Root characteristics of representative Mediterranean plant species and their erosion-reducing potential during concentrated runoff

Baets, Sarah De; Poesen, Jean; Knapen, Anke; Barberá, Gonzalo G.; Navarro, Juan Ignacio Santisteban

doi:10.1007/s11104-007-9244-2

Cited by 225 publications

(148 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…Generally, higher coverage of land by plant canopy decreases the amount of RO and erosion. As reported by some scientists that amount of RO and soil erosion was lower under the cropped than bare plots (Khisa et al,2002;Gyssels and Poesen, 2003;Bochet et al, 2006;De Baets et al, 2007). However, different results were found in this research.…”

Section: Runoff and Soil Losscontrasting

confidence: 56%

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ULTISOLS AND THE IMPACT ON SOIL LOSS DURING SOYBEAN (Glycine max Merr) CULTIVATION IN WET TROPICAL AREA

Yulnafatmawita

Adrinal²

2014

Agrivita.J.Agr.Sci

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Determination of physical characteristics of Ultisol was aimed to evaluate the dynamics of the soil properties as well as the impact on soil erosion and runoff (RO) during soybean cultivation in a wet tropical area. Soybean was planted within erosion plots (18 m 2 ) at 25% slope in Ultisols Limau Manis (having > 5000 mm annual rainfall). Soil samples for physical properties (soil texture, bulk density, total pore, permeability, aggregate stability,and organic carbon) as well as amount of RO and soil loss were analyzed at 5 different times (stages) during the cultivation. The results showed that there were fluctuations in physical properties of Ultisol during the cultivation. Likewise, the amount of runoff and soil loss also changed during the study. Among the physical properties analyzed, the aggregate stability index of the soil was highly correlated to the amount of RO (R 2 =0.73) and soil loss (R 2 =0.94). The amount of RO and soil loss was controlled by soybean development at the average rainfall intensity (≤ 36 mm/day), not at rainfall intensity (>36 mm/day). Thus, it is suggested not to open heavy clayey and low organic carbon (OC) soils for seasonal crop farming during rainy season in wet tropical areas.

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Section: Runoff and Soil Losscontrasting

confidence: 56%

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ULTISOLS AND THE IMPACT ON SOIL LOSS DURING SOYBEAN (Glycine max Merr) CULTIVATION IN WET TROPICAL AREA

Yulnafatmawita

Adrinal²

2014

Agrivita.J.Agr.Sci

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“…Roots can protect soil against erosion. Root architectures (root density, root length density, root diameter, root area ratio, and root distribution) effectively decrease the soil detachment rate, reducing the erodibility of root-permeated saturated top soils in karst mountains (De Baets et al, 2006, 2007a.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Vegetation in karst terrain of southwestern China allocates more biomass to roots

Luo

Xia

et al. 2015

Solid Earth

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Abstract. In mountainous areas of southwestern China, especially Guizhou province, continuous, broadly distributed karst landscapes with harsh and fragile habitats often lead to land degradation. Research indicates that vegetation located in karst terrains has low aboveground biomass and land degradation that reduces vegetation biomass, but belowground biomass measurements are rarely reported. Using the soil pit method, we investigated the root biomass of karst vegetation in five land cover types: grassland, grassscrub tussock, thorn-scrub shrubland, scrub-tree forest, and mixed evergreen and deciduous forest in Maolan, southern Guizhou province, growing in two different soil-rich and rock-dominated habitats. The results show that roots in karst vegetation, especially the coarse roots, and roots in rocky habitats are mostly distributed in the topsoil layers (89 % on the surface up to 20 cm depth). The total root biomass in all habitats of all vegetation degradation periods is 18.77 Mg ha −1 , in which roots in rocky habitat have higher biomass than in earthy habitat, and coarse root biomass is larger than medium and fine root biomass. The root biomass of mixed evergreen and deciduous forest in karst habitat (35.83 Mg ha −1 ) is not greater than that of most typical, nonkarst evergreen broad-leaved forests in subtropical regions of China, but the ratio of root to aboveground biomass in karst forest (0.37) is significantly greater than the mean ratio (0.26 ± 0.07) of subtropical evergreen forests. Vegetation restoration in degraded karst terrain will significantly increase the belowground carbon stock, forming a potential regional carbon sink.

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“…Roots also play a critical role with respect to soil erosion control (Li 1995;Ghidey and Alberts 1997;De Baets et al 2007). Plant roots enlace and concrete soil, and this can stabilize soil structure and limit soil movement (Tengbeh 1993).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Linking fine root and understory vegetation to channel erosion in forested hillslopes of southwestern China

Zhou

et al. 2014

Plant Soil

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Aims The forestland understory vegetation reduces concentrated overland flow through infiltration improvement by roots and raindrop interception by surface cover. However, little has been done to quantify the linkages between understory vegetation cover, roots, and channel erosion, and such information can help assessing the role of the reforestation in soil erosion control. In this study, we evaluated the relationships between channel density, root density, and vegetation cover in forested hillslopes of southwestern China. Methods Twelve locations (four slopes and three positions) of forested hillslopes with a wide range of understory degradation due to litterfall extraction and livestock grazing were selected for the study. Channel density as a measure of rill and (small) gully erosion, root density of different diameter classes, and vegetation cover of all types were determined using field measuring, soil coring and the line transect method, respectively. Soil loss rates were estimated using the caesium-137 ( 137 Cs) technique. Results Rills (depth<0.3 m) with a width of 0.05-0.1 m were the dominate channel erosion in all hillslopes with understory-degradation, and small gullies (depth>0.3 m) with a width 0.5-1.0 m were found at the locations of hillslopes with high understory-degradation. Channel density and soil loss rate increased with the increase in understory-degradation in the forested hillslopes. Simple correlation analysis indicated that channel density was negatively correlated with fine root density (diameter< 1 mm and 1-2 mm) and grass and shrub covers, but not with coarse roots (diam. 2-5 mm and 5-10 mm) and mulch and tree covers. The principal component regression revealed fine root density (diam. <1 mm), shrub and grass covers were the most important predictors for channel density in the forested hillslopes. Tree cover, mulch cover and coarse root density were found to have much less influence on channel density. For the model established from this study using principle component regression, vegetation variables could explain 82 % variance of channel density.

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Root characteristics of representative Mediterranean plant species and their erosion-reducing potential during concentrated runoff

Cited by 225 publications

References 20 publications

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ULTISOLS AND THE IMPACT ON SOIL LOSS DURING SOYBEAN (Glycine max Merr) CULTIVATION IN WET TROPICAL AREA

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ULTISOLS AND THE IMPACT ON SOIL LOSS DURING SOYBEAN (Glycine max Merr) CULTIVATION IN WET TROPICAL AREA

Vegetation in karst terrain of southwestern China allocates more biomass to roots

Linking fine root and understory vegetation to channel erosion in forested hillslopes of southwestern China

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