Effects of Grass and Forests and the Infiltration Amount on Preferential Flow in Karst Regions of China

  Preferential flow is an important water infiltration phenomenon in karst regions because it can quickly transport surface water to deep soil and increases available water for underground root growth. The response of preferential flow to vegetation restoration requires urgent investigation due to the special soil structure of karst regions. In order to study the effect of vegetation restoration on water movement in karst regions, four kinds of ponded water infiltration experiments were carried out in Pinus Yunnanensis plantation forestland, secondary forestland, and natural grassland. A brilliant blue dyeing experiment was conducted to visualize the distribution of water infiltration in soil (a total of 150 stained images from vertical soil slices). Results showed that the average depth of matrix flow in natural grassland was approximately six times those in plantation and secondary forestlands. An increase in matrix flow will have a negative effect on the development of preferential flow. Water transported in preferential flow paths affects the distribution of nutrients and organic matter in the soil. However, preferential flow in grassland can promote the accumulation of available nutrients, and preferential flow in plantations can inhibit the loss of organic matter. Preferential flow in grasslands and forest plantations is less than that in native forests soils. The results of SEM showed that preferential flow increases the percolation of water in soils. The effect is that preferential flow can obstructs water uptake by the roots under low rainfall conditions, and decreases surface runoff before soil saturation under high rainfall conditions. In the process of nutrient element migration, preferential flow has a good contribution, which is conducive to the migration and accumulation of elements required for surface vegetation growth. The contribution of preferential flow needs to be considered in studies on vegetation restoration planning and land degradation. Reasonable allocation of plantation forests has a certain mitigation effect on soil erosion in Karst areas, and preferential flow under this special geomorphological type is worth studying. Preferential flow can transport nutrients to deeper soil for roots according to the data of this study. Therefore, plantation is feasible under karst landform conditions, but it is better to combine herbaceous plants in a plantation. The results could provide suggestions for the restoration of rocky desertification and the advantages or disadvantages of vegetation restoration engineering in karst areas.