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The role of some vegetation parameters of Gundelia tournefortii L. in controlling runoff generation and sediment yield based on rainfall simulation experiments in major habitats of Central Zagros, Iran

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Abstract

This study was performed in major habitats of Gundelia tournefortii L. in the Central Zagros region, Iran, to pursue the two following objectives: (a) analyzing the percentage of canopy cover and density per unit area (m2) of the plant in controlling runoff and reducing the soil loss amount and (b) investigating some soil physicochemical properties and their impact on reducing the amount of runoff generation and sediment yield. The vegetation parameters of G. tournefortii L. were measured by completely randomized design using transect quadrat sampling method. It used a portable rainfall simulator apparatus. The highest amount of efficacy of the vegetation parameters of G. tournefortii L. in controlling runoff generation and sediment yield occurred during the first fifteen minutes of the rainfall continuity times in comparison to the second fifteen minutes of ones. As a result, in relation to runoff generation, the study sites No. 5 (1.73), No. 4 (1.85), No. 8 (1.90), and No. 1 (1.96) mm were allocated the largest contribution, respectively. Meanwhile, in relation to sediment yield, the following results were obtained. The study sites No. 5 (10.87), No. 4 (10.55), No. 8 (11.23), and No. 1 (11.35) g had the largest contribution, respectively. The findings showed that G. tournefortii L. has a prominent role in controlling runoff generation and sediment yield, and because of its high compatibility and deployment, it can be introduced as a suitable cover plant for soil conservation in natural fields.

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Data availability

Due to privacy and ethical concerns, the data and material of the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Code availability

The datasets generated during and analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge the Department of Natural Resources at Isfahan University of Technology (IUT) Iran, for providing equipment and facilities for the research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Natural Resources, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, 84156–83111, Iran

    Hamidreza Karimzadeh, Hamid Reza Farhang & Mostafa Tarkesh Esfahani

  2. Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, 84156–83111, Iran

    Mehdi Rahimmalek

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  1. Hamidreza Karimzadeh
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Contributions

Hamidreza Karimzadeh is the supervisor, coordinator of all research steps, and the corresponding author of the research. Research fields: soil science, soil and water conservation, environmental impact assessment, land use planning, and land use management. Hamid Reza Farhang designed and performed all experiments and co-wrote the manuscript. Research fields: medicinal plants (phytochemical characteristics: secondary metabolites and chemical bioactive compounds), biosynthesis and studies associated with nanotechnology involving green synthesis and biosynthesis of mentioned plants; plant ecology (study on autecology and synecology/quantitative ecology traits of rangeland species plants); phytosociology and biodiversity. Mehdi Rahimmalek is the research advisor and coordinator of all phytochemical experiments affairs and co-wrote the manuscript. Research fields: medicinal plants, secondary metabolite extraction and analysis and biotechnology medicinal plant breeding. Mostafa Tarkesh Esfahani is the research advisor, designed and analyzed data experiments, and co-wrote the manuscript. Research fields: spatial modeling; species distribution modeling and rangeland inventory.

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Karimzadeh, H., Farhang, H.R., Rahimmalek, M. et al. The role of some vegetation parameters of Gundelia tournefortii L. in controlling runoff generation and sediment yield based on rainfall simulation experiments in major habitats of Central Zagros, Iran. Arab J Geosci 16, 429 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-023-11501-2

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