dispersion, detachability, abrasion, and mobility by rainfall and runoff.

What is soil erodibility and Solodization?

Sodification and solodization are antagonistic processes. Whereas sodification can be regarded as a form of regressive pedogenesis leading to natural degradation of sodium-affected soils, solodization is a progressive process of profile evolution.

What is Erosivity factor?

What is rainfall erosivity (R-Factor)? The rainfall erosivity is calculated by multiplying the kinetic energy by the maximum rainfall intensity during a period of 30-minutes for each rainstorm. The R-factor accumulates the rainfall erosivity of individual rainstorm events and averages this value over multiple years.

How is soil loss measured?

Soil erosion can be measured by the three types of experiments, as follows: small-size runoff plot test, runoff plot erosion test, and field-size erosion test. The small-size runoff plot test uses plots of 1 m x 1 m, for example.

What is rainfall erosivity factor?

Rainfall erosivity is the kinetic energy of raindrop’s impact and the rate of associated runoff. The R-factor is a multi-annual average index that measures rainfall’s kinetic energy and intensity to describe the effect of rainfall on sheet and rill erosion.

How is soil erodibility related to surface cover?

The soil erodibility classification used to map soil erodibility defines surface soil stability and subsoil dispersiveness and combines the two into an overall inherent soil erodibility category. Surface soil stability is affected by surface cover, which is a function of climate, soil fertility, rockiness and land management.

What are the factors of highly erodible land?

The factor of 1 ton per acre per year is for shallow or otherwise fragile soils and 5 tons per acre per year is for deep soils that are least subject to damage by erosion. The classes of T factors are 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.

What is the minimum slope length for erosion?

The slope length may be fully encompassed within one map unit or it may cross several map units. The minimum value is 0, and the maximum value used in erosion equations is 305 meters. For additional information on Caribbean Area Soils, please contact Manuel Matos at 787-766-6051 or 787-405-7600.

How is slope gradient factor related to erosion?

Slope Gradient Factor (S) Slope gradient influences the retention and movement of water, the potential for soil slippage and accelerated erosion, the ease with which machinery can be used, soil-water states, and the engineering uses of the soil. Slope gradient is usually measured with a hand level or clinometer.