Use of 137 Cs isotopic technique in soil erosion studies in Central Greece

Abstract

The 137Cs technique was used to study soil erosion and deposition rates in soils in the Viotia prefecture, central Greece. Three sites with different soil types were selected and studied. Soils were sampled along transects and analyzed for 137Cs. The main goal of this field investigation was to study the 137Cs 3-D distribution pattern within key sites and to apply this information for the assessment of soil redistribution. The erosion and deposition rates were estimated using the proportional and the simplified mass balance models (Walling and He, 1997). Erosion and deposition rates predicted through the spatial distribution of 137Cs depended on the location of the profile studied in the landscape and were determined by the soil plough depth, the soil structure (bulk density), and the calibration model used to conve rt soil 137Cs measurements to estimates of soil redistribution rates. Estimated erosion rates for the Mouriki area site, varied from 16.62 to 102.56 t ha-1 y-1 for the top of the slope soil profile and from 5.37 to 25.68 t ha-1 y-1 for the middle of the slope soil profile. The deposition rates varied from 7.26 to 42.95 t ha-1 y-1 for the bottom of the slope soil profile.