Developing simplified synergistic relationships to model topsoil erosion and crop yield

Non-Peer ReviewedTopsoil is highly enriched with organic matter, which provides a valuable source of plant nutrients as well as a favorable rooting environment. Over time, erosion processes selectively remove the organic matter-rich fine fraction which causes a measurable reduction in soil productivity. Assessments of past erosion are of little value in predicting future losses in productivity since the synergistic lowering of soil organic matter through lower residue inputs is not considered. Dynamic computer models, which simulate the plant/soil system, can project the long run future costs of soil erosion on crop yield. A simplified erosion-crop yield model was developed by first defining the most important soil productivity variables, then quantifying the effect of erosion on each variable. The model predicted a declining trend in grain yields similar to that observed on soil scalping experiments

Simulated Productivity Lost by Erosion (SimPLE): model development, validation, and use

Non-Peer ReviewedProductivity lost due to soil erosion can be estimated by existing computer simulation models such as EPIC, NTRM and CENTURY. However, these models require extensive input data and, to date, have had limited success in simulating Western Canadian conditions. The objective of this study was to develop a simple spring wheat model which captured the essential relationships between topsoil erosion and productivity loss in Chemozemic soils. Key relationships in our model describe: (i) how plants create yield from water, N, and P; (ii) how the soil provides these nutrients, and (iii) how erosion impacts on the supply of each nutrient. These relationships were logically connected using the Stella® II modeling environment. Agreement was highly significant (r = 0.55***) between predicted and observed grain yields over 75 site years at Indian Head, Saskatchewan. Also, grain yields from scalped Chemozemic soils in Alberta were closely simulated (r = 0.86****) by SimPLE. Fifty representative soil profiles from the Brown, Dark Brown and Black soil zones were eroded in SimPLE to numerically describe the production lost under wet, normal, and dry scenarios, with and without optimum fertilizer. Yield loss, as a percentage of non-eroded yield, increased with increasing soil erosion following a trend very similar to that reported in field studies. SimPLE is flexible and can be used for analysis of "what if' management scenarios or calculating soil loss tolerance (T) values