Impact of land use and soil properties on piping in Belgium
Field observations and literature reveal that land use and soil characteristics play an important role in the development
of piping. In this study, the hypothesis is tested that discontinuities in the soil profile favour piping erosion in
loess-derived soils in a temperate humid climate. Abiotic characteristics (clay content, bulk density, Ksat, penetration resistance)
and the biological activity in the soil were measured for each soil horizon until a depth of at least 40 cm below the
pipes (ca. 1.30 m) for 12 representative soil profiles with different land use (pasture with and without collapsed pipes, arable
land and forest). No clear discontinuities in abiotic characteristics were observed at soil depths where subsurface pipes occurred,
but pastures with piping had significantly more earthworm channels and mole burrows at larger depths than pastures
without piping, arable land or forest.
VERACHTERT Els;
DEVOLDERE Steven;
VAN DEN EECKHAUT Miet;
POESEN Jean;
DECKERS Jozef;
2015-01-19
Association of Polish Geomorphologists
JRC73083
https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC73083,
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