水蚀风蚀交错区退耕坡面植被利用对产流产沙的影响

为有效利用水蚀风蚀交错区退耕封育坡面植被,确定合理的植被利用强度非常必要.本试验选取黄土高原水蚀风蚀交错区典型小流域——六道沟小流域为试验区,在多年退耕封育坡面布设径流小区,通过人工模拟降雨试验,研究植被地上部分在不同利用强度下各坡度(10°、20°和30°)坡面产流、产沙变化特征,以确定合理的利用强度. 结果表明: 次降雨过程中径流速率大体可分为两个阶段:初期迅速增长阶段和中后期增长变缓或趋于准稳定阶段.侵蚀速率的变化趋势因坡度的不同而略有差异.利用强度对产流量有显著影响,产流量随利用强度的加强而增加.坡度对侵蚀量影响显著,侵蚀量表现为20°坡面＞30°坡面＞10°坡面.以植被地上部分未利用小区为对照,相对增水量和相对增沙量均随利用强度加强而增加.结合降雨资料推测,退耕15年左右坡面植被地上部分盖度达到25%时,坡面年土壤侵蚀量基本低于容许土壤流失量.应重视该区20°坡面植被的恢复治理工作.     

自然降雨下黄土丘陵区草灌植物垂直覆盖结构的减流减沙效应

黄土高原是我国水土流失和生态环境问题最为严重的地区之一,植被恢复是防治水土流失的重要措施。植物垂直覆盖结构包括地上冠层、地表枯落物和地下根系,各组分具有不同的水土保持作用,是研究植被与水土流失关系的基本单元。目前,关于植物垂直覆盖结构不同组分对土壤侵蚀影响的研究主要是基于人工模拟降雨,缺少自然降雨条件下不同植物的垂直覆盖结构对产流、产沙和入渗等多过程影响的系统研究。本研究以黄土丘陵区典型的草本(须芒草)、半灌木(铁杆蒿)和灌木(绣线菊)为研究对象,每种植物进行三种处理(自然状态、去除枯落物和仅留根系)以及裸地对照,观测2015—2016年降雨事件的产流产沙量和入渗量,分析植物不同垂直覆盖结构的减流减沙效益及其相对贡献。结果表明:三种植物均具有较好的减流(45.9%—73.2%)、减沙效益(87.5%—94.6%)和增加入渗作用(4.7%—10.8%),灌木的减流效果(73.2%)显著高于草本(45.9%)和半灌木(63.5%),但三种植物间的减沙效益没有显著性差异。冠层的减流作用最大,贡献率接近一半(48%—50%),草本枯落物的减流贡献率与根系基本一致,而半灌木和灌木枯落物的减流贡献...     

极端降雨下黄土高原草被沟坡浅层滑坡特征及其对产流产沙的影响

植被恢复作为黄土高原防治水土流失的重要措施,但极端降雨诱发的浅层滑坡在植被恢复的沟坡上频繁发生,影响流域的产流产沙过程。基于野外原位模拟降雨试验,在60 mm/h降雨强度下,研究草被沟坡浅层滑坡发生特征及其发生前后的产流产沙差异。结果表明：（1）极端降雨所诱发的草被沟坡上的浅层滑坡深度为14-36 cm,与自然强降雨所导致的浅层滑坡深度相贴合,均是低于50 cm。（2）植被根系与土壤容重、孔隙度等土壤性质显著相关（P<0.05）,致使滑坡面上、下层土壤物理性质差异显著（P<0.05）。由于土壤性质的差异,在极端降雨下滑坡面上层土壤水分更快达到饱和（饱和度>90%）,导致浅层滑坡的发生。（3）草被坡面浅层滑坡后的径流与产沙均显著增大（P<0.05）。三个小区的平均径流率在滑坡后增大了4.0-13.1倍,其平均含沙量和产沙率在滑坡后分别增大了9.9-54.9倍和70-841倍。研究结果有助于加深了解植被沟坡的侵蚀产沙机理,并为浅层滑坡防治提供科学依据。     

植被格局对土壤入渗和水沙过程影响的模拟试验研究

合理的植被格局能够提高土壤入渗性能和抗冲性,有效阻蚀减沙,平衡土壤保持与土壤水分保蓄二者关系,进而促进生态环境的改善。基于径流小区人工模拟降雨,研究了多种植被格局生物量密度（0、50%、100%）和分布方式（坡上分布、坡下分布、均匀分布）的土壤入渗、产流、产沙特征以及土壤储水量变化。结果表明：使用Philip模型、Kostiakov模型、Horton模型模拟坡面入渗过程,Horton模型的拟合结果最优。不同植被格局产流率的变化趋势基本一致,大体可分为两个阶段：初期阶段迅速增长,中后期阶段增长变缓并逐渐趋于稳定状态。产沙率的变化趋势随植被格局的不同而略有差异。相较于产流过程,产沙过程变化剧烈、规律性差。总体而言,降低生物量密度能够增加降雨期间的径流量（从19.21 mm到25.44-38.09 mm再到51.79 mm）和侵蚀量（从118.97 g/m²到237.57-597.90 g/m²再到1400.29 g/m²）,土壤水分得到更好的保蓄。从植被分布方式的角度来看,均匀分布的植被格局有利于更好地控制土壤侵蚀和径流,却促进了土壤水分的消耗。坡下分布的植被格局,例如植被过滤带的形式,能够最好地同时控制水土流失和土壤耗水。权衡考虑水土流失防治与土壤水分消耗,建议采用适宜密度（本研究为110 g/m²）且集中分布在出口附近的植被格局。     

模拟降雨下黄土坡面水沙过程对3种灌草植被垂直结构变化的响应

植被对坡面产流产沙过程的影响随植被类型及其垂直结构组分的变化而变化,然而这些因素如何影响坡面水沙过程却缺乏定量分析。利用野外径流小区和人工模拟降雨试验,研究了黄土丘陵区3种典型灌草（沙棘、柠条、苜蓿）及其不同垂直结构组分（叶、茎、枯落物、根系）对坡面产流和产沙过程的影响。结果表明：3种灌草均具有较好的减流减沙效益,且减沙作用强于减流作用,与裸地相比,灌草植被减少径流量32.49%-44.86%,减少侵蚀量72.99%-80.63%,降低坡面流速29.17%-45.83%。苜蓿的减流效益最佳,为44.86%,柠条的减沙效益最佳,为80.63%。3种植被的减流效益在不同产流时期差异明显,从产流初期到中期和后期逐渐减少,减沙效益在不同产流时期则没有明显变化。植被垂直结构不同组分对于减流减沙效益的相对贡献与其形态特征以及其空间分布方式有着密切的关系。地上部分对于减流效益和减速效益有较大的相对贡献率,平均为75.42%和68.38%,而不同植被茎、叶和枯落物的相对贡献具有一定的差异。根系则发挥较大的减沙作用,平均相对贡献为78.44%。植被垂直结构组分越完整,减流减沙效益越显著。研究对黄土丘陵区水土保持、植被恢复和建设提供重要的科学依据和理论指导。     

喀斯特裸坡产流产沙过程试验研究

运用可调坡度、地下孔(裂)隙度试验钢槽装填土石模拟喀斯特裸坡,采用人工模拟降雨的方法探索了喀斯特裸坡产流产沙过程。结果表明:降雨强度、坡度和地下孔(裂)隙度对喀斯特裸坡产流产沙均有明显的影响。(1)在30、50、80mm/h降雨强度下地表产流产沙存在临界降雨强度,临界降雨强度在50—80mm/h之间,地下孔(裂)隙产流量和产沙量均随降雨强度增大呈现先增大后减小的变化趋势,产流量随降雨强度变化顺序为503080mm/h,产沙量随降雨强度大小变化顺序为508030mm/h。(2)随着坡度增大,地下输沙模数减小,其大小随坡度变化的顺序为10°15°20°25°;同一降雨历程内,坡度越小,单位时间内的地下输沙模数减小量越大,其大小随坡度变化的顺序为10°15°20°25°。(3)地下孔(裂)隙度对地下产流产沙影响显著,地下孔(裂)隙度的增大使地下流失量增大。地下产流比重、产沙比重均随地下孔(裂)隙度的增大而增大,大小顺序均为1%3%5%。研究有助于深入了解喀斯特坡地土壤侵蚀机理,为喀斯特石漠化治理和生态修复提供理论依据。     

黄土丘陵沟壑区坡沟系统不同降雨类型的土壤入渗特征

黄土高原退耕还林草生态建设改变了区域覆被格局和下垫面环境条件，对流域地表水文过程产生了重要影响。研究黄土丘陵沟壑区坡沟系统不同降雨类型下的土壤水分入渗特征，对揭示植被恢复驱动下的降雨-入渗机制变化具有重要的科学意义。基于坡沟系统土壤水分入渗过程的定位监测，阐明了坡沟系统土壤水分入渗特征对不同降雨类型的响应，并采用Horton、Mezencev、Kostiakov、USDA-NRCS模型进行土壤水分入渗过程模拟，筛选特定降雨类型下最佳的入渗模型。结果表明：（1）0-60 cm是降水-入渗过程响应的关键层次，沟坡总入渗蓄存量较坡面高约42.67%；（2）坡沟系统土壤水分入渗量与深度成反比，且沟坡土壤水分入渗量较坡面平均高约9.75%；（3）不同降雨类型下坡面湿润锋深度均小于沟坡，且以极端暴雨、长历时小雨强降雨最深，短历时中雨强次之，短历时小雨强降雨最浅；（4）坡沟系统各降雨类型土壤水分入渗量对降雨的响应表现出一定的滞后性，沟坡响应快于坡面，沟坡湿润锋深度平均较坡面深约5-10 cm；（5） Mezencev入渗模型对四种不同降雨类型入渗量的模拟均具有较高精度（Adj-R²>0.96；NSE>0.92），Horton模型可用于模拟极端降雨类型（NSE>0.98），而Kostiakov模型、USDA-NRCS模型适于模拟短历时中强度降雨和短历时低强度降雨类型。     

基于黄土高原关键带类型的土地利用与年径流产沙关系空间分异研究

区域植被恢复改变了土地利用类型,从而有效控制了水土流失,但土地利用与水土流失关系的空间分异尚未明晰。整合了黄土高原坡面径流小区试验观测研究文献59篇和1121条年径流产沙记录,以8大关键带类型作为空间分层依据,采用地理探测器分析了土地利用与年径流产沙关系的空间分异。结果显示：撂荒地的年均径流量和产沙量最高分别为35.99 mm和4208.82 g/m²,撂荒地、裸地和耕地的产流产沙能力显著高于人工草地、林地、自然草地和灌丛,灌丛和林地的年均产沙量显著低于人工和自然草地（P<0.05）;除了撂荒地的年均产沙量在山地森林关键带最高（16240.40 g/m²）外,在丘陵沟壑农林草交错关键带的撂荒地年均径流产沙显著高于丘陵农业-草地关键带,丘陵沟壑农林草交错关键带和丘陵农业-草地关键带裸地、耕地的产流产沙能力较高,人工草地和灌丛年均产沙量显著高于其他关键带类型（P<0.05）;在山地森林关键带的林地年均径流量、径流系数和产沙量最低,分别为1.56 mm、0.41%和307.36 g/m²,而自然草地在各关键带类型都有较高的年均产流量和较低的年均产沙量;坡面径流小区的局地特征（如土地利用、面积、坡度、坡长）是影响年径流产沙关键带分异的首要因素,且存在多因子互作、非线性增强的关系。这些结果表明植被恢复能有效地保持水土,但是区域植被恢复时需要选择合适的类型,黄土丘陵沟壑区应首选自然草地、灌丛和林地。研究可为黄土高原区域植被恢复的优化配置提供科学依据。     

模拟降雨下喀斯特坡耕地土壤养分输出机制

喀斯特区坡耕地水土及养分流失不仅是该区土地质量退化、土地生产力衰退主要原因,同时也是该区地下水质污染的重要因素。为揭示喀斯特坡耕地地表和地下二元空间结构下的土壤养分流失机制,以喀斯特坡耕地为研究对象,通过模拟其地表微地貌及地下孔(裂)隙构造特征,采用人工模拟降雨试验研究不同雨强下喀斯特坡耕地地表及地下水土及其氮、磷、钾流失特征。结果表明:(1)小雨强(50mm/h)和中雨强下(70mm/h),喀斯特坡耕地坡面产流主要以地下产流为主;大雨强下(90mm/h),地表径流高于地下径流;产沙方式则表现为由小雨的地表和地下产沙并重到中大雨强的地表产沙为主的一个转变过程。(2)在降雨侵蚀过程中,径流各养分输出浓度均表现出一定的初期冲刷效应,受土壤吸附作用影响,雨强对全钾(TK)和全氮(TN)的影响较全磷(TP)明显。(3)地表径流、地表泥沙和总泥沙各养分输出负荷均随雨强增大而增加,坡面径流泥沙总的TK输出负荷以泥沙为主,而TN和TP输出负荷则以径流为主;TP和TN在径流的输出负荷上以地下径流输出为主(其中TP地表负荷比在11.6%—46.2%,TN在7.0%—48.5%之间),而TK则以二者并重(地表负荷比在43.5%—57.0%之间);各养分在泥沙的输出负荷上则均以地表泥沙流失为主,其负荷比均在54.5%以上。研究结果可为喀斯特区坡耕地水土流失及养分流失的源头控制提供基本参数和科学依据。     

黄土丘陵区坡面植被盖度及其配置格局的水蚀效应模拟

黄土高原因土壤侵蚀严重被视为生态脆弱地带,探讨植被盖度及其所处坡位对土壤侵蚀的响应,对坡面侵蚀产沙的预测和调控具有重要意义。基于WEPP模型情景模拟,分析了分布广泛、耐旱性强的长芒草和典型恢复灌木植被柠条在不同雨强(0.5、1.0、1.5 mm/min)、不同植被盖度(20%、40%、60%、80%)和不同坡位(坡上、坡中、坡下)条件下的土壤侵蚀变化情况,运用双因素方差分析和相关贡献指数阐明坡面侵蚀产沙特征对坡位和植被盖度交互作用的响应,并提出植被配置的优化模式。结果表明:(1)提高植被有效覆盖度是减小土壤侵蚀的重要举措,且当植被分布在下坡位时坡面土壤侵蚀最少;(2)植被盖度可以有效减少产沙量。小雨强时,柠条和长芒草随盖度增加对泥沙的拦截率分别从38%增加到90%,64%增加到96%;中、大雨强时,植被盖度小于20%或者大于80%时,长芒草坡面产沙量大于柠条坡面。盖度为40%—60%时,长芒草坡面产沙量小于柠条坡面;(3)双因素方差分析表明:坡位和植被盖度对坡面侵蚀产沙量有极显著的影响(P0.001);当植被是长芒草时,坡位和植被盖度交互作用对坡面侵蚀产沙有显著影响(P0.01),植被是柠条时,坡位和植被盖度交互作用对坡面侵蚀产沙作用不显著;(4)通过模拟柠条和长芒草不同配置情景得出:长芒草分布在坡面下部产沙量较小,且当柠条和长芒草配比为1∶2时产沙量最小。     

模拟降雨条件下砾石含量对塿土工程堆积体坡面产流产沙的影响

为探究砾石含量对塿土堆积体坡面产流产沙的影响,采用室内人工模拟降雨试验,以土质坡面为对照,研究5种砾石含量(10%、20%、30%、40%、50%)堆积体坡面在不同降雨强度(1.0、1.5、2.0、2.5 mm·min^-1)下的产流产沙特征。结果表明:不同试验条件下的平均径流率在2.18～13.07 L·min^-1,不同雨强条件下平均径流率均在砾石含量10%(或20%)和50%时分别达到最大值与最小值;平均流速在0.06～0.22 m·s^-1,流速变化复杂,砾石含量越小,流速变幅越大,变异系数也越大,砾石含量10%时平均流速最大。砾石的存在可有效抑制产沙,最大减沙效益可达84.2%,雨强相较于砾石含量对平均产沙率的影响更大。偏相关分析表明,平均径流率、流速、产沙率均与砾石含量呈极显著负相关;平均产沙率与平均径流率、平均流速以及二者交互项均呈极显著线性函数关系,其中,与平均径流率的相关性最强。本研究可为塿土区工程堆积体水土流失治理和侵蚀模型的建立提供参考。     

植物篱的生态效益研究进展

植物篱/植被隔离带指沿坡地等高线,或在农田、河岸、沟道等水体边缘营建的,由草本或木本植物单一或组合形成的植物条带.植物篱可以改善土壤结构,对土壤质地、孔隙度、容重等物理性质有显著影响,其机械阻挡作用可以拦截径流、增加入渗、减少土壤流失、影响侵蚀过程,还能减缓坡度、促进坡耕地梯化.本文通过梳理和总结国内外学者在不同生态系统类型区和自然地理单元上开展的相关研究,综述了植物篱对改良土壤理化属性、调节降雨入渗和水蚀过程、植被恢复、生物多样性保护、优化景观及生态服务等多个方面的影响.同时,提出了当前植物篱研究中的两大主要问题：在工程技术与应用上,需要对植物篱种植模式、结构选择、管理办法系统化;在科学研究层面上,要深入探究影响植被恢复与生态演替的机理.     

Ecohydrological Source‐Sink Interrelationships between Vegetation Patches and Soil Hydrological Properties along a Disturbance Gradient Reveal a Restoration Threshold

Vegetation, soil, and hydrology in drylands often collectively exhibit strong ecohydrological interrelationships in which vegetation both influences and is influenced by runoff, particularly on sites with more gradual slopes. These two‐way relationships have important implications for ecological restoration of disturbed sites, such as those being reclaimed following mining, yet studies from both ecological and hydrological perspectives specifically evaluating how the strength of ecohydrological interrelationships varies for a range of natural and restored conditions are still missing. We assessed two‐way relationships between vegetation and soil hydrological properties by evaluating patterns of both plant community structure and soil hydrological characteristics related to runoff for natural sites and restored sites following mining. At the plot scale, we identified eight ecohydrological units based on interrelationships between vegetation communities and hydrological properties associated with runoff along a progression from source to sink patch types. Similarly, at the hillslope scale, which included patches of different types, we found a correspondence between the proportions of source and sink patches and both vegetation community and hydrological properties. The relative strength of ecohydrological interrelationships in hillslope mosaics decreased with decreasing disturbance except for rilled hillslopes, likely because parts of the hillslope become isolated from the others. Our results highlight, in general, how ecohydrological interrelationships are related with degree of disturbance, and in particular, how rilling alters ecohydrological interrelationships, thereby precluding effective restoration.     

模拟降雨下植被盖度对坡面流水动力学特性的影响

通过模拟降雨实验的方法,分析研究了坡度10°和20°,降雨强度30mm/h和60mm/h条件下不同盖度黑麦草对坡面产流产沙的调控过程,并从雷诺数、弗劳德数和阻力系数三个方面对水流运动过程和黑麦草调控坡面流的水力学特性进行了剖析。研究结果表明:雷诺数随坡度增加而相对增大,随降雨强度增大有明显增大趋势。黑麦草覆盖能够明显减小坡面径流雷诺数,在各降雨强度和坡度条件下,雷诺数随黑麦草盖度增加而减小,雷诺数大小一般呈现:裸坡20%40%60%80%。黑麦草盖度对坡面流弗劳德数有显著影响,随着黑麦草盖度增加弗劳德数减小,并且弗劳德数随盖度变化为:裸地20%40%60%80%,坡面阻力系数与坡面产沙率有良好的拟合关系,随坡面阻力系数的增大,坡面产沙率呈对数减小,并且阻力系数在0—1时减小速率很大,阻力系数大于1以后减小曲线较为平缓。     

Soil Loss and Runoff in Semiarid Ecosystems: A Complex Interaction Between Biological Soil Crusts, Micro-topography, and Hydrological Drivers

Biological soil crusts (BSCs) cover non-vegetated areas in most arid and semiarid ecosystems. BSCs play a crucial role in the redistribution of water and sediments and, ultimately, in the maintenance of ecosystem function. The effects of BSCs on water infiltration are complex. BSCs increase porosity and micro-topography, thus enhancing infiltration, but, at the same time, they can increase runoff by the secretion of hydrophobic compounds and clogging of soil pores upon wetting. BSCs confer stability on soil surfaces, reducing soil detachment locally; however, they can also increase runoff, which may increase sediment yield. Although the key role of BSCs in controlling infiltration–runoff and erosion is commonly accepted, conflicting evidence has been reported concerning the influence of BSCs on runoff generation. Very little is known about the relative importance of different BSC features such as cover, composition, roughness, or water repellency, and the interactions of these attributes in runoff and erosion. Because BSC characteristics can affect water flows and erosion both directly and indirectly, we examined the direct and indirect effects of different BSC features on runoff and erosion in a semiarid ecosystem under conditions of natural rainfall. We built structural equation models to determine the relative importance of BSC cover and type and their derived surface attributes controlling runoff and soil erosion. Our results show that the hydrological response of BSCs varies depending on rainfall properties, which, in turn, determine the process governing overland flow generation. During intense rainfalls, runoff is controlled not only by rainfall intensity but also by BSC cover, which exerts a strong direct and indirect influence on infiltration and surface hydrophobicity. Surface hydrophobicity was especially high for lichen BSCs, thus masking the positive effect of lichen crust on infiltration, and explaining the lower infiltration rates recorded on lichen than on cyanobacterial BSCs. Under low intensity, rainfall volume exerts a stronger effect than rainfall intensity, and BSC features play a secondary role in runoff generation, reducing runoff through their effect on surface micro-topography. Under these conditions, lichen BSCs presented higher infiltration rates than cyanobacterial BSCs. Our results highlight the significant protective effect against erosion exerted by BSCs at the plot scale, enhancing surface stability and reducing sediment yield in both high- and low-magnitude rainfall events.     

次降雨条件下坡度对坡面产流产沙的影响

以野外径流小区的次降雨产流产沙数据为基础,对不同次降雨条件下坡面产流产沙随坡度的变化规律进行研究.结果表明:降雨性质的差异对坡面产流随坡度而变化的影响较小,在研究区的6场次降雨中,坡面产流量随坡度的变化规律基本一致,坡面径流量均随坡度增大而增大,但坡面径流量随坡度增加而增加的趋势较弱,这主要由降雨量与入渗量之间的转化程度所决定;次降雨性质对不同坡度的坡面产沙规律有重要影响,一般情况下存在临界侵蚀坡度,但临界坡度不是唯一值,而是随着降雨特性的不同而不同,临界侵蚀坡度随径流量的增大而增大,临界坡度较大时,坡面产沙量随坡度变化而变化的趋势也往往较大.     

Effect of vegetation on runoff-sediment yield relationship at different spatial scales in hilly areas of the Loess Plateau, North China

Whether vegetation reduces soil loss by reducing runoff volume or rather by changing runoff-sediment yield relationship has received little attention. Base on the observed data from monitoring stations and the published data from other research, this issue is addressed at different scales in hilly areas of the Loess Plateau, North China. At the plot scale, vegetation helps reduce soil loss not only by reducing runoff volume, but also by changing the runoff-sediment yield relationship, resulting that the sediment-reduction rate is higher than the runoff-reduction rate. At the watershed scale, gully erosion and mass wasting process are dominant. Vegetation measures are insufficient to control local mass movement, implying that sediment availability remains high even after vegetation is established. It is also hard for slope vegetation to change the capacity of the sediment transport system at the watershed scale. Therefore, vegetation cannot change the runoff-sediment yield relationship at the watershed scale. This implies that vegetation reduces sediment yield only by reducing runoff volume and the sediment-reduction rate approximates the runoff-reduction rate at the watershed scale. Other slope measures for soil conservation such as terraces are considered to have the same effect on the runoff-sediment yield relationship as the vegetation. Several case studies involving different spatial scales are presented and confirm this conclusion.     

Effect of vegetation on runoff-sediment yield relationship at different spatial scales in hilly areas of the Loess Plateau, North China

Whether vegetation reduces soil loss by reducing runoff volume or rather by changing runoff-sediment yield relationship has received little attention. Base on the observed data from monitoring stations and the published data from other research, this issue is addressed at different scales in hilly areas of the Loess Plateau, North China. At the plot scale, vegetation helps reduce soil loss not only by reducing runoff volume, but also by changing the runoff-sediment yield relationship, resulting that the sediment-reduction rate is higher than the runoff-reduction rate. At the watershed scale, gully erosion and mass wasting process are dominant. Vegetation measures are insufficient to control local mass movement, implying that sediment availability remains high even after vegetation is established. It is also hard for slope vegetation to change the capacity of the sediment transport system at the watershed scale. Therefore, vegetation cannot change the runoff-sediment yield relationship at the watershed scale. This implies that vegetation reduces sediment yield only by reducing runoff volume and the sediment-reduction rate approximates the runoff-reduction rate at the watershed scale. Other slope measures for soil conservation such as terraces are considered to have the same effect on the runoff-sediment yield relationship as the vegetation. Several case studies involving different spatial scales are presented and confirm this conclusion.     

Phytoplankton response to changed nutrient level in Lake Peipsi (Estonia) in 1992–2001

To clarify the sediment yield processes following a disturbance by a forest fire in a mountainous catchment, and considering the hydrological and geomorphological processes in the headwater, we measured bedload sediment yield at rainfall events in disturbed and secondary forest catchments in the western part of Japan. The three catchments were under different hydrogeological conditions. The IK, TB and TY catchments were disturbed by forest fires in 2000, 1994, and 1978, respectively. In the IK catchment, although runoff response to rainfall was fastest with high peak flows, the catchment also had the highest base flow. Moreover, the annual sediment yield there was about ten times as high as in the other two catchments, and it was found that there was a steep linear curve in the relationship between precipitation and bedload sediment yield. This is thought to be caused by overland flow generation following water repellency on the slopes, and by the accumulated sediment that forms the thick soil layer on the valley bottom. On the other hand, in the TB catchment runoff experienced high peak flows at rainfall events and low base flows, and there was a gradual linear curve in the precipitation–sediment yield relationship. This might be the result of there being a thin soil layer on the hillslope and on the valley bottom because of successive erosion after the fire. In the TY catchment, runoff had a low peak flow at rainfall events and a high base flow; and the bedload sediment yield increased exponentially with increasing precipitation. Therefore, sediment yield in the TB catchment was more than that in the TY during storm events with precipitation of less than 100 mm, whereas it was the opposite during heavier rainfalls. It indicates that there is a thick soil layer on the slope and a thin soil layer on the valley bottom in the TY catchment following the recovering of vegetation, and that the sediment yield process predominates only during big rainfall events, only then does subsurface flow generate.     

The Effect of Leaf Litter Cover on Surface Runoff and Soil Erosion in Northern China

The role of leaf litter in hydrological processes and soil erosion of forest ecosystems is poorly understood. A field experiment was conducted under simulated rainfall in runoff plots with a slope of 10%. Two common types of litter in North China (from Quercus variabilis, representing broadleaf litter, and Pinus tabulaeformis, representing needle leaf litter), four amounts of litter, and five rainfall intensities were tested. Results revealed that the litter reduced runoff and delayed the beginning of runoff, but significantly reduced soil loss (p<0.05). Average runoff yield was 29.5% and 31.3% less than bare-soil plot, and for Q. variabilis and P. tabulaeformis, respectively, and average sediment yield was 85.1% and 79.9% lower. Rainfall intensity significantly affected runoff (R = 0.99, p<0.05), and the efficiency in runoff reduction by litter decreased considerably. Runoff yield and the runoff coefficient increased dramatically by 72.9 and 5.4 times, respectively. The period of time before runoff appeared decreased approximately 96.7% when rainfall intensity increased from 5.7 to 75.6 mm h⁻¹. Broadleaf and needle leaf litter showed similarly relevant effects on runoff and soil erosion control, since no significant differences (p≤0.05) were observed in runoff and sediment variables between two litter-covered plots. In contrast, litter mass was probably not a main factor in determining runoff and sediment because a significant correlation was found only with sediment in Q. variabilis litter plot. Finally, runoff yield was significantly correlated (p<0.05) with sediment yield. These results suggest that the protective role of leaf litter in runoff and erosion processes was crucial, and both rainfall intensity and litter characteristics had an impact on these processes.