Mosaic desert pavement influences water infiltration and vegetation distribution on fluvial fan surfaces

Desert pavements (DPs) are critical for maintaining ecological stability and promoting near-surface hydrological cycling in arid regions. However, few studies have focused on eco-hydrological processes of DPs in the ecological systems of fluvial fans. Although DP surfaces appear to be barren and flat, we found that the surfaces are characterized by surface mosaic patterns of desert pavement (mosaic DP) and bare ground (mosaic BG). We investigated the effects of mosaic DP on water infiltration and vegetation distribution at six sites in fluvial fans (one on a hillside and five within the sectors of fans) along a southwest belt transect in northern Linze County, in the central Hexi Corridor (China). We found significant differences in mosaic DP between the hillside and sector sites in terms of pavement thickness and vesicular horizon thickness (Av thickness), particle composition, and bulk density, although significant differences were absent for mass soil water content, gravel coverage, and surface gravel size. The mosaic DP inhibited water infiltration by the pavement layer, where the sorptivity (S), initial infiltration rate (i_int), steady-state infiltration rate (i_sat) and infiltration time (T) averaged 1.19 cm/min^-0.5, 0.64 cm/min, 0.13 cm/min and 12.76 min, respectively. Where the pavement layer was scalped, the S, i_int, and i_sat increased by 0.27 cm/min^-0.5, 0.52 cm/min, and 0.40 cm/min, respectively, and the T reduced by 7.42 min. Water infiltration was mainly controlled by the pavement layer thickness (+), Av thickness (−), surface gravel coverage (−), fine earth (+) and fine gravel (−) in the pavement layer. The DP surfaces only had a sparse covering of shrubs, but an abundance of herbs. Few shrubs were present on the mosaic DP, but a greater number of shrubs and herbs grew on the mosaic BG. It can be concluded that DPs can maintain vegetation stability for different surface mosaic patterns. This study deepens our understanding of the eco-hydrological cycle of DP landscapes in arid regions.     

BIFoR FACE: Water–soil–vegetation–atmosphere data from a temperate deciduous forest catchment,including under elevated CO2

The ecosystem services provided by forests modulate runoff generation processes, nutrient cycling and water and energy exchange between soils, vegetation and atmosphere. Increasing atmospheric CO₂ affects many linked aspects of forest and catchment function in ways we do not adequately understand. Global levels of atmospheric CO₂ will be around 40% higher in 2050 than current levels, yet estimates of how water and solute fluxes in forested catchments will respond to increased CO₂ are highly uncertain. The Free Air CO₂ Enrichment (FACE) facility of the University of Birmingham's Institute of Forest Research (BIFoR) is the only FACE in mature deciduous forest. The site specializes in fundamental studies of the response of whole ecosystem patches of mature, deciduous, temperate woodland to elevated CO₂ (eCO₂). Here, we describe a dataset of hydrological parameters – seven weather parameters at each of three heights and four locations, shallow soil moisture and temperature, stream hydrology and CO₂ enrichment – retrieved at high frequency from the BIFoR FACE catchment.     

Peak runoff contributing area as hydrological signature of the probability distribution of floods

For the analysis of hydrological extremes and particularly in flood prediction, deeper investigation is needed on the relative effects of different hydrological processes acting at the basin scale in different hydroclimatic areas of the world. In this framework, the theoretical derivation of flood distribution shows a great potential for development and knowledge advancement. In addition, another promising path of investigation is represented by the use of distributed hydrological models via simulation modelling (including Monte Carlo, discrete event and continuous simulation). In this paper results of a theoretically derived flood frequency distribution are analyzed and compared with the results of a simulation scheme that uses a distributed hydrological model (DREAM) in cascade with a rainfall generator (IRP). The numerical simulation allows the reproduction of a large number of extreme events and provides insight into the main control for flood generation mechanisms with particular emphasis to the peak runoff contributing areas, highlighting the relevance of soil texture and morphology in different climatic environments. The proposed methodology is applied here to the Agri and the Bradano basin, in Southern Italy.     

Prediction of vegetation anomalies over an inland river basin in north‐western China

Vegetation cover plays an important role in linking the atmosphere, water, and land and is deemed as a key indicator in the terrestrial ecological system. Therefore, it is of great importance to monitor vegetation dynamics and understand the mechanisms of vegetation change, including that driven by climate change. This study examines (a) the evolution of vegetation dynamics over the Heihe River Basin in the typical arid zone in north‐western China using nonparametric Mann–Kendall test and Thiel Sen's slope; (b) the relationships between remotely sensed vegetation indices (normalized difference vegetation index [NDVI] and enhanced vegetation index [EVI]) and hydroclimatic variables based on correlation analysis; and (c) the prediction of vegetation anomalies using a multiple linear regression model. For the analysis, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer NDVI/EVI product and the gridded daily meteorological data at a spatial resolution of 0.125° over the period 2001–2010 are considered. The results indicate that vegetation cover improved over a large proportion during 2001–2010, with a significant trend towards warm and wet, characterized by an increase in average annual temperature and precipitation by 0.042 °C/year and 5.8 mm/year, respectively. We test the feasibility of NDVI and EVI in quantifying the responses of vegetation anomaly to climate change and develop a statistical model to predict vegetation dynamics in the basin. The NDVI‐based model is found to be more reliable than the EVI‐based model, partly due to the vegetation characteristics and geomorphologic properties of the study region. The proposed model performs well when there is no lag time between meteorological factors and vegetation indices for grassland and cropland, whereas 1‐month lead time prediction is found to be best for forest. The soil water content is introduced as an extra explanatory variable, which effectively improves the prediction accuracy for different land use types. In general, the predictive ability of the proposed model is stable and satisfactory, and the model can provide useful early warning information for regional water resources management under changing climate.     

Rapid decrease of soil erosion rates with soil formation and vegetation development in periglacial areas

High mountainous areas are geomorphologically active environments which are strongly shaped by redistribution of sediments and soils. With the projected climate warming in the twenty-first century and the continued retreat of glaciers, the area of newly exposed, highly erodible sediments and soils will increase. This presents a need to better understand and quantify erosion processes in young mountainous soils, as an increase in erodibility could threaten human infrastructure (i.e. hydroelectric power, tourist installations and settlements). While soil development is increasingly well understood and quantified, a coupling to soil erosion rates is still missing. The aim of this study was, therefore, to assess how soil erosion rates change with surface age. We investigated two moraine chronosequences in the Swiss Alps: one in the siliceous periglacial area of Steingletscher (Sustenpass), with soils ranging from 30 a to 10 ka, and the other in the calcareous periglacial area of Griessgletscher (Klausenpass) with surfaces ranging from age of 110 a to 13.5 ka. We quantified the erosion rates using the ^239+240Pu fallout radionuclides and compared them to physical and chemical soil properties and the vegetation coverage. We found no significant differences between the two parent materials. At both chronosequences, the erosion rates were highest in the young soils (on average 5−10 t ha^-1 a^-1 soil loss). Erosion rates decreased markedly after 3−5 ka of soil development (on average 1−2.5 t ha^-1 a^-1 soil loss) to reach a more or less stable situation after 10−14 ka (on average 0.3–2 t ha^-1 a^-1). Climate change not only causes glacier retreat, but also increased sediment dynamics. Depending on the relief and vegetational development, it takes up to at least 10 ka to reach soil stability. The establishment of a closed vegetation cover with dense root networks seems to be the controlling factor in the reduction of soil erodibility. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A comparison of the effectiveness of the roots of two grass species in reducing soil erosion on alluvial fans in south-east China

The effects of root systems on soil detachment by overland flow are closely related to vegetation types. The objective of this study was to quantify the effects of two gramineous roots (Paspalum mandiocanum with shallow roots and Pennisetum giganteum with deep roots) on soil detachment capacity, rill erodibility, and critical shear stress on alluvial fans of benggang in south-east China. A 4-m-long and 0.12-m-wide flume was used. Slope steepness ranged from 9% to 27%, and unit flow discharge ranged from 1.39 × 10⁻³ to 4.19 × 10⁻³ m² s⁻¹. The mean detachment capacities of P. mandiocanum and P. giganteum lands were 18% and 38% lower than that of bare land, respectively, and the effects of root on reducing soil detachment were mainly reflected in the 0- to 5-cm soil layer. The most important factors in characterizing soil detachment capacity were root length density and soil cohesion, and soil detachment capacity of the two grass lands could be estimated using flow shear stress, soil cohesion, and root length density (NSE = 0.90). With the increase in soil depth, rill erodibility increased, whereas shear stress decreased. The mean rill erodibilities of P. mandiocanum and P. giganteum lands were 81% and 61% as much as that of bare land, respectively. Additionally, rill erodibilities of the two grass lands could be estimated as an exponential function by root length density and soil cohesion (NSE = 0.88). The mean critical shear stress of P. mandiocanum and P. giganteum lands was 1.29 and 1.39 times that of bare land, respectively, and it could be estimated with a linear function by root length density (NSE = 0.76). This study demonstrated that planting of the two grasses P. mandiocanum and P. giganteum could effectively reduce soil detachment and enhance soil resistance to erosion on alluvial fans, with the deep roots of P. giganteum being more effective than the shallow roots of P. mandiocanum. The results are helpful for understanding the influencing mechanism of root systems on soil detachment process.     

Stormflow threshold behaviour in a subtropical mountainous headwater catchment during forest recovery period

Forest ecohydrological feedbacks complicate the threshold behaviour of stormflow response to precipitation or wetting conditions on a long-term scale (e.g. several years). In this study, the threshold behaviours in an evergreen-deciduous mixed forested headwater catchment in southern China were examined during 2009–2015, when damaged vegetation was recovering after the great 2008 Chinese ice and snowstorm. The non-uniqueness of the thresholds and the slow and rapid responses of stormflow at the outlet of the catchment in different hydro-climate datasets with different maximum values of gross precipitation (P) and sums of precipitation and antecedent soil moisture index (P + ASI) were assessed. The thresholds of P and P + ASI required to trigger stormflows (i.e. ‘generation thresholds’) and the transition from slow to rapid responses of stormflow (i.e. ‘rise thresholds’) were compared both seasonally and annually. The results indicated significant differences in the analysed datasets, highlighting the need to compare thresholds with care to avoid misinterpretation. Seasonal variations in threshold behaviours in the catchment suggested that vegetation canopy interception contributed to higher rise thresholds, and wetter conditions resulted in higher runoff sensitivity to precipitation during the growing and rainy seasons. Furthermore, the generation thresholds were higher in the dormant season, possibly due to drier soil moisture conditions in the near-channel areas. During the vegetation recovery period, the annual generation thresholds increased, however the rise thresholds did not exhibit a similar trend. The rapid stormflow response above the threshold decreased, possibly due to transpiration and interception of the recovered vegetation. However, the slow stormflow response to small rainfall events below the thresholds was higher in wetter years but lower in drier years, suggesting that the total water input dominated the stormflow response during small rainfall events. In conclusion, the seasonal and annual variations in threshold behaviours highlight that vegetation recovery and hydro-climatic conditions had a notable impact on the stormflow response.     

Relations indices de Végétation–Pluie au Burkina Faso: Cas du Bassin Versant du Nakambé/Relationship between Rainfall and Vegetation Indexes in Burkina Faso: A Case Study of the Nakambé Basin

Abstract

This work deals with the problem of the use of remote sensing data derived from NOAA/AVHRR observations for monitoring the West African Sahel climatic variability. NDVI is widely used in hydrological and climatological research, and in the study of global climatic changes. The relationships between NDVI and climatic parameters are not well established yet and are the focus of many studies. The relationships between NDVI and rainfall were studied at a 10-day time step in the Nakambe River basin in Burkina Faso in the Sahelo-Sudanian area over the years 1982–1999. Good correlations were found in the annual evolution of these two variables. The statistical analysis shows a significant relationship between NDVI and the sum of the annual rainfall with determination coefficients greater than 0.80. At the spatial scale of 0.5° × 0.5°, the determination coefficient ranges from 0.91 to 0.96. It was also found that the NDVI is a good indicator of the determination of the beginning and the end of the rainy season. It gives reasonably good results in comparison with the other methods commonly used in the study region.     

Vertical velocity distributions through and above submerged,flexible vegetation

Abstract

A one-dimensional steady-state model was constructed and used to study vertical profiles of longitudinalvelocities in open channel flows through, and above, submerged vegetation. The eddy viscosity was evaluated by using the analogue of the mixing length theory. The model of water velocity profiles takes into account the surface roughness of the channel bottom and the drag exerted by submerged flexible stems. The verification of the calculated velocity profiles was carried out based on data obtained in laboratory experiments. The proportionality coefficients for the analogue of the mixing length formulae in both layers—within homogenous flexible stems and above them—were determined.     

Effects of plant roots on the soil erosion rate under simulated rainfall with high kinetic energy

ABSTRACT

This study examined the effects of herbaceous plant roots on interrill erosion using two herbaceous species: clover (Trifolium repens) and oats (Avena sativa). We developed a simple rainfall simulator with relatively high normalized kinetic energy (KE; 23.2 J m^?2 mm^?1). Under simulated rainfall, we measured eroded soil for 42 boxes with various amounts of aboveground and belowground biomass. Aboveground vegetation had a significant effect on the soil erosion rate (SER). We found a clear negative relationship between the percent vegetation cover (c) and the SER. In contrast, plant roots showed no effects on the SER. The SER was not significantly different between the boxes with and without plant roots under similar c conditions. Thus, plant roots could have less of an effect on the SER under higher KE conditions.

Editor M.C. Acreman Associate editor N. Verhoest