Effect of plant species on shrub fertile island at an oasis–desert ecotone in the South Junggar Basin, China

Shrub fertile islands are a common feature in arid ecosystems. To examine the effect of plant species on the spatial patterns of soil chemical and physical properties surrounding individual shrubs, two deciduous shrub species with different morphologies (Tamarix spp. and Haloxylon ammodendron Bge.) were studied at an oasis–desert ecotone in South Junggar Basin. Soil samples were collected under the shrub crown (canopy), at the vertically projected limit of shrub crown margin (periphery), and in the space between shrub crowns (interspace) at two depths, 0–10 and 10–20 cm, to analyze their physical and chemical properties. The results show that the fertile islands of Tamarix spp. are enriched with more soil nutrients (significantly higher, P<0.05; soil organic matter (SOM); total nitrogen (TN) and available nitrogen (AN); to a deeper depth (>20 cm) and in a larger area (beyond the canopied area) compared to that of H. ammodendron (significantly higher, P<0.05, soil nutrients detected only for AN; <20 cm in depth; smaller than the canopied area). Soil texture patterns surrounding the shrubs of the two species are even more different, with more coarse particles under the Tamarix spp. canopies compared to the interspace between shrubs but fewer under the H. ammodendron canopies compared to the interspaces. These variations are attributed to the difference in morphology of the two studied species: the Y-shaped crowns of H. ammodendron are less capable of capturing and maintaining litter under them than the hemispheroidal crowns of Tamarix spp., which leads to the less well developed fertile islands surrounding H. ammodendron shrubs.     

Plant water relations of thornscrub shrub species, north-eastern Mexico

As an approach to understand how diurnal and seasonal plant water potentials (Ψ) are related to soil water-content and evaporative demand components, the responses of six thornscrub shrubs species (Havardia pallens, Acacia rigidula, Eysenhardtia texana, Diospyros texana, Randia rhagocarpa, and Bernardia myricaefolia) of the north-eastern region of Mexico to drought stress were investigated during the course of 1 year. All study species showed the typical diurnal pattern of variation in Ψ. That is, Ψ decreased gradually from predawn (Ψ_pd) maximal values to reach minima at midday (Ψ_md) and began to recover in the late afternoon. On a diurnal basis and with adequate soil water-content (>0.20 kg kg⁻¹), diurnal Ψ values differed among shrub species and were negatively and significantly (p<0.001) correlated with air temperature (r=−0.741 to −0.883) and vapor pressure deficit (r=−0.750 to −0.817); in contrast, a positive and significant (p<0.001) relationship was found to exist with relative humidity (r=0.758–0.842). On a seasonal basis, during the wettest period (soil water-content>0.20 kg kg⁻¹), higher Ψ_pd (−0.10 MPa) and Ψ_md (−1.16 MPa) values were observed in R. rhagocarpa, whereas lower figures (−0.26 and −2.73 MPa, respectively) were detected in A. rigidula. On the other hand, during the driest period (soil water-content<0.15 kg kg⁻¹), Ψ_pd and Ψ_md values were below −7.3 MPa; i.e. when shrubs species faced severe water deficit. Soil water-content at different soil layers, monthly mean relative humidity and monthly precipitation were significantly correlated with both Ψ_pd (r=0.538–0.953; p<0.01) and Ψ_md (r=0.431–0.906; p<0.05). Average soil water-content in the 0–50 cm soil depth profile explained between 70% and 87% of the variation in Ψ_pd. Results have shown that when gravimetric soil water-content values were above 0.15 kg kg⁻¹, Ψ_pd values were high and constant; below this threshold value, Ψ declined gradually. Among all shrub species, A. rigidula appeared to be the most drought tolerant of the six species since during dry periods it tends to sustain significantly higher Ψ_pd in relation to B. myricaefolia. The remaining species showed an intermediate pattern. It is concluded that the ability of shrub species to cope with drought stress depends on the pattern of water uptake and the extent to control water loss through the transpirational flux.     

Soil nutrients in relation to land use and landscape position in the semi-arid small catchment on the loess plateau in China

Characterizing spatial variability of soil nutrients in relation to site properties, including climate, land use, landscape position and other variables, is important for understanding how ecosystems work and assessing the effects of future land use change on soil nutrients. In order to assess the effects of land use and landscape position on soil nutrients consisting of soil organic matter (SOM), total N (TN), total P (TP), available N (AN) and available P (AP), soil samples were collected in August and October 1998 and July 1999 from three transects in a small catchment on the loess plateau, China. The three transects consisted of typical land use structure from the top to foot of hillslope in the study area: fallow land – cropland – woodland – orchard (T1), fallow land – shrub land – fallow land – cropland – woodland – orchard (T2) and intercropping land – woodland (T3). Significant differences among land uses were found for SOM, TN and AN. Woodland, shrub land and grassland had the higher levels for them compared to fallow land and cropland. Use of soil deterioration index showed that soils deteriorated moderately (−17·05%) under orchard and seriously (ranging from −29·91% to −20·32%) under fallow land, cropland and intercropping land, while soils had no deterioration (−0·74%) under shrubland and (−0·69%) grassland. This study indicated that the cultivated hilly lands must be abandoned before a critical minimum SOM of 0·492%. Soil nutrient responses to landscape positions were variable depending on transect and the location of land use types. The highest levels in SOM, TN and AN were observed at middle slope position on T1, while they occurred at foot slope position on T3. However, an increasing trend from upper slope to foot slope for five nutrients were found on T2.     

High-resolution images reveal rate and pattern of shrub encroachment over six decades in New Mexico, U.S.A.

Encroachment of the shrub Prosopis glandulosa Torr. (honey mesquite) into semi-arid grasslands is a serious concern in the south-western United States, yet little is known about the long-term dynamics of the invasion process. We used ten high-resolution aerial and satellite images taken from 1936 to 1996 to track the population dynamics and spatial pattern of all P. glandulosa greater than 2 m in diameter on a 75 ha area in southern New Mexico.Shrub cover and patch numbers increased from 1936 to the 1970s, then stabilized at 43% cover and 83 patches ha⁻¹. Individual patches were extremely persistent: 95% of the area occupied by shrub patches in 1936 was still occupied in 1996. Recruitment into the 2 m size class was more variable: 0·6–5·2% year⁻¹ (mean 0·8% year⁻¹). Patch-shape complexity increased from 1936 to 1983 as adjacent shrubs merged, and then declined as those clusters filled in and became rounder. Spatial pattern of shrubs showed a distinct trend over time: strongly clustered in 1936 at lag distances up to 250 m, then random arrangement at all scales, and by 1983 pattern was regular at lag distances greater than 100 m. There was no clear relationship with precipitation.The use of remote sensing imagery allowed us to examine one site over time, and revealed patterns in population dynamics and spatial pattern that would not have been visible otherwise. Comparison of field estimates collected in 2001 with 1996 image data suggest that the canopy cover estimates were accurate, but shrub densities were seriously underestimated in the satellite photographs, which do not show shrubs smaller than 2 m diameter. As long as limitations of the imagery are understood, these methods can be applied over a larger and more heterogeneous area to examine environmental correlates of invasion success.     

Effective environmental factors in the distribution of vegetation types in Poshtkouh rangelands of Yazd Province (Iran)

The objective of this research was to study the relationships between environmental factors and vegetation in order to find the most effective factors in the separation of the vegetation types in Poshtkou rangelands of Yazd province. Sampling of soil and vegetation were performed with randomized-systematic method. Vegetation data including density and cover percentage were estimated quantitatively within each quadrat, and using the two-way indicator species analysis (TWINSPAN), and vegetation was classified into different groups. The topographic conditions were recorded in quadrat locations. Soil samples were taken in 0–30 and 30–60 cm depths in each quadrat. The measured soil variables included texture, lime, saturation moisture, gypsum, acidity (pH), electrical conductivity, sodium absorption ratio, and soluble ions (Na⁺, K⁺, Mg²⁺, Cl⁻, CO₃²⁻, HCO₃⁻ and SO₄²⁻). Multivariate techniques including principal component analysis (PCA) and canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) were used to analyse the collected data. The results showed that the vegetation distribution pattern was mainly related to soil characteristics such as salinity, texture, soluble potassium, gypsum, and lime. Totally, considering the habitat conditions, ecological needs and tolerance range each plant species has a significant relation with soil properties.     

Impacts of interrelated biotic and abiotic processes during the past 125 000 years of landscape evolution in the Northern Mojave Desert, Nevada, USA

Interrelated, biotic (flora and fauna) and abiotic (pedogenesis and hydrology) processes were examined at four sites (30, and approximately 1000–3000, 7000–12 000, and 125 000 years before present) in the northern Mojave Desert. Data collected at each included floral and faunal surveys; soil texture, structure, and morphology; and soil hydraulic properties. Separate measurements were made in shrub undercanopy and intercanopy microsites. At all sites, shrubs made up greater than 86 percent of total perennial cover, being least on the youngest site (4 percent) and most on the 7000–12 000-year-old site (31 percent). In the intercanopy, winter annual density was highest on the 1000- to 3000-year-old site (249 plants/m²) and lowest on the oldest site (4 plants/m²). Faunal activity, measured by burrow density, was highest on the 1000–3000- and 7000–12 000-year-old sites (0.21 burrows/m²) and density was twice as high in the undercanopy versus the intercanopy. Burrow density was lower at the two oldest sites, although density was not statistically greater in the undercanopy than intercanopy. At the older sites, the soil water balance was increasingly controlled by Av horizons in intercanopy soils in which saturated hydraulic conductivity (K_sat) decreased 95 percent from the youngest to the oldest site. No significant reduction in K_sat in undercanopy soils was observed. Decreases in the intercanopy sites correlated with decreases in annual plant density and bioturbation, suggesting these processes are interrelated with surface age.     

Growth, ionic and osmotic relations of an Allenrolfea occidentalis population in an inland salt playa of the Great Basin Desert

Variation in growth, physiology and ionic relations patterns of Allenrolfea occidentalis, a perennial halophyte of dry habitats, was studied under field conditions from May 1996 to November 1997. An A. occidentalis community has a characteristic soil pH of 7·3–8·3. During the two years, the population was exposed to great variations in soil salinity, from 29 to 146 dS m⁻¹, and soil moisture, ranging from drought (9·2%) to wet (19%). The salt concentrations were significantly higher in the surface soil layers than in the subsurface layers. Seasonal changes in dry weight are directly related to soil salinity stress. Allenrolfea occidentalis had greater growth and biomass production under saline conditions. Na⁺and Cl⁻ions were accumulated in plant tissues in much greater amounts than K⁺, Ca²⁺, and Mg²⁺. Soil salinities were significantly reduced at the end of the growing season. Water potentials of the shoots decreased significantly with increasing salinity. The plant (F_v/F_mratio) was more affected by salinity and irradiation levels during the summer period.     

Hydraulic redistribution by two semi-arid shrub species: Implications for Sahelian agro-ecosystems

Hydraulic redistribution is the process of passive water movement from deeper moist soil to shallower dry soil layers using plant roots as conduits. Results from this study indicate that this phenomenon exists among two shrub species (Guiera senegalensis and Piliostigma reticulatum) that co-exist with annual food crops in Sahelian agro-ecosystems. Real-time measurements were conducted for soil water content, soil water potential and microclimate variables notably; air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, precipitation and solar irradiance. Additionally, sap flow measurements were conducted in shrub roots using the thermal dissipation technique on intact and coppiced shrubs. Monthly predawn leaf water potential was measured using a portable pressure chamber. Soil water potential (Ψ_s) at the 20 cm depth declined significantly during the dry season with diel changes in Ψ_s of −0.6 to −1.1 MPa. These variations were attributed to passive water release from shrub roots resulting in overnight rewetting of drier upper soil layers. Sap flow measurements on tap and lateral shrub roots indicated daily reversals in the direction of flow. During the peak of the dry season, both positive (toward shrub) and negative (toward soil) flows were observed in lateral shrub roots with sap flow in the lateral roots frequently negative at night and rapidly becoming positive soon after sunrise. The negative sap flow at night in superficial lateral roots and the periodic positive flow in the descending tap roots were indicative of hydraulic redistribution. Hydraulic redistribution may be an important mechanism for drought stress avoidance while maintaining plant physiological functions in both shrubs and neighboring annuals in water-limited environments.     

Selective erosion of clay,organic carbon and total nitrogen in grazed semiarid rangelands of northeastern Patagonia,Argentina

In arid and semiarid rangelands, soil erosion has been widely considered an important soil degradation process and one of the main factors responsible for declining soil fertility. In this study, we determined the sediment production and the enrichment ratios of clay, organic C, and total N by using rainfall simulations on runoff plots (0.60 × 1.67 m) in three plant communities of northeastern Patagonia: grass (GS), degraded grass with scattered shrubs (DGS), and degraded shrub steppes (DSS). Our results clearly indicate that spatial variability in soil loss rate and enrichment process exists as a result of the local differences in both plant composition and soil surface characteristics. Sediment production was significantly lower in the GS (14.2 g m⁻²) compared with the DGS and DSS (38.2 and 51.5 g m⁻², respectively). In the GS, the enrichment ratio of clay was significantly greater (3.9) and enrichment ratio of organic C was lower (3.1) than in the DGS and the DSS, though differences in enrichment ratios of total N were not significant. The high rate of soil loss and nutrients through overland-flow may limit the opportunities that promote the pathway from DGS back to GS community, favoring the dominance of shrubs.     

Spatial and temporal variability of soil properties under Caragana microphylla shrubs in the northwestern Shanxi Loess Plateau, China

Shrub-induced spatial and temporal heterogeneity of soil properties is common in arid and semiarid ecosystems, and it facilitates the development of plant species diversity. We selected 5-, 10-, 20-, 30-, and 40-year-old Caragana microphylla shrubs in the Shanxi Loess Plateau to evaluate the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of soil properties under and outside the shrub canopy. In addition, the presence of adventitious plant species was investigated to assess the development of herbaceous species diversity. Soil samples were collected from two depths (0-5 cm and 5-10 cm). The establishment and development of shrubs promoted temporal variation, improved soil texture, enhanced soil organic matter (SOM), total nitrogen (TN), and cation exchange capacity (CEC), and decreased pH, bulk density (BD), and soil water content (SWC). The results further confirmed that SOM, TN, and CEC were significantly higher at the center than at the outside of the shrub canopies (P < 0.05) and were higher at the 0-5 cm depth than at the 5-10 cm depth. Moreover, the differences in SOM, TN, and CEC from the center to the outside of shrub canopies were greater under 30- and 40-year-old shrubs than under 10- and 5-year-old shrubs. Furthermore, the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of the soil properties facilitated the development of herbaceous species diversity.     

The response of drainage basins to the late Quaternary tectonics in the Sicilian side of the Messina Strait (NE Sicily)

Despite more than 40 yr of research attributing temporal changes in streambank erosion rates to subaerial processes, little quantitative information is available on the relationships between streambank erodibility (k_d) and critical shear stress (τ_c) and the environmental conditions and processes that enhance streambank erosion potential. The study goal was to evaluate temporal changes in k_d and τ_c from soil desiccation and freeze–thaw cycling. Soil erodibility and τ_c were measured monthly in situ using a multiangle, submerged jet test device. Soil moisture, temperature, and bulk density as well as precipitation, air temperature, and stream stage were measured continuously to determine changes in soil moisture content and state. Pairwise Mann–Whitney tests indicted k_d was 2.9 and 2.1 times higher (p < 0.0065) during the winter (December–March) than in the spring/fall (April–May, October–November) and the summer (June–September), respectively. Regression analysis showed 80% of the variability in k_d was explained by freeze–thaw cycling alone. Study results also indicated soil bulk density was highly influenced by winter weather conditions (r² = 0.86): bulk density was inversely related to both soil water content and freeze–thaw cycling. Results showed that significant changes in the resistance of streambank soils to fluvial erosion can be attributed to subaerial processes. Water resource professionals should consider the implications of increased soil erodibility during the winter in the development of channel erosion models and stream restoration designs.     

Variations in some physico-chemical parameters in a hypersaline coastal lagoon of Baja California,Mexico

San Jose lagoon is a hypersaline body of water located in Mexico in the Baja California Peninsula. The lagoon belongs to a system that lies between the fault ridge known as San Jose Creek. Because of its marine origin, it can be considered as thalassohaline, but its isolation from the ocean has brought about changes in its salt composition. It has an area of 13,500 m², a mean depth of 80 cm and a total volume of 10,000 m³. It does not desiccate and can be considered as a permanent lagoon. Seasonal variations are small. TheArtemia population in San Jose produces cysts all year. To determine the physico-chemical conditions inducing permanent production of cysts, temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, and pH of the lagoon were monitored, as well as relative humidity and wind conditions in the region in different seasons of the year. From spring to summer, differences of 1 mg L^–1 of O₂, 1°C in water temperature, and 8 g L^–1 in salinity were observed, and from summer to winter differences of 3.3 mg L^–1, 6.5°C, and 14 g L^–1, respectively. Despite small seasonal variations, the lagoon exhibits strong spatial and daily changes that are important for cyst production.     

黄土高原半干旱区天然锦鸡儿灌丛对土壤水分的影响

本文选择黄土高原半干旱区定西地区的一种地带性植被,天然甘蒙锦鸡儿灌丛,将其0～99m深的土壤水分含量与人工柠条锦鸡儿灌丛、人工杏树林、天然草地、放牧荒坡和农地的土壤水分含量进行了比较。结果发现,天然锦鸡儿灌丛在1m以下土壤各层的水分含量均高于人工柠条灌丛和人工杏树林,而与放牧荒坡和农地的土壤湿度接近,略低于农地。天然锦鸡儿灌丛4m以上土层的土壤湿度还明显高于天然草地;天然锦鸡儿灌丛形成的难效—无效水层深度在2m土层以上,而人工柠条灌丛形成的难效无效水层则深达56m,人工杏树林42m,天然草地、放牧荒坡分别为36m和33m,农地1m。     

Vegetation changes in the Jornada Basin from 1858 to 1998

Notes made by land surveyors in 1858 were utilized to estimate cover of grasses and shrubs on the Jornada Experimental Range (JER) and the Chihuahuan Desert Range Research Center (CDRRC) in the northern Chihuahuan Desert in southern New Mexico, USA. Portions of these areas have been previously assessed for historical vegetation dynamics but the entire 84,271 ha assessed in the 19th century has not been examined in total. In 1858, fair to very good grass cover occurred on 98% and 67% of the JER and CDRRC, respectively. Shrubs were present throughout both properties but 45% of the JER and 18% of the CDRRC were shrub free. Reconnaissance surveys, made to determine carrying capacity for livestock were made in 1915–1916 and 1928–1929 on the JER and in 1938 on the CDRRC, show that shrubs had made large increases in area occupied at the time of the surveys. Vegetation type maps were made of both properties in 1998. Mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) was the primary dominant on 59% of the JER in 1998 and creosotebush (Larrea tridentata) was the primary dominant on 27% of the area. On the CDRRC mesquite and creosotebush were primary dominants on 37% and 46% of the area, respectively. Grass cover has decreased greatly with the increase in shrubs and only shrub control efforts have maintained the once abundant black grama (Bouteloua eriopoda) as a primary dominant on 1% or less of the area on both properties.     

Soil erosion rates in rangelands of northeastern Patagonia: A dendrogeomorphological analysis using exposed shrub roots

Soil erosion is an important process of land degradation in many rangelands and a significant driver of desertification in the world's drylands. Dendrogeomorphology is an alternative to traditional methods for determining soil erosion rate. Specifically, the vertical distance between the upper portion of exposed roots and the actual soil surface can be used as a bioindicator of erosion since plant establishment. In this study, we determined (i) the soil erosion rate from exposed roots of the dwarf shrub Margyricarpus pinnatus [Lam.] Kuntze in two ecological sites in the northeastern rangelands of Patagonia and (ii) the relationship between shrub age and upper root diameter. We selected two ecological sites, a pediment-like plateau and a flank pediment, where the dominant soils were Xeric Haplocalcids and Xeric Calciargids, respectively. The soil erosion rates in the pediment-like plateau and in the flank pediment were 2.4 and 3.1 mm yr^− 1, respectively. Data clearly indicate a high rate of soil erosion during the mean 8-year life span of the dwarf shrubs in degraded patches, which represent ~ 10% of surface cover in the study area. Simple linear regression analysis yielded a highly significant predictive model for age estimation of M. pinnatus plants using the upper root diameter as a predictor variable. The measurement of ground lowering against datable exposed roots represents a simple method for the determination of soil erosion rates. In combination with other soil surface features, it was used to infer the episodic nature of soil erosion. This approach could be particularly useful for monitoring the effects of land management practices on recent soil erosion and for the establishment of records in regions where historical data regarding this process are scarce or absent.     

Physical and chemical properties of soils under some piñon-juniper-oak canopies in a semi-arid ecosystem in New Mexico

Piñon (Pinus edulis)-juniper (Juniperus monosperma)-ecosystems increased substantially in the western USA during the 20th century. Sustainability of these ecosystems primarily depends on soil quality and water availability. This study was undertaken with the objective of assessing the effect of tree species on soil physical quality in a semi-arid region in the western part of Sugarite Canyon, northeast of Raton, Colfax County, NM (37°56′32″N and 104°23′00″W) USA. Three cores and three bulk soil samples were obtained from the site under the canopy of three juniper, Gambel oak (Quercus gambelii) and piñon trees for 0–10 and 10–20 cm depths. These samples were analyzed for particle size distribution, soil bulk density (ρ_b), water stable aggregation (WSA), mean weight diameter (MWD) of aggregates, pH, electrical conductivity (EC) and soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (TN) concentrations and stocks. Sand content was greater under juniper (48%) than oak (32%), whereas clay content followed the opposite trend. The ρ_b, WSA, MWD, pH and EC were similar under juniper, piñon, oak canopies for both depths. Estimated (from Philip and Green and Ampt infiltration models) and measured water infiltration parameters did not vary among these sites and were in accord with the values for ρ_b, WSA and MWD. The SOC concentrations and stocks were greater under oak (43.1 Mg ha⁻¹ for 0–10 and 37.5 Mg ha⁻¹ for 10–20 cm depths) than piñon (23.3 Mg ha⁻¹ for 0–10 and 18.5 Mg ha⁻¹ for 10–20 cm depths). The TN concentrations were greater under oak (3.4 g kg⁻¹) than piñon (1.7 g kg⁻¹) for the 0–10 cm depth only. Accumulation of detritus material under tree canopies reduced soil compaction and crusting caused by raindrop impact and increased SOC, and TN concentrations, and water infiltration. Coefficients of variation ranged from low to moderate for most soil properties except infiltration rate at 2.5 h, which was highly variable. Overall, soil quality for each site was good and soil aggregation, water infiltration and SOC concentrations were high, and soil ρ_b was low.     

Horizontal and vertical zones of influence for root systems of four Mojave Desert shrubs

Horizontal and vertical zones of influence for root systems of four Mojave Desert shrubs were characterized using ³²P as a nutrient tracer. Larrea tridentata's horizontal zone of influence was sparse near the plant's stem base, with a maximum probability of accessing ³²P (P_max) of 41%. However, its horizontal zone of influence extended beyond 5 m, and the distance from the stem base at which the probability of accessing ³²P was half P_max (L₅₀3 m) was significantly greater than the other three shrubs. Ambrosia dumosa's zone of influence was dense near the plant's stem base (P_max78%), but was rare at distances >2 m (L₅₀1 m). Zones of influence for Lycium andersonii and Lycium pallidum were intermediate between those of L. tridentata and A. dumosa. For vertical zones of influence, L. tridentata was more likely to obtain ³²P from 5 m soil depths than A. dumosa, but L. pallidum was not significantly different from either A. dumosa or L. tridentata. Horizontal zones of influence did not change with treatments that altered soil water and nitrogen availability, but vertical zones of influence increased with a flood irrigation treatment that increased water availability to 5 m soil depth. These differences among species likely reflect compromises between their shoot growth strategies and their need to acquire spatially and temporally limited soil resources, especially through competitive interactions.     

The influence of elevation, shrub species, and biological soil crust on fertile islands in the Mojave Desert, USA

We quantified soil nutrients and biological crust cover (bryophytes and lichens) under the canopies of three species of Mojave Desert shrubs and in interspaces between shrubs at three elevations to determine the effects of shrub species, soil crust, and elevation on islands of soil fertility. Means of pH, organic matter, total Kjeldahl nitrogen, nitrogen mineralization, and gravimetric soil moisture are significantly greater in soils under Ambrosia dumosa (Gray) Payne, Larrea tridentata Cov., and Coleogyne ramosissima Torr. than soils from adjacent interspace microhabitats. Although soil moisture and soil organic matter increase by a factor of 1.5 from the low elevation to the high elevation site, the ratio of shrub to interspace concentrations, or the difference in mean soil variables between shrubs and interspaces, is effectively constant and independent of elevation. Total bryophyte and lichen cover is relatively low (24.5%), however, there are 11 species of bryophytes and two species of lichens distributed across three elevations with the highest species richness and cover at the low-elevation site. Bryophyte and lichen cover is correlated with silt but is not related, consistently, to soil nutrients. Overall, the balance of processes controlling spatial aggregation of soil nutrients under shrubs is remarkably insensitive to potential differences in organic inputs among elevations, shrub species, and soil crust surfaces.     

Application of210Pb in soils

The spectroscopic measurement of soil samples is described.²¹⁰Pb data from a soil survey in western-Europe are briefly reviewed. The average²¹⁰Pb flux from the atmosphere, as determined from²¹⁰Pb _exc soil inventories, is 90 Bq m^–2a^–1. A simple one-dimensional box-chain model is described. The model simulates the vertical, post depositional transport of natural and fall-out radionuclides in the soil. Simulation of measured²¹⁰Pb _exc ,¹³⁴Cs,¹³⁷Cs, and²⁴¹Am soil profiles shows that mixing (bioturbation) is a very efficient transport mechanism. Lead seems to be strongly fixed to organic and clay particles. It is transported by the displacement of the organic and clay carrier substances. The mean residence time of lead, caesium, plutonium and americium in organic rich forest soils is in the order of 250–1000 years. An applicability study in investigate the use of²¹⁰Pb in erosion problems showed erosion rates from 60–180 g m^–2a^–1 on organic rich forest and meadow sites with 10°–25° slopes.This is the eighth of a series of papers to be published by this journal following the 20 ^th anniversary of the first application of²¹⁰Pb dating of lake sediments. Dr P. G. Appleby is guest editing this series.     

Acceleration of Horton overland flow and erosion by footpaths in an upland agricultural watershed in northern Thailand

Through field rainfall simulation experiments in an upland mountainous watershed of northern Thailand, we have identified two phenomena that increase the potential for Horton overland flow (HOF) generation on agricultural lands. First, there appears to be a transition period of 12–18 months, extending from the time of abandonment until the formation of a dense vegetation layer capable of intercepting rainfall and ponding surface water, during which HOF generation is accelerated. Simulation data indicate these recently abandoned fields may have runoff coefficients (ROCs) as high as 40% during large seasonal storms with wet antecedent soil moisture conditions. In comparison, actively cultivated lands and advanced (>16–18 months) fallow fields, the land surfaces existing before and after the threshold period, have ROCs≤4%. Secondly, compacted path surfaces initiate HOF within agricultural fields, which have saturated hydraulic conductivity (K_s) values that are 100–200 mm h⁻¹ higher. In the study area, path/furrow networks, comprising 8–24% of field surface areas, are designed to provide walking access within fields and channel excess surface flow from the fields. Compared with hoed surfaces, path/furrows reduce the time to HOF generation by about 85% and have ROCs that are six times higher. Access paths have the lowest K_s values of all watershed surfaces, but conveyance efficiency of HOF generated on these surfaces is low. Even recently created field paths are capable of reducing runoff generation time by 40–90% and producing sixfold increases in ROCs. Collectively, the data suggest that agricultural erosion rates are accelerated during the 12–18-month threshold period following abandonment and during storms where path-generated HOF interacts with adjacent planting surfaces. Despite having periods of increased HOF generation, the total HOF contribution from agricultural fields to the basin stream hydrograph is similar in magnitude to that of unpaved roads, which occupy 95% less land area.