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 -