Haruthai Tippayachan. The determination of cabon loss by soil erosion and sediment transport processes in Mea Thang watershed, Rong Kwang district, Phrae province . Master's Degree(Technology of Environmental Management). Mahidol University. : Mahidol University, 2006.
The determination of cabon loss by soil erosion and sediment transport processes in Mea Thang watershed, Rong Kwang district, Phrae province
Abstract:
Soil is a significant source and sink of carbon. Soil can store carbon in the form of organic
carbon. This natural carbon storage is stable and longer than in other sources, but after soil erosion, the
soil organic carbon (SOC) is reduced because SOC is loss with eroded soil. The objective of this study
was to determinate the carbon loss by soil erosion and sediment transport processes of Mae Tang
watershed (Huay Ma Nai, Huay Mee, Huay Bong, and Huay Tong watershed) in Phrae Province during
the rainy season from June to October 2005 by using Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE), Sediment
Delivery Ratio (SDR) and Carbon Delivery Ratio (CDR).
The results of this study in four sub-watersheds were that, the SOC was about 2.06, 2.23, 2.21
and 1.50 in percentage, respectively or 0.07, 0.08, 0.08 and 0.05 tC/ha/month. The soil loss rates in
four watersheds were 12.99, 16.99, 11.52 and 50.28 ton/ha/month, respectively. The SDR of four subwatersheds
were 10.40, 1.11, 2.16 and 0.97 in percentage of eroded soil, respectively. The CDR of four
sub-watersheds were 2.52, 1.08, 3.09 and 1.09 in percentage of total sediment delivered, respectively.
The assessment of carbon loss from soil erosion and sediment delivery was 1.06, 0.08, 0.90 and 0.59
tC/ha/month, respectively.
This study resulted from application of USLE and CDR to assess the carbon loss in the
overall of each watershed. The carbon loss can be recovered by land management and soil and water
conservation practices. Therefore, these processes can also be used to assess the impact from soil
carbon loss.