The role of plant species on runoff and soil erosion in a Mediterranean shrubland

Cerdà, Artemi; Lucas‐Borja, Manuel Esteban; Franch-Pardo, Iván; Úbeda, Xavier; Novara, Agata; López‐Vicente, Manuel; Popović, Zorica; Pulido, Manuel

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149218

Cited by 41 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 103 publications

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“…Different plant species have distinct root systems and root-substrate adhesion and thus are associated with differences in substrate physical consolidation and substrate aggregate stability (Fattet et al 2011;Luo et al 2020). In addition, plant structure, such as leaf shape, height, and surface features such as hairs, may influence particle wind and water erosion due to differences in surface roughness (Luo et al 2020); plant species likewise vary in terms of canopy rainwater interception, transpiration, and water repellency (Cerdà et al 2021). Sedum species, which are commonly planted on green roofs, form vegetation mats that can reduce substrate erosion loss through substrate reinforcement (Andry et al 2007).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biochar granulation reduces substrate erosion on green roofs

Liao

Sifton

Thomas

2022

Biochar

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Green roofs are exposed to high winds and harsh environmental conditions that can degrade vegetation and erode substrate material, with negative consequences to ecosystem services. Biochar has been promoted as an effective substrate additive to enhance plant performance, but unprocessed biochars are susceptible to wind and water erosion. Applications of granulated biochars or chemical dust suppressants are suggested as a means to mitigate biochar and substrate erosion; however, research on biochar type and chemical dust suppressant use on biochar and substrate erosion is lacking. Vegetation is a crucial factor that influences substrate erosion, yet plant responses may vary with biochar type and chemical dust suppressant; thus, the effects of possible mitigation measures on biochar and substrate erosion are unclear. We investigated the effects of surface-applied granulated and unprocessed biochars and an organic dust suppressant (Entac™) on biochar and substrate erosion on green roofs with Sedum album L. and a native plant mix. Our results show that 94% of unprocessed biochars were lost from green roofs after 2 years regardless of the Entac™ amendment, likely due to the lightweight nature and fragmentation of biochar particles. In contrast, granulation of biochars reduced the biochar erosion and total substrate erosion by 74% and 39%, respectively, possibly due to enhanced biochar bulk density and particle size and improved moisture retention of biochar-amended substrates. Additionally, Sedum album better reduced biochar and substrate erosion than the native plant mix, likely due to rapid development of high vegetation cover that reduced wind exposure and enhanced substrate moisture retention. We conclude that applications of granulated biochars can substantially reduce biochar and substrate erosion on green roofs, improving green roof sustainability. Graphical Abstract

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biochar granulation reduces substrate erosion on green roofs

Liao

Sifton

Thomas

2022

Biochar

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“…Shrubs in general indeed protect the soil from sealing, reducing runoff formation and therefore erosion; however, different shrub species may differ in their performance in protecting the soil. For example, plant seeders were found to generate more than twice runoff amount than plant sprouters (Cerda et al., 2021). Nonetheless, the dissociation between plant species is beyond the scope of this paper.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lateral Flow and Contributing Area Control Vegetation Cover in a Semiarid Environment

Svoray

Sela²,

Chen

et al. 2021

Water Resources Research

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Semiarid ecosystems attract attention, because they support the life of large human populations, while functioning under growing threats of degradation due to global climate change that may lead to reduced productivity and possibly irreversible desertification. Empirical support is consequently highly sought after to validate the soil‐moisture‐biomass relationship at the local scale in these ecosystems. Combining physically based models and a database of 32 years of field and remotely sensed data, we examined the effect of soil‐moisture content (SMC) on vegetation cover and patch size distribution in the heterogenous semiarid Lehavim LTER in the Negev Desert, Israel. Results from numerical solutions of flow equations in the shallow soil layer allowed predictions of distributions of SMC as the outcome of vertical and lateral water fluxes. The association of vertical fluxes with patch size distribution and vegetation cover did not support the notion that direct rainfall is sufficient for the shrubs' survival in drought conditions. However, re‐infiltration of downslope runoff, generated in sealed bare intershrub soil area, significantly contributed to the water available to supporting shrub patches. Accordingly, our approach determines potential vegetation cover in semiarid areas, due to the dependency on contributing area and rainfall‐infiltration‐runoff processes. This underscores the fact that, additionally to infiltration from direct rainfall, run‐on contribution controls vegetation cover in semiarid environments. We therefore suggest that estimations of shrub resilience to water stress should consider scenarios involving surface sealing, rainfall duration and intensity, and contributing area size—each in accordance with the contribution of lateral flows to the water available to shrubs.

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“…Vegetation change following fire may also alter hydrologic states, fluxes, and function when a type conversion takes place, which could confound achievement of recovery criteria for a given recovery metric (e.g., Collar et al, 2021;Mayor et al, 2016). Recovery trajectories and timescales can also vary widely between vegetation types, complicating selection of recovery metrics and criteria for large regions (Cerdà et al, 2021;Meyn et al, 2007;Novák et al, 2009). Landscape position or condition can also affect the determination of hydrologic recovery, with some slope aspects having different recovery trajectories and timescales (e.g., Cerda et al, 1995;Kinoshita and Hogue, 2011).…”

Section: Barriers and Challenges For Assessing Post-fire Hydrologic R...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Fire effects on streamflow and water supply are generally driven by substantial post-fire alterations in vegetation, surface cover, soil properties, and hydrologic processes. Post-fire changes in vegetation and surface cover conditions include canopy (e.g., Stoof et al, 2012) and litter/duff (e.g., Ebel, 2013b) interception, vegetation type (e.g., Cerdà et al, 2021), and ground cover (e.g., Cerdà and Doerr, 2008). These vegetation and ground cover shifts can result in more precipitation reaching the land surface (Mitsudera et al, 1984), alter snow accumulation and ablation (Gleason et al, 2013;Moeser et al, 2020), and reduce transpiration (e.g., Collar et al, 2021;Poon and Kinoshita, 2018;Wilder and Kinoshita, 2022), thus potentially increasing groundwater recharge (e.g., Cardenas and Kanarek, 2014;Ebel, 2013a).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The magnitude of the fire effects on the aforementioned system properties and processes can be amplified or dampened by numerous physical, biological, pyrologic, and anthropogenic factors, leading to uncertainty in predicting post-fire effects. For example, some factors that can modify the magnitude of post-fire effects include soil type (e.g., Mataix-Solera and Doerr, 2004), vegetation type (e.g., Cerdà et al, 2021), hydroclimatology (e.g., Florsheim et al, 2017), burn severity (e.g., González-Pelayo et al, 2006), and post-fire management activities (e.g., Barroso and Vaverková, 2020;Francos et al, 2020;Wittenberg et al, 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Hydrologic recovery after wildfire: A framework of approaches, metrics, criteria, trajectories, and timescales

Ebel

Wagenbrenner

Kinoshita

et al. 2022

Journal of Hydrology and Hydromechanics

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Deviations in hydrologic processes due to wildfire can alter streamflows across the hydrograph, spanning peak flows to low flows. Fire-enhanced changes in hydrologic processes, including infiltration, interception, and evapotranspiration, and the resulting streamflow responses can affect water supplies, through effects on the quantity, quality, and timing of water availability. Post-fire shifts in hydrologic processes can also alter the timing and magnitude of floods and debris flows. The duration of hydrologic deviations from a pre-fire condition or function, sometimes termed hydrologic recovery, is a critical concern for land, water, and emergency managers. We reviewed and summarized terminology and approaches for defining and assessing hydrologic recovery after wildfire, focusing on statistical and functional definitions. We critically examined advantages and drawbacks of current recovery assessment methods, outline challenges to determining recovery, and call attention to selected opportunities for advancement of post-fire hydrologic recovery assessment. Selected challenges included hydroclimatic variability, post-fire land management, and spatial and temporal variability. The most promising opportunities for advancing assessment of hydrologic recovery include: (1) combining statistical and functional recovery approaches, (2) using a greater diversity of post-fire observations complemented with hydrologic modeling, and (3) defining optimal assemblages of recovery metrics and criteria for common hydrologic concerns and regions.

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The role of plant species on runoff and soil erosion in a Mediterranean shrubland

Cited by 41 publications

References 103 publications

Biochar granulation reduces substrate erosion on green roofs

Biochar granulation reduces substrate erosion on green roofs

Lateral Flow and Contributing Area Control Vegetation Cover in a Semiarid Environment

Hydrologic recovery after wildfire: A framework of approaches, metrics, criteria, trajectories, and timescales

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