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Bedrock geochemistry influences vegetation growth by regulating the regolith water holding capacity.

ABSTRACT: Although low vegetation productivity has been observed in karst regions, whether and how bedrock geochemistry contributes to the low karstic vegetation productivity remain unclear. In this study, we address this knowledge gap by exploring the importance of bedrock geochemistry on vegetation productivity based on a critical zone investigation across a typical karst region in Southwest China. We show silicon and calcium concentrations in bedrock are strongly correlated with the regolith water loss rate (RWLR), while RWLR can predict vegetation productivity more effectively than previous models. Furthermore, the analysis based on 12 selected karst regions worldwide further suggest that lithological regulation has the potential to obscure and distort the influence of climate change. Our study implies that bedrock geochemistry could exert effects on vegetation growth in karst regions and highlights that the critical role of bedrock geochemistry for the karst region should not be ignored in the earth system model.

SUBMITTER: Jiang Z

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7220924 | biostudies-literature | 2020 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Bedrock geochemistry influences vegetation growth by regulating the regolith water holding capacity.

Jiang Zihan Z Liu Hongyan H Wang Hongya H Peng Jian J Meersmans Jeroen J Green Sophie M SM Quine Timothy A TA Wu Xiuchen X Song Zhaoliang Z

Nature communications 20200513 1

Although low vegetation productivity has been observed in karst regions, whether and how bedrock geochemistry contributes to the low karstic vegetation productivity remain unclear. In this study, we address this knowledge gap by exploring the importance of bedrock geochemistry on vegetation productivity based on a critical zone investigation across a typical karst region in Southwest China. We show silicon and calcium concentrations in bedrock are strongly correlated with the regolith water loss ...[more]

PMID: 32404911

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Project description:Forest management practices play an important role in regulating the soil water-holding capacity of plantation. However, most studies focus on soil water dynamics present during large-scale forest loss and afforestation events, while little is known about how soil water under different forest management practices responds to rainfall events and which factors mainly regulate soil water-holding capacity. In this study, a stable hydrogen isotope was used to explore the contribution of three natural rainfall events (8.9, 13.3 and 67.7 mm) to soil water (CRSW) in a Pinus massoniana plantation under four forest management practices (no thinning (NTN), understory removal (USR), light-intensity thinning (LIT) and heavy-intensity thinning (HIT)) in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area of the Yangtze River Basin in China. Furthermore, a structural equation model was employed to determine the effects of vegetation biomass and soil properties on the CRSW. The results showed that plantation soil under different forest management practices exhibited different water-holding capacities. Following light (8.9 mm) and moderate (13.3 mm) rainfall events, the CRSW in the HIT stand was slightly higher than that in the other stands. Following heavy (66.7 mm) rainfall event, the CRSW of most layers in USR stand was not different from the other three stands, while the CRSW in the LIT and NTN stands was significantly higher than that in the HIT stand in the 0-100 cm soil layers, suggesting that soil in the LIT and NTN stands had a greater water-holding capacity than that in the HIT stand. In addition, soil properties were the main factors directly affecting the CRSW, explaining 60% and 37% of the variation in the CRSW on the first and seventh days after heavy rainfall, respectively. Overall, compared to the HIT stand, the LIT and NTN stands showed greater capacity in retaining rainwater. Therefore, under expected global changes with frequent occurrences of extreme precipitation events, methods involving light-intensity and no thinning should be employed to build up soil and water conservation functions, which will be critical for keeping water-holding capacity and moderating floods.

Dataset Information

Bedrock geochemistry influences vegetation growth by regulating the regolith water holding capacity.

Publications

Bedrock geochemistry influences vegetation growth by regulating the regolith water holding capacity.

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