Quantification of Impact of Land Use Systems on Runoff and Soil Loss from Ravine Ecosystem of Western India

Abstract

Ravine and gully formations are both spectacular and also the worst forms of water-induced soil erosion and have in situ and ex situ impact on geomorphology, hydrology, productivity and environmental security, and they are the root causes of degradation of marginal and adjacent land along with reduced production potential. A long-term (2011–2019) study was conducted on marginal land of the Chambal ravine to assess the impact of six land uses, i.e., Agriculture (T1—Rainfed Soybean), Agri-horticulture (T2—Soybean + Manilkara achras), Horti-Pastoral (T3—Emblica officinalis + Cenchurus ciliaris), Pasture (T4—C. ciliaris), Silviculture (T5—Acacia nilotica) and Silvi-pasture (T6—A. nilotica + C. Ciliaris) on soil properties, runoff interception, sediment trapping and soil loss reduction. The lowest average annual soil loss (4.83 ton ha−1 year−1) and runoff (109.52 mm) were recorded under T4, while the highest sediment loss (8.09 ton ha−1 year−1) and runoff (136.07 mm), respectively, were under T5. The runoff coefficient of land uses was in the order of T3 (20.30%) < T4 (20.56%) < T1 (21.95%) < T2 (22.26%) < T6 (22.83%) < T5 (25.54%). The C. ciliaris improved bulk density and recorded lowest in horti-pasture (1.63 ± 0.04 g cm−3) followed by pasture (1.66 ± 0.03 g cm−3) land use system. The active SOC content in pasture, horti-pasture and silvi-pasture was 0.95, 0.87 and 0.64 times higher, respectively, than agriculture land use. Under pure C. ciliaris cover, resistance to penetration varied from 0.68 to 1.97 MPa, while in silviculture land use, it ranges from 1.19 to 2.90 Mpa. Grass cover had substantial impact on soil loss and runoff reduction, SOC content, soil aggregation and resistance to penetration. In degraded ecosystems, Cenchrus ciliaris can be used alone and in combination with plants for protection of natural resources from water-induced soil erosion, runoff conservation, soil quality improvement and maximization of precipitation water use.