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›› 2016, Vol. 39 ›› Issue (1): 86-94.

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Comprehensive assessment of hydrological impacts of sub-alpine shrubs in Xishui Forest Area of Qilian Mountains

LIU Xian-de1,2,3, ZHANG Xue-long1,2,3, ZHAO Wei-jun1,2,3, CHE Zong-xi2,3, YANG Xiao-hu2,3, MIAO Yu-xin2,3, ZHANG Ke-hai2,3   

  1. 1 College of Forestry of Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, Gansu, China;
    2 Academy of Water Resources Conservation Forests in Qilian Mountains of Gansu Province, Zhangye 734000, Gansu, China;
    3 Key Laboratory of Hydrology and Water Resources of Forest Ecology and Frozen Soil of Gansu Province, Zhangye 734000, Gansu, China
  • Received:2015-08-20 Revised:2015-12-11 Online:2016-01-25

Abstract: A comprehensive assessment of the hydrological impacts of the main shrub types were carried out in the small watershed of Pailugou,Xishui Forest Area of Qilan Mountains,Gansu Province,China based on the measurement of numerous parameters related with the hydrological functions of the canopy,litter and root zone soil of five shrub types in the growing season of 2014(May-September). It showed that there was an obvious difference in the hydrological function among the five shrub types. The canopy interception ratio varied in the range of 24.54%-52.95%,with a decreasing order of Berberis diaphana > Salix cupularis S. oritrepha > Dasiphora fruticosa > Caragana jubata > Caragana stenphylla;the water holding capacity of litter varied in the range of 50.40-152.50 t·hm-2,and the effective water holding capacity of litter varied in the range of 37.47-96.66 t· hm-2,with the highest at the plot of Salix cupularis S. oritrepha and the lowest at the plot of Caragana stenphylla. The soil physical properties(porosity,water holding capacity and infiltration rate,etc.)of the 0-60 cm soil layer decreased with the elevation where the shrub plot located,in the order of Salix cupularis S. oritrepha > Caragana jubata > Dasiphora fruticosa > Berberis diaphana > Caragana stenphylla. The total runoff and the runoff ratio from the shrub plots in the growing season varied in the range of 12.60-143.93 mm and 3.16%-26.62%,with the decreasing order of Salix cupularis S. oritrepha > Caragana jubata > Dasiphora fruticosa > Caragana stenphylla > Berberis diaphana. Because of the high soil surface coverage,the soil erosion at each shrub plot was very low, but it still showed a difference among the five shrub types,with the variation range of 2.46-19.15 kg·hm-2 and the decreasing order of Salix cupularis S. oritrepha > Caragana jubata > Berberis diaphana > Dasiphora fruticosa > Caragana stenphylla. The comprehensive hydrological impacts of the five shrub types decreased in the order of Salix cupularis S. oritrepha > Caragana jubata > Berberis diaphana > Dasiphora fruticosa > Caragana stenphylla. This paper could provide the theoretical basis to recognize and evaluate the hydrological functions of shrubs and to guide the vegetation restoration and water resources management in the region of Qilian Mountains.

Key words: Qilian Mountains, shrubs, hydrological impacts, comprehensive assessment

CLC Number: 

  • S715