Comparison of different erosion control techniques in the Hyrcanian forest in northern Iran

Abstract

Masumian A., Naghdi R., Zenner E.K., Nikooy M., Lotfalian M. (2017): Comparison of different erosion control techniques in the Hyrcanian forest in northern Iran. J. For. Sci., 63: 549-554.The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of closure best management practices (BMPs) on runoff volume and soil loss on skid trails that received two densities of soil cover mats and were located on two slope gradients in an Iranian temperate mountainous forest. The treatments included combinations of three closure BMPs (water bar only, water bar + sawdust, and water bar + hardwood slash), two amounts (densities) of mats (7.5 and 15 kg·m -2 ), and two levels of slope gradients (≤ 20% and > 20%). Results showed that the water bar treatment was the least effective erosion control treatment, followed by the hardwood slash and sawdust treatments. Averaged over mat densities and both slope gradients, the average runoff rates and amounts of soil loss from the skid trails with the water bar treatment were 46.7 l per plot and 6.1 g·m -2 , respectively, 16.8 l per plot, 2.8 g·m -2 , respectively, with the hardwood slash treatment and 11.7 l per plot, 1.9 g·m -2 , respectively, with the sawdust treatment. The results indicated that surface cover is a necessary element for controlling erosion losses following a skidding disturbance, particularly on steep slopes.

Effectiveness of native wood strand mulches for land rehabilitation in Iran under experimental conditions

“…In Iran, although various attempts of land rehabilitation have been attempted using different soil amendments including organic (e.g., Behzadfar et al, 2017;Jourgholami, Labelle, & Feghhi, 2017;Khalili Moghadam, Jamili, Nadian, & Shahbazi, 2015;Kia Kianian, Asgari, Bahadori, Resources, & Agricultural, 2019;Masumian, Naghdi, Zenner, Nikooy, & Lotfalian, 2017;Sadeghi, Hazbavi, & Kiani-Harchegani, 2016) and inorganic (e.g., Emami & Astaraei, 2012;Hazbavi et al, 2013;Kia Kianian et al, 2019;Padidar et al, 2016;Safari, Kavian, Parsakhoo, Saleh, & Jordán, 2016) soil amendments under different conditions, very limited research (Gholami, Khaledi Darvishan, & Kavian, 2016;Jourgholami & Etehadi Abari, 2017) has been done on reducing runoff and soil erosion control using wood-based mulches. Importantly, no study has examined reducing runoff, soil loss and sediment concentration behavior using different wood lengths and coverages.…”

“…Importantly, no study has examined reducing runoff, soil loss and sediment concentration behavior using different wood lengths and coverages. Our research is motivated by the high risk of accelerated soil erosion in Iran (Kavian, Azmoodeh, & Solaimani, 2014;Masumian et al, 2017). The northern forests of Iran (Hyrcanian forests) are valuable economic resources that are currently being exploited by wood industries.…”