The Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) is a new water erosion prediction technology being developed by the USDA-Agricultural Research Service to replace the Universal Soil Loss Equation. Rangeland field experiments were designed to parameterize the WEPP rangeland erosion model. Included in the field experiments were plot treatments designed to separate direct from indirect effects of vegetation canopy on runoff and soil erosion. Nine rangeland sites from a wide range of soil and vegetation types were evaluated using rainfall simulation techniques. Natural versus clipped treatment surface characteristics and runoff and erosion responses were compared using regression analyses. These analyses showed that there were no significant differences between natural and clipped plot surface characteristics, runoff ratios, final infiltration rates, or initial rainfall abstractions. Erosion rates were different between treatments with the clipped plots having slightly less erosion than the natural plots. Results indicated that, under the rainfall conditions simulated, canopy cover was not directly contributing to initial abstractions through rainfall interception loss or significantly affecting runoff or erosion. This material was digitized as part of a cooperative project between the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries. The Journal of Range Management archives are made available by the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries. Contact lbry-journals@email.arizona.edu for further information. Migrated from OJS platform August 2020
Scholarly peer-reviewed articles published by the Society for Range Management. Access articles on a rolling-window basis from vol. 1, 1948 up to 5 years from the current year. Formerly Journal of Range Management (JRM). More recent content is available by subscription from SRM.