Effects of Livestock Trampling Pressure on Rainfall Infiltration Rate in Mongolian Rangelands

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the effects, caused by livestock trampling, on the infiltration capacity of rainwater in the Mongolian rangelands. We investigated three types of rangeland, namely, high clay (S1), low clay (S2), and sand dune sites (S3). Infiltration capacities under overgrazing conditions were determined by performing soil compaction using a rammer test (JIS A1210) and measuring the saturated hydraulic conductivity by the falling head permeameter test. The amount of energy from the soil compaction test was equal to 3.6 times the number of grazing animals in the study area in 2012. Assuming that all rainfall exceeding infiltration capacity was lost because of soil surface flow, the percentage of rainwater loss after compaction to annual rainfall was 97% for S1, 13% for S2, and 0% for S3. This indicates that high clay content significantly reduces rainfall infiltration affected by livestock trampling.