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Response Characteristics of Soil Water in Vegetated Slopes to Spring Rainfall Under Different Covers

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  • Xinlong Zhou

    (Key Laboratory of Intelligent Health Perception and Ecological Restoration of Rivers and Lakes, Ministry of Education, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan 430068, China
    Hubei Key Laboratory of Environmental Geotechnology and Ecological Remediation for Lake & River, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan 430068, China)

  • Zhengquan Yang

    (Key Laboratory of Intelligent Health Perception and Ecological Restoration of Rivers and Lakes, Ministry of Education, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan 430068, China
    Hubei Key Laboratory of Environmental Geotechnology and Ecological Remediation for Lake & River, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan 430068, China)

  • Lifei Zheng

    (State Key Laboratory of Precision Blasting, Jianghan University, Wuhan 430056, China)

  • Yunfeng Shi

    (Key Laboratory of Intelligent Health Perception and Ecological Restoration of Rivers and Lakes, Ministry of Education, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan 430068, China
    Hubei Key Laboratory of Environmental Geotechnology and Ecological Remediation for Lake & River, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan 430068, China)

Abstract

Spring is the optimal season for the ecological restoration of slopes. Addressing the response of soil water to spring rainfall is crucial to constructing a suitable hydrothermal environment for plant growth. In this study, three model slopes under different vegetation covers were constructed to measure soil water content during the spring. The accumulated increment in soil water (AISW), the growth rate of the soil water content rate (GRSW), the soil water recharge amount (∆SW), and the response time ( T r ) of soil water were introduced to analyze its response to different spring rainfall events. The effects of vegetation and rainfall intensity were discussed. The results indicate that Cynodon dactylon mainly regulates surface soil water (0–20 cm), with a rapid and significant response in shallow soil. Magnolia multiflora is more effective in regulating deeper soil water (40–100 cm), especially during heavy rainfall, where shrubs enhance water infiltration into deeper layers. This study further demonstrates that increased rainfall intensity exacerbates the differences in water distribution between vegetation types. The combined effect of the canopy and root structure is crucial for water redistribution.

Suggested Citation

  • Xinlong Zhou & Zhengquan Yang & Lifei Zheng & Yunfeng Shi, 2025. "Response Characteristics of Soil Water in Vegetated Slopes to Spring Rainfall Under Different Covers," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(5), pages 1-15, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:5:p:2079-:d:1601715
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Zhu, Pingzong & Zhang, Guanghui & Wang, Hongxiao & Zhang, Baojun & Liu, Yingna, 2021. "Soil moisture variations in response to precipitation properties and plant communities on steep gully slope on the Loess Plateau," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 256(C).
    2. Guirong Hou & Huaxing Bi & Xi Wei & Lingxiao Kong & Ning Wang & Qiaozhi Zhou, 2018. "Response of Soil Moisture to Single-Rainfall Events under Three Vegetation Types in the Gully Region of the Loess Plateau," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-17, October.
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