[Sediment content and nitrogen and phosphorus load characteristics of surface runoff on bamboo forest slopes: a...

To understand the load characteristics and related mechanisms of surface runoff on two management types of bamboo forests (bamboo timber forest and bamboo shoot forest) slopes (gradient 20 degrees) in Zhejiang Province, this study measured the runoff volume, sediment yield, its total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) concentrations of runoff under six artificial simulated rainfall intensity (31.8-114.0 mm x h(-1)). In bamboo timber forest, the total runoff volume and runoff coefficient were higher, but the runoff sediment content and the total sediment yield were far lower, as compared with those in bamboo shoot forest. The runoff TN concentration in bamboo shoot forest decreased with increasing rainfall intensity. Under the same rainfall intensity, the runoff TN concentration in bamboo shoot forest was 5-6 times of that in bamboo timber forest. The runoff TP concentration was higher in bamboo timber forest than in bamboo shoot forest, but the TP loss from the sediment runoff in bamboo shoot forest was hundreds times of that in bamboo timber forest. During the processes of the TN and TP losses from the sediment runoff, the TN and TP concentrations at the prophase of runoff yield played a cardinal role, while the runoff volume and sediment yield at the anaphase played a decisive role.