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Soil Water Erosion and Its Hydrodynamic Characteristics in Degraded Bald Patches of Alpine Meadows in the Yellow River Source Area, Western China

Author

Listed:
  • Shengchun Tong

    (Geological Engineering Department, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China)

  • Guorong Li

    (Geological Engineering Department, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China
    Key Lab of Cenozoic Resource & Environment in North Margin of the Tibetan Plateau, Xining 810016, China)

  • Xilai Li

    (State Key Laboratory of Plateau Ecology and Agriculture, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China
    College of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China)

  • Jinfang Li

    (Geological Engineering Department, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China)

  • Hui Zhai

    (Geological Engineering Department, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China)

  • Jianyun Zhao

    (Geological Engineering Department, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China
    Key Lab of Cenozoic Resource & Environment in North Margin of the Tibetan Plateau, Xining 810016, China)

  • Haili Zhu

    (Geological Engineering Department, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China
    Key Lab of Cenozoic Resource & Environment in North Margin of the Tibetan Plateau, Xining 810016, China)

  • Yabin Liu

    (Geological Engineering Department, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China
    Key Lab of Cenozoic Resource & Environment in North Margin of the Tibetan Plateau, Xining 810016, China)

  • Wenting Chen

    (Geological Engineering Department, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China)

  • Xiasong Hu

    (Geological Engineering Department, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China
    Key Lab of Cenozoic Resource & Environment in North Margin of the Tibetan Plateau, Xining 810016, China)

Abstract

Degraded bald patches have been active influencing factors in recent years, leading to meadow degradation and soil erosion in the Yellow River source area. In this study, we aimed to quantify the soil water erosion patterns and the hydrodynamic characteristics of degraded bald patches under different vegetation coverage (10%, 30%, 50%, 70% and 90%) and slope (10°, 20° and 30°) combination treatments through simulated rainfall experiments, and to investigate the influence of rodent activities on meadow degradation and soil erosion using zokor mound bare ground as a control. The results show that rodent activity exacerbates erosion problems and that soil erosion rates are negatively correlated with the degree of meadow degradation as an exponential function ( p < 0.01). All slope flows are laminar; Reynolds and Froude numbers decrease as a function of vegetation coverage exponentially and linearly ( p < 0.01), respectively, and are positively correlated with slope. Flow resistance increases with increasing vegetation coverage and decreasing slope, and vegetation coverage and slope are significant factors affecting flow resistance ( p < 0.05). Runoff shear stress was found to range from 1.71 to 5.27 N m −2 in the study area and is positively correlated with vegetation coverage and slope, with a much greater influence of slope than vegetation coverage ( p < 0.05). Based on the Pearson correlation and grey correlation method analysis, we concluded that runoff rate, flow velocity, Reynolds number and the Froude number can all describe the hydraulic erosion state under the action of soil erosion on slopes. The Reynolds number was tentatively judged to be the best hydrodynamic parameter to describe the soil erosion process. We conclude that developing degraded bald patches reduces flow resistance and increases surface runoff capacity and soil erodibility by reducing vegetation coverage. The reasonable control of rodent activity can effectively combat erosion on degraded bald patches.

Suggested Citation

  • Shengchun Tong & Guorong Li & Xilai Li & Jinfang Li & Hui Zhai & Jianyun Zhao & Haili Zhu & Yabin Liu & Wenting Chen & Xiasong Hu, 2023. "Soil Water Erosion and Its Hydrodynamic Characteristics in Degraded Bald Patches of Alpine Meadows in the Yellow River Source Area, Western China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-20, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:10:p:8165-:d:1149401
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Qinghe Zhao & Yifan Zhang & Shanshan Xu & Xiaoyu Ji & Shuoqian Wang & Shengyan Ding, 2019. "Relationships between Riparian Vegetation Pattern and the Hydraulic Characteristics of Upslope Runoff," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-16, May.
    2. Xiangqun Xie & Xinke Wang & Zhenfeng Wang & Hong Lin & Huili Xie & Zhiyong Shi & Xiaoting Hu & Xingzhao Liu, 2023. "Influence of Landscape Pattern Evolution on Soil Conservation in a Red Soil Hilly Watershed of Southern China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-24, January.
    3. Zhibo Lu & Qian Song & Jianyun Zhao & Shiru Wang, 2022. "Prediction and Evaluation of Ecosystem Service Value Based on Land Use of the Yellow River Source Area," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-20, December.
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