Tree species identity and functional traits but not species richness affect interrill erosion processes in young subtropical forests
Publikation: Arbeits- oder Diskussionspapiere und Berichte › Arbeits- oder Diskussionspapiere
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Göttingen: Copernicus Publications, 2015. S. 701-736 (SOIL Discuss; Band 2).
Publikation: Arbeits- oder Diskussionspapiere und Berichte › Arbeits- oder Diskussionspapiere
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TY - UNPB
T1 - Tree species identity and functional traits but not species richness affect interrill erosion processes in young subtropical forests
AU - Seitz, Steffen
AU - Goebes, Philipp
AU - Song, Zhengshan
AU - Bruehlheide, Helge
AU - Härdtle, Werner
AU - Kühn, Peter
AU - Li, Ying
AU - Scholten, Thomas
PY - 2015/6/24
Y1 - 2015/6/24
N2 - Soil erosion is seriously threatening ecosystem functioning in many parts of the world. In this context, it is assumed that tree species richness and functional diversity of tree communities can play a critical role in improving ecosystem services such as erosion control. An experiment with 170 micro-scale runoff plots was conducted to investigate the influence of tree species richness and identity as well as tree functional traits on interrill erosion in a young forest ecosystem. An interrill erosion rate of 47.5 t ha−1 a−1 was calculated. This study provided evidence that different tree species affect interrill erosion, but higher tree species richness did not mitigate soil losses in young forest stands. Thus, different tree morphologies have to be considered, when assessing erosion under forest. High crown cover and leaf area index reduced soil losses in initial forest ecosystems, whereas rising tree height increased them. Even if a leaf litter cover was not present, remaining soil surface cover by stones and biological soil crusts was the most important driver for soil erosion control. Furthermore, soil organic matter had a decreasing influence on soil loss. Long-term monitoring of soil erosion under closing tree canopies is necessary and a wide range of functional tree traits should be taken into consideration in future research.
AB - Soil erosion is seriously threatening ecosystem functioning in many parts of the world. In this context, it is assumed that tree species richness and functional diversity of tree communities can play a critical role in improving ecosystem services such as erosion control. An experiment with 170 micro-scale runoff plots was conducted to investigate the influence of tree species richness and identity as well as tree functional traits on interrill erosion in a young forest ecosystem. An interrill erosion rate of 47.5 t ha−1 a−1 was calculated. This study provided evidence that different tree species affect interrill erosion, but higher tree species richness did not mitigate soil losses in young forest stands. Thus, different tree morphologies have to be considered, when assessing erosion under forest. High crown cover and leaf area index reduced soil losses in initial forest ecosystems, whereas rising tree height increased them. Even if a leaf litter cover was not present, remaining soil surface cover by stones and biological soil crusts was the most important driver for soil erosion control. Furthermore, soil organic matter had a decreasing influence on soil loss. Long-term monitoring of soil erosion under closing tree canopies is necessary and a wide range of functional tree traits should be taken into consideration in future research.
KW - Ecosystems Research
KW - tree species identity
KW - ecosystem functioning
KW - soil erosion
KW - tree species identity
KW - ecosystem functioning
KW - soil erosion
U2 - 10.5194/soild-2-701-2015
DO - 10.5194/soild-2-701-2015
M3 - Working papers
VL - 2
T3 - SOIL Discuss
SP - 701
EP - 736
BT - Tree species identity and functional traits but not species richness affect interrill erosion processes in young subtropical forests
PB - Copernicus Publications
CY - Göttingen
ER -