Effect of Cynodon dactylon community on the conservation and reinforcement of riparian shallow soil in the Three Gorges Reservoir area

Abstract

Introduction: Riparian vegetation plays a crucial role in soil conservation and riverbank reinforcement. The Three Gorges hydrologic project has significantly changed the pattern of water-level fluctuation and riparian environment, which significantly influenced plant community development and its effect on soil conservation and riverbank protection. Cynodon dactylon, a perennial grass with developed root system and creeping stems, has become a dominant riparian species in the Three Gorges area after the completion of the dam. We aimed to characterize how the soil-root system under the C. dactylon community responded to environmental changes and effects of the soil-root system on shallow soil conservation and riverbank reinforcement through field investigation and laboratory test. Methods: We conducted a field survey and experimental research. Quadrates of a natural C. dactylon community were set up on a riverbank along an altitude gradient. Plants were sampled randomly for the measurements of spatial structure and tensile strength of roots. Soil erosion resistance, soil scour resistance, and shear strength of sampled soil-root systems and control soil were tested in the laboratory.

Redistribution of Soil Organic Carbon Induced by Soil Erosion in the Nine River Basins of China

“…It is possible because the Natural Forest Protection Program safeguarded 98 million ha of forest during 1998–2006 and the Conversion of Farmland to Forest Program was implemented on the Loess plateau regions in 1999 (Liu et al, ; Wang et al, ; Yuan et al, ). The channel deposition from Pingshan to Yichang stations in the Yangtze River basin increased markedly (Figure b) probably because of the implementation of the Sanxia Dam in 2003 (Chen et al, ). The sediment and SOC deposition in the Yellow River basin channel decreased (Tables and ) due to the contribution of soil and water conservation measures in the central Yellow River basin during 1997–2006 (Ran et al, ).…”

Multi-scale effects on the hydraulic behaviour of a root-permeated and compacted soil

“…It also presents a fine roots system and forms shallow branches stolons and rhizomes [18] organised as a net connecting the different plant individuals. Thanks to its properties, it has been already used in slope stability investigations [19,20].…”

Estimating seasonal aboveground biomass of a riparian pioneer plant community: An exploratory analysis by canopy structural data

“…Unlike other natural riparian ecosystems in the same climatic zone, the riparian zone that surrounds the TGR experiences low-water-level in summer but high-water-level in winter because of the artificial water level regulation. This type of dry-wet cycle causes heavy stress on the riparian ecosystem, resulting in severe habitat degradation (Su et al, 2013;Chen et al, 2015). For example, the vegetation (predominantly herbaceous plants) grown in summer will be submerged and died out in winter.…”

“…(i.e., Bermuda grass) is an endemic grass within the riparian zone of the TGR that forms both aboveground stolons and belowground rhizomes (Dong and Kroon, 1994). Since the species has a strong capability to adapt to the dry-wet cycle disturbance of the degraded riparian habitat, it quickly bacame a pioneer and the most dominant plant species in the riparian ecosystem of the TGR (Chen et al, 2015;Liu et al, 2011). Consequently, C. dactylon plays a crucial role for ecosystem services by providing productivity, habitat, soil conservation, and riparian reinforcement, as well as protecting the water quality (Liu et al, 2011).…”