Ecological restoration is not sufficient for reconciling the trade-off between soil retention and water yield: A contrasting study from catchment governance perspective

Jiang，Chong1,2,3; Guo，Hongwei4; Wei，Yongping3; Yang，Zhiyuan5; Wang，Xinchi6; Wen，Meili1,2; Yang，Long1,2; Zhao，Lingling1,2; Zhang，Haiyan7; Zhou，Ping1,2

2021-02-01

10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142139

SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT   影响因子和分区

0048-9697

1879-1026

Ecological restoration program (ERP) is widely recognized as an effective measure to combat land degradation and improve environmental quality. However, inappropriate ERPs lead to trade-offs between soil retention and water yield as well as conflicts of soil and water resources between the midstream and the downstream of catchment. This study aims to assess the efficiency of ERPs in soil erosion control and identify the trade-offs between soil retention and water yield through the lens of runoff and sediment regimes in contrasting catchments of the Loess Plateau (LP) and the Karst Plateau (KP). Although favorable climate and rapid vegetation restoration substantially reduced water erosion in both these areas, the hydrological responses were not the same because of climate differences. In the arid LP, water and energy variables correlated closely with vegetation cover. Excessive afforestation programs in drylands increased vegetation transpiration and soil evaporation, further exhausting soil water resources, and eventually causing water yield reduction. However, soil and water conservation programs (SWCPs) in the humid KP reduced sediment yield substantially, and the runoff remained stable. Significant runoff reduction in the midstream of the Yellow River aggravated water scarcity and threatened the downstream water demand. Meanwhile, sediment load decline in the LP and the KP impacted sediment deposition in the downstream and estuary formation. From the perspective of integrated catchment governance, human interventions including ERP and SWCP should be more sustainable and consider not only the target process at the local scale (intracoupling effect), but also unprecedented non-target process at the regional scale (telecoupling effect). In addition, it should allow for the supply-demand balance of competing soil and water resources to achieve the coordinated development of resources, environment, and production.

Catchment governance Ecological restoration Soil retention Trade-off Water yield

SCI ; EI

英语

其他

National Natural Science Foundation of China[41901258] ; Guangdong Academy of Sciences (GDAS) Project of Science and Technology Development[2019GDASYL0103001][2020GDASYL-20200401001] ; Guangdong Science and Technology Program[2018B030324002]

Environmental Sciences & Ecology

Environmental Sciences

WOS:000593902800012

ELSEVIER

20203709159723

Reforestation ; Restoration ; Ecology ; Vegetation ; Economic and social effects ; Runoff ; Erosion ; Sediments ; Soil moisture ; Water conservation ; Landforms ; Soil conservation

Flood Control:442.1 ; Water Resources:444 ; Surface Water:444.1 ; Ecology and Ecosystems:454.3 ; Geology:481.1 ; Soil Mechanics and Foundations:483 ; Soils and Soil Mechanics:483.1 ; Agricultural Equipment and Methods; Vegetation and Pest Control:821 ; Social Sciences:971

ENVIRONMENT/ECOLOGY

2-s2.0-85090335789

Scopus

1.Guangdong Open Laboratory of Geospatial Information Technology and Application,Guangzhou Institute of Geography,Guangzhou,510070,China
2.Key Lab of Guangdong for Utilization of Remote Sensing and Geographical Information System,Guangzhou,510070,China
3.School of Earth and Environmental Sciences,The University of Queensland,Brisbane,4072,Australia
4.Shanghai Key Lab for Urban Ecological Processes and Eco-Restoration,School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences,East China Normal University,Shanghai,200241,China
5.Department of Infrastructure Engineering,The University of Melbourne,Parkville,3010,Australia
6.School of Environmental Science and Engineering,Southern University of Science and Technology,Shenzhen,518055,China
7.Institute of Geographical Sciences and Natural Resources Research,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Beijing,100101,China

Jiang，Chong,Guo，Hongwei,Wei，Yongping,et al. Ecological restoration is not sufficient for reconciling the trade-off between soil retention and water yield: A contrasting study from catchment governance perspective[J]. SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT,2021,754.

Jiang，Chong.,Guo，Hongwei.,Wei，Yongping.,Yang，Zhiyuan.,Wang，Xinchi.,...&Zhou，Ping.(2021).Ecological restoration is not sufficient for reconciling the trade-off between soil retention and water yield: A contrasting study from catchment governance perspective.SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT,754.

Jiang，Chong,et al."Ecological restoration is not sufficient for reconciling the trade-off between soil retention and water yield: A contrasting study from catchment governance perspective".SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 754(2021).