Jianzhi Niu

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.

Study on Hydrological Functions of Litter Layers in North China

Canopy interception, throughfall, stemflow, and runoff have received considerable attention during the study of water balance and hydrological processes in forested ecosystems. Past research has either neglected or underestimated the role of hydrological functions of litter layers, although some studies have considered the impact of various characteristics of rainfall and litter on litter interception. Based on both simulated rainfall and litter conditions in North China, the effect of litter mass, rainfall intensity and litter type on the maximum water storage capacity of litter (S) and litter interception storage capacity (C) were investigated under five simulated rainfall intensities and four litter masses for two litter types. The results indicated: 1) the S values increased linearly with litter mass, and the S values of broadleaf litter were on average 2.65 times larger than the S values of needle leaf litter; 2) rainfall intensity rather than litter mass determined the maximum interception storage capacity (Cmax); Cmax increased linearly with increasing rainfall intensity; by contrast, the minimum interception storage capacity (Cmin) showed a linear relationship with litter mass, but a poor correlation with rainfall intensity; 3) litter type impacted Cmax and Cmin; the values of Cmax and Cmin for broadleaf litter were larger than those of needle leaf litter, which indicated that broadleaf litter could intercepte and store more water than needle leaf litter; 4) a gap existed between Cmax and Cmin, indicating that litter played a significant role by allowing rainwater to infiltrate or to produce runoff rather than intercepting it and allowing it to evaporate after the rainfall event; 5) Cmin was always less than S at the same litter mass, which should be considered in future interception predictions. Vegetation and precipitation characteristics played important roles in hydrological characteristics.

Characteristics of runoff and sediment generation of forest vegetation on a hill slope by use of artificial rainfall apparatus

We studied the impact of forest vegetation on soil erosion, surface runoff, and sediment generation by using field simulated rainfall apparatus. We measured runoff and sediment generation of five 4.5 × 2.1 m runoff plots (a bare soil as a control; two Pinus tabulaeformis forest plots and two Platycladus orientalis forest with row spacing of 1 m × 1 m and 1.5 m × 1.5 m, respectively) in Beijing Jiu Feng National Forest Park under three rainfall intensities (0.42, 0.83, 1.26 mm per minute). Forest vegetation significantly reduced soil erosion and sediment yield. Mean total runoff volume in the four tree stand plots was 93% of that in the control plot, demonstrating the limited effectiveness of forest vegetation in runoff control. With increasing rainfall intensity, runoff reduction in forest plots declined from 28.32% to 2.1%. Similar trends in runoff coefficient and the relationship between runoff volume and rainfall duration was observed. Mean total sediment yield and mean sediment yield reduction rate under different treatments was 55.05% and 43.17% of those in the bare soil control plot, respectively. Rainfall intensity played an important role in runoff and sediment generation processes, and had a greater impact on runoff than on soil erosion and sediment generation. When considering several factors in runoff and sediment transport processes, the P. tabulaeform plot with row spacing at 1 × 1 m had a greater effect on soil and water conservation than did other forested plots.

Land-use changes in the small watershed of the Loess Plateau,hilly-gully region, China

As more and more farmland is converted to forestry, the need for effective decision support regarding the use of land in the fragile ecological environment of the Loess Plateau hilly-gully area. The Luoyugou watershed was chosen as the study area to calculate the single dynamic degree, integrated dynamic degree, and change indexes of land use, as well as the land-use type transition matrix. This was done by interpreting the TM and SPOT images of the Luoyugou watershed in 1986, 1995, and 2004 and making statistical analysis. The results of our statistical analysis show that the conversion of slope farm land to terrace and forest land plays a dominant role in land-use changes in the Luoyugou watershed from 1986 to 2004. The land-use changes are mainly driven by population growth, socio-economic development, consumer spending, and investment in forest ecology.

Rainfall interception by tree crown and leaf litter: An interactive process

Key Laboratory of Soil and Water Conservation and Desertification Combating of State Forestry Administration, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China China National Forestry Economics and Development Research Center, State Forestry Administration, Beijing, China Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Minnesota Duluth, Duluth, MN 55812, USA USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station, Davis, CA 95618, USA USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station, Albany, CA 94710, USA