Spatial and temporal distribution of rainfall erosivity in New Zealand
Andreas Klik A C D , Kathrin Haas A , Anna Dvorackova B and Ian C. Fuller C
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Department of Water, Atmosphere and Environment, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Muthgasse 18, A-1190 Vienna, Austria.
B Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Kamýcká 129, 165 21 Praha 6, Czech Republic.
C Institute of Agriculture and Environment, Massey University, Private Bag 11 222, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand.
D Corresponding author. Email: andreas.klik@boku.ac.at
Soil Research 53(7) 815-825 https://doi.org/10.1071/SR14363
Submitted: 11 December 2014 Accepted: 14 March 2015 Published: 14 September 2015
Abstract
Rainfall and its kinetic energy, expressed by rainfall erosivity, drives soil erosion processes by water. One of the most commonly used erosivity parameters is the rainfall-runoff erosivity factor R of the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation. The goal of this study was to investigate for the first time the spatial distribution of annual rainfall erosivity in New Zealand. High-resolution data from 35 weather stations were used to calculate the R-factors. Based on these results, region-specific equations were developed and were applied by using long-term precipitation records from 597 stations. The values were interpolated with a geographic information system to generate a map showing spatial variations of rainfall erosivity. Annual R-values vary across both islands by a factor of 30, from <550 MJ mm ha–1 h–1 in parts of Central Otago to >16 000 MJ mm ha–1 h–1 in the Southern Alps. These large differences are related to climatic and topographic features. Nevertheless, the data show a high correlation to the precipitation. In most parts of New Zealand, highest erosivity values occurred in December and January, whereas the lowest values were observed in August.
Additional keywords: isoerodent map, New Zealand, rainfall erosivity, R-factor, RUSLE.
References
Angulo-Martínez M, Begueria S (2009) Estimating rainfall erosivity from daily precipitation records: A comparison among methods using data from the Ebro Basin (NE Spain). Journal of Hydrology 379, 111–121.| Estimating rainfall erosivity from daily precipitation records: A comparison among methods using data from the Ebro Basin (NE Spain).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Angulo-Martínez M, Lopez-Vicente M, Vicente-Serrano SM, Begueria S (2009) Mapping rainfall erosivity at a regional scale: a comparison of interpolation methods in the Ebro Basin (NE Spain). Hydrology and Earth System Sciences 13, 1907–1920.
| Mapping rainfall erosivity at a regional scale: a comparison of interpolation methods in the Ebro Basin (NE Spain).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Bagarello V, D’Asaro F (1994) Estimating single storm erosion index. Transactions of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers 37, 785–791.
| Estimating single storm erosion index.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Bonilla CA, Vidal KL (2011) Rainfall erosivity in Central Chile. Journal of Hydrology 410, 126–133.
| Rainfall erosivity in Central Chile.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Brown LC, Foster GR (1987) Storm erosivity using idealized intensity distributions. Transactions of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers 30, 379–386.
| Storm erosivity using idealized intensity distributions.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Carvalho NO (2008) ‘Hidrossedimentologia Prática.’ 2nd edn (Intercciencia: Rio de Janeiro, Brasil)
Chinn TJ (1979) How wet is the wettest of the wet west coast? New Zealand Alpine Journal 32, 85–88.
Coates G (2002) ‘The rise and fall of the Southern Alps.’ (Canterbury University Press: Christchurch, New Zealand)
da Silva AM (2004) Rainfall erosivity map for Brasil. Catena 57, 251–259.
| Rainfall erosivity map for Brasil.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Davison P, Hutchins MG, Anthony SG, Betson M, Johnson C, Lord EI (2005) The relationship between potentially erosive storm energy and daily rainfall quantity in England and Wales. The Science of the Total Environment 344, 15–25.
| The relationship between potentially erosive storm energy and daily rainfall quantity in England and Wales.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD2MXktlCitb8%3D&md5=76f4867a5f2a23773ed645e76e5dba85CAS | 15907507PubMed |
Dymond JR, Betts HD, Schierlitz CS (2010) An erosion model for evaluating regional land-use scenarios. Environmental Modelling & Software 25, 289–298.
| An erosion model for evaluating regional land-use scenarios.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Foster GR, McCool DK, Renard KG, Moldenhauer WC (1981) Conversion of the universal soil loss equation to SI metric units. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation 36, 355–359.
Gabriels D (2006) Assessing the Modified Fournier Index and the Precipitation Concentration Index for some European countries. In ‘Soil erosion in Europe’. (Eds J Boardman, J Poesen) pp. 675–684. (John Wiley & Sons: Chichester, UK)
Gomez B, Page MJ, Trustrum NA (2010) Pacific rim steeplands. In ‘Sediment cascades: An integrated approach’. (Eds T Burt, R Allison) pp. 117–151. (John Wiley & Sons: Chichester, UK)
Griffiths GA, Glasby GP (1985) Input of river-derived sediment to New Zealand continental shelf: I. Mass. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 21, 773–787.
| Input of river-derived sediment to New Zealand continental shelf: I. Mass.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Henderson RD, Thompson SM (1999) Extreme rainfalls in the Southern Alps of New Zealand. Journal of Hydrology New Zealand 38, 309–330.
Hicks DM, Shankar U (2003) Sediment from New Zealand rivers. NIWA Miscellaneous Chart 236. National Institute for Water and Atmospheric Research, Wellington, New Zealand.
Hicks DM, Hill J, Shankar U (1996) Variation of suspended sediment yields around New Zealand: the relative importance of rainfall and geology. In ‘Erosion and sediment yield: global and regional perspectives’. IAHS Publication No. 236. pp. 149–156. (International Association of Hydrological Sciences)
Jakobsson KM, Dragun AK (1991) Water and soil management in New Zealand. Journal of Environmental Management 33, 1–16.
| Water and soil management in New Zealand.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Kinnell PIA (2010) Event soil loss, runoff and the Universal Soil Loss Equation family of models: a review. Journal of Hydrology 385, 384–397.
| Event soil loss, runoff and the Universal Soil Loss Equation family of models: a review.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Klik A, Konecny F (2013) Rainfall erosivity in Northeastern Austria. Transactions of the ASABE 56, 719–725.
| Rainfall erosivity in Northeastern Austria.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Lu H, Yu B (2002) Spatial and seasonal distribution of rainfall erosivity in Australia. Australian Journal of Soil Research 40, 887–901.
| Spatial and seasonal distribution of rainfall erosivity in Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Marden M, Betts H, Arnold G, Hambling R (2008) Gully erosion and sediment load: Waipaoa, Waiapu and Uawa rivers, eastern North Island, New Zealand. In ‘Sediment dynamics in changing environments’. IAHS Publication 325. pp. 275–282. (International Association of Hydrological Sciences)
Meusburger K, Steel A, Panagos P, Montanarella L, Alewell C (2012) Spatial and temporal variability of rainfall erosivity factor for Switzerland. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences 16, 167–177.
| Spatial and temporal variability of rainfall erosivity factor for Switzerland.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Mikhailova EA, Bryant RB, Schwager SJ, Smith SD (1997) Predicting rainfall erosivity in Honduras. Soil Science Society of America Journal 61, 273–279.
| Predicting rainfall erosivity in Honduras.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DyaK2sXhtlSnuro%3D&md5=edcd5958aefe14b306f724fb554adbbfCAS |
NIWA (2012) Mean annual rainfall in New Zealand (1981–2010). New Zealand Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, Auckland, New Zealand.
Nyssen J, Vandenreyken H, Poesen J, Moeyersons J, Deckers J, Mitiku Haile , Salles C, Govers G (2005) Rainfall erosivity and variability in the Northern Ethiopian Highlands. Journal of Hydrology 311, 172–187.
| Rainfall erosivity and variability in the Northern Ethiopian Highlands.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Oliveira PTS, Wendland E, Nearing MA (2013) Rainfall erosivity in Brazil: A review. Catena 100, 139–147.
| Rainfall erosivity in Brazil: A review.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Panagos P, Christos K, Cristiano B, Ioannis G (2014) Seasonal monitoring of soil erosion at regional scale: An application of the G2 model in Crete focusing on agricultural land uses. International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation 27, 147–155.
| Seasonal monitoring of soil erosion at regional scale: An application of the G2 model in Crete focusing on agricultural land uses.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Panagos P, Baalabio C, Borelli P, Meusburger H, Klik A, Rousseva S, Tadic MP, Michaelides S, Hrabaliková M, Olsen P, Aalto J, Lakatos M, Ryszewicz A, Dumitrescu A, Begueria S, Alewell C (2015) Rainfall erosivity in Europe. The Science of the Total Environment 511, 801–814.
| Rainfall erosivity in Europe.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC2MXotVCisw%3D%3D&md5=ebef08939ca26630fd1d21cd459a103fCAS | 25622150PubMed |
Renard KG, Freimund JR (1994) Using monthly precipitation data to estimate the R-factor in the revised USLE. Journal of Hydrology 157, 287–306.
| Using monthly precipitation data to estimate the R-factor in the revised USLE.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Renard KG, Foster GR, Weesies GA, McCool DK, Yoder DC (1997) ‘Predicting soil erosion by water: A guide to conservation planning with the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE).’ U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Handbook No. 703. (USDA-ARS: Washington, DC)
Schwertmann U, Vogl W, Kainz M (1987) ‘Bodenerosion durch Wasser: Vorhersage und Bewertung von Gegenmaßnahmen.’ (Verlag Eugen Ulmer: Stuttgart, Germany)
Sheridan GJ, Rosewell CJ (2003) An improved Victorian erosivity map. Australian Journal of Soil Research 41, 141–149.
| An improved Victorian erosivity map.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Sinclair MR, Wratt DS, Henderson RD, Gray WR (1997) Factors affecting the distribution and spillover of precipitation in the Southern Alps of New Zealand—A case study. Journal of Applied Meteorology 36, 428–442.
| Factors affecting the distribution and spillover of precipitation in the Southern Alps of New Zealand—A case study.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
USDA-ARS (2010) Rainfall Intensity Summarization Tool (RIST). United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. Available at: www.ars.usda.gov/News/docs.htm?docid=3251 (accessed June 2010).
van der Linden P (1983) Soil erosion in central-Java (Indonesia). A comparative study of erosion rates obtained by erosion plots and catchment discharges. In ‘Rainfall simulation, runoff and soil erosion’. Catena Supplement 4. (Ed. J De Ploey) pp. 141–165. (Elsevier: Amsterdam)
Vrieling A, Hoedjes JCB, van der Velde M (2014) Towards large-scale monitoring of soil erosion in Africa: accounting for the dynamics of rainfall erosivity. Global and Planetary Change 115, 33–43.
| Towards large-scale monitoring of soil erosion in Africa: accounting for the dynamics of rainfall erosivity.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Wischmeier WW, Smith DD (1978) ‘Predicting rainfall erosion losses—A guide to conservation planning.’ Agriculture Handbook No. 537. (USDA-ARS: Washington, DC)
Yu B (1998) Rainfall erosivity and its estimation for Australia’s tropics. Australian Journal of Soil Research 36, 143–165.
| Rainfall erosivity and its estimation for Australia’s tropics.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Yu B, Rosewell CJ (1996) A robust estimator of the R-factor for the universal soil loss equation. Transactions of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers 39, 559–561.
| A robust estimator of the R-factor for the universal soil loss equation.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Zhang YG, Nearing MA, Zhang XC, Xie Y, Wie H (2010) Projected rainfall erosivity changes under climate change from multimodel and multiscenario projections in Northeast. Journal of Hydrology 384, 97–106.
| Projected rainfall erosivity changes under climate change from multimodel and multiscenario projections in Northeast.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
