Effect of shrubs on soil saturated hydraulic conductivity depends on the grazing regime in a semi-arid shrub-encroached grassland

Cai, Yurong; Yu, Yan Zhen; Wang, Chu; Xu, Donghui; Wang, Xu; Xin, Xiaoping; Chen, Jinqiang; Eldridge, David J.

doi:10.1016/j.catena.2021.105680

Cited by 10 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 36 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…, Nie et al, 2012 ) they are presumably making reference to a complex interaction between livestock, shrubs, and infiltration dynamics ( e.g. , Soliveres & Eldridge, 2014 ; Eldridge, Wang & Ruiz-Colmenero, 2015 ; Cai et al, 2021 ). Our own results imply that livestock may also have a role in modulating the observed interaction between soil VWC and soil hardness × elevation.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Does shrub encroachment reduce foraging grass abundance through plant-plant competition in Lesotho mountain rangelands?

Root‐Bernstein

Hoag

2022

PeerJ

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Shrub encroachment is understood to be an important problem facing rangeland ecosystems globally. The phenomenon is still poorly understood both in regard to its impacts (e.g., on diversity, productivity, and soil properties) and its causes. We study the impacts and causes of dwarf shrub encroachment in the highlands of Lesotho. There, shrubs have been described as indicators of generalized land degradation and soil erosion. Surprisingly, our findings show that grass abundance is not reduced by shrub abundance, but that forb abundance does decrease with shrub abundance. We suggest that not enough research has been done to examine the role of forbs in livestock diets, nor in assessing its role in plant-plant competition in grass-shrub systems. Equating shrub presence with declines in available forage may be hasty, as according to our results, grasses were not decreased by shrub expansion in this context; however, forbs are critical components of livestock diets. We propose that the role of forbs in this system should be further studied, focusing on the role that high-nutrient or N-fixing forbs could play in returning nutrients to the soil and affecting livestock grazing patterns, both of which could reduce shrub abundances and favor the establishment of a richer forb community.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Does shrub encroachment reduce foraging grass abundance through plant-plant competition in Lesotho mountain rangelands?

Root‐Bernstein

Hoag

2022

PeerJ

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Jachère. La production de matière organique plus importante en présence d'arbustes et une amélioration de la porosité du sol du fait des racines, plus nombreuses créeraient une structure de sol plus favorable à la perméabilité du sol (Clara et al, 2017 ;Cai et al, 2021). La variation de la vitesse d'infiltration en zaï est similaire aux résultats de Guébré (2021) selon lesquels le paillage de la biomasse aérienne de Piliostigma reticulatum (DC) Hochst augmentait la vitesse d'infiltration de l'eau du sol de 35% par rapport au témoin sans paillage.…”

Section: Effets Des Arbustes Sur La Dynamique Du Carbone Et De L'eau ...unclassified

Effets longue-durée de différentes densités de <i>Piliostigma reticulatum</i> (DC) Hochst sur le stockage et la dynamique du carbone et de l’eau dans un Plinthosol épipétrique en zone nord-soudanienne du Burkina Faso

Gnissien,

Coulibaly,

Barro

et al. 2023

Int. J. Bio. Chem. Sci

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

L’agroforesterie demeure l’une des stratégies d’amélioration de la fertilité des sols les plus accessibles aux producteurs des pays sahéliens. L’objectif de nos travaux était de déterminer les effets de densités de Piliostigma reticulatum suivant deux types de travail du sol sur le statut et la dynamique du carbone organique et de l’eau du sol en zone nord-soudanienne du Burkina Faso. Le dispositif expérimental est constitué de blocs de Fisher à deux facteurs (travail du sol et densité d’arbustes) comprenant huit traitements et quatre répétitions. Sur la profondeur 0-10 cm, le stock de carbone augmentait de 20,45% et 26,29% respectivement pour les densités de 1000 et 2000 pieds / ha comparativement à celle de 0 pieds / ha en zaï ; et de 38,59% et 57,34% pour la densité de 2000 pieds / ha respectivement en système de culture (SC) et en mise en défends comparativement à celle de 500 pieds / ha en semis direct (SD). Sur la même profondeur, la réserve utile en eau du sol a été plus élevée avec 2000 pieds / ha (13,05 ± 0,66 mm) en zaï, et avec 500 pieds / ha (11,05 ± 1,13 mm) en SD. Le rapport carbone labile sur carbone organique est plus faible sur la couche 0-10 cm (9% à 12%) que sur 20-30 cm (49% à 72%) en présence d’arbustes. La vitesse d’infiltration augmentait de 54,20% et 31% respectivement pour les densités de 1000 et 2000 pieds / ha comparativement à celle de 0 pieds / ha en zaï ; et de 140,32 et 232,23% respectivement pour la densité de 2000 pieds / ha sous SC et sous jachère comparativement à la densité de 500 pieds / ha en SD. Globalement, les densités de 1000 et 2000 pieds / ha améliorent le plus le stockage du carbone, de l’eau et la perméabilité du sol. Le zaï et le SD bien qu’ayant des effets similaires sur le stockage des deux pools de carbone, se distinguent par le fait que le zaï semble plus améliorer le stockage de l’eau alors que le SD améliore plus la perméabilité du sol. English title: Long term effects of Piliostigma reticulatum (DC) Hochst’ densities on carbon and water storage and dynamics of an epipetal Plinthosol in Burkina Faso’s northern Sudanian area Agroforestry remains one of the most accessible soil fertility improvement strategies for farmers in Sahelian countries. The objective of our work was to determine the effects of different planting densities of Piliostigma reticulatum, evolving on two tillages, on the status and dynamics of soil organic carbon and water in Burkina Faso’s northern Sudanian. The experimental design is a two-factor Fisher block design (tillage and shrub density) with eight treatments and four replications. At a depth of 0-10 cm, carbon stock increased by 20.45% and 26.29% respectively for the 1000 and 2000 shrubs / ha compared to 0 shrubs / ha in zaï; and by 38.59% and 57.34% for the 2000 shrubs / ha respectively in cropping system (CS) and in fallow compared to the 500 shrubs / ha density in no-till (NT). Over the same depth, the useful soil water holding capacity was higher with 2000 shrubs / ha (13.05 ± 0.66 mm) in zaï, and with 500 shrubs / ha (11.05 ± 1.13 mm) in NT. The ratio of labile carbon to organic carbon was lower on the 0-10 cm layer (9% to 12%) than on the 20-30 cm layer (49% to 72%) in the presence of shrubs. Infiltration rate increased by 54.20% and 31% respectively for 1000 and 2000 shrubs / ha densities compared to 0 shrubs / ha in zaï; and by 140.32 and 232.23% respectively for 2000 shrubs / ha density under CS and fallow compared to 500 shrubs / ha density in NT. Overall, the densities of 1000 and 2000 shrubs / ha improve the most carbon storage, water storage and soil permeability. Zaï and NT, while having similar effects on the storage of both carbon pools, differ in that zaï seems to improve water storage more while NT improves soil permeability more.

show abstract

“…The results show that as the rainfall intensity increases, the difference in soil infiltration rate between the initial and final stages increases [15,16]. On the slope covered with grass vegetation, the slope flow pattern is transitional flow and turbulent flow; the Reynolds number and Froude number will be changed by the change of the grass vegetation cover; the retarding effect of overland flow due to the influence of grassland vegetation decreases with increased runoff [17][18][19].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Slope Runoff Process and Regulation Threshold under the Dual Effects of Rainfall and Vegetation in Loess Hilly and Gully Region

Zhang

et al. 2023

Sustainability

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The rainfall in loess hilly and gully area is concentrated, and mostly comes in the form of rainstorms. The runoff on the slope caused by rainstorms is the main cause of serious soil and water loss in the loess hilly area, and the grassland vegetation has a good inhibitory effect on the runoff on the slope. Therefore, it is of great significance to reveal the role of grassland vegetation in the process of runoff generation, and the mechanisms for controlling soil erosion in this area. In this study, typical grassland slopes in hilly and gully regions of the loess plateau were taken as research objects. Through artificial rainfall in the field, the response rules of the slope rainfall-runoff process to different grass coverage were explored. The results show that: (1) With the increase in rainfall intensity, the inhibitory effect of grassland vegetation on slope runoff decreased, which was mainly reflected in the gradual decrease in runoff rate and runoff coefficient, and the time required to reach stability gradually shortened. (2) Under 60 mm/h rainfall intensity, the sensitivity of runoff coefficient to 31.5% of grass cover change is the lowest, and the cost performance of grass cover with 55% coverage is the highest. (3) Grass coverage inhibited slope runoff by changing the hydraulic characteristics of the slope, but this effect was only obvious in low rainfall intensity and early rainfall. Rainfall in the loess hilly area is characterized by intense rain. The regulating effect of grass cover on slope runoff is not particularly significant under high intensity rainfall. If only considering the regulation of grassland vegetation on slopes, more than 60% grassland coverage is more efficient in inhibiting slope runoff under medium and low intensity rainfall.

show abstract

Effect of shrubs on soil saturated hydraulic conductivity depends on the grazing regime in a semi-arid shrub-encroached grassland

Cited by 10 publications

References 36 publications

Does shrub encroachment reduce foraging grass abundance through plant-plant competition in Lesotho mountain rangelands?

Does shrub encroachment reduce foraging grass abundance through plant-plant competition in Lesotho mountain rangelands?

Effets longue-durée de différentes densités de <i>Piliostigma reticulatum</i> (DC) Hochst sur le stockage et la dynamique du carbone et de l’eau dans un Plinthosol épipétrique en zone nord-soudanienne du Burkina Faso

Slope Runoff Process and Regulation Threshold under the Dual Effects of Rainfall and Vegetation in Loess Hilly and Gully Region

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About