Abstract
Abstract
Aims
The stability of hillslopes is an essential ecosystem service, especially in alpine regions with soils prone to erosion. One key variable controlling hillslope stability is soil aggregate stability. We aimed at identifying dominant controls of vegetation parameters on aggregate stability and analysed their importance for soil aggregate stability during landscape development.
Methods
We quantified the aggregate stability coefficient (ASC) and measured plant cover, diversity, root mass and root length, density (RMD, RLD) along two chronosequences with contrasting bedrocks (siliceous, calcareous) in the Swiss Alps.
Results
We found that ASC developed slower along the calcareous chronosequence. Furthermore, we observed a significant positive effect of vegetation cover and diversity on ASC that was mediated via root density. These relationships developed in a time-depended manner: At young terrain ages, vegetation parameters had a strong effect on aggregate stability compared to older stages. Moreover, RLD was the most powerful predictor of ASC on young terrain, whereas on older moraines RMD became more important.
Conclusions
We highlight that root density plays a major role in governing ASC for soils differing in moraine ages. The changing
importances of RLD and RMD for ASC development suggest different mechanistic linkages between vegetation and hillsope
stability during landscape development.
Funder
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
National Science Foundation
Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg im Breisgau
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Subject
Plant Science,Soil Science
Cited by
14 articles.
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