Herbaceous species mitigate the influence of wetting-drying cycles on the infiltration potential of clayey soil
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View abstract on PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.Vegetation, specifically grass species, mitigates soil infiltration changes caused by wetting-drying cycles. Bare clay soils show increased infiltration, while vegetated soils maintain more stable infiltration rates, crucial for hazard assessment.
Area Of Science
- Soil Science
- Geotechnical Engineering
- Environmental Science
Background
- Wetting-drying cycles critically impact soil hydro-mechanical properties, influencing geological hazard assessments.
- The effect of these cycles on the infiltration potential of vegetated clayey soils is not well understood.
Purpose Of The Study
- To investigate how wetting-drying cycles affect the infiltration potential of vegetated clayey soils.
- To compare the effects on soils planted with different grass species versus bare soil.
Main Methods
- Experimental study using low-plasticity clay in boxes with four treatments: three grass species (Cynodon dactylon, Lolium perenne, Festuca arundinacea) and an unplanted control.
- Subjected soils to five wetting-drying cycles and quantified desiccation cracks, soil aggregation, hydraulic parameters, pore-water distribution, and infiltration characteristics.
Main Results
- Grass species enhanced soil aggregation and reduced cracking. Bare soils showed decreased moisture content but increased infiltration rates (83.17 ± 5.19%) after five cycles.
- Vegetated soils exhibited opposite trends, with lower infiltration rates (7.69%-18.06%) due to persistent root effects on soil properties.
Conclusions
- Grass vegetation effectively mitigates the impact of wetting-drying cycles on clayey soil infiltration potential.
- Findings offer insights for ecological engineering designs, such as slope stabilization and soil waste landfill management.
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