Publication Date:
2012-04-19
Description:
Vegetation cover is an important factor for erosion control. Laboratory-simulated rainfall experiments were conducted to quantify the effectiveness of patchy distributed Artemisia capillaris in retarding overland flow velocity. Simulated storms (60, 90, 120 and 150 mm h −1 ) were applied on a bare plot (CK) and four different plant patterns, a banded pattern perpendicular to the slope direction (BP), a single long strip parallel to slope direction (LP), small patches distributed like a checkerboard (SP1), and small patches distributed like letter “X” (SP2). All treatments had three replicates. Each plot underwent two sets of experiments, intact plant-plots and root-plots (the above-ground parts were removed, only roots were reserved), respectively. Results showed that flow velocity increased with rainfall intensity, and lower slope velocity ( V l ) was higher than upper one ( V u ). The removal of grass shoots increased flow velocity. Compared with bare soil plot, intact plants reduced mean flow velocity by 14–60%, while the reduction declined to 〈40% for the root-plots. BP and both SP treatments performed more effectively than LP in retarding flow velocity, while no significant differences were identified between BP and SP. The contributions of Artemisia capillaris shoots and roots to the reductions in flow velocity under different rainfall intensities were different. The shoots made greater contribution of 53–97% at 60 and 90 mm h –1 and the roots contributed more (51–81%) at 120 and 150 mm h –1 . Runoff and sediment rate had significant ( p 〈 0.05) linear correlations with mean flow velocity. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Print ISSN:
0885-6087
Electronic ISSN:
1099-1085
Topics:
Architecture, Civil Engineering, Surveying
,
Geography
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