Plants, Vol. 14, Pages 2556: Characteristics of Hydrodynamic Parameters of Different Understory Vegetation Patterns

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants14162556

Authors:
Chenhui Zhang
Jiali Wang
Jianbo Jia

The presence of understory vegetation not only influences slope-scale soil and water conservation but also exerts a profound effect on hydrodynamic characteristics and the processes of runoff and sediment production. Therefore, in this study, different vegetation types and vegetation coverages (bare land, 30%, 60%, and 90%) were set up by simulating rainfall (45, 60, 90, and 120 mm·h−1) to evaluate the runoff-sediment process and the response characteristics of hydrodynamic parameters. The results showed that increasing vegetation cover significantly reduced soil erosion on forest slopes (p < 0.05). When the vegetation cover ranged from 60% to 90%, vegetation pattern C and pattern D were the most effective in suppressing erosion, where increased cover improved runoff stability. Under low-cover conditions, overland flow tended toward turbulent and rapid regimes, whereas under high cover conditions, flow was primarily laminar and slow. Patterns C and D significantly reduced flow velocity and water depth (p < 0.05). Structural equation patterning revealed that, under different vegetation patterns, the runoff power (ω), Reynolds number (Re), and resistance coefficient (f) more effectively characterized the erosion process. Among these, the Reynolds number and runoff power were the dominant factors driving erosion on red soil slopes. By contrast, runoff shear stress was significantly reduced under high-cover conditions and showed weak correlation with sediment yield, suggesting that it was unsuitable as an indicator of slope erosion. Segmental vegetation arrangements and increasing vegetation cover near runoff outlets—especially at 60–90% coverage—effectively reduced soil erosion. These findings provide scientific insight into the hydrodynamic mechanisms of vegetation cover on slopes and offer theoretical support for optimizing soil and water conservation strategies on hilly terrain.

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