| Abstract | Erosion is the most widespread form of soil degradation in Europe. EU Member States are called to identify areas prone to high risk of soil erosion and to adopt Best Management Practices (BMPs) to decrease land degradation. This study is aimed at identifying effective BMPs and their economic feasibility for controlling soil erosion in south-central Italy where lands are largely cultivated with winter wheat. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) was applied to simulate the baseline hydrologic and soil erosion processes of the Carapelle basin in the Puglia region, Italy. Calibrated sediment loads were reasonably accurate when statistically evaluated against measured data (R = 0.5, NSE = 0.5, PBIAS=-2.8 %). The model performed equally well for simulating stream flow rates (R = 0.6, NSE = 0.6, PBIAS = 5.3 %). The model maintained reliable performance during the validation period as well. Average annual specific sediment load was estimated 5.95 t ha yr mostly contributed by cultivated croplands. Based on regional agricultural policies, four management scenarios were implemented using the calibrated SWAT model: contour farming (BMP1), no tillage (BMP2); reforestation (BMP3) and contour farming and reforestation (BMP4). A threshold of sediment yield greater than 10 t hayr was selected to discretize target treatment areas where these BMPs were applied. Result show that combining contour farming and reforestation (BMP4) was the most effective (38 % reduction; from 5.95 to 3.70 t ha) for erosion control, followed by BMP2 (29 %; from 5.95 to 4.20 t ha), BMP1 (22 %; from 5.95 to 4.61 t ha) and BMP3 (15 %; from 5.95 to 5.04 t ha). An analysis of the farmer return-production cost ratio (FR/PC) indicated that the baseline (conventional tillage) and BMP1 were both economically sustainable in areas with slope <20 % (FR/PC = 1.12 and 1.11, respectively). BMP2 received the highest FR/PC rating of 1.67 in areas with slope <20 %. The baseline scenario had no economic advantage (FR/PC = 0.93) in steep slope areas. BMP3 was ranked at the top (FR/PC = 1.49) followed by BMP2 (FR/PC = 1.41) in areas with slope>20 %. The results show that a program of measures can be effective for controlling soil erosion but it must be implemented over long time frames and it requires relevant investments from the public and private sectors. |
| Text | 420690 2020 10.1016/j.landusepol.2019.104306 Scopus 2 s2.0 85074050832 Best management practices SWAT model Common Agricultural Policy Rural development program economic feasibility Effectiveness and feasibility of different management practices to reduce soil erosion in an agricultural watershed Ricci G.F.; Jeong J.; De Girolamo A.M.; Gentile F. University of Bari Aldo Moro, Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Bari, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Bari, Italy, , Italy; Texas A M AgriLife Research, Temple, TX, Texas A M AgriLife Research, Temple, TX, USA, , United States; National Research Council, Water Research Institute IRSA CNR , Bari, National Research Council, Water Research Institute IRSA CNR , Bari, Italy, , , Italy; National Research Council, Water Research Institute IRSA CNR , Bari, National Research Council, Water Research Institute IRSA CNR , Bari, Italy, , , Italy Erosion is the most widespread form of soil degradation in Europe. EU Member States are called to identify areas prone to high risk of soil erosion and to adopt Best Management Practices BMPs to decrease land degradation. This study is aimed at identifying effective BMPs and their economic feasibility for controlling soil erosion in south central Italy where lands are largely cultivated with winter wheat. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool SWAT was applied to simulate the baseline hydrologic and soil erosion processes of the Carapelle basin in the Puglia region, Italy. Calibrated sediment loads were reasonably accurate when statistically evaluated against measured data R = 0.5, NSE = 0.5, PBIAS= 2.8 % . The model performed equally well for simulating stream flow rates R = 0.6, NSE = 0.6, PBIAS = 5.3 % . The model maintained reliable performance during the validation period as well. Average annual specific sediment load was estimated 5.95 t ha yr mostly contributed by cultivated croplands. Based on regional agricultural policies, four management scenarios were implemented using the calibrated SWAT model contour farming BMP1 , no tillage BMP2 ; reforestation BMP3 and contour farming and reforestation BMP4 . A threshold of sediment yield greater than 10 t hayr was selected to discretize target treatment areas where these BMPs were applied. Result show that combining contour farming and reforestation BMP4 was the most effective 38 % reduction; from 5.95 to 3.70 t ha for erosion control, followed by BMP2 29 %; from 5.95 to 4.20 t ha , BMP1 22 %; from 5.95 to 4.61 t ha and BMP3 15 %; from 5.95 to 5.04 t ha . An analysis of the farmer return production cost ratio FR/PC indicated that the baseline conventional tillage and BMP1 were both economically sustainable in areas with slope <20 % FR/PC = 1.12 and 1.11, respectively . BMP2 received the highest FR/PC rating of 1.67 in areas with slope <20 %. The baseline scenario had no economic advantage FR/PC = 0.93 in steep slope areas. BMP3 was ranked at the top FR/PC = 1.49 followed by BMP2 FR/PC = 1.41 in areas with slope>20 %. The results show that a program of measures can be effective for controlling soil erosion but it must be implemented over long time frames and it requires relevant investments from the public and private sectors. 90 Published version http //www.scopus.com/record/display.url eid=2 s2.0 85074050832 origin=inward 12/10/2019 Articolo in rivista Butterworth Scientific, 0264 8377 Land use policy Land use policy Land use policy Land use policy. annamaria.degirolamo DE GIROLAMO ANNA MARIA TA.P04.005.006 Gestione a scala di bacino delle risorse idriche e sostenibilita dell uso irriguo in agricoltura |
