Effect of Groundcovers on Reducing Soil Erosion and Non-Point Source Pollution in Citrus Orchards on Red Soil Under Frequent Heavy Rainfall

Nan Zhang, Qun Zhang, Yueqiao Li, Mansheng Zeng, Wan Li, Cuiying Chang, Yongrong Xu and Chunbo Huang
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Nan Zhang: College of Horticultural and Forestry Sciences, Huazhong Agriculture University, Wuhan 430072, China
Qun Zhang: College of Horticultural and Forestry Sciences, Huazhong Agriculture University, Wuhan 430072, China
Yueqiao Li: Experimental Center of Subtropical Forestry, China Academy of Forest, Xinyu 338000, China
Mansheng Zeng: Experimental Center of Subtropical Forestry, China Academy of Forest, Xinyu 338000, China
Wan Li: College of Horticultural and Forestry Sciences, Huazhong Agriculture University, Wuhan 430072, China
Cuiying Chang: College of Horticultural and Forestry Sciences, Huazhong Agriculture University, Wuhan 430072, China
Yongrong Xu: College of Horticultural and Forestry Sciences, Huazhong Agriculture University, Wuhan 430072, China
Chunbo Huang: School of Geography and Information Engineering, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 3, 1-16

Abstract: Periods of consecutive days with heavy rain of high intensity are common in the red soil region of China, increasing unpredictable risks of soil erosion and non-point source pollution on sloping orchards. Grass cover, as a type of vegetation management, is useful for controlling soil erosion and pollution. However, the potential of different kinds of groundcover plants in combating soil erosion and non-point source pollution remains unclear under the rainfall conditions in this region of China. This study included 7 d of simulated rainfall applied to a set of six treatments: Bare soil control, natural grass, and four groundcover treatments, Trifolium repens , T. repens , and Lolium perenne , Vicia sativa and Festuca elata , Medicago polymorpha , and Cynodon dactylon . The effects of the treatments on runoff volume, and soil, nitrogen, and phosphorus losses were evaluated. The results indicated that greater soil erosion and non-point source pollution occurred over the first 3d of daily 1-h simulated rainfall events. Also, the beneficial effects of the groundcover plants were greater earlier in the 7-d period of daily heavy rain, particularly in reducing runoff and nitrogen loss on the second and third day. Compared with bare soil, all the groundcovers showed a reduction effect in varying degrees, among which T. repens treatment was more effective. T. repens treatment showed an overall reduction in runoff and soil loss by 25.5% and 91.5%, respectively, and total nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen, ammonia nitrogen and total phosphorus loss by 25.5%, 74.6%, 90.7%, and 81.8%, respectively. These findings indicated that single planting of perennial pasture T. repens with short stems is an effective management option to limit soil erosion and non-point source pollution in sloping citrus orchards of southern China.

Keywords: citrus orchards; red soil; groundcover management; soil erosion; non-point source pollution; consecutive rainfall (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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