Erosion-preventive crop rotations and water erosion rates on undulating slopes in Lithuania B. Jankauskas 1 , G. Jankauskiene 1 , and M. A. Fullen 2 1 Kaltinenai Research Station of the Lithuanian Institute of Agriculture, LT-5926, Kaltinenai, Silale District, Lithuania; 2 School of Applied Sciences, The University of Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton WV1 1SB, UK. Received 17 April 2003, accepted 22 December 2003. Jankauskas, B., Jankauskiene, G. and Fullen, M. A. 2004. Erosion-preventive crop rotations and water erosion rates on undu- lating slopes in Lithuania. Can. J. Soil Sci. 84: 177–186. A combination of perennial grass species and selected crop rotations can help prevent soil erosion in upland regions and minimize the risk of soil erosion and associated water pollution (to both ter- restrial and aquatic ecosystems). Research data were obtained on sandy loam Eutric Albeluvisols at the Kaltinenai Research Station of the Lithuanian Institute of Agriculture on the undulating hilly topography of the Zemaiciai Uplands of Western Lithuania. The aim was to identify crops and crop rotations that would minimize soil erosion. Measured water erosion rates over 18 yr of field experiments were: 3.2–8.6 m 3 ha –1 yr –1 under winter rye, 9.0–27.1 m 3 ha –1 yr –1 under spring barley and 24.2–87.1 m 3 ha –1 yr –1 under potatoes. Perennial grasses completely prevented water erosion, while the erosion-preventive grass-grain crop rotations (>50% grass) decreased soil losses on arable slopes of 2–5°, 5–10° and 10–14° by 75–80%. The grain-grass crop rota- tion (<50% grass) decreased rates by 23–24% compared to the field crop rotation. The main attributes of the proposed soil con- servation systems were the careful selection of optimum erosion-preventive ecosystems (sod-forming perennial grasses or erosion-preventive crop rotations) with high erosion-resisting capabilities. These selected systems varied in response to slope gra- dient and thus assist erosion control and ecological stability of the undulating topography of Lithuania. These results may have wider applicability on the undulating landscapes of the temperate agricultural zone. Key words: Undulating upland topography, water erosion rates, erosion-preventive crop rotations, temperate climate Jankauskas, B., Jankauskiene, G. et Fullen, M. A. 2004. Systèmes d’utilization de la terre et taux d’erosion de l’eau sur les pentes onduleuses en Lithuanie. Can. J. Soil Sci. 84: 177–186. Une combinaison d’espèce éternelle d’herbe et de rotations de récolte choisies peut aider à empêcher l’érosion de sol dans des régions de montagne et à réduire au minimum le risque d’érosion de sol et de pollution associée de l’eau (aux écosystèmes aquatiques terrestres et marins). Des données de recherches ont été obtenues sur la terre grasse arénacée Eutric Albeluvisols au centre de recherches de Kaltinenai de l’institut lithuanien de l’agricul- ture sur la topographie accidentée onduleuse des montagnes de Zemaiciai de la Lithuanie occidentale. Le but était à la récolte d’i- dentité et aux rotations de récolte qui réduiraient au minimum l’érosion de sol. Les taux mesurés d’érosion de l’eau selon 18 ans d’expériences sur le terrain étaient: 3.2–8.6 m 3 ha –1 yr –1 sous le seigle d’hiver, 3.2–8.6 m 3 ha –1 yr –1 sous l’orge printanière et 24.2–87.1 m 3 ha –1 yr –1 sous des pommes de terre. Les herbes éternelles ont complètement empêché l’érosion de l’eau. Les rotations de récolte érosion-préventives de herbe-grain (>herbe de 50%) ont diminué des pertes de sol sur les pentes arables de 2–5°, de 5–10° et de 10–14° de 75–80%, alors que la rotation de récolte d’grain-herbe (<herbe de 50%) diminuait des taux de 23–24%, comparé à la rotation de culture de plein champ. Les attributs principaux de la conservation proposée de terre et du système soutenable d’util- isation du territoire étaient le choix rigoureux des écosystèmes érosion-préventifs optima (gazon-formant les herbes éternelles ou les rotations de récolte érosion-préventives) avec des possibilités derésistance élevées. Ces systèmes changeraient en réponse aux états de pente et de sol. De tels écosystèmes aident la commande d’érosion et ainsi la stabilité écologique de la topographie onduleuse de la Lithuanie. Ces résultats peuvent avoir une applicabilité plus large sur les paysages onduleux de la zone agricole tempérée. Mots clés: Topographie accidentée onduleuse, taux d’érosion de l’eau, rotations de récolte Érosion-préventives, climat tempéré Soil erosion is one of the world’s most serious environmen- tal problems, causing extensive loss of cultivated and poten- tially productive soil and crop yields (Skoien 1995). Highly eroded soils tend to have reduced productivity, degraded structure, lower organic matter and are poor environments for root growth (Frye et al. 1982; Lindstrom et al. 1994). Water erosion is the main soil degradation process in agri- cultural areas; which jeopardizes 56% of global arable land and has already eliminated an estimated 430 million ha, or 30% of the total available arable land, from agricultural pro- duction (Djorovic 1999). Major causes of water and wind erosion include deforestation, overgrazing and mismanage- ment of arable land. About 1028 million ha of global soils are moderately to excessively affected by water and wind erosion (Griesbach and Sanders 1998). The limited avail- ability of soil resources for food production and renewable biotic resources, caused by steady population growth and accelerated soil degradation, may have greater negative impacts on global living conditions than the human-induced greenhouse effect (Eger et al. 1998). Soil erosion is not always due to hostile climate, but can result from land mis- management and inappropriate policies (Boardman et al. 2003; Fullen 2003). For example, erosion on agricultural land in the United Kingdom has increased over the past 20 177 Can. J. Soil. Sci. Downloaded from cdnsciencepub.com by 14.165.90.143 on 06/27/23
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