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Inhibiting Effects of Vegetation on the Characteristics of Runoff and Sediment Yield on Riparian Slope along the Lower Yellow River

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  • Yifan Zhang

    (College of Environment and Planning, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China
    Key Laboratory of Geospatial Technology for the Middle and Lower Yellow River Regions (Henan University), Ministry of Education, Kaifeng 475004, China)

  • Qinghe Zhao

    (College of Environment and Planning, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China
    Key Laboratory of Geospatial Technology for the Middle and Lower Yellow River Regions (Henan University), Ministry of Education, Kaifeng 475004, China)

  • Zihao Cao

    (College of Environment and Planning, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China
    Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China)

  • Shengyan Ding

    (College of Environment and Planning, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China
    Key Laboratory of Geospatial Technology for the Middle and Lower Yellow River Regions (Henan University), Ministry of Education, Kaifeng 475004, China)

Abstract

Riparian vegetation plays a vital role in soil and water conservation and river health maintenance. However, its inhibiting effects on water and soil loss are limited by different factors, such as slope gradient, vegetation coverage and their interaction. Therefore, this study quantified the inhibiting effect of riparian vegetation on the runoff, sediment and hydraulic characteristics of overland flow, and assessed its relative contribution to slope gradient. Specifically, we selected a riparian slope along the lower Yellow River as a case, and used a field-simulated rainfall experiment under specific rainfall intensity (90 mm/h), different vegetation coverage (0%, 15% and 30%) and slope gradients (5°, 10°, 15° and 20°). The results showed that the presence of vegetation can reduce the slope runoff rate and erosion rate. However, greater slope gradients can result in a lowering of the inhibiting effects of riparian vegetation on sediment yield. There was a critical value of vegetation coverage for inhibiting eroded sediments which was influenced by the degree of slope gradient. At 15% vegetation coverage, vegetation inhibited the slope sediment yield greatly at a slope gradient of less than 8°; while at 30% vegetation coverage, vegetation greatly inhibited the slope sediment yield at slope gradients <11°. Hydraulic characteristics were closely related to the slope gradient and vegetation coverage by the power function. Grey correlation analysis revealed that, with increasing of vegetation coverage, the effect of stream power on slope sediment yield decreased, while the effect of the friction coefficient on slope sediment yield increased. In summary, riparian vegetation can effectively inhibit slope runoff and sediment yield, but its inhibiting effect is notably affected by slope gradient.

Suggested Citation

  • Yifan Zhang & Qinghe Zhao & Zihao Cao & Shengyan Ding, 2019. "Inhibiting Effects of Vegetation on the Characteristics of Runoff and Sediment Yield on Riparian Slope along the Lower Yellow River," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(13), pages 1-16, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:13:p:3685-:d:245763
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Moses Adah Abua & Anthony Inah Iwara & Violet Bassey Eneyo & Nsikan Anthony Akpan & Anim Obongha Ajake & Saad S. Alarifi & David Gómez-Ortiz & Ahmed M. Eldosouky, 2023. "Runoff, Sediment Loss and the Attenuating Effectiveness of Vegetation Parameters in the Rainforest Zone of Southeastern Nigeria," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-16, April.
    2. Fucui Wang & Hu Tao & Xi Shi & Shilong Bu & Ziming Bao & Dezhi Zhang, 2024. "Study on the Sand Reduction Effect of Slope Vegetation Combination in Loess Areas," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(20), pages 1-19, October.

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