The hydrological influence of black locust plantations in the loess area of northwest China

Black locust (Robina pseudoacacia) has become one of the most important shelter species in the loess area of northwest China. This paper summarizes recent research concerning its hydrological influence, including canopy interception, litter absorption capacity, its effect on rainfall kinetic energy, infiltration rates, surface runoff, soil moisture, and evapotranspiration, and its role in soil conservation. Several predictive models are listed. on the basis of existing results, optimum characteristics for an effective plantation are defined, and problems requiring further research are identified.     

Infiltration at the Tai rain forest (Ivory Coast): Measurements and modelling

Infiltration experiments have been performed at three sites along a well-known catena under virgin tropical rain forest using a portable sprinkling infiltrometer. Experimentally determined infiltration curves are presented. Infiltration curves are also simulated on the basis of the Mein-Larson equation. The parameters for this model have been obtained from the infiltration curves (saturated conductivity) and simple soil moisture determinations (fillable porosity). The agreement between experimentally determined and modelled infiltration is reasonable, provided (a) saturated conductivity as derived from the experimental data is corrected, (b) a storage parameter, also derived from the experimental data, is added to the Mein-Larson model, and (c) the decline in soil porosity with depth is either small or occurs abruptly at shallow depth. Comparison of observed infiltration rates with rainfall intensity shows that Horton Overland Flow has to occur naturally at least on the middle and lower section of the catena. Despite the fact that most parameters can be estimated in principle from basic soil data, it remains advisable to obtain sprinkling infiltrometer field measurements, because of soil variability due to dynamic surface conditions, macroporosity, air entrapment, and irregularity of the wetting front.     

Modeling of rainfall-triggered shallow landslide

By integrating hydrological modeling with the infinite slope stability analysis, a rainfall-triggered shallow landslide model was developed by Iverson (Water Resour Res 36:1897-1910, 2000). In Iverson’s model, the infiltration capacity is assumed to be equivalent to the saturated hydraulic conductivity for finding pressure heads analytically. However, for general infiltration process, the infiltration capacity should vary with time during the period of rain, and the infiltration rate is significantly related to the variable infiltration capacity. To avoid the unrealistically high pressure heads, Iverson employed the beta-line correction by specifying that the simulated pressure heads cannot exceed those given by the beta line. In this study, the suitability of constant infiltration capacity together with the beta-line correction for hydrological modeling and landslide modeling of hillslope subjected to a rainfall is examined. By amending the boundary condition at ground surface of hillslope in Iverson’s model, the modified Iverson’s model with considering general infiltration process is developed to conduct this examination. The results show that the unrealistically high pressure heads from Iverson’s model occur due to the overestimation of infiltration rate induced from the assumption that the infiltration capacity is identical to the saturated hydraulic conductivity. Considering with the general infiltration process, the modified Iverson’s model gives acceptable results. In addition, even though the beta-line correction is applied, the Iverson’s model still produces greater simulated pressure heads and overestimates soil failure potential as compared with the modified Iverson’s model. Therefore, for assessing rainfall-triggered shallow landslide, the use of constant infiltration capacity together with the beta-line correction needs to be replaced by the consideration of general infiltration process.     

Infiltration on mountain slopes: a comparison of three environments

Water is well established as a major driver of the geomorphic change that eventually reduces mountains to lower relief landscapes. Nonetheless, within the altitudinal limits of continuous vegetation in humid climates, water is also an essential factor in slope stability. In this paper, we present results from field experiments to determine infiltration rates at forested sites in the Andes Mountains (Ecuador), the southern Appalachian Mountains (USA), and the Luquillo Mountains (Puerto Rico). Using a portable rainfall simulator–infiltrometer (all three areas), and a single ring infiltrometer (Andes), we determined infiltration rates, even on steep slopes. Based on these results, we examine the spatial variability of infiltration, the relationship of rainfall runoff and infiltration to landscape position, the influence of vegetation on infiltration rates on slopes, and the implications of this research for better understanding erosional processes and landscape change.Infiltration rates ranged from 6 to 206 mm/h on lower slopes of the Andes, 16 to 117 mm/h in the southern Appalachians, and 0 to 106 mm/h in the Luquillo Mountains. These rates exceed those of most natural rain events, confirming that surface runoff is rare in montane forests with deep soil/regolith mantles. On well-drained forested slopes and ridges, apparent steady-state infiltration may be controlled by the near-surface downslope movement of infiltrated water rather than by characteristics of the full vertical soil profile. With only two exceptions, the local variability of infiltration rates at the scale of 10° m overpowered other expected spatial relationships between infiltration, vegetation type, slope position, and soil factors. One exception was the significant difference between infiltration rates on alluvial versus upland soils in the Andean study area. The other exception was the significant difference between infiltration rates in topographic coves compared to other slope positions in the tabonuco forest of one watershed in the Luquillo Mountains. Our research provides additional evidence of the ability of forests and forest soils to preserve geomorphic features from denudation by surface erosion, documents the importance of subsurface flow in mountain forests, and supports the need for caution in extrapolating infiltration rates.     

Variation in nitrate and calcium as indicators of recharge pathways in Nolte Spring, PA

This study documents variations in calcium and nitrate concentrations that suggest changes in recharge pathways in a karst spring. The nitrate concentrations increased at the end of the growing season, showing the importance of the soil zone in the recharge pathway. The increase occurred over just a few days, which may be indicative of a change in contribution of baseflow in different seasons from deep to shallow groundwater. The calcium concentrations decreased several days after storm events. A change in the carbonate equilibrium is hypothesized because chloride was not diluted during these events. The decrease in calcium could be due to outgassing and calcite precipitation in the recharge area when older, higher ionic strength matrix water mixes with stormwater in open conduits. The use of geochemical indicators to better understand recharge pathways benefited from long-term monitoring and periods of daily sampling.     

Tracing infiltration and recharge using stable isotope in Taihang Mt., North China

The groundwater in headwater region is an important recharge source for the adjacent mountain-front plain. In order to reveal the relationship among precipitation, soil water and groundwater, from June to September in 2004, stable isotopes (deuterium and oxygen-18) in precipitation and soil waters at the depths of 10, 20, 30, 50, 70, 90, and 110 cm were analyzed at two sites covered by black locust (Robinia Pseudoacia L.) (Site A) and grass predominated by Themeda triandra (T. japonica (Willd.) Tanaka) and Bothriochloa ischaemum (B. ischaemum (L.) Keng) (Site B) in an experimental catchment at Taihang Mt., North China, respectively. The δ¹⁸O of precipitation in daily rain events shows large variations (−13.3 to −4.3‰) with a mean of 8.1‰. The δ¹⁸O and δ D of soil waters along profiles in two sites suggest that the influence of canopy cover was just up to 10 cm in top soil water. The soil water moved over the zero flux plane at 70 cm in-depth is expected to escape the evaporative effect at the end of September in both sites. The results show that the stable isotope, instead of tritium as tradition, can be used to trace the soil water behaviors based on the movement of isotopic peak along the vertical profiles in this semi-arid and semi-humid mountainous region. The infiltration depths of soil water in Taihang Mt. are 12 and 10 mm/day from June to September in 2004 in Site A and Site B, respectively. Tracing by stable isotope, recharge fluxes of soil water to local groundwater are of 3.8 and 3.2 mm/day in Site A and Site B, respectively. The results provide desirable information for assessment of local groundwater resources. An erratum to this article can be found at     

RUNOFF GENERATION CHARACTERISTICS IN TYPICAL EROSION REGIONS ON THE LOESS PLATEAU

1 mTRODUCT1ONThe Loess Plateau in the central and westem China with an area of 430,(X)0 lQn2 is well known for itsancient cultUre and serious soil and water loss. About 287,(X)0 km2 of area in this region has an annualerosion be greatC than 1(XX) tlkIn2. The eroded soil totally amounts to more than 2.2 X l0' tons, amongwhich about l.6X 10' tons, on average, is delivered into the Yellow kiver mdeng the river one of thehighest sediment-laden rivers in the word. The serious soil erosion …     

Soil hydrophobic effects on infiltration and catchment runoff

After dry summers or drought, eucalypt forest soils at two sites in southeastern Australia developed hydrophobic or non-wetting surface characteristics that reduced infiltration, measured using a sprinkling infiltrometer. At one site the development of hydrophobic conditions caused the rainfall to runoff conversion efficiency of a forested catchment to increase from 5 per cent to 15 per cent. Under non-hydrophobic conditions at this site, grassland always generated more runoff than forest. However, one major rainfall-runoff was recorded at a time of highly hydrophobic forest soil conditions and this storm generated greater runoff on the forested catchment than the grassland catchment. At the second site forest soils have naturally highly conductive surface layers because of a dense network of macropores and pathways for preferential flow. Hydrophobic conditions produced by drought caused soil water movement to be confined to only a few of the larger macropores exposed to surface ponded water. Even so, infiltration rates remained relatively high so that the impacts of hydrophobic soils were not translated into increased catchment runoff as at the first site.     

Modelling of hillslope runoff processes

 The present study is aimed at modelling hillslope flows with emphasis on subsurface stormflows that involve macropores. The physical processes connected with the runoff process on a hillslope are identified. The components which are considered in modelling the hillslope flow are the nature of flows in the macropore and micropore domains, the spatial and temporal characteristics of the macropore network, the interaction between the domains, and the initiation of flow in the macropores. Both Horton and Dunne's variable source area generation mechanisms are explicitly incorporated in the model. The dominant physical processes governing hillslope runoff are conceptualized in terms of parameters which are derived from the physical properties of the soil, the nature of macropores, and hillslope geometry. The conceptualization of the model is then used to examine infiltration and runoff production. This helps to compute the development of the groundwater table, runoff hydrograph, and soil moisture profile. Received: 5 October 1996 · Accepted: 25 June 1997     

Influence of spatial variations of microtopography and infiltration on surface runoff and field scale hydrological connectivity

Surface runoff on agricultural fields arises when rainfall exceeds infiltration. Excess water ponding in and flowing through local microtopography increases the hydrological connectivity of fields. In turn, an increased level of hydrological connectivity leads to a higher surface runoff flux at the field boundaries. We investigated the functional hydrological connectivity of synthetical elevation fields with varying statistical properties. For this purpose, we developed an object-oriented ponding and redistribution model to which Philip’s infiltration model was coupled. The connectivity behaviour is determined by the presence of depressions with a large area and spatial organization of microtopography in rills or channels. The presence of microdepressions suppresses the effect of the spatial variation of infiltration properties. Connectivity behaviour of a field with a varying spatial distribution of infiltration properties can be predicted by transforming the unique connectivity function that was defined for a designated microtopography.