Mitigating Soil Erosion and Runoff through Vegetative Barriers in Agricultural Areas

Soil erosion is a major challenge in agriculture, leading to land degradation, reduced fertility, and water pollution. Effective land management is crucial for controlling runoff, limiting sediment transport, and sustaining soil productivity. Among various conservation practices, vegetative buffer strips are particularly effective, enhancing infiltration, slowing runoff, and trapping sediment.

This study assessed the impact of different grass strip lengths on sediment retention under controlled conditions. Experiments were conducted on plots with varying proportions of grass cover (0%, 25%, 50%, and 100%). A suspension of water and fine sand was used to simulate runoff with high sediment concentration. Flow rates and experiment duration were standardized for comparability.

The results demonstrated that longer grass strips significantly reduced both surface runoff and sediment transport. Runoff was reduced by up to 29%, while sediment loads decreased by up to 85% compared to bare soil. These findings highlight the potential of vegetative barriers as an effective nature-based solution for sustainable land management.

Acknowledgements: Research has been supported by project TUDI (European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101000224) and SGS23/155/OHK1/3T/11: Experimental research and monitoring of rainfall-runoff and erosion processes on agricultural soils.