Abstract
During rapid urbanization, it is necessary to increase soil permeability and soil porosity for reducing urban runoff and waterlogging risk. Woody plants are known to increase soil porosity and preferential flow in soil via living roots growth and dead roots decay. However, the primary results of dead woody plant roots on soil porosity and permeability have been discussed based only on the hypotheses or assumptions of different researchers. In this study, living and dead roots (decayed under natural conditions for more than 5 years) of Gansu poplar trees (Populus gansuensis) were selected. They were selected to compare the influence between living and dead roots on water infiltration rate and soil porosity in a cylindrical container (diameter = 20 cm, height = 66 cm) under laboratory conditions. Results indicated that the steady-state water fluxes at the bottom of the containers without roots (control), with living roots, and with dead roots were 54.75 ± 0.80, 61.31 ± 0.61, and 55.97 ± 0.59 cm d−1, respectively. Both living roots and dead roots increased the water infiltration rates in soil and also increased the water storage capacity of soil. The water storage capacities of soil without roots, with living roots, and with dead roots were 0.279, 0.317, and 0.322 cm3 cm−3, respectively. The results from SEM indicated that smaller pores (30–50 μm) were in living roots and larger pores (100–1000 μm) were in dead roots. The soil permeability was increased by living roots possibly due to the larger channels generated on the surface of the roots; however, water absorbed into the dead roots resulted in greater water storage capacity.
Highlights
The infiltration rate of underlying surfaces quickly decreases during rapid urbanization due to the dramatic increase in impervious land area
The soil permeability was increased by living roots possibly due to the larger channels generated on the surface of the roots; water absorbed into the dead roots resulted in greater water storage capacity
Woody plants have been proven as a new effective tool in urban stormwater management because woody plants can increase soil porosity and preferential flow by living roots growth and dead roots decay [1,2,3]
Summary
The infiltration rate of underlying surfaces quickly decreases during rapid urbanization due to the dramatic increase in impervious land area. Reported that the soil porosity and soil water holding capacity increased from 41.2% to 46.3% and from 4.3 to 4.8 g kg−1 with the growth of Prosopis juliflora (a woody plant) within 3 years They reported that the bulk density of surface soil decreased from 1.66 to 1.37 t m−3. No previous studies have been conducted to investigate the influence of dead roots on soil porosity and soil permeability nor to compare their effects on water infiltration rate and water storage capacity of soil. Batch-type tests were conducted to compare the accelerating influence between living and dead roots on water infiltration rate and water storage capacity of soil via the volumetric method and water balance method in the laboratory
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