Discussion on the Mechanism Research of Pioneer Plant Roots in Riverbank Soil Conservation and Slope Stabilization in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area

Abstract

The change of fluctuating rhythm of water level resulted from the construction of the Three Gorges Hydropower Project impacts the composition and structure of riverbank plant communities and plant growth in the reservoir area, which further affects the effects of plant root systems on soil conservation and slope stabilization. The changing trends of riverside ecological environment and vegetation in the reservoir area were analyzed in this paper, so was the study of mechanism on plant root systems in soil conservation and slope stabilization. Some suggestions were put forward finally for the mechanism research of pioneer plant roots in riverbank soil conservation and slope stabilization. It was suggested that the effects and mechanism of plant roots in soil conservation and slope stabilization in the Three Gorges reservoir area could be evaluated and uncovered by studying the temporal and spatial dynamics of root tensile strength, erosion resistance, shear resistance, soil physical and chemical properties, and their relationship with dynamics of the pioneer plant root structure responding to environmental changes induced by the construction of the hydropower project. The study also should include field investigation and simulated experiments in laboratory. The field investigation could reveal the changes of temporal and spatial dynamics of pioneer plant roots’ tensile strength, erosion resistance, shear resistance, and soil physical properties. The simulated experiments could evaluate quantitatively the relationship between plant root structure and their effects on soil conservation and slope stabilization.