Use of Mediterranean legume shrubs to control soil erosion and runoff in central Spain. A large-plot assessment under natural rainfall conducted during the stages of shrub establishment and subsequent colonisation

Assessment of soil particle erodibility and sediment trapping using check dams in small semi-arid catchments

“…The result of the vegetation cover analysis proves the significance of surface vegetation cover to decrease soil erosion and it may help the planners and managers to take proper decision for the conservation of soil (Shit et al, 2014). Thus, soil erosion can be controlled by maintaining natural pasture vegetation cover (grasses) and planting of various species of vegetation in the catchments both in the field as well as in the riparian zone of the drainage network (Garcia-Estringana et al, 2013;Zhou et al, 2016;Keesstra et al, 2016).…”

Simulated erosion using soils from vegetated slopes in the Jiufeng Mountains, China

“…Planting vegetation or allowing damaged covers to recover is the most effective way to reduce erosion (Garcia-Estringana et al, 2013). Vegetation regrowth tends to ameliorate soil structures, improve hydraulic properties, decrease soil bulk density, and reduce soil erosion (Peng et al, 2012;Li and Shao, 2006).…”

Deceleration efficiencies of shrub windbreaks in a wind tunnel

“…Furthermore, both shrubs have similar dimensional characteristics to those of other shrubs in other semi-arid and arid areas, to reduce desertification and soil erosion. For example, Hedysarum fruticosum, Artemisia halodendron and Caragana microphylla have been planted as sand binders on moving and semi-moving sand dunes since the 1980s in the Horqin Sandy Land, which is located in the northeastern part of China ; Mediterranean legume shrubs, including Colutea arborescens, Dorycnium pentaphyllum and Medicago strasser, have been used to control soil erosion in Guadalajara in Central Spain (Garcia-Estringana et al, 2013). Aloe secundiflora shrubs act as facilitators in degraded semi-arid rangelands in Kenya (King, 2008).…”