Loss of Plant Species Diversity Reduces Soil Erosion Resistance

• DOI: 10.1007/s10021-015-9869-6
• Publication Date: 2015-03-31T03:26:05Z
• Authors: Frank Berendse; Jasper van Ruijven; Eelke Jongejans; Saskia Keesstra
• Keywords: Erosion Control

In many estuarine areas around the world, safety of human societies depends on functioning embankments (dikes) that provide protection against river floods and storm tides. Vegetation land-side slopes protects these from erosion by heavy rains or overtopping waves. We carried out a field experiment to investigate effect plant species diversity soil loss through simulated dike. The included four treatments (1, 2, 4, 8 species). third year experiment, we measured net annual measuring losses every 2 weeks. show reduces resistance slopes: increased twofold when declines fourfold. different had strongly diverging effects erosion, both in single-species multi-species plots. Analysis dynamics individual revealed main mechanism explaining strong is compensation insurance effect, is, capacity diverse communities supply take over functions went extinct as consequence fluctuating environmental conditions. conclude restoration other vegetated are essential minimize can contribute greater most densely populated world.