Root Characteristics and Water Erosion-Reducing Ability of Alpine Silver Grass and Yushan Cane for Alpine Grassland Soil Conservation

Abstract

In Taiwan, intensive forest fires frequently cause serious forest degradation, soil erosion and impacts on alpine vegetation. Post-fire succession often induces the substitution of forest by alpine grassland. Alpine silver grass (Miscanthus transmorrisonensis Hay.) and Yushan cane (Yushania niitakayamensis (Hay.) Keng f.) are two main endemic species emerging on post-fire alpine grassland. These species play a major role in the recovery of alpine vegetation and soil conservation of alpine grassland. However, their root traits, root mechanical properties and water erosion-reducing ability have still not been well studied. In the present study, root characteristics were examined using a complete excavation method. Root mechanical characteristics were estimated by utilizing the uprooting test and root tensile test, and hydraulic flume experiments were performed to investigate the water erosion-reducing ability using 8-month-old plants. The results show that the root architecture system of Alpine silver grass belongs to fibrous root system, while the Yushan cane has sympodial-tufted rhizomes with a fibrous root system. Root characteristics reveal that relative to Alpine silver grass, Yushan cane has remarkably larger root collar diameter, higher root biomass, larger root volume, higher root density, and a higher root tissue density. Furthermore, uprooting resistance of Yushan cane is notably higher than that of Alpine silver grass. However, the root tensile strength of Alpine silver grass is significantly higher than that of Yushan cane. Additionally, hydraulic flume experiments reveal that Yushan cane has significantly lower soil detachment rates than that of Alpine silver grass. Collectively, these findings clearly show that Yushan cane has superior root characteristics and water erosion-reducing ability than Alpine silver grass and is thus more suitable for the conservation of alpine grassland.