Rainfall pattern and soil moisture effects on erosion and phosphorus transfer from sugar cane fields to surface waters in Mauritius
| MSI03P3937 | |
| Ng Cheong, L. R. Ng Kee Kwong, K. F. Ah Koon, P. D. | |
| Rainfall pattern and soil moisture effects on erosion and phosphorus transfer from sugar cane fields to surface waters in Mauritius | |
| ISSCT Agronomy workshop: Opportunities in sugar cane agronomy to confront the new realities emerging in the 21st century, 21-25 July 2003, MSIRI, Mauritius: Program and Abstracts | |
| book chapter | |
| 2003 | |
| p. 30 | |
| Reduit: ISSCT and Mauritius Sugar Industry Research Institute | |
| En | |
| En | |
| Eutrophication is a major problem in many inland surface waters with phosphorus (P) being the main causative nutrient. Phosphorus transfer to surface water in Mauritius is intimately linked to sediment transport occurring during rainstorm events. Rainfall pattern and soil moisture conditions influencing sediment and P transport were examined in a 54-ha watershed receiving 3000 mm rain annually and where sugar cane is cultivated on a silty clay loam having a 5 to 12 per cent slope. The watershed was instrumented along its natural drainage line with a San Dimas-like flume fitted with a pressure transducer, datalogger, and an automatic ISCO water sampler. Most of the sediment and phosphorus were moved early during a runoff event. The erosive power of the rainfall event was primarily influenced by rainfall intensity, total rainfall being of secondary importance. A 130 mm rain - in a 3-hr period with a 5-min peak intensity of 128 mm/hr - moved 0.11 t sediment/ha and 0.4 t P/ha. On the other hand, the sediment movement was reduced six-fold when the rainfall intensity was 71 mm/hr in an event delivering 290 mm of rain. The severity of rainfall intensity could be enhanced by increasing soil wetness. A 2-hr rainfall with 68 mm rain at a low intensity of 68 mm/hr moved 0.1 t sediment/ha and transferred 0.02 kg P/ha under high soil moisture. The present study showed that factors influencing sediment and P transport from soils under sugar cane are not different from those in temperate region soils. Innovative and practical measures that control sediment and nutrient losses in temperate environments should therefore be equally effective in sugar cane soils of the tropics. | |
| Eutrophication rainfall intensity tropics | |
| Mauritius | |
| Sugarcane: Water use and management | |
| Irrigation: Deficit irrigation | |
| 2003-07-31 | |
| En | |
| MSIRI | |
| LIB | |
| IRRIG |