Effect of pasture buffer length and pasture type on runoff water quality following prescribed burning in the Wivenhoe Catchment
H. Ghadiri A , J. Hussein A B and C. W. Rose A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Environmental Futures Centre, Griffith University, Nathan, Qld 4111, Australia.
B Corresponding author. Email: janethussein@bigpond.com
Soil Research 49(6) 513-522 https://doi.org/10.1071/SR11122
Submitted: 9 March 2011 Accepted: 8 June 2011 Published: 25 August 2011
Abstract
Burning of pastures is a management practice adopted by graziers worldwide. When rain falls on burnt pastures, it can lead to increased pollutant transport in runoff. However, this transport can be modified by vegetative buffers which intercept the runoff downslope of burnt areas. This study examines the effects of different pasture buffer lengths (0, 2, and 5 m) on sediment and chemical transport from two pasture sites near Wivenhoe Dam, the main water reservoir for Brisbane City. Simulated rainfall (100 mm/h) was applied to 18 plots on pasture sites after they were burnt, and insoluble and soluble components were measured in the runoff. Most eroded sediment/organic debris accumulated against the first row of the grass buffer strips or was deposited in the upslope backwater region. Buffer length had little impact on the runoff concentrations of NO3– and NO2– (NOx), total Kjeldahl nitrogen, and total nitrogen from the 5-m-length upslope plots but was significant for sediment loss rate, filterable reactive phosphate, ammonium, and total and dissolved organic carbon. Pasture type was significant for NOx, ammonium, sediment loss rate, and total organic carbon only. Burning increased enrichment ratios of nutrients and carbon in the runoff compared with unburnt plots, but a 2-m buffer strip subsequently reduced the enrichment ratio values by >30%. Buffers strips of unburnt pasture grass may provide an effective tool for post-fire erosion control following prescribed burning; however, further work including scaling to larger plot sizes and catchment level is required.
Additional keywords: buffer strip, nutrient loss, pasture burning, post-fire erosion control, sediment loss.
References
ANZECC, ARMCANZ (2000) ‘Australian and New Zealand guidelines for fresh and marine water quality.’ Vol. 1, Ch. 3. Aquatic Ecosystems. (ANZECC/ARMCANZ: Canberra, ACT)Benavides-Solorio JD, MacDonald L, Hughes DJ (2004) Recovery of runoff and erosion rates after forest fires: An assessment using rainfall simulations. Geophysical Research Abstracts 6, 07737.
Blanco-Canqui H, Gantzer CJ, Anderson SH, Alberts EE, Thompson AL (2004) Grass barriers and vegetative filter strip effectiveness in reducing runoff, sediment, nitrogen and phosphorus loss. Soil Science Society of America Journal 68, 1670–1678.
| Grass barriers and vegetative filter strip effectiveness in reducing runoff, sediment, nitrogen and phosphorus loss.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD2cXns1Smt78%3D&md5=a1fe3a618b18bf58f4f662b8be81b361CAS |
Burke JM, Prepas EE, Pinder S (2005) Runoff and phosphorus export patterns in large forested watersheds on the western Canadian Boreal Plain before and for 4 years after wildfire. Journal of Environmental Engineering and Science 4, 319–325.
| Runoff and phosphorus export patterns in large forested watersheds on the western Canadian Boreal Plain before and for 4 years after wildfire.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD2MXht1OktbjO&md5=b1007c0f201c3b21e0b4d435282eee61CAS |
Carreira JA, Xavier-Niell F, Lajtha K (1994) Soil nitrogen availability and nitrification in Mediterranean shrublands of varying fire history and successional stage. Biogeochemistry 26, 189–209.
| Soil nitrogen availability and nitrification in Mediterranean shrublands of varying fire history and successional stage.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Cerdia A, Bodi MB, Burguet M, Segura M, Jovani C (2009) The plot size effect on soil erosion on rainfed agriculture land under different land uses in eastern Spain. Geophysical Research Abstracts 11, 185
Coelho COA, Ferreira AJD, Boulet AK, Keizer JJ (2004) Overland flow generation processes, erosion yields and solute loss following different intensity fires. Quarterly Journal of Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology 37, 233–240.
| Overland flow generation processes, erosion yields and solute loss following different intensity fires.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Dabney SM, Meyer LD, Harmon WC, Alonso CV, Foster GR (1995) Depositional patterns of sediment trapped by grass hedges. Transactions of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers 38, 1719–1729.
DeBano LF, Neary DG, Folliott PF (1998) ‘Fire’s effect on ecosystems.’ (John Wiley & Son: New York)
Diamond D (1996) ‘QuikChem Method 13-107-06-2-D. Determination of total Kjeldahl nitrogen in soils and plants by flow injection analysis.’ (Zellweger Analytics, Inc. Lachat Instruments Division: Milwaukee, WI)
Dragovich D, Morris R (2002) Fire intensity, runoff and sediment movement in eucalypt forest near Sydney, Australia. In ‘Applied geomorphology’. Ch. 9. (Ed. RJ Allison) (John Wiley & Son: New York)
Ferreira AJD, Coelho COA, Ritsema CJ, Boulet AK, Keizer JJ (2008) Soil and water degradation processes in burned areas: Lessons learned from a nested approach. Catena 74, 273–285.
| Soil and water degradation processes in burned areas: Lessons learned from a nested approach.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Ghadiri H, Rose CW (1991a) Sorbed chemical transport in overland flow. Part 1: An enrichment mechanism for sorbed nutrients and pesticides. Journal of Environmental Quality 20, 628–633.
| Sorbed chemical transport in overland flow. Part 1: An enrichment mechanism for sorbed nutrients and pesticides.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DyaK3MXltlCqtL0%3D&md5=f6832afc9e503434a2981049f7882c02CAS |
Ghadiri H, Rose CW (1991b) Sorbed chemical transport in overland flow. Part 2: Enrichment ratio of sorbed chemicals and its variation with time, particle size and erosion process. Journal of Environmental Quality 20, 634–641.
| Sorbed chemical transport in overland flow. Part 2: Enrichment ratio of sorbed chemicals and its variation with time, particle size and erosion process.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DyaK3MXltlCqtLo%3D&md5=013381123f0d4f6554f049daea47a270CAS |
Ghadiri H, Rose CW, Hogarth WL (2001) The influence of grass and porous barrier strips on runoff hydrology and sediment transport. Transactions of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers 44, 259–267.
Gharabaghi B, Rudra RP, Whiteley HR, Dickingson WT (2002) Development of a management tool for vegetative filter strips. In ‘Best modelling practices for urban water systems’. Vol. 10, Monograph series. (Ed. W James) pp. 289–302. (CHI: Guelph, ON)
Healthy Waterways (2009) Healthy Waterways Complex Conceptual Model 23: Wivenhoe Dam. Available at: www.healthywaterways.org/inner.aspx?pageid=230 (accessed 17 April 2010).
Hudson NW (1993) Field measurement of soil erosion and runoff. FAO Soils Bulletin No. 68.
Hussein J, Ghadiri H, Lutton M, Smolders A, Schneider P (2008) The effect of flow impedance on deposition of Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts with or without a vetiver buffer strip. Soil Biology & Biochemistry 40, 2696–2698.
| The effect of flow impedance on deposition of Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts with or without a vetiver buffer strip.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD1cXhtFCktLbI&md5=1c363a8130ebf9f6a9bc094df8879820CAS |
Hussein J, Ghadiri H, Yu B, Rose CW (2007) Sediment retention by a stiff grass hedge under subcritical flow conditions. Soil Science Society of America Journal 71, 1516–1523.
| Sediment retention by a stiff grass hedge under subcritical flow conditions.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD2sXhtVWmsr%2FN&md5=6ce255e37bd65e0c1000fcd65b3a086aCAS |
Johansen MP, Hakonson TE, Breshears DD (2001) Post-fire runoff and erosion from rainfall simulation: contrasting forests with shrublands and grasslands. Hydrological Processes 15, 2953–2965.
| Post-fire runoff and erosion from rainfall simulation: contrasting forests with shrublands and grasslands.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Lane PJ, Sherida GJ, Noske PJ (2006) Changes in sediment loads and discharge from small mountain catchments following wildfire in south eastern Australia. Journal of Hydrology 331, 495–510.
| Changes in sediment loads and discharge from small mountain catchments following wildfire in south eastern Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Llovet J, Josa R, Vallejo VR (2008) Thermal shock and rain effects on soil surface characteristics. A laboratory approach. Catena 74, 227–234.
| Thermal shock and rain effects on soil surface characteristics. A laboratory approach.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD1cXps1yjt7g%3D&md5=dfbf78fa2b9ee9e0615bd0a4f6723624CAS |
Loch RJ, Robotham BG, Zeller L, Masterman N, Orange DN, Bridge BJ, Sheridan G, Bourke JJ (2001) A multi-purpose rainfall simulator for field infiltration and erosion studies. Australian Journal of Soil Research 39, 599–610.
| A multi-purpose rainfall simulator for field infiltration and erosion studies.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Malhi SS, McGill WB (1982) Nitrification in three Alberta soils: Effect of temperature, moisture and substrate concentration. Soil Biology & Biochemistry 14, 393–399.
| Nitrification in three Alberta soils: Effect of temperature, moisture and substrate concentration.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DyaL28XoslGrsA%3D%3D&md5=86732c48dcf940b722a091065bc733d6CAS |
Marshall TJ, Holmes JW, Rose CW (1996) ‘Soil physics.’ 3rd edn (Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, UK)
Meyer LM, Dabney SM, Harmon WC (1995) Sediment trapping effectiveness of stiff grass hedges. Transactions of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers 38, 809–815.
Miller WW, Johnson DW, Loupe TM, Sedinger JS, Carroll EM, Murphy JD, Walker R, Glass DS (2006) Nutrient flow from runoff at burned forest site in Lake Tahoe Basin. California Agriculture 60, 65–71.
| Nutrient flow from runoff at burned forest site in Lake Tahoe Basin.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Orr DM, Paton CJ (1997) Using fire to manage species composition in Heteropogon contortus (black speargrass) pastures. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 48, 803–810.
| Using fire to manage species composition in Heteropogon contortus (black speargrass) pastures.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Prosser IP, Williams L (1998) The effect of wildfire on runoff and erosion in native Eucalyptus forest. Hydrological Processes 12, 251–265.
| The effect of wildfire on runoff and erosion in native Eucalyptus forest.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Robichaud PR, Waldrop TA (1994) A comparison of surface runoff and sediment yields from low and high severity site preparation burns. Water Resources Bulletin 30, 27–34.
Rose CW, Parlange JY, Hogarth WL, Ghadiri H (2002) Overland flow to and through a segment of uniform resistance. Journal of Hydrology 255, 134–150.
| Overland flow to and through a segment of uniform resistance.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Rose CW, Yu B, Ghadiri H, Asadi H, Parlange JY, Hogarth WL, Hussein J (2007) Dynamic erosion in steady sheet flow. Journal of Hydrology 333, 449–458.
| Dynamic erosion in steady sheet flow.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Rose CW, Yu B, Hogarth WL, Okom A, Ghadiri H (2003) Sediment deposition from flow at low gradients into a buffer strip—a critical test of re-entrainment theory. Journal of Hydrology 280, 33–51.
| Sediment deposition from flow at low gradients into a buffer strip—a critical test of re-entrainment theory.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Sander GC, Hairsine PB, Rose CW, Campbell SY, Barry DA (1996) Unsteady soil erosion model, analytical solutions and comparison with experimental results. Journal of Hydrology 178, 351–367.
| Unsteady soil erosion model, analytical solutions and comparison with experimental results.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DyaK28XjsFSqsbY%3D&md5=2a7bf49fd41b89373cbcf7da99d33ca5CAS |
Stange CF, Neue HU (2009) Seasonal variation of gross nitrification rates at three differently treated long-term fertilisation sites. Biogeosciences Discussions 6, 1565–1598.
| Seasonal variation of gross nitrification rates at three differently treated long-term fertilisation sites.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Svejcar TJ (1989) Animal performance and diet quality as influenced by burning tallgrass prairie. Journal of Range Management 42, 11–15.
| Animal performance and diet quality as influenced by burning tallgrass prairie.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Thomas AD, Walsh RP, Shakesby RA (1999) Nutrient losses in eroded sediment after fire in eucalyptus and pine forests in the wet Mediterranean environment of northern Portugal. Catena 36, 283–302.
| Nutrient losses in eroded sediment after fire in eucalyptus and pine forests in the wet Mediterranean environment of northern Portugal.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Tran C, Gilroy J (2006) Fuel-load assessment at Mojoo Bay, Wivenhoe Dam. Report for South East Queensland Water Corporation, Brisbane, Australia.
Wan S, Hui D, Luo Y (2001) Fire effects on nitrogen pools and dynamics in terrestrial ecosystems: a meta-analysis. Ecological Applications 11, 1349–1365.
| Fire effects on nitrogen pools and dynamics in terrestrial ecosystems: a meta-analysis.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Wohlgemuth PM (2003) Post-fire erosion control research on the San Dimas Experimental Forest: past and present. In ‘First Interagency Conference on Research in the Watersheds’. 27–30 October 2003. (Eds KG Renard, SA McElroy, WJ Gburek, H Canfield, E Scott, L Russell) (U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service: Washington, DC)
