The effect of trampling disturbance on soil infiltration of biological soil crusts was investigated
by using simulated rainfall. The results showed that the trampling disturbance significantly increased
soil surface roughness. The increasing extent depended on the disturbance intensity. Soil
surface roughness values at 50% disturbance increased by 91% compared with the undisturbed
treatment. The runoff was delayed by trampling disturbance. A linear increase in the time of runoff
yield was observed along with the increasing disturbance intensity within 20%-50%. The time of
runoff yield at 50% disturbance increased by 169. 7% compared with the undisturbed treatment.
Trampling disturbance increased soil infiltration and consequently decreased the runoff coefficient.
The cumulative infiltration amount at 50% disturbance increased by 12.6% compared with the undisturbed
treatment. Soil infiltration significant decreased when biocrusts were removed. The cumulative
infiltration of the treatment of biocrusts removal decreased by 30.2% compared with the undisturbed
treatment. Trampling disturbance did not significantly increase the soil loss when the disturbance
intensity was lower than 50%,while the biocrusts removal resulted in 10 times higher in soil
erosion modulus. The trampling disturbance of lower than 50% on biocrusts might improve soil infiltration
and reduce the risk of runoff,thus might improve the soil moisture without obviously increasing
the soil loss.
修改评论