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- Title
Root density drives aggregate stability of soils of different moraine ages in the Swiss Alps.
- Authors
Greinwald, Konrad; Gebauer, Tobias; Treuter, Ludwig; Kolodziej, Victoria; Musso, Alessandra; Maier, Fabian; Lustenberger, Florian; Scherer-Lorenzen, Michael
- Abstract
Aims: The stability of hillslopes is an essential ecosystem service, especially in alpine regions with soils prone to erosion. One key variable controlling hillslope stability is soil aggregate stability. We aimed at identifying dominant controls of vegetation parameters on aggregate stability and analysed their importance for soil aggregate stability during landscape development. Methods: We quantified the aggregate stability coefficient (ASC) and measured plant cover, diversity, root mass and root length, density (RMD, RLD) along two chronosequences with contrasting bedrocks (siliceous, calcareous) in the Swiss Alps. Results: We found that ASC developed slower along the calcareous chronosequence. Furthermore, we observed a significant positive effect of vegetation cover and diversity on ASC that was mediated via root density. These relationships developed in a time-depended manner: At young terrain ages, vegetation parameters had a strong effect on aggregate stability compared to older stages. Moreover, RLD was the most powerful predictor of ASC on young terrain, whereas on older moraines RMD became more important. Conclusions: We highlight that root density plays a major role in governing ASC for soils differing in moraine ages. The changing importances of RLD and RMD for ASC development suggest different mechanistic linkages between vegetation and hillsope stability during landscape development.
- Subjects
ALPS; SOIL structure; MORAINES; ALPINE regions; DENSITY; GROUND cover plants; MOUNTAIN soils; CALCAREOUS soils
- Publication
Plant & Soil, 2021, Vol 468, Issue 1/2, p439
- ISSN
0032-079X
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s11104-021-05111-8