Environmental Effects of Reducing Land Fragmentation in Land Consolidation at West Roztocze at the Slope Scale

The paper presents the ecological effects of land consolidation carried out in upland loess areas. The design of a large plot of land on a slope with a gradient of up to 18% and its impact on the intensity of water erosion were investigated. The analyzed plot was created by consolidation 12 smaller plots. Before the consolidation, all plots had a cross-slope layout and direction of agrotechnical operations. Exactly the same arrangement remained after the consolidation. The WEPP simulation model was used for the comparison of the pre-consolidation and post consolidation state. The amount of soil loss and sediment yield was estimated under different scenarios of slope management. It was found that after consolidation (creation of a plot with the width of more than 130 m), as a result of removing of terraces and sodded cross-slope scarps, the intensity of erosion increased many times. In order to restore the anti-erosion effect of cross-slope cultivation on such a slope without increasing the difficulties of agrotechnics, it is necessary to restore the sodded scarps that existed before consolidation. The simulation results show that the scarps should be located transversely to the slope (along the plot) in the middle and lower parts of the slope, in the place of the highest inclination. As advantage of the consolidation project was considered the elimination of longitudinal balks which were focuses of linear erosion on the slope.