A RAINFALL SIMULATION STUDY OF SOIL-EROSION ON RANGELAND IN SWAZILAND

Rainfall simulation studies on rangeland in the Ntondozi area of Swazi land showed that soil loss decreased exponentially with increasing veg etation cover. Vegetation exerted an important hydrological control by increasing the infiltration capacity of the soil which, in turn, infl uenced the time to and duration of runoff. The expected effects of veg etation on soil protection and soil strength were not demonstrated. In stead, the amount of soil loss occurring in an individual storm appear ed to depend on the supply of loose material on the surface which coul d be transported by the runoff. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.