Progress in soil erosion research: A European perspective

M any so-called new developments in soil erosion research are in fact “evolutionary” in character— they are built on research foundations established during past decades. We need look no further than Hugh Hammond Bennett’s (1939) Soil Conservation to realize that we stand on the shoulders of giants. However, the significance of concepts such as “connectivity” has changed as perspectives have shifted during the last 50 years, from the experimental plot and field to the catchment (Boardman et al. 2022). Also, increased technical expertise in computing, geographic information systems (GIS), and remote sensing has certainly opened new possibilities. In this short personal perspective, we aim to review new developments from a European viewpoint. We start by noting that soil erosion research in Europe is firmly rooted in geomorphology, in contrast to the mainly agronomic foundations of North American erosion research.

[1]  V. Prasuhn,et al.  Comparison of long-term field-measured and RUSLE-based modelled soil loss in Switzerland , 2022, Geoderma Regional.

[2]  J. Boardman,et al.  Comparison of observed and DEM-driven field-to-river routing of flow from eroding fields in an arable lowland catchment , 2022, CATENA.

[3]  J. Poesen,et al.  Slopes: soil erosion , 2021, Geological Society, London, Memoirs.

[4]  J. Boardman.  How much is soil erosion costing us? , 2021 .

[5]  O. Cerdan,et al.  Analysis of off-site economic costs induced by runoff and soil erosion: example of two areas in the northwestern European loess belt for the last two decades (Normandy, France) , 2021 .

[6]  D. Honek,et al.  Validation of the EROSION-3D Model through Measured Bathymetric Sediments , 2020, Water.

[7]  J. Boardman,et al.  The measurement, estimation and monitoring of soil erosion by runoff at the field scale: Challenges and possibilities with particular reference to Britain , 2020, Progress in Physical Geography: Earth and Environment.

[8]  J. Boardman,et al.  Managing muddy floods: Balancing engineered and alternative approaches , 2019, Journal of Flood Risk Management.

[9]  J. Boardman,et al.  Off‐site impacts of soil erosion and runoff: Why connectivity is more important than erosion rates , 2019, Soil Use and Management.

[10]  J. Boardman,et al.  Climate impacts on soil erosion and muddy flooding at 1.5 versus 2°C warming , 2018, Land Degradation & Development.

[11]  B. Burkhard,et al.  Soil erosion by water in Northern Germany: long-term monitoring results from Lower Saxony , 2018, CATENA.

[12]  M. Kuno,et al.  In Response. , 2018, Anesthesia and analgesia.

[13]  I. Fuller,et al.  The science of connected ecosystems: What is the role of catchment‐scale connectivity for healthy river ecology? , 2018 .

[14]  R. Evans.  Factors controlling soil erosion and runoff and their impacts in the upper Wissey catchment, Norfolk, England: A ten year monitoring programme , 2017 .

[15]  Michael R. F. Lee,et al.  A comparison of conventional and 137Cs-based estimates of soil erosion rates on arable and grassland across lowland England and Wales , 2017 .

[16]  Keith Beven,et al.  A restatement of the natural science evidence concerning catchment-based ‘natural’ flood management in the UK , 2017, Proceedings of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences.

[17]  J. Boardman.  The value of Google Earth™ for erosion mapping , 2016 .

[18]  John Boardman,et al.  The new assessment of soil loss by water erosion in Europe. Panagos P. et al., 2015 Environmental Science & Policy 54, 438–447—A response , 2016 .

[19]  J. Boardman,et al.  More rain, less soil: long‐term changes in rainfall intensity with climate change , 2016 .

[20]  Y. Le Bissonnais.  Aggregate stability and assessment of soil crustability and erodibility: I. Theory and methodology , 2016 .

[21]  Panos Panagos,et al.  The new assessment of soil loss by water erosion in Europe , 2015 .

[22]  Timothy S. Farewell,et al.  The total costs of soil degradation in England and Wales , 2015 .

[23]  Andrea Vacca,et al.  Rates and spatial variations of soil erosion in Europe: A study based on erosion plot data , 2010 .

[24]  K. Vandaele,et al.  A comparison of management approaches to control muddy floods in central Belgium, northern France and southern England , 2010 .

[25]  S. Anthony,et al.  The potential impact of projected change in farming by 2015 on the importance of the agricultural sector as a sediment source in England and Wales. , 2009 .

[26]  J. Wainwright,et al.  Linking environmental régimes, space and time: Interpretations of structural and functional connectivity , 2008 .

[27]  Charles Bielders,et al.  Spatial and temporal variation of muddy floods in central Belgium, off-site impacts and potential control measures , 2007 .

[28]  G. O'Donnell,et al.  Is there a link between agricultural land-use management and flooding? , 2007 .

[29]  John Boardman,et al.  Soil erosion science: Reflections on the limitations of current approaches ☆ , 2006 .

[30]  J. Poesen,et al.  Reservoir and Pond Sedimentation in Europe , 2006 .

[31]  P. Withers,et al.  Some effects of tramlines on surface runoff, sediment and phosphorus mobilization on an erosion‐prone soil , 2006 .

[32]  Gerard Govers,et al.  The crop productivity-erosion relationship: an analysis based on experimental work , 2004 .

[33]  J. Poesen,et al.  Gully erosion and environmental change: importance and research needs , 2003 .

[34]  Joël Daroussin,et al.  Mapping erosion risk for cultivated soil in France , 2002 .

[35]  Martin Bell,et al.  Modelling long-term anthropogenic erosion of a loess cover: South Downs, UK , 1997 .

[36]  A. D. Roo,et al.  LISEM: a single-event physically based hydrological and soil erosion model for drainage basins; I: theory, input and output , 1996 .

[37]  A. D. Roo,et al.  LISEM: A SINGLE‐EVENT, PHYSICALLY BASED HYDROLOGICAL AND SOIL EROSION MODEL FOR DRAINAGE BASINS. II: SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS, VALIDATION AND APPLICATION , 1996 .

[38]  J. Poesen,et al.  Rates and predictability of ephemeral gully erosion in two contrasting environments , 1996 .

[39]  J. Poesen,et al.  Contribution of gully erosion to sediment production in cultivated lands and rangelands , 1996 .

[40]  J. Poesen,et al.  Spatial and temporal patterns of soil-erosion rates in an agricultural catchment, central belgium , 1995 .

[41]  A. D. Roo,et al.  Flooding of property by runoff from agricultural land in northwestern Europe , 1994 .

[42]  R. Evans,et al.  Soils at risk of accelerated erosion in England and Wales. , 1990 .

[43]  R. Evans.  Water erosion in British farmers' fields- some causes, impacts, predictions , 1990 .

[44]  J. Poesen,et al.  Gully erosion in the loam belt of Belgium: typology and control measures. , 1990 .

[45]  J. Poesen,et al.  ASSESSMENT OF THE INTERRILL AND RILL CONTRIBUTIONS TO TOTAL SOIL LOSS FROM AN UPLAND FIELD PLOT , 1988 .

[46]  D. Walling.  The sediment delivery problem , 1983 .

[47]  S. Batie.  Soil Erosion: Crisis in America's Croplands? , 1983 .

[48]  S. Trimble.  A sediment budget for Coon Creek basin in the Driftless Area, Wisconsin, 1853-1977 , 1983 .

[49]  G. Jacks,et al.  Soil Conservation , 1940, Nature.