Hydraulic properties affected by litter and stem cover under overland flow

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AbstractVegetation stems and litter cover have different effects on sediment transport capacity under the same experimental conditions, which in essence, may be due to differences in their hydraulic properties, but the availability of comparative studies is limited. This study aimed to compare the hydraulic properties affected by litter and stem cover, compare differences in the drag forces exerted by litter and stems on overland flow, and develop new Manning's n and flow velocity equations for litter cover. Two series of flume experiments were conducted with the same slope gradients (8.8%, 17.6%, 26.8%) and flow discharge rates (0.5, 1.0 × 10−3 m3 s−1). Artificial Gramineae stems with a 0%–30% cover level and Pinus tabulaeformis litter with a 0%–70% cover level were used in series 1 and series 2, respectively. The flow velocity and depth were measured. The results showed that the Froude number and flow velocity affected by stem cover were much lower than those affected by litter cover, while the opposite trend was observed in the relative magnitude of the Reynolds number, flow depth and shear stress. The form resistance caused by stems was 22–57 times greater than that caused by litter for the same cover level, which suggests that stem cover contributes more than litter cover to increasing the flow resistance and reducing the flow's ability for sediment detachment and transport. Two new equations for calculating Manning's n and flow velocity under the influence of litter cover were developed, with R2 and NSE values of 0.96. The results of this study contribute to revealing the mechanisms of the differences of the effects of stem and litter cover on soil erosion.