Chinese zokor (Myospalax fontanierii) excavating activities lessen runoff but facilitate soil erosion - A simulation experiment

doi:10.1016/j.catena.2021.105248

	Chinese zokor (Myospalax fontanierii) excavating activities lessen runoff but facilitate soil erosion - A simulation experiment
	Chen, Mingyu 3,4; Ma, Li 3,6; Shao, Ming'an 2,3,4,5; Wei, Xiaorong 3,4; Jia, Yuhua 1; Sun, Shuchen 7; Zhang, Qingyin 3,4; Li, Tongchuan 3,4; Yang, Xi 3,4; Gan, Miao 3,4
刊名	CATENA
	2021-07-01
卷号	202 页码:11
关键词	Alfalfa Subterranean rodent Simulated rainfall Sediments Runoff Soil water
ISSN号	0341-8162
DOI	10.1016/j.catena.2021.105248
通讯作者	Li, Tongchuan(litongchuan_xinong@163.com)
英文摘要	The Chinese zokor (Myospalax fontanierii) affects the physical and chemical properties of soil and the evolution of vegetation. However, few studies have evaluated the effects of zokors on soil erosion. In this study, alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) was planted in tanks to quantify the effects of zokor excavation activities on runoff and soil erosion rate. Three slope gradients of 5 degrees, 10 degrees, and 15 degrees were set, two soil tanks (with and without a zokor) were used for each gradient, and six soil tanks were prepared in total. Laboratory simulated rainfall was applied using a side-spray simulation system, and the rainfall intensity was set to 80 mm h(-1) with the rainfall duration of 60 min after runoff generation. Results showed that the soil bulk density of fresh zokor mounds was 0.82 +/- 0.02 g cm(-3), which was 39% lower than that of the soil matrix (1.35 g cm(-3)). The vegetation coverage decreased to 32%, 45%, and 43% respectively, after 3 days of disturbance by zokor, compared with 87%, 90%, and 92% in the tanks without zokor. The presence of zokor reduced the runoff rate by 88% on the lowest gradient to 21% on the steepest gradient, and increased the water infiltration and soil water storage within 90 cm depth. The soil mounds and herbivorous tunnel changed the microtopography and consequently the runoff pathway, increased the sediment yield, and intensified soil erosion, especially at a steep slope gradient. Although the activity of zokors does not directly increase soil erosion, and the tunnel system can facilitate water infiltration and lessen runoff, the mounds they create provide loose and erodible materials. The destruction of vegetation by zokors would facilitate soil erosion and reduce the benefit of vegetation restoration. This study provides insights into the effects of subterranean rodents on soil erosion in the Loess Plateau.
资助项目	National Natural Science Foundation of China[41807011] ; National Natural Science Foundation of China[42007006] ; Opening Foundation of the State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on Loess Plateau[A314021402-1717] ; Strategic Priority Research Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences[XDB40000000]
WOS关键词	QINGHAI-TIBETAN PLATEAU ; LOESS PLATEAU ; ALPINE MEADOW ; CAMPONOTUS-JAPONICUS ; BURROWING ACTIVITIES ; ECOSYSTEM ENGINEERS ; RODENTS ; BIOTURBATION ; WATER ; BIODIVERSITY
WOS研究方向	Geology ; Agriculture ; Water Resources
语种	英语
出版者	ELSEVIER
WOS记录号	WOS:000643594100018
资助机构	National Natural Science Foundation of China ; Opening Foundation of the State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on Loess Plateau ; Strategic Priority Research Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences
内容类型	期刊论文
源URL	[http://ir.igsnrr.ac.cn/handle/311030/162841]
专题	中国科学院地理科学与资源研究所
通讯作者	Li, Tongchuan
作者单位	1.Shenyang Agr Univ, Coll Water Conservancy, Shenyang 110866, Peoples R China 2.CAS Ctr Excellence Quaternary Sci & Global Change, Xian 710061, Peoples R China 3.Northwest A&F Univ, State Key Lab Soil Eros & Dryland Farming Loess P, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, Peoples R China 4.Northwest A&F Univ, Coll Nat Resources & Environm, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, Peoples R China 5.Chinese Acad Sci, Inst Geog Sci & Nat Resources Res, Beijing 100101, Peoples R China 6.Baoji Univ Arts & Sci, Key Lab Disaster Monitoring & Mech Simulating Sha, Baoji 721013, Peoples R China 7.Liaocheng Univ, Sch Environm & Planning, Liaocheng 252059, Shandong, Peoples R China
推荐引用方式 GB/T 7714	Chen, Mingyu,Ma, Li,Shao, Ming'an,et al. Chinese zokor (Myospalax fontanierii) excavating activities lessen runoff but facilitate soil erosion - A simulation experiment[J]. CATENA,2021,202:11.
APA	Chen, Mingyu.,Ma, Li.,Shao, Ming'an.,Wei, Xiaorong.,Jia, Yuhua.,...&Gan, Miao.(2021).Chinese zokor (Myospalax fontanierii) excavating activities lessen runoff but facilitate soil erosion - A simulation experiment.CATENA,202,11.
MLA	Chen, Mingyu,et al."Chinese zokor (Myospalax fontanierii) excavating activities lessen runoff but facilitate soil erosion - A simulation experiment".CATENA 202(2021):11.