Efficient organic mulch thickness for soil and water conservation in urban areas

Abstract

The use of organic mulch is important for urban green applications. For urban areas in arid and semiarid regions receiving short high-intensive rainfall, rainfall characteristics, and soil slope play an important role for mulch functioning. These properties of mulch were studied. For this purpose, rainfall simulation experiments using organic mulching were conducted in Jiufeng National Forestry Park to analyze the influence of organic mulch under different slope and heavy rainfall events. The results showed that soil water content displayed a decreasing tendency with increasing mulch application. Compared to bare soil, a mulch application of 0.25 kg/m2 and 0.50 kg/m2 led to maximum soil water content and maximum runoff decrease occurred for 0.50 kg/m2 mulch. Higher application rate of mulch displayed less soil water content and greater runoff. The runoff amount and runoff generation rate decreased by 28–83% and 21–83%, respectively, as compared to bare soil. With a mulch application of 0.25–1.00 kg/m2, soil drainage accounted for 56–60% of total rainfall. Overall, an efficient mulch application was found to be 0.25–0.50 kg/m2. The results of this study are relevant for arid and semiarid urban regions that experience heavy rainfall.

Effects of organic mulching on moisture and temperature of soil in greenhouse production of tomato under unheated greenhouse cultivation in the cold zone of China

“…Olasantan (1999) also reported that compared to nonmulched soil, mulched soil showed higher soil temperature during colder weather and lower soil temperature during warmer weather. In addition, Wang et al (2021) summarized that organic mulch helps moderate temperature and protect soil and roots from extreme temperatures.…”

Microhabitat Associations for the Threatened Cheat Mountain Salamander in Relation to Early-Stage Red Spruce Restoration Areas

“…Interestingly, soil moisture was not correlated with canopy cover across spruce restoration areas. This is likely due to the mulch and woody debris in the RST-MULCH prescription positively influencing soil moisture despite very low overstory canopy cover (Rhoades et al 2012;Wang et al 2021). In the absence of mulch, mean soil moisture was higher in mature red spruce patches, and thus we would expect that as restored spruce stands mature, soil moisture will increase.…”

Influence of growing season, shading screen and mulching on growth, development and quality of gladiolus

“…Development and its applications in scientific knowledge Influence of growing season, shading screen and mulching on growth, development and quality of gladiolus soil management with complementary soil cover by artificial or natural mulching (Donjadee & Tingsanchali, 2016) or using a minimum tillage system (Bosco et al, 2021). These actions are in line with the UN's sustainable development goals, which seek to develop more sustainable agriculture, reduce soil loss, promote improved fertility and soil water conservation, reduce the thermal amplitude, to protect the soil and the roots from extreme temperatures (Wang et al, 2021).…”