Research Article

Runoff and erosion from Australia's tropical semi-arid rangelands: influence of ground cover for differing space and time scales

  1. Rebecca Bartley1,*,
  2. Christian H. Roth2,
  3. John Ludwig1,
  4. David McJannet1,
  5. Adam Liedloff3,
  6. Jeff Corfield4,
  7. Aaron Hawdon4,
  8. Brett Abbott4

Article first published online: 25 SEP 2006

DOI: 10.1002/hyp.6334

Issue

Hydrological Processes

Hydrological Processes

Special Issue: Emerging Issues in Rangeland Ecohydrology

Volume 20, Issue 15, pages 3317–3333, 15 October 2006

Additional Information

How to Cite

Bartley, R., Roth, C. H., Ludwig, J., McJannet, D., Liedloff, A., Corfield, J., Hawdon, A. and Abbott, B. (2006), Runoff and erosion from Australia's tropical semi-arid rangelands: influence of ground cover for differing space and time scales. Hydrol. Process., 20: 3317–3333. doi: 10.1002/hyp.6334

Author Information

  1. 1

    CSIRO, PO Box 780, Atherton, Queensland 4883, Australia

  2. 2

    Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, GPO Box 1571, Canberra 2601, Australia

  3. 3

    CSIRO, PMB 44, Winnellie 0822, Northern Territory, Australia

  4. 4

    CSIRO, Davies Laboratory, PO Aitkenvale, Townsville, Queensland 4814, Australia

*CSIRO Land and Water, PO Box 780, Atherton, Queensland 4883, Australia.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 25 SEP 2006
  2. Article first published online: 25 SEP 2006
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 31 AUG 2005
  4. Manuscript Received: 25 APR 2005

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Keywords:

  • hillslope runoff;
  • sediment yield;
  • savanna;
  • spatial pattern;
  • grazing

Abstract

This paper highlights the relevant issues influencing the amount and arrangement of ground cover in savanna rangelands in Australia, and presents field measurements from hillslope scale flumes, which demonstrate how runoff and sediment loss vary with spatial patterns in ground cover. Hillslopes with relatively high mean cover, but with small patches bare of vegetation, are shown to have between 6 and 9 times more runoff, and up to 60 times more sediment loss than similar hillslopes that do not contain bare patches. The majority of sediment lost from the hillslopes is composed of fine (suspended) rather than coarse (bedload) material, although the absolute sediment loads are comparatively low. These low loads are considered to be the result of lower than average rainfall during the measurement period (2002–2005) and the high and prolonged rates of historical hillslope erosion that have exhausted the erodible material from the A-horizon. The collected data also demonstrate that a large proportion of soil is lost during the initial ‘flushing’ period of runoff events.

The results presented have important implications for the management of savanna grazing systems by highlighting (i) the significance of bare patches in contributing to runoff and soil loss from hillslopes; (ii) the importance of having medium to high cover patches at the bottom of hillslopes for trapping and storing sediment and therefore reducing its entry into the stream network; and (iii) how maintenance of ground cover during the dry season reduces sediment concentrations in runoff occurring early in the wet season. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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