Nonlinear biofluvial responses to vegetation change in a semiarid environment

摘要: Abstract The desertification of grassland communities in the Jornada del Muerto Basin, southern New Mexico, USA, has occurred association with a series geomorphic responses that have influenced system vegetation change. Rainfall simulation experiments indicate volume runoff generated from basin surfaces and its ability to erode are greatly affected by distribution vegetation, which ultimately controls processes such as rainsplash erosion, soil infiltrability crust development. Animal activities also influence rates sediment movement unvegetated disrupting crusts making loose available for transportation overland flow. Shrublands Basin patchier cover than grasslands, vegetated areas (shrubs) being separated (intershrub) zones. exposed intershrub more vulnerable erosion grass shrub surfaces. Thus, water yields, calculated using rainfall experiments, were higher (shrub grass) plots they plots. model, KINEROS2, predicts at base 100 m slope, shrubland shed seven times 25 Evidence support prediction can be found form extensive rill networks common this community. contraction grasslands been associated elevated altered morphology surface, lowering slopes between shrubs, increasing amplitude microtopography. Overall, viability soils recolonization grasses reduced, reinforcing invasion lending use state-and-transition models describe ecologic change within environment. Combined, these results biophysical interactions semiarid environments, extremely complex highlight need integrative investigations regions.