I am just wondering if anyone will provide a lead to this and if possible provide references. My data indicated that runoff from smaller fields are characterised by lower level of turbidity than runoff from large fields. The fields are on heavy clay soils and are similarly grazed. Any suggestions?
TSS may increase due to increase in farm size, which may lead to higher value to turbidity; hence your interpretation may be right. But this should be verified through replicated testing before drawing any firm conclusion.
Wonderful question ! however I have different opinion that turbidity and or TSS directly proportion to the load and or sediment provided to the volume of water (volume and velocity of water is significant) and therefore load and or sediment is again directly proportion to the rate of erosion of surrounding region (Erodibility) , further rate of erosion is associated with indicators and elements of erosion and so on...it is therefore, farm size may be one of the several elements promoting turbidity.
Is slope the same as well? Has the historical use been identical? Is compaction identical?
I wouldn't suggest that farm size is causally involved in that relationship, but plot length definitely is. Even the good old 'Universal Soil Loss Equation' (USLE; A=R*K*L*S*C*P), which is a widely used mathematical model that describes soil erosion processes, contains the term L*S (length*slope) from which can easily be inferred that the uninterrupted length of a plot increases - ceteris paribus - erosion losses. As larger farms tend to have larger plots, your observation is corroborated, though not in a straightforward causal manner. Hope this helps. Books on soil physics will have more detailed information.
Nathan Wells. The slope category is not significantly different but the compaction could have varied within each field, especially with hotspots of animals influence. If these do not significantly vary, and the grazing is not severe in either fields, will the contribution to TSS be significantly different?
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