COMMISSIONED REPORT Commissioned Report No. 054 Trends in soil erosion (ROAME No. F00AC106) For further information on this report please contact: John Gordon Scottish Natural Heritage 2 Anderson Place EDINBURGH EH6 5NP Telephone: 0131–446 2450 E-mail: [email protected] This report should be quoted as: Davidson, D.A. and Grieve, I.C. (2004) Trends in soil erosion. Scottish Natural Heritage Commissioned Report No. 054 (ROAME No. F00AC106). This report, or any part of it, should not be reproduced and utilised without the permission of both Scottish Natural Heritage and Professor Last who retains the intellectual property rights for the data: permission will not be withheld unreasonably. The views expressed by the authors of this report should not be taken as the views and policies of Scottish Natural Heritage. © Scottish Natural Heritage 2004. COMMISSIONED REPORT Summary Trends in soil erosion Commissioned Report No. 054 (ROAME No. F00AC106) Contractor: D.A. Davidson and I.C. Grieve, Department of Environmental Science, University of Stirling. Background As part of its environmental audit programme, SNH is investigating changes and trends for natural heritage reporting and development of indicators. Changes in geomorphological processes are an integral part of the natural heritage. The aim of this report, part of a series on geomorphological processes, is to document and analyse trends in soil erosion. Soil erosion is a natural process involving transport by surface runoff, wind deflation and soil creep. Soil erosion may be accelerated by human activities, including a range of agricultural and forestry operations and human trampling. As well as highly visible effects such as rilling and gullying, soil erosion can have adverse impacts on soil physical and chemical status, organic matter content and biodiversity. Off-site impacts may include: increased sediment loads in streams, which may bury fish-spawning gravels; increased nitrate and phosphate loads, leading to eutrophication and depressed dissolved oxygen levels in surface waters; and sedimentation in reservoirs, reducing their operating life and capacity. Such effects are generally uncosted but may be significant. Main findings 1. Although there are a number of well-documented case studies of individual events, any assessment of trends in soil erosion is seriously hampered by a lack of data at the national scale on the processes, distribution and rates of soil erosion. 2. In the lowlands, soil erosion by water is most clearly expressed in the formation of gullies which can vary in depth from c.10cm to >1m. Fields which have been ploughed or are under autumn-sown cereals are particularly vulnerable to periods of excessive rainfall. Erosion induced by tillage is likely to be of similar magnitude to water erosion, but there are no Scottish studies on this. 3. Erosion in the uplands is demonstrated by gullying, slope failures and peat hagging. A study of a sample of grid squares covering 20% of the upland area showed peat erosion in c.6% of the area sampled, although there were considerable regional variations. Peat erosion has major negative impacts on habitat and water quality. In detail, it is extremely difficult to establish causal relationships for peat erosion. For further information on this project contact: John Gordon, Scottish Natural Heritage, 2 Anderson Place, Edinburgh EH6 5NP. Tel: 0131– 446 2450 For further information on the SNH Research & Technical Support Programme contact: The Advisory Services Co-ordination Group, Scottish Natural Heritage, 2 Anderson Place, Edinburgh EH6 5NP. Tel: 0131–446 2400 or [email protected] Scottish Natural Heritage Commissioned Report No. 054 ( ROAME No. F00AC106) Contents Summar y 1 INTRODUCTION 1 2 SOIL EROSION IN THE LOWLANDS 4 2.1 Erosion rates 4 2.2 Geographical variations 6 2.3 Impacts 6 2.4 Causes 7 2.5 Trends in lowland soil erosion 7 3 4 SOIL EROSION IN THE UPLANDS 8 3.1 Geographical variations 8 3.2 Causes of erosion 9 3.3 Trends in upland soil erosion 9 REFERENCES 11 Scottish Natural Heritage Commissioned Report No. 054 ( ROAME No. F00AC106) 1 INTRODUCTION Environmental audit in Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) is being developed as a clear and logical process of assessing status, identifying trends and explaining the main factors influencing change. Natural heritage trends are therefore being analysed and documented for natural heritage reporting and development of indicators (Mackey et al., 2001). Changes in geomorphological processes are an integral part of the natural heritage. This report, part of a series on geomorphological processes, addresses trends in soil erosion. It provides a review and analysis of the available information and sources used to compile the SNH Trend Profile for soil erosion. It is natural for soil particles either at the surface or in topsoil to move downslope as a result of surface runoff or soil creep. Alternatively, soil particles, dominantly fine sands or silts, can be transported by wind action. A distinction is often made between ‘normal’ and ‘accelerated’ erosion resultant upon land use or management, but in practice it is extremely difficult to identify the precise impacts of anthropogenic activity. A soil conservation objective of achieving erosion at rates less than natural rates of soil formation is commendable, but there are considerable difficulties in estimating the latter. For the UK, soil development rates in the range of 0.03–0.1mm yr–1 have been proposed, but the effects of cultivation and manuring can substantially increase this. Thus any overview of trends in soil erosion in Scotland is seriously impaired by lack of data at the national scale, but furthermore, even if we were fortunate in having many measures of erosion rates, there would be considerable difficulty in interpreting the significance of the results. Only one national survey exists which had as its objective the assessment of inherent geomorphological risk of soil erosion by overland flow (Lilly et al., 2002). The assessment was based on the assumption of no vegetation present. Overall, 53.4% of Scotland was found to be at moderate risk and a further 32.1% at high risk. Most mineral soils in Scotland, if not protected by land cover, were assessed to be at moderate risk, whilst organic soils were at greatest risk (Table 1). These figures need to be treated with caution since actual erosion risk is substantially less due to the protection afforded by land cover. Figure 1 illustrates soil erosion risk for Scotland where the map depicts inherent rather than real erosion risk. It intended that the erosion risk work of Lilly et al. (2002) will be progressed by adding landcover and creating actual erosion risk maps for Scotland. Table 1 Propor tion of Scotland in dif ferent erosion susceptibility classes (from Lilly et al., 2002) Soil Category Erosion risk % of Scotland Actual area (ha) Mineral soils (43.7%) Low Moderate High 8.0 29.6 6.1 618778 2275497 469086 Organic soils (52.3%) Low Moderate High 2.5 23.8 26.0 193127 1830402 1997975 Bare rock & scree 0.3 23858 Unstable slopes 1.9 147792 Built up area 1.8 142286 Miscellaneous (4.0%) 1 Scottish Natural Heritage Commissioned Report No. 054 ( ROAME No. F00AC106) Figure 1 Soil Erosion Risk Assessment Map of Scotland (from Lilly et al., 2002). (Copyright:MLURI/SNH) 2 Scottish Natural Heritage Commissioned Report No. 054 ( ROAME No. F00AC106) Besides the lack of data on the processes, distribution and rates of soil erosion, little is also known about the consequences of soil erosion. On-site impacts can result in a lowering of crop yield, nutrient status, organic matter and soil biodiversity; off-site costs can arise from impacts on increased sediment load in streams, deposition of soil on roads or in ditches following major erosion events, increased nitrate and phosphate loads in surface waters and accelerated sedimentation in reservoirs. Ecological and landscape aesthetic impacts in terms of erosion are even more difficult to assess. 3 Scottish Natural Heritage Commissioned Report No. 054 ( ROAME No. F00AC106) 2 SOIL EROSION IN THE LOWLANDS Wind erosion occurs when critical velocities are exceeded and the soil surface is dry, smooth and unprotected by crop or stubble. Areas under spring-sown crops such as carrots, leeks, calabrese and other brassicas requiring fine, smooth seedbeds are particularly susceptible. The most obvious expression of soil erosion by water is the occurrence of gullies which can vary in depth from c. 10cm to well over 1m. Such gullies can occur in linear patterns due to their origin in tractor wheel tracks, or alternatively they have a dendritic form reflecting topographic controls. Gullies are not persistent features in fields since farmers usually infill them in the spring. Difficulties arise over terminology of erosional features, but rills can be defined as having a depth of incision between 1cm and 10cm. Surface wash is also possible, though this becomes quickly channelled into rills or gullies. Deposition in the form of individual or coalesced fans occurs at the base of fields. Substantial subsurface movement of sediment through natural pipes or artificial drains must occur: for surface water gley soils, Paterson and Mitchell (1977) observed laminated deposits in tile drains. It is increasingly being realised that rates of downslope soil movement as induced by ploughing can be as great as, or indeed greater than, surface erosion by fluvial processes (eg Govers et al., 1994). The previous view was that tillage would result in a soil surface more susceptible to erosion, but the direct effect of one ploughing event on downslope movement has been estimated from one experiment at 10 t ha-1. Thus Govers et al. (1994) argue that tillage should be considered as a soil degradation process per se. No research has been done on tillage erosion in Scotland. There has been no systematic monitoring of soil erosion by wind in Scotland. The consequences of wind erosion are very evident in particular years and localities, expressed in fine sand and silt banked up like snow against field boundaries and even as drifts across roads. Data on water erosion have been derived from a variety of sources including field survey of features following erosion events, sedimentation rates in reservoirs, analysis of aerial photographs, suspended and bedload measures from rivers, and Cs137 determinations. Palaeoenvironmental investigations based on pollen and sediment cores have also demonstrated that phases of accelerated soil erosion have occurred throughout much of the Holocene as demonstrated, for example, by Mercer and Tipping (1994) for the Bowmont valley in south east Scotland. 2.1 Erosion rates Soil erosion is extremely variable in space and time, posing major difficulties to field survey and rate determination. Several studies report erosional damage following specific rainfall events. Kirkbride and Reeves (1993) describe the results of a survey in 1992 following over 50mm of rainfall in a 24hr period. For the study area near Forfar, 30% of fields suffered from rill erosion, especially on bare soil ploughed in a downslope direction. Similarly, Davidson and Harrison (1995) found 76 out of a total of 206 fields exhibited erosional features following exceptional rainfall and snowmelt during the first 2 weeks of January 1993; erosion was limited to fields which had been ploughed or were under autumn-sown cereals. But not every major rainstorm event necessarily results in substantial erosion as demonstrated by Frost and Speirs (1996) who found little evidence for erosion on arable land in East Lothian caused by 80mm of rainfall during a 20hr period on 6 October 1990. Results from measuring sediment yield from specific erosion events are given in Table 2. 4 Scottish Natural Heritage Commissioned Report No. 054 ( ROAME No. F00AC106) Table 2 Sediment yield from specific erosion events (modified from Kirkbride & Reeves, 1993) Location Sediment yield (t ha–1) Rainfall amount (mm) Duration (hr) Date Source Kelso 80 28.1 24 28/12/82 Frost & Speirs, 1984 Kelso 48 12.7 n.d. 27/05/83 Frost & Speirs, 1984 Town Yetholm 75 110 72 30/03/92 to 1/04/92 Davidson & Harrison, 1995 Lambielethan 69 78.1 57 21 to 23/09/85 Duck & McManus, 1988 14.7 n.d. 31 20 to 23/09/85 Duck & McManus, 1987 Douglastown 1.7 55 24-27 31/03/92 Kirkbride & Reeves, 1993 Kincaldrum 1.2 55 24-27 31/03/92 Kirkbride & Reeves, 1993 Hatton 2.2 55 24-27 31/03/92 Kirkbride & Reeves, 1993 Barry Long-term mean erosion rates have been estimated from reservoir sedimentation (Duck and McManus, 1990). Some results are: 31.3 t km–2 yr–1 for Glenfarg, an arable catchment, and 9.0 t km–2 yr–1 for Glenquey, a catchment under rough grazing and forestry. Overall rates estimated by this approach are likely to underestimate erosion, given that not all sediment will be trapped by reservoirs and, furthermore, eroded soils from fields may not necessarily be delivered to stream channels in the short to medium term. There is much current interest in the use of the Cs137 technique for estimating soil erosion, the advantage being that the results reflect erosional and tillage effects over the last c. 40 years. Figure 2 is a map of soil erosion rates determined by this technique for a field on fluvioglacial sands and gravels near Blairgowrie. As can be seen, the upper slope convexity is subject to an annual erosion rate of 2.0mm yr–1, corresponding to c. 30 t ha–1 yr–1. Interestingly, this erosion rate could be achieved by the occurrence of only a few of the types of event listed in Table 2. 5 Scottish Natural Heritage Commissioned Report No. 054 ( ROAME No. F00AC106) Figure 2 Erosion and deposition rates (mm yr –1 ) as estimated from Cs 137 determinations in a field with Neolithic post holes (from Davidson et al., 1998). (Reprinted from Journal of Archaeological Science 25, 1998 © 2003, with permission from Elsevier) 2.2 Geographical variations Soils subject to wind erosion are widely distributed throughout the Moray coast region, Strathmore, more locally in the Howe of Fife, East Lothian and the lower Tweed valley and along most of the raised beaches of the east coast. Wind erosion can be substantial on machair land in the Western Isles and Northern Isles; when the protective vegetation cover is cultivated, this can help to sustain the machair ecosystem which to a certain extent relies upon soil erosion. Soils susceptible to erosion by water are mainly in central and eastern parts of Scotland, especially where the soils are derived from Old Red Sandstone drifts. In particular winters or springs, features such as rills, deepened tractor wheel tracks, gullies, surface wash and alluvial spreads can be seen on arable land in Perthshire, Angus, Fife, the Lothians and the Tweed basin. 2.3 Impacts There are virtually no studies in Scotland to determine either on-site or off-site impacts of erosion. Though damage to fields as expressed as gullies, rills or alluvial spreads can appear quite striking following 6 Scottish Natural Heritage Commissioned Report No. 054 ( ROAME No. F00AC106) erosional events, the extent of such damage in individual fields is often very limited, for example less than 5%. Furthermore, many farmers just view such incidents as a nuisance and damage can be quickly rectified by infill of gullies and spring ploughing. Frost and Speirs (1984) investigated the impacts of erosion on a farm near Kelso in 1982; they worked out a cost to the farmer at the time of £26.50 ha–1 which they considered to be economically minor. Furthermore, on the basis of available soil depth, they estimated that the rate of soil loss could be maintained for at least 400 years on this particular farm. However, such a finding was from one farm and extrapolation on a wider basis could be very misleading. Following the precautionary principle, land management measures should be taken in those areas susceptible to erosion on arable land. The maintenance of some plant cover over the winter months and the avoidance of cultivation along maximum slope directions are needed in areas susceptible to erosion. Another important reason for minimising reduction in soil depth is to protect archaeological features. Extensive crop marks are evident on aerial photographs from lighter textured soils in central and eastern Scotland, the very areas susceptible to erosion on arable land. A reduction in soil depth by erosion means that plough damage extends to greater depth resulting in the loss of critical archaeological evidence. 2.4 Causes Field surveys have demonstrated that erosional features such as gullies, rills, surface wash and alluvial spreads dominantly occur in fields with bare or almost bare surfaces during the winter and spring (Davidson and Harrison, 1995). Despite substantial roughness, gullies can also form in fields which have been ploughed and left unplanted in the autumn. Soils planted in autumn-sown cereals are particularly vulnerable given the smooth nature of the seedbeds and the low interception value of germinated seedlings. In the 1970s and 1980s, there was a trend of increasing acreages of land under autumn cereals, leading to greater erosion risk. This has coincided with a pattern of increasing rainfall, especially in central and western regions of Scotland. Furthermore, this increase in rainfall has been mainly during the winter months, the very time when soils under autumn cereals are at their most vulnerable. The effects of the Common Agricultural Policy, for example through the set-aside scheme, have been to limit continued expansion of autumn-sown cereals, though industrial crops such as oil seed rape and linseed have expanded. Models for predicting soil erosion, in addition to land cover characteristics, place much importance on rainfall erosivity. The few studies on soil erosion in Scotland downplay the significance of rainfall intensity, but instead emphasise the importance of antecedent soil moisture conditions, especially if rapid snow melt is involved (Kirkbride and Reeves, 1993; Davidson and Harrison, 1995). 2.5 Trends in lowland soil erosion Given that there is no systematic monitoring of soil erosion on arable land, it is difficult to identify distinct trends. Speirs and Frost (1985) described the increasing incidence of soil erosion in eastern Scotland between 1969 and 1985, although the incidence then appeared to decline. In the 1990s, erosional damage to fields occurred occasionally, roughly every 3 years and only in particular localities. Erosion was particularly evident in 1992 and 1993. Any policy change leading to an increase in autumn-sown crops, when combined with potential rainfall increases, would lead to an enhanced risk of soil erosion. 7 Scottish Natural Heritage Commissioned Report No. 054 ( ROAME No. F00AC106) 3 SOIL EROSION IN THE UPLANDS Soil erosion rates in upland areas are often high, related to steep slopes and greater extremes of climate. Processes include gullying of both peat and mineral soils, wider scale removal of peat and erosion of vehicle tracks and footpaths. Soil erosion has both on- and off-site implications, including loss of soil productivity and carbon storage, loss of landscape quality, deposition of sediments and increased transfer of nutrients to fresh waters. Reports commonly describe and explain specific erosion events. One recent national survey documented the spatial extent of erosion in the uplands of Scotland (Grieve et al., 1995), but there is no regular monitoring from which trends might be assessed. Trends must therefore be assessed from the factors which are known to control erosion occurrence and rates. 3.1 Geographical variations Grieve et al. (1995) quantified the spatial extent of soil erosion in the uplands by analysis of aerial photographs from a sample of 20% of the upland area. A total of 12% of the area was affected by soil erosion. Peat erosion was the most extensive type (6% of the area), but gullies on steeply sloping mineral soils were also extensive (Table 3, Figure 3). Table 3 Spatial extent of different types of erosion in upland Scotland (as % of area sampled) Erosion type Scotland Monadliath E Grampians Cairngorms Peat erosion (% of area sampled) 6.02 20.43 7.99 1.54 Gullies (% of area sampled) 4.69 3.59 0.71 0.91 Debris flows & landslides (% of area sampled) 0.69 0.09 0.00 6.80 5 0 22 72 40 44 183 34 Footpaths (m km–1) Vehicle tracks (m km–1) Regional variations in the severity of peat erosion th er So n Up ut he la nd rn s Up (E la ) nd s (W Lo ) Ce c nt ha ra be lH r ig hl an M ds on ad lia Ca th Ea i r st ng er or n m Gr s am pi Ea an st s er Ro ss 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% So u Figure 3 8 Severe Gullies Minor Scottish Natural Heritage Commissioned Report No. 054 ( ROAME No. F00AC106) The greatest areas of severe peat erosion were found in eastern Scotland, such as the eastern Grampians and eastern Southern Uplands (Figure 3), areas with the greatest extent of upland management such as burning (32 and 35% respectively) or vehicle tracks (Table 3). Nationally the extent of eroded footpaths was small (5m km–1), but almost entirely found in popular mountain areas such as the Cairngorms (72m km–1). 3.2 Causes of erosion Most instances of severe erosion in the uplands can be linked to human activities. Bayfield (1985) has documented substantial increases in footpath widths in the Cairngorms and Wester Ross since the 1960’s due largely to increases in visitor numbers (Lance et al., 1991). There is clear evidence that forest planting and harvesting has increased erosion rates in the past (Battarbee et al., 1985; Ferguson and Stott, 1987; Carling et al., 1993). Sensitive harvesting can substantially reduce losses (Ferguson et al., 1991). Moorland burning also results in a temporary increase in erosion rates until vegetation recovers (Kinako and Gimingham, 1980) and drainage also increases erosion (Stewart and Lance, 1983). 3.3 Trends in upland soil erosion Likely trends in soil erosion can be predicted from trends in the factors which control erosion rates (Table 4). Land management pressures have been increasing in recent decades with, for example, 9.4 million sheep in Scotland in 1999 compared to 7.6 million in the 1930s (SEPA, 2000). Grieve et al. (1995) reported a 60% increase in sheep numbers between 1977 and 1992 in Grampian Region and a 250% increase in deer numbers in the East Grampian census area between 1968 and 1986. Total deer numbers in Scotland are now 710,000 (DETR, 1998). The continuing increase in visitor numbers to upland areas (Lance et al., 1991) may further increase footpath erosion despite repair programmes. Predicted increases in rainfall particularly in autumn and winter (Kerr et al., 1999) may exacerbate these trends. However, the Forests and Water Guidelines (Forestry Commission, 2000) should reduce the impacts of forestry on soil erosion rates in the future (Carling et al., 2001). Over the longer term, for debris flows, Ballantyne (2002) showed that flow events have occurred over most of the last 7000 years, although the frequency and extent appear to have increased in the last few centuries. 9 Scottish Natural Heritage Commissioned Report No. 054 ( ROAME No. F00AC106) Table 4 Trends in soil erosion in the uplands Cause Trend Forest ploughing Sediment losses of 7 to 30kg m–1 length of plough furrow, but usually diminish at canopy closure (Carling et al., 1993). Recent afforestation Sediment deposition from undisturbed catchments = 0.1cm yr–1, increased to > 2cm y-1 during planting. Recovery to pre-disturbance levels with canopy closure after c. 10 years (Battarbee et al., 1985). Forest clear-felling Increased sediment concentrations in runoff following felling are mainly from erosion of timber loading areas and roads; locally up to 50g l–1 from such areas (Ferguson & Stott, 1987). Forest clear-felling No significant increase in sediment loss from a Trossachs catchment when timber extraction carried out by a cable crane system (Ferguson et al., 1991). Moor draining and burning Sediment yield from drained and burned peat catchment = 2.26m3 y–1; from drained catchment = 0.46m3 y–1, but negligible yield from control catchment (Stewart & Lance, 1983). Erosion losses of 1.27 to 3.85 Mg ha–1 following heather burning, mainly within the first 8 months. Recovery by 15 to 20 months (Kinako & Gimingham, 1980). Grazing pressure Change in sheep numbers, Grampian Region Change in deer numbers, East Grampian census area. 900000 30000 800000 25000 20000 700000 Red Deer Sheep Heather burning 600000 15000 10000 500000 400000 1975 5000 1980 1985 1990 1995 0 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 (from Grieve et al., 1995 © 2003 John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Reproduced with permission.) Human trampling Increase in bare soil width on paths on Stac Pollaidh from 0.6 to 3.1m between 1968 and 1983 and in Cairngorms from 2.1 to 7.3m (Bayfield, 1985). Further increases of 0.8 and 0.5m for two paths on Cairngorm between 1986 and 1990 (Lance et al., 1991). Human trampling Reduction of median total organic matter in Cairngorm plateau soils with vegetation disturbance from 9.5 to 4.6kg m–2 (Grieve, 2000). Skiing Disturbed land had more surface grit, more plant damage, more rills and less soil organic matter (Watson, 1985). Visitor numbers Mean number of visitors on Cairngorm plateau increased from 0.5 per day in 19431959 to 64.8 per day in 1980–1988 (Watson, 1991). 10 Scottish Natural Heritage Commissioned Report No. 054 ( ROAME No. F00AC106) 4 REFERENCES Ballantyne, C.K. (2002). Geomorphological changes and trends in Scotland: debris flows. Scottish Natural Heritage Commissioned Report F00AC107. Battarbee, R.W., Appleby, P.G., Odell, K. and Flower, R.J. (1985). 210 PB dating of Scottish lake sediments, afforestation and accelerated soil erosion. Earth Surface Processes & Landforms, 10, 137-142. Bayfield, N.G. (1985). Effects of extended use on footpaths in mountain areas of Britain. In: Bayfield, N.G. and Barrow, G.C. (eds), The Ecological Impacts of Outdoor Recreation on Mountain Areas in Europe and North America. Recreation Ecology Research Group Report 9, 100-111. Carling, P.A., Glaister, M.S. and Flintham, T.P. (1993). Soil erosion and conservation on land cultivated and drained for afforestation. 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Soil erosion from a single rainstorm over an area in East Lothian, Scotland. Soil Use and Management, 12, 8-12. 11 Scottish Natural Heritage Commissioned Report No. 054 ( ROAME No. F00AC106) Govers, G., Vandaele, K., Desmet, P., Poesen, J. and Bunte, K. (1994). The role of tillage in soil redistribution on hillslopes. European Journal of Soil Science, 45, 469-478. Grieve, I.C. (2000). Effects of human disturbance and cryoturbation on soil iron and organic matter distribution and on carbon storage at high elevations in the Cairngorm mountains, Scotland. Geoderma, 95, 1-14. Grieve, I.C., Davidson, D.A. and Gordon, J.E. (1995). Nature, extent and severity of soil erosion in upland Scotland. Land Degradation and Rehabilitation, 6, 41-55. Kerr, A., Shackley, S., Milne, R. and Allen, S. (1999). Climate Change: Scottish Implications Scoping Study. Scottish Executive Central Research Unit, Edinburgh. Kinako, P.D.S. and Gimingham, C.H. (1980). 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