Mapping Control of Erosion Rates: Comparing Model and Monitoring Data for Croplands in Northern Germany

Control of erosion rates (CER) is a key ecosystem service for soil protection. It is mandatory for sustaining the capacity, especially of agroecosystems, to provide ecosystem services. By applying an established framework to assess soil regulating services, this study compares two approaches to asse...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Bastian Steinhoff-Knopp, Benjamin Burkhard
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Pensoft Publishers 2018-06-01
Series:One Ecosystem
Subjects:
Online Access:https://oneecosystem.pensoft.net/article/26382/
_version_ 1811260826088112128
author Bastian Steinhoff-Knopp
Benjamin Burkhard
author_facet Bastian Steinhoff-Knopp
Benjamin Burkhard
author_sort Bastian Steinhoff-Knopp
collection DOAJ
description Control of erosion rates (CER) is a key ecosystem service for soil protection. It is mandatory for sustaining the capacity, especially of agroecosystems, to provide ecosystem services. By applying an established framework to assess soil regulating services, this study compares two approaches to assess CER provision for 466 ha of cropland in Lower Saxony (Central Northern Germany). In a "sealed modelling approach", the structural and the mitigated structural impact were modelled by applying the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE). The second approach uses spatially explicit long-term monitoring data on soil loss rates obtained in the investigation area as an alternative to the USLE-based modelled mitigated structural impact. Assuming that the monitoring data have a higher reliability than the modelled data, the comparison of both approaches demonstrated the uncertainties of the USLE-based assessment of CER. The calculated indicators based on a sound monitoring database on soil loss rates showed that, due to limitations of the USLE model, the structural impact in thalwegs has been underestimated. Incorporating models with the ability to estimate soil loss by rilling und gullying can help to overcome this uncertainty. The produced set of complementary large-scale CER maps enables an integrated analyses of CER. In the entire investigation area, the provision of CER regulating ecosystem services was generally high, indicating good management practices. Differences at the field scale and between the different regions can be explained by variations of the structural impact and the management practices.
first_indexed 2024-04-12T18:53:27Z
format Article
id doaj.art-f7f54a06f4194f26a2fe730ac463c915
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2367-8194
language English
last_indexed 2024-04-12T18:53:27Z
publishDate 2018-06-01
publisher Pensoft Publishers
record_format Article
series One Ecosystem
spelling doaj.art-f7f54a06f4194f26a2fe730ac463c9152022-12-22T03:20:24ZengPensoft PublishersOne Ecosystem2367-81942018-06-01312510.3897/oneeco.3.e2638226382Mapping Control of Erosion Rates: Comparing Model and Monitoring Data for Croplands in Northern GermanyBastian Steinhoff-Knopp0Benjamin Burkhard1Leibniz Universität Hannover, Institute of Physical Geography and Landscape EcologyLeibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research ZALFControl of erosion rates (CER) is a key ecosystem service for soil protection. It is mandatory for sustaining the capacity, especially of agroecosystems, to provide ecosystem services. By applying an established framework to assess soil regulating services, this study compares two approaches to assess CER provision for 466 ha of cropland in Lower Saxony (Central Northern Germany). In a "sealed modelling approach", the structural and the mitigated structural impact were modelled by applying the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE). The second approach uses spatially explicit long-term monitoring data on soil loss rates obtained in the investigation area as an alternative to the USLE-based modelled mitigated structural impact. Assuming that the monitoring data have a higher reliability than the modelled data, the comparison of both approaches demonstrated the uncertainties of the USLE-based assessment of CER. The calculated indicators based on a sound monitoring database on soil loss rates showed that, due to limitations of the USLE model, the structural impact in thalwegs has been underestimated. Incorporating models with the ability to estimate soil loss by rilling und gullying can help to overcome this uncertainty. The produced set of complementary large-scale CER maps enables an integrated analyses of CER. In the entire investigation area, the provision of CER regulating ecosystem services was generally high, indicating good management practices. Differences at the field scale and between the different regions can be explained by variations of the structural impact and the management practices.https://oneecosystem.pensoft.net/article/26382/regulating ecosystem servicecontrol of erosio
spellingShingle Bastian Steinhoff-Knopp
Benjamin Burkhard
Mapping Control of Erosion Rates: Comparing Model and Monitoring Data for Croplands in Northern Germany
One Ecosystem
regulating ecosystem service
control of erosio
title Mapping Control of Erosion Rates: Comparing Model and Monitoring Data for Croplands in Northern Germany
title_full Mapping Control of Erosion Rates: Comparing Model and Monitoring Data for Croplands in Northern Germany
title_fullStr Mapping Control of Erosion Rates: Comparing Model and Monitoring Data for Croplands in Northern Germany
title_full_unstemmed Mapping Control of Erosion Rates: Comparing Model and Monitoring Data for Croplands in Northern Germany
title_short Mapping Control of Erosion Rates: Comparing Model and Monitoring Data for Croplands in Northern Germany
title_sort mapping control of erosion rates comparing model and monitoring data for croplands in northern germany
topic regulating ecosystem service
control of erosio
url https://oneecosystem.pensoft.net/article/26382/
work_keys_str_mv AT bastiansteinhoffknopp mappingcontroloferosionratescomparingmodelandmonitoringdataforcroplandsinnortherngermany
AT benjaminburkhard mappingcontroloferosionratescomparingmodelandmonitoringdataforcroplandsinnortherngermany