The effects of herbs on the runoff and sediment-producing mechanism in Jinyang Ancient City

Abstract

Abstract To study the effects of herbs on the runoff and sediment producing mechanism of Jinyang Ancient City, this study used the method of field artificial rainfall experiments to compare the earthen sites slope effects on the runoff producing, sediment producing, and soil infiltration of the plant slope surface in different periods. The conclusions are as follows. The phenomenon of petrichor was related to the withered herb coverage on the surface of the slope. The fluctuation amplitude of the soil volume moisture content was related to its distance to the surface. The runoff producing effects of different slopes were in descending order of Bare Soil slope, Fresh Herbs slope, and Withered Herbs slope. The sediment producing effects were in descending order of Bare Soil slope, Withered Herbs slope, and Fresh Herbs slope. The sediment yield intensity was positively correlated with runoff intensity, but its variation peak lagged slightly behind the latter. The runoff intensity and sediment yield was influenced by the dual effects of rainfall intensity and rainfall time, and sometimes the impact of rainfall time was higher than that of rainfall intensity. A research assistance in can be hopefully provided in this study on protecting earthen sites from rainfall erosion through plant covering.