Effects of different vegetation restoration types on soil hydro-physical properties in the hilly region of the Loess Plateau, China
Du Lyu A B , Yahui Yang A B , Wenhui Zhao C , Xiaoming Xu C , Liang He C , Jinwei Guo C , Siyue Lei C , Baoyuan Liu C and Xiaoping Zhang
A C *
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Ministry of Water Resources, Yangling 712100, China.
B University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
C Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China.
Soil Research 61(1) 94-105 https://doi.org/10.1071/SR21183
Submitted: 6 July 2021 Accepted: 21 May 2022 Published: 28 June 2022
© 2023 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing
Abstract
Context: Severe soil erosion in the Chinese Loess Plateau and the resulting high sediment yield of the Yellow River have been important research topics.
Aims: Understanding the impacts of vegetation types on soil hydro-physical properties is essential for understanding regional runoff-sediment changes, soil and water conservation, and revegetation.
Methods: Three main plantation covers of the study area [natural restoration grassland (NG), artificial Prunus armeniaca forest (AP), and artificial Hippophae rhamnoides shrubland (AH) with 15 years of restoration] and Sorghum bicolor agricultural land as control (CK), were selected to compare their soil hydro-physical properties and infiltration capacity in the soil profile.
Key results: The bulk density was lower, and soil organic matter (SOM), the proportion of macro-aggregates (>5 mm), mean weight diameter (MWD) of water-stable aggregates, and the initial infiltration and stable infiltration rate were higher in the AH plot compared to CK and the other two plots. The impacts of vegetation restoration on soil properties were mainly in the 0–60 cm layer. Infiltration rates changed mainly within 5 h and basically stabilised within 10 h, with even shorter times to reach stable infiltration in CK. The initial and stable infiltration rates were significant positively correlated (P < 0.05) with macro-aggregate content, MWD, and SOM.
Conclusions: The AH and AP had greater impacts on soil hydro-properties than NG. The AH had the greatest positive effect on soil hydro-properties and soil and water conservation functions.
Implications: This study provides practical references for vegetation restoration measures assessment on the Loess Plateau or other similar regions.
Keywords: eco-hydrological processes, influencing factors, loess hilly region, Philip infiltration equation, soil hydro-physical properties, soil infiltration and simulation, soil water-stable aggregate, vegetation restoration types.
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