Consolidation effects on relationships among soil erosion properties and soil physical quality indicators

Abstract Consolidation of soil by wetting and drying cycles following tillage rapidly changes the soil physical properties but little is known about how these changes impact soil erosion. The objective of this study was to develop equations to predict soil erodibility (Kd) and critical shear stress (τc) in response to consolidation based upon changes in soil bulk density, saturated hydraulic conductivity, water content, soil penetration strength and surface shear strength following a series of wetting and drying cycles. Air-dried soil from four contrasting soil series was loosely filled into 20 soil cylinders (80 total) to simulate freshly tilled conditions. Soil physical and erosion properties were determined at six time periods (0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 10 days) following daily simulated rainfall of 33 mm h−1 for 1 h and 24 h of drainage/drying. The Jet Test device was used to determine Kd, and τc. The bulk density increased with time due to consolidation following the simulated precipitation events with the largest increase (50–100 % of the total) occurring after the first wetting/drying cycle. The Onstad consolidation model tended to over-predict this initial surface bulk density increase, whereas, an exponential model better represented the surface and depth-averaged bulk density changes for the four soils tested. The shear strength and soil penetration resistance increased dramatically after the first wetting/drying cycle then decreased to a fairly stable value in response to subsequent wetting/drying cycles. The saturated hydraulic conductivity, Ks, decreased so rapidly with accumulated rainfall that an exponential decay model could not match the decrease in Ks as the soil consolidated. The best indicators of erodibility response to consolidation were accumulated rain, surface bulk density, saturated hydraulic conductivity and soil penetration resistance at the 1.3 cm depth. The best indicators of critical shear stress were accumulated rainfall, soil penetration resistance at 1.3 cm and saturated hydraulic conductivity. Because these erosion parameters had intercepts that were dependent upon the soil series, prediction of changes in soil erosion with time following tillage will be soil-specific.