Soil Erosion Effects on Soil Quality and Yield

This study examines the cumulative effect of erosion on soil properties that are important to productivity, and estimates the effect of erosion on grain yields. Experiments were located in central Saskatchewan on Dark Brown soils of the Weyburn Association. The relationship between yields and relative distance down eroded hillslopes was described best by a third-order polynominal equation. Grain yields were lowest on the upper slopes and increased steadily through mid-slopes to maximum values that were often double the upper slope yield on the lower or foot slope, then decreased again in the more level parts of the fields away from the slope. The impact of varying degrees of erosion on productivity was estimated by adding back incremental depths of topsoil to eroded knolls. Grain yields were increased by 45–58% by adding 50 mm of topsoil, with additional topsoil (100 or 150 mm) generally increasing yields slightly, but at a decreasing rate. Changes in soil quality with increasing erosion were measured on otherwise similar soils on eroded knolls, with the period of cultivation ranging from 0 (native) to 75 yr. Reductions in the amount of 137 Cs in surface horizons with increasing period of cultivation indicated the cumulative effects of erosion, with general soil losses of 20 to 30 Mg ha −1 yr −1 . Consistent reductions in silt plus very fine sand fractions with time suggested that wind erosion had been dominant. Organic C and P, total N and S decreased with increasing erosion. Potentially mineralizable N descreased at a faster rate than total N. The CaCO 3 content of surface horizons increased, and inorganic P remained constant with increasing degree of erosion. Key words: Nutrients, soil productivity, soil quality, eroded, catena.