Evaluation of Native Plants Potential for Rill and Gully Erosion Control in the North of the Province of Ardabil

Document Type : Research

Authors

1 Assistant Professor, Soil Conservation and Watershed Management Research Department, Ardabil Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Ardabil, Iran

2 Associate Professor, Soil Conservation and Watershed Management Research Institute (SCWMRI), Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Tehran, Iran

3 M.Sc., Forests and Ranglands Research Department, Ardabil Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Ardabil, Iran

4 Assistant Professor, Forests and Rangelands Research Department, Ardabil Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Ardabil, Iran

5 Associate Professor, Soil Conservation and Watershed Management Research Department, Fars Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Shiraz, Iran

Abstract

A quantitative method is presented to evaluate the ability of plants for rill and gully erosion control in the Moghan region in the province of Ardabil. This research was carried out during a five-year period (2016-2020). Five indicators, namely, stem density (SD), topsoil erosion-reducing potential of plant roots during the concentrated flow erosion (RSD), sediment obstruction potential (SOP), index of plant stiffness (MEI), and root cohesion (Cr) were calculated for 20 native plants of the region (SD=1.411×10-4 – 0.28, RSD=6.68×10-24 – 10.1076, SOP=8.275×10-5 – 0.696, MEI=1.69×10-6 – 27.134 N, Cr=5.432×10-4 – 34.626 Pa). Tamarix ramosissima Ledeb., Salsola dendroides Pall.,Artemisia fragrans Willd., Stipa arabica Trin. & Rupr. var. arabica, Alhagi camelorum Fisch., Verbascum stachydifome Boiss. & Buhse., Festuca ovina L., and Melica altissima L. are very appropriate species for controlling rill and gully erosion. Festuca ovina L., Stipa arabica Trin. & Rupr. var. arabica and Melica altissima L.have a distinct potential to obstruct sediment inflow into channels at the gully outlets. As each species has a particular ability in one or more of the indices, combined planting of selected plant species may be more effective in erosion control. The results of this study may be used in adjacent regions and under similar cold-semiarid and cold-arid environments.

Keywords

References

Akramian M, Dastorani M, Farzam M, Addi E. 2019. Evaluation of the effects of Tamarix roots on Kashafroud River Banks soil cohesion and shear strength. Watershed Engineering and Management, 11(2): 328–335. (In Persian).
Allen PM, Arnold JG, Auguste L, Dunbar J. 2018. Application of a simple headcut advance model for gullies. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 43(1): 202–217.
Aslam B, Maqsoom A, Shahzaib, Kazmi ZA, Sodangi M, Anwar F, Bakri MH, Faisal Tufail R, Farooq D. 2020. Effects of landscape changes on soil erosion in the built environment: Application of geospatial-based RUSLE technique. Sustainability, 12(15): 1–20.
Bennett S, Wells R. 2019. Gully erosion processes, disciplinary fragmentation, and technological innovation. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 44(1): 46–53.
Bochet E, Poesen J, Rubio JL. 2006. Runoff and soil loss under individual plants of a semiarid Mediterranean shrubland: influence of plant morphology and rainfall intensity. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms 31(5): 536–49.
Choubin B, Darabi H, Rahmati O, Sajedi-Hosseini F, Kløve B. 2018. River suspended sediment modelling using the CART model: A comparative study of machine learning techniques. Science of the Total Environment, 615: 272–281.
De Baets S, Poesen J, Gyssels G, Knapen A. 2006. Effects of grass roots on the erodibility of topsoils during concentrated flow. Geomorphology, 76(1–2): 54– 67.
De Baets S, Poesen J, Knapen A, Barbera GG, Navarro JA. 2007a. Root characteristics of representative Mediterranean plant species and their erosion-reducing potential during concentrated runoff.  Plant Soil, 294(1): 169–183. 
De Baets S, Poesen J, Knapen A, Galindo P. 2007b. Impact of root architecture on the erosion-reducing potential of roots during concentrated flow. Earth Surf. Process. Landforms, 32(9): 1323–1345. 
De Baets S, Poesen J, Reubens B, Muys B, De Baerdemaeker J, Meersmans J. 2009. Methodological framework to select plant species for controlling rill and gully erosion: application to a Mediterranean Ecosystem Methodological framework to select plant species for controlling rill and gully erosion. Earth Surf. Process. Landforms, 34(10): 1374–1392. 
De Baets S, Poesen J, Reubens B, Wemans K, De Baerdemaeker J, Muys B. 2008.  Root tensile strength and root distribution of typical Mediterranean plant species and their contribution to soil shear strength. Plant Soil, 305(1/2): 207–226.
De Baets S, Quine TA, Poesen J. 2014. Root strategies for rill and gully erosion control. In: Morte A, Varma A, Editors. Root Engineering, Soil Biology 40, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, pp. 297–323.
Dong Y, Xiong D, Su Z, Li J, Yang D, Shi L, Liu G. 2014. The distribution of and factors influencing the vegetation in a gully in the Dry-hot Valley of southwest China. Catena, 116: 60–67.  
Farhadi A, Ahmadi H, Soufi M, Motamedvaziri B, Moeini A. 2018. Assessment of the potential of semi-arid plants to reduce soil erosion in the Konartakhteh watershed, Iran. Arabian Journal of Geosciences, 11(518): 1–13.
Ghanavati R, Soufi M, Abasizadeh M. 2015. Determining suitable plant species to control gully erosion in Chehel Cheshmeh area of Arjan plain of Fars province. Tehean, 16 March 2015, First International Conference on New Findings in Agricultural Sciences, Natural Resources and Environment. 8 p. (In Persian).
Gökbulak F. 2003. Comparision of growth performance of Lolium perenne L., Dactylis glomerata L. and Agropyron elongatum (Host.) P. Beauv. for erosion control in Turkey. Journal of Environmental Biology, 24(1): 45–53.
Gomide PHO, Silva MLN, de Castro GC, Soares CRFS, Oliveira AH, Curi N. 2014. Vegetation characterization in gully areas as basis for soil conservation. Ciênc. Agrotec. Lavras, 38(2): 149–159.
Guo M, Wang W, Shi Q, Chen T, Kang H, Li J. 2019. An experimental study on the effects of grass root density on gully headcut erosion in the gully region of China's Loess Plateau. Land Degradation and Development, 30 (17): 2017–2025.
Gyssels G, Poesen J, Bochet E, Li Y. 2005. Impact of plant roots on the resistance of soils to erosion by water: A Reviews. Progress in Physical Geography, 29(2): 189–217.
Hassen G, Bantider A. 2020. Assessment of drivers and dynamics of gully erosion in case of Tabota Koromo and Koromo Danshe watersheds, South Central Ethiopia. Geoenvironmental Disasters, 7(5): 1–13.
Hosseini AR, Shafai-Bajestan M, Musavi SH. 2014. Investigation of root system of tamarix trees on slope of Saimerh Riverbanks. Journal of Irrigation Sciences and Engineering, 36(4): 98 –100. (In Persian).
Katuwal S, Vermang J, Cornelis WM, Donald Gabriels D, Moldrup P, de Jonge LW. 2013. Effect of root density on erosion and erodibility of a loamy soil under simulated rain. Soil Science, 178(1): 29–36.
Kertész Á. 2009. Environmental conditions of gully erosion in Hungary. Hungrian Geographical Bulletin, 58(2): 78–89.
Kou M, Jiao J, Yin Q, Wang N, Wang Z, Li Y, Yu W, Wei Y, Yan F, Cao B. 2016. Successional trajectory over 10 years of vegetation restoration of abandoned slope croplands in the hill-gully region of the Loess Plateau. Land Degradation and Development, 27(4): 919–932.
Liu J, Gao G,  Wang S,  Jiao L, Wu X, Fu B. 2018. The effects of vegetation on runoff and soil loss: Multidimensional structure analysis and scale characteristics. Journal of Geographical Sciences, 28(1): 59–78.
Liu X, Li H, Zhang S, Cruse RM, Zhang X. 2019. Gully erosion control practices in northeast china: A Reviews Sustainability, 11(18): 5065: 1–16.
Molina A, Govers G, Cisneros F, Vanacker V. 2009. Vegetation and topographic controls on sediment deposition and storage on gully beds in a degraded mountain area. Earth Surf. Process. Landforms, 34(6): 755–767. 
Mwango SB, Msanya BM, Mtakwa PW, Kimaro DN, Deckers J, Poesen J, Massawe V, Bethuel I. 2014. Root Properties of Plants Used for Soil Erosion Control in the Usambara Mountains, Tanzania. International Journal of Plant & Soil Science, 3(12): 1567–1580.
Nosko R, Maliariková M, Brziak A, Kubáň M. 2019. Formation of gully erosion in the Myjava Region. Slovak Journal of Civil Engineering, 27(3): 63–72.
Rey F. 2003. Influence of vegetation distribution on sediment yield in forested marly gullies. Catena, 50(2): 549– 562.
Saksa M, Minár J. 2012. Assessing the natural hazard of gully erosion through a Geoecological Information System (GeIS): a case study from the Western Carpathians. Geografie, 117(2): 152–169.
Talaei R, Soufi M, Beyrami B, Saednia V, Ebrahimi M. 2014. Study and morpho-climatic classification of gullies in Ardabil province. Ardabil Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and education Center, Soil Conservation and Watershed Management Institute, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Tehran, Iran. Final report of research, 158 p.  (In Persian).
Van Zijl GM. 2010. An investigation of the soil properties controlling gully erosion in a sub-catchment in Maphutseng, Lesotho. Thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master of Agriculture at Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch University, 129 p.
Vanmaercke M, Poesen J, Mele BV, Demuzere M, Bruynseels A, Golosov V, Bezerra JFR, Bolysov S, Dvinskih A, Frankl A, Fuseina Y, Guerra AJT, Haregeweyn N, Ionita I, Imwangana FM, Moeyersons J, Moshe I, Samani AN, Niacsu L, Nyssen J, Otsuki Y, Radoane M, Rysin I, Ryzhov YV, Yermolaev O. 2016. How fast do gully headcuts retreat? Earth‐Science Reviews, 154: 336–355.
Zarekia S, Abolghasemi M. 2020. Salsola, capabilities and potentials (Emphasis on rehabilitating destroyed rangelands and providing forage). Journal of Iran nature, 3(5): 79–86.  
Zhang S, Fan W, Li Y, Yi Y. 2017. The influence of changes in land use and landscape patterns on soil erosion in watershed. Scince of the Total Environment, 574: 34–45.
Zhang X, Yu GQ, Li ZB, Li P. 2014. Experimental study on slope runoff, erosion and sediment under different vegetation types. Water Resources Management, 28(9): 2415–2433.

Files

History

  • Receive Date: 25 August 2020
  • Revise Date: 26 October 2020
  • Accept Date: 20 December 2020

Share

How to cite

Statistics