Peak Soil Erosion Risk in Mixed Forests: A Critical Transition Phase Driven by Moso Bamboo Expansion

Jie Wang, Xin Wang, Youjin Yan (), Liangjie Wang, Haibo Hu, Bing Ma, Hongwei Zhou, Jiacai Liu, Fengling Gan and Yuchuan Fan
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Jie Wang: Institute of Ecological Civilization Construction and Forestry Development, Co-Innovation Center of Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
Xin Wang: Institute of Ecological Civilization Construction and Forestry Development, Co-Innovation Center of Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
Youjin Yan: Institute of Ecological Civilization Construction and Forestry Development, Co-Innovation Center of Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
Liangjie Wang: Institute of Ecological Civilization Construction and Forestry Development, Co-Innovation Center of Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
Haibo Hu: Institute of Ecological Civilization Construction and Forestry Development, Co-Innovation Center of Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
Bing Ma: Institute of Ecological Civilization Construction and Forestry Development, Co-Innovation Center of Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
Hongwei Zhou: Jiangsu Provincial Environmental Geological Survey Brigade, Nanjing 210012, China
Jiacai Liu: Jiangsu Provincial Environmental Geological Survey Brigade, Nanjing 210012, China
Fengling Gan: Chongqing Key Laboratory of Surface Process and Environment Remote Sensing in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area, School of Geography and Tourism Science, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing 401331, China
Yuchuan Fan: Jiyang College, Zhejiang A&F University, Zhuji 311800, China

Agriculture, 2025, vol. 15, issue 16, 1-16

Abstract: Driven by climate change and human activities, the expansion of highly invasive moso bamboo ( Phyllostachys edulis ) into coniferous forests induces a serious ecological imbalance. Its rapidly spreading underground roots significantly alter soil structure, yet the mechanisms by which this expansion affects soil detachment capacity ( Dc ), a key soil erosion parameter, remain unclear. While bamboo expansion modifies soil physicochemical properties and root characteristics, influencing Dc and, consequently, soil erosion resistance, the underlying mechanisms, particularly stage-specific variations, are not thoroughly understood. In this study, we examined Japanese white pine ( Pinus parviflora Siebold & Zucc.) forest (CF), moso bamboo–Japanese white pine mixed forest (MF), and moso bamboo forest (BF) as representative stages of bamboo expansion. By integrating laboratory-controlled measurements of soil physicochemical properties and root traits with field-based flume experiments, we comprehensively investigate the effects of moso bamboo expansion into CF on soil detachment capacity. The results of the study can be summarized as follows: (1) Expansion of moso bamboo significantly changed soil physicochemical properties and root characteristics. Soil bulk density was the highest in the MF (1.13 g·cm −3 ), followed by the CF (1.08 g·cm −3 ) and BF (1.03 g·cm −3 ); non-capillary porosity increased significantly with expansion (CF 0.03% to MF 0.10%); and although the stability of aggregates (MWD) increased by 24.5% from the CF to MF, root mass density (RMD) in the MF (0.0048 g·cm −3 ) was much higher than that in the CF (0.0009 g·cm −3 ). This intense root competition between forest types, combined with increased macroporosity development, compromised overall soil structural integrity. This weakening may lead to a looser soil structure during the transition phase, thereby increasing erosion risk. (2) There were significant stage differences in Dc : it was significantly higher in the MF (0.034 kg·m −2 ·s −1 ) than in the CF (0.023 kg·m −2 ·s −1 ) and BF (0.018 kg·m −2 ·s −1 ), which revealed that the MF was an erosion-sensitive stage. (3) Our Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) results revealed that soil physicochemical properties (soil moisture content and soil total nitrogen) dominated Dc changes through direct effects (total effect −0.547); in comparison, root properties indirectly affected Dc by modulating soil structure (indirect effect: −0.339). The results of this study reveal the dynamics and mechanisms of Dc changes during bamboo expansion, and for the first time, we identify a distinct Dc peak during the mixed forest transition phase. These findings provide a scientific basis for moso bamboo forest management, soil erosion risk assessment, and optimization of soil and water conservation strategies.

Keywords: moso bamboo expansion; coniferous forests; expansion stage; flume experiments; soil detachment capacity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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