Catena最新文献

{"title":"Intelligent identification and classification of ground-penetrating radar datasets for sedimentary characterization","authors":"Lin Yuan ,&nbsp;Wenke Zhao ,&nbsp;Emanuele Forte ,&nbsp;Giorgio Fontolan ,&nbsp;Michele Pipan ,&nbsp;Aobo Zhu","doi":"10.1016/j.catena.2024.108514","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.catena.2024.108514","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The interpretation of Ground-penetrating Radar (GPR) is commonly performed by different GPR experts, resulting in somehow subjective results, especially in complicated backgrounds like depositional sedimentary environments. In order to improve data interpretation, we propose a new intelligent identification and classification strategy based on texture characteristics of GPR to objectively describe and assess subsurface structures. We exploit a K-means++ clustering method to classify different sedimentary units, testing the methodology on a real GPR dataset acquired on the Piscinas dunes, southwestern Sardinia, Italy. The GPR dataset is fully georeferenced and we used not only amplitude data, but multi-attributes extracted using the Gabor filters. Besides, we also evaluate the applicability and feasibility of the Principal Components Analysis (PCA) dimension reduction algorithm to reduce redundant information in dataset selection. The results show that the proposed algorithm can successfully identify and classify the different typical radar facies of subsurface sedimentary structures with an intelligent, objective and repeatable manner, not only identifying sedimentary layering, but also accurately dividing the subsurface sequence in the different depositional and erosional facies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9801,"journal":{"name":"Catena","volume":"247 ","pages":"Article 108514"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2024-11-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142573175","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Enhancing infiltration characteristics of compact soil in open-pit dumps through arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi inoculation in Amorpha fruticosa: Mechanisms and effects","authors":"Xinpeng Du ,&nbsp;Yinli Bi ,&nbsp;Lexuan Tian ,&nbsp;Mingchao Li ,&nbsp;Kejing Yin","doi":"10.1016/j.catena.2024.108515","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.catena.2024.108515","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Soil infiltration performance is a critical factor in the ecological restoration of waste dumps within arid and semi-arid regions. While the significance of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi in influencing soil structure has long been acknowledged, the precise mechanism by which these fungi affect the infiltration performance of compacted soil in waste dumps remains elusive. This study, conducted over 4 years in an open-pit dump, examined the impact of artificially inoculated AM fungi on <em>Amorpha fruticosa</em> roots, soil porosity, and soil infiltration performance. We aimed to elucidate this intricate relationship through field infiltration tests and quantitative imaging technology. Our findings revealed that the development of <em>A. fruticosa</em> root significantly enhanced the soil infiltration performance and soil pore structure in the vicinity of the roots. Moreover, inoculation with AM fungi significantly improved root density characteristics, altered root morphology, and increased the average root diameter. The synergistic effect of mycorrhiza and fungi reduced the number of soil pores while increasing their mean volume and altering their geometry. Roots played a pivotal role in soil pore connectivity, with mycorrhiza and fungi significantly increasing the equivalent diameter of connected pores and the complexity of the pore network. Furthermore, inoculation with AM fungi indirectly influenced soil macroscopic pore parameters by altering root morphology. These changes in root morphology, along with alterations in soil macroscopic pore parameters, directly enhanced soil infiltration capacity. In summary, our study demonstrated that the artificial inoculation of AM fungi in open-pit dumps within arid and semi-arid areas promoted plant root growth, enhanced soil pore development, and improved soil infiltration. These findings underscored the significance of AM fungi in ecological restoration efforts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9801,"journal":{"name":"Catena","volume":"247 ","pages":"Article 108515"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2024-11-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142573173","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Soil microbial community dynamics and contribution to litter decomposition in two years in a Tibetan alpine forest along an elevational gradient","authors":"Zhuonan Hou ,&nbsp;Xinjun Zhang ,&nbsp;Ruihong Wang ,&nbsp;Tiantian Ma ,&nbsp;Xintong Li ,&nbsp;Su Chang ,&nbsp;Yanying Han ,&nbsp;Meidi Cheng ,&nbsp;Jie Lu ,&nbsp;Bo Wang ,&nbsp;Yanhui Ye ,&nbsp;Yuquan Wei","doi":"10.1016/j.catena.2024.108516","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.catena.2024.108516","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Soil microbial communities are crucial to drive litter decomposition and regulate carbon cycle for mitigating the effects of climate change. However, in alpine forest ecosystems, the relative importance of dynamic litter degradation and changes in abiotic factors across elevational mountain gradients in affecting soil microbial communities is little understood. In this study, five sites along elevation gradient (3500–4300 m) were set according to the distribution range of <em>Rhododendron simsii Planch</em> to investigate the changes in soil microbial community structure during litter decomposition process. Based on the two-year field litter burial experiment and soil microbial sequencing, our results revealed that the litter mass loss for two years at different elevations ranged from 37 % to 61 %, and lignin contributed the most to litter decomposition. Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria and Acidobacteria were the dominant bacteria, and the dominant fungal communities were Basidiomycota and Ascomycota, which played a major role in promoting lignocellulose decomposition. The similarity in soil microbial community structure and alpha diversity between elevations increased with the decomposition of litter. Correlation analysis showed that microbial Chao1 index, available potassium and pH significantly influenced the decomposition of litter. Soil microbial communities were mainly influenced by soil moisture, soil texture (clay + silt) and the content of carbon and nitrogen. Overall, the changes in the soil microbial community especially in alpine forests can be strongly affected by litter decomposition in turn, further regulating ecosystem functions and processes. More attention should be paid to global climate-sensitive and vulnerable areas, which are essential for soil ecological quality improvement.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9801,"journal":{"name":"Catena","volume":"247 ","pages":"Article 108516"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2024-11-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142573174","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Efficacies of vegetation litter and roots in strengthening rainfall infiltration for different stand ages on the Loess Plateau","authors":"Fengjiao Niu ,&nbsp;Chengzhong Pan ,&nbsp;Lan Ma ,&nbsp;Yongsheng Cui","doi":"10.1016/j.catena.2024.108502","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.catena.2024.108502","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Vegetation litter cover and root systems have important effects on hillslope hydrological processes. Their relative importance may change with the stage of growth after afforestation. However, limited information is available on the dynamics of the quantitative contributions of litter and roots to rainfall infiltration. In this study, <em>Robinia pseudoacacia</em> plantations differing in stand age (18, 25, 30, and 40 years) and fallow slope land (control) were selected to investigate the influence of litter cover and roots on infiltration processes on hillslopes following simulated rainfall. Both the accumulation and decomposition rates of litter and the biomass of roots increased with stand age. Under the same simulated rainfall, infiltration in the plantations initially increased and thereafter decreased with stand growth, which was 2.93–4.91 times that of the fallow slope land. With increase in stand age from 18 to 40 years, litter contributed 60%, 11%, 82% and 91% to the increase in infiltration, and roots contributed 40%, 89%, 18% and 9%, respectively, to aforementioned four stands. The average contribution of litter to the increase in infiltration was 1.56 times greater than that of roots. The contribution of litter generally increased with stand age. Litter cover and the root system played a crucial role in strengthening uniform infiltration and preferential infiltration, respectively. In the presence of litter, the contribution of preferential flow to total infiltration was 67% of that in the absence of litter. These results contribute to an improved understanding of the effects of afforestation on hillslope hydrological processes and provide a theoretical reference for the management of plantations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9801,"journal":{"name":"Catena","volume":"247 ","pages":"Article 108502"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2024-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142573172","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Geomorphological evolution of the Umm al-Quwain (UAE) coastal-lagoon system: Natural processes and recent human impact","authors":"Luca Forti ,&nbsp;Michele Degli Esposti ,&nbsp;Mauro Cremaschi ,&nbsp;Federico Borgi ,&nbsp;Roberto Sergio Azzoni ,&nbsp;Andrea Zerboni","doi":"10.1016/j.catena.2024.108517","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.catena.2024.108517","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Coastal lagoon systems are highly sensitive environments currently experiencing the impact of climate change and human pressure, which are triggering alteration of pristine biodiversity and geomorphic dynamics. Climate- and/or tectonic-induced changes in sea-level and shifts in the base level and/or flow rate of rivers connected to inlets heavily affect the balance of lagoon ecosystems, triggering ecological changes and/or alterations in landforms. For instance, the shorelines of the Arabian Peninsula, stretching from the Red Sea to the Persian/Arabian Gulf, are dotted by coastal lagoons that are undergoing deep transformations. Across the Holocene, Arabian lagoons underwent subsequent phases of modification triggered by sea-level changes, modifications of ocean circulation, and post-Last Glacial Maximum shifts in the discharge of main rivers (e.g., Tigris and Euphrates rivers). These factors reshaped the geomorphology of such contexts, promoting the evolution of freshwater ecosystems along the shorelines of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and influencing the growth of extensive mangrove forests. In recent years, human agency has disrupted the pristine dynamics and ecosystems of coastal-lagoon systems between Abu Dhabi and Ras al-Khaimah. Local lagoons have undergone significant changes due to urban expansion involving land reclamation initiatives along the coast to expand coastal areas, including the construction of artificial islands and the consequent changes in circulation and reduction of mangrove forests. The lagoon of the Emirate of Umm al-Quwain (UAQ), thanks to the slower rate of urban sprawl and limited land reclamation operations, still preserves an extensive mangrove ecosystem, pristine landforms, and almost unspoilt tidal dynamics. For that reason, it constitutes the ideal context for a geomorphological assessment based on a combined multi-temporal remote sensing (from 1968 to 2022) and field validation approach, aimed at achieving a deep understanding of the formation and dynamics of tidal-lagoon and coastal systems and landforms. Furthermore, a detailed geomorphological reconstruction of specific sectors of the UAQ lagoon traced its evolutionary history, informing interpretations of past human communities’ adaptation strategies and resource exploitation patterns.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9801,"journal":{"name":"Catena","volume":"247 ","pages":"Article 108517"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2024-10-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142561247","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impacts of arable reforestation on soil carbon and nutrients are dependent upon interactions between soil depth and tree species","authors":"Josiah B. Judson ,&nbsp;Pippa J. Chapman ,&nbsp;Joseph Holden ,&nbsp;Marcelo V. Galdos","doi":"10.1016/j.catena.2024.108465","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.catena.2024.108465","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Recent interest in temperate farm woodland has focussed on strengthening delivery of ecological and economic benefits from land. However, impacts of temperate farm woodland on soil properties and carbon inventories are poorly studied. With field samples and measurements taken at 35-year-old agroforestry experiment we determine how functioning in three components of the soil column (forest floor, topsoil (0–30 cm) and subsoil (&gt;30 cm)) respond to land-use change, tree species choice and small-scale random variability in soil properties. Tree species influenced soil nutrient dynamics in the forest floor and topsoil, with Hazel forest floor material 27 % less concentrated in phosphorus (P) but containing 50 % more soil organic carbon (SOC) stock than Cherry or Sycamore. Change in land use from arable to woodland controlled soil bulk density, organic matter content and C storage in topsoil, with 15 % (11.8 t ha⁻¹) more SOC stock in 0–30 cm soil beneath woodland compared with arable. In subsoil, tree species and land cover influence over soil functioning was insignificant. Notably, no net difference between arable and woodland soil C storage was found when the 0–50 cm part of the profile was considered as a whole, although net C storage was highly variable by plot. 35 years following planting, soil structure and SOC storage were only different in the forest floor and topsoil compared to the adjacent arable system. Each soil component therefore has its own functioning ‘signature’ in response to afforestation. Future policy support for farm woodland must account for this complexity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9801,"journal":{"name":"Catena","volume":"247 ","pages":"Article 108465"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2024-10-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142554377","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The role of organic materials and calcium carbonates mediated by biocrusts in altering soil aggregate size fractions in drylands","authors":"Leila Kashi Zenouzi ,&nbsp;Seyed Hassan Kaboli ,&nbsp;Federico Rossi ,&nbsp;Mohammad Sohrabi ,&nbsp;Mohammad Khosroshahi","doi":"10.1016/j.catena.2024.108482","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.catena.2024.108482","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) play a critical role in influencing soil biogeochemical properties and soil aggregate formation. While the effect of biocrusts on soil aggregate formation is well-established, the precise impact of biocrusts on specific aggregate size distribution (ASD) fractions, particularly in drylands, still requires conclusive determination. This study focused on the impact of biocrusts on organic material (OM) and calcium carbonate (CC) content in topsoil aggregates within the Sejzi Plain, Iran. Samples were collected from areas with and without biocrust coverage using a stratified random sampling method, and various soil properties were analyzed and compared. The study quantified OM and CC levels, assessed particle size distribution (PSD) through laser diffraction analysis, and compared aggregate size distribution (ASD). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations revealed the presence of extracellular polymer substances (EPSs) in soils covered by biocrusts. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) identified monosaccharides like glucose, arabinose, mannose, and xylose as components of the EPS polysaccharidic fraction. The ratio of hexose to pentose, calculated to be 2.41 in biocrust-covered soils, suggested the role of biocrusts in secreting EPSs into the soil. The results showed that the removal of CC and OM led to an increase in particle size in very fine sands, fine silts, and very fine silts, while aggregate size decreased in coarse sands in biocrust-covered soils. Soils lacking biocrusts exhibited minimal changes except in very coarse sands. In summary, the CC and OM produced by biocrusts enhance soil particle adhesion in fine silt and very fine sand fractions, contributing to the formation of coarse sand and very coarse sand aggregates.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9801,"journal":{"name":"Catena","volume":"247 ","pages":"Article 108482"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2024-10-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142554376","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"First approximation of soil quality critical limits in land use systems in the Brazilian Amazon","authors":"Jhonatan Rafael Zárate-Salazar ,&nbsp;Renato Francisco da Silva Souza ,&nbsp;Francilel Arruda Bezerra ,&nbsp;Douglas Marcelo Pinheiro da Silva ,&nbsp;Milton Cesar Costa Campos ,&nbsp;José Maurício da Cunha ,&nbsp;Jeison Andrey Sanchez Parra ,&nbsp;Zigomar Menezes de Souza","doi":"10.1016/j.catena.2024.108476","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.catena.2024.108476","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Soil quality study as an assessment tool can contribute to soil management and guide land use decisions. We developed and evaluated soil quality indices (SQI) for land use systems in the Brazilian Amazon and identified the critical limits of soil quality as a first approximation. Additionally, we proposed an equation to determine Denardin’s Erodibility factor by a simpler and accessible method. We performed 21 physical, chemical, and biological analyses of 225 soil samples (0–20 cm depth) from five land use systems (LUS). We integrated and compared 12 SQIs using two data sets (total and minimum), two scoring methods (linear and non-linear), and three SQI integration approaches (Additive, Weighted additive, and Nemoro). The results indicate that in all LUSs, the most significant and best-estimated integration of soil indicators was the Additive SQI using the minimum data set and linear scoring method. Only clay content and Denardin’s Erodibility factor from the minimum data set showed significant linear regressions and high coefficients of determination (<em>r²</em> &gt; 0.50, <em>P</em> &lt; 0.05) with the Additive SQI. According to them, we determined the critical limits of the SQI in each LUS. Clay content threshold values to diagnose low soil quality were 225.28 and 171.89 g kg⁻¹ for the Agroforestry Systems, 210.74 g kg⁻¹ for the Silvopastoral System, 201.23 g kg⁻¹ for the Pasture System, and 198.29 g kg⁻¹ for Natural Forest. Erodibility threshold values to diagnose low soil quality were 0.0657, 0.0656, and 0.0596 t h MJ⁻¹ mm⁻¹ only for the Silvopastoral, Natural Forest, and Pasture systems, respectively. These findings suggest that the soils from the Pasture System and Natural Forest are vulnerable to anthropogenic soil degradation because they present steep linear slopes between the Erodibility factor and the soil quality critical limits. In these LUSs, we identified significant and mathematically plausible linear regression equations for determining Erodibility factor.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9801,"journal":{"name":"Catena","volume":"247 ","pages":"Article 108476"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2024-10-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142554378","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Drivers and reduction potential of carbon emissions from cultivated land use","authors":"Jiayi Ma ,&nbsp;Xinhui Feng ,&nbsp;Sensen Wang ,&nbsp;Fei Liu ,&nbsp;Yan Li","doi":"10.1016/j.catena.2024.108508","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.catena.2024.108508","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cultivated land is both a carbon source and sink, and can both directly and indirectly affect the carbon cycle. As a major agricultural country, low-carbon and sustainable utilization of cultivated land in China is crucial to achieving its carbon neutrality goals. Using data from 31 provinces in China, the carbon emissions and intensity of cultivated land use between 2000 and 2020 were calculated. The driving factors and impact mechanisms of carbon intensity were analyzed. Finally, a carbon emission reduction potential index was constructed to explore the carbon emission reduction potential of cultivated land use under different preference scenarios. Total carbon emissions from cultivated land use in China increased from 201.848 million tons in 2000 to 227.4715 million tons in 2020 (an increase of 12.7%). The carbon emission intensity reached a minimum in 2003 (0.79 tons/ha) and a maximum in 2017 (1.01 tons/ha). The proportion of paddy fields, multiple cropping indices, proportion of effective irrigated areas, degree of agricultural chemicalization, and total power of agricultural machinery were the main drivers of carbon emission intensity of cultivated land use. The shadow prices of carbon emissions from cultivated land use were relatively high in Guizhou, Qinghai, and Beijing, amounting to 35.13, 33.54, and 23.97 million yuan per ton, respectively, whereas those in southeastern regions, such as Jiangsu and Shanghai, were low. In addition, under all three preference scenarios (equal equity and efficiency, equity first, and efficiency first), Jiangsu had high emission reduction potentials (up to 0.880, 0.861, and 0.900, respectively), allowing it to share more responsibility for reducing emissions. In contrast, Qinghai had the lowest emission reduction potentials in the study area, reaching 0.064, 0.078, and 0.051 for the equal equity and efficiency, equity first, and efficiency first scenarios, respectively. The results of this study suggest that the agricultural system has the potential to help China realize its carbon peak and carbon neutrality goals through the implementation of new technologies, policies, and management tools. As such, our results provide a reference for future policy development and low-carbon land use management that is better tailored to regional variability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9801,"journal":{"name":"Catena","volume":"247 ","pages":"Article 108508"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2024-10-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142554265","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Tracing millennia-scale erosional and depositional dynamics in desert agriculture installations using high-resolution 3D data","authors":"Reuma Arav ,&nbsp;Yoav Avni ,&nbsp;Sagi Filin","doi":"10.1016/j.catena.2024.108487","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.catena.2024.108487","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper follows a complete cycle of ancient desert agriculture in the arid Negev Highlands (NH), Israel. This cycle begins with pre-anthropogenic depositional and erosive processes the NH have undergone since the late Pleistocene, continues through the establishment of agricultural systems at the 3rd century CE, and ends with the restoration of erosion after the sites’ abandonment after 6-7 centuries of cultivation, till present days. Using two-millennia old markers and 10-year high-resolution 3D observations, this paper studies land process dynamics, compare long-term land degradation trends to recent ones, evaluate anthropogenic-induced influences, and follow the landscape evolution from the late-Pleistocene until present. Our results show 0.45 t ha⁻¹/yr erosion rate during the late-Pleistocene and most of the Holocene, prior to the anthropogenic intervention. This is evidence of the intensive soil erosion processes that governed the NH during that time. Furthermore, the paper shows erosion rates of 7.8 t ha⁻¹/yr over the last millennium and draw similarities to present ones. The results shed new light on long-term soil erosion process in desert environments and point to potential conservation strategies in similar regions. The time span of our study is uncommon and our evaluation offers a rare opportunity to analyze natural and anthropogenic effects on the environment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9801,"journal":{"name":"Catena","volume":"247 ","pages":"Article 108487"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2024-10-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142554373","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}