Skip to main content

Species selection is vitally important for ensuring the success of any ecotechnological solution that may be employed on a particular site. The purpose of this chapter is to provide the engineer with a database of plant species that are suitable for both soil and slope stability by either mechanical or hydrological means, i.e., anchoring and buttressing of deep tap roots; bank and channel reinforcement; deep reinforcement and soil strength enhancement; removing soil moisture, surface protection, shallow reinforcement and erosion control. Protection forests rely on the stability of trees to maintain their integrity especially during storms and with regard to rockfall or avalanches. We therefore provide guidelines as to which species best resist these abiotic forces on slopes.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Abe K, Ziemer RR (1991) Effect of tree roots on shallow-seated landslides. USDA Forest Service, Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-130

    Google Scholar 

  • Alard D, Bance JF, Frileux PN (1994) Grassland vegetation as an indicator of the main agroecological factors in a rural landscape: consequences for biodiversity and wildlife conservation in central Normandy (France). J Env Manage 42:91-109

    Google Scholar 

  • Barraclough PB, Wier AH, Kuhlmann H (1991) Factors affecting the growth and distribution ofwinter wheat roots under UK field conditions. In: McMichael BL, Persson H (eds) Plant Roots and their Environment, Proceedings of an ISRR Symposium, August 21-26 1988, Uppsala, Sweden. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 410-417

    Google Scholar 

  • Bédécarrats A (1991) Dynamique des enherbements des pistes de ski en Savoie et leur gestion pastorale. In: IVth International Rangeland Congress, Association Française de Pastoralisme, Montpellier, France, pp 77-80

    Google Scholar 

  • Bochet E, Poesen J, Rubio JL (2006) Runoff and soil loss under individual plants of a semiarid Mediterranean shrubland: influence of plant morphology and rainfall intensity. Earth Surf Proc Land 31:536-549

    Google Scholar 

  • Bouchon J (1987) Etat de la recherché relative aux dégâts forestiers dus aux tempêtes. Revue Forestière Française XXXIX 4:301-312

    Google Scholar 

  • Brauner M, Weinmeister W, Agner P, Vospernik S, Hoesle B (2005) Forest management decision support for evaluating forest protection effects against rockfall. For Ecol Manage 207:75-85

    Google Scholar 

  • Bűsgen M, Munch E, Thomson T (1929) The structure and life of forest trees. Chapman and Hall, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Cammeraat LH, Van Beek R, Kooijman A (2005) Vegetation succession and its consequences for slope stability in SE Spain. Plant Soil 278:135-147

    Google Scholar 

  • Coppin NJ, Richards IJ (1990) Use of Vegetation in Civil Engineering. CIRIA, Butterworths, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Couturier DE, Ripley EA (1973) Rainfall interception in mixed grass prairie. Can J Plant Sci 53:659-663

    Google Scholar 

  • Danjon F, Barker DH, Drexhage M, Stokes A (2007) Using 3D plant root architecture in models of shallow slope stability. Ann Bot-London, in press

    Google Scholar 

  • De Baets S, Poesen J, Knapen A, Barberá GG, Navarro JA (2007) Root characteristics of representative Mediterranean plant species and their erosion-reducing potential during concentrated runoff. Plant Soil 294:169-183

    Google Scholar 

  • Di Iorio A, Lasserre B, Scippa GS, Chiatante D (2005) Root system architecture of Quercus pubescens trees growing on different sloping conditions. Ann Bot-Lond 95:351-361

    Google Scholar 

  • Dissmeyer GE, Foster GR (1985) Modifying the universal soil loss equation for forest land. In: El-Swaify SA, Moldenhauer WC, Lo A (eds) Soil Erosion and Conservation Soil Conservation Society of America, Ankeny, pp 480-495

    Google Scholar 

  • Dorren LKA, Berger F, le Hir C, Mermin E, Tardif P (2005) Mechanisms, effects and management implications of rockfall in forests. For Ecol Manage 215:183-195

    Google Scholar 

  • Dorren LKA, Berger F (2006) Stem breakage of trees and energy dissipation during rockfall impacts. Tree Physiol 26:63-71

    Google Scholar 

  • Eis S (1978) Natural root forms of western conifers. In: Symposium on Root Form of Planted Trees. Victoria, BC, Canada, pp 23-27

    Google Scholar 

  • Forman R, Godron M (1986) Landscape Ecology. Wiley, Chichester, U.K.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gray DH, Sotir RB (1996) Biotechnical and Soil Bioengineering Slope Stabilization: A Practical Guide for Erosion Control. Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Gyssels G, Poesen J, Nachtergaele J, Govers G (2002) The impact of sowing density of small grains on rill and gully erosion in concentrated flow zones. Soil Tillage Res 64:189-201

    Google Scholar 

  • Gyssels G, Poesen J, Bochet E, Li Y (2005) Impact of plant roots on the resistance of soils to erosion by water: a review. Prog Phys Geog 29:189-217

    Google Scholar 

  • Hartman R, De Boodt M (1974) The influence of the moisture content, texture and organicmatter on the aggregation of sandy and loamy soils. Geoderma 11:53-62

    Google Scholar 

  • Henderson R, Ford ED, Deans JD, Renshaw E (1983) Morphology of the structural root system of Sitka Spruce. 1: Analysis and quantitative description. Forestry 56:121-135

    Google Scholar 

  • Heumader J (2007) Revegetation on steep slopes and in subalpine areas using biennial cover plants: a review of Huter’s technique. In: Stokes A, Spanos I, Norris JE, Cammeraat LH (eds) Ecoand Ground Bio-Engineering: The Use of Vegetation to Improve Slope Stability. Developments in Plant and Soil Sciences. Springer, Dordrecht, Netherlands, pp 427-438

    Google Scholar 

  • Köstler JN, Brückner E, Bibelriether H (1968) Die Wurzeln der Waldbäume. Verlag Paul Parey, Hamburg & Berlin

    Google Scholar 

  • Kupferschmid Albisetti AD, Brang P, Schonenberger W, Bugmann H (2003) Decay of Picea abies snag stands on steep mountain slopes. For Chron 79:247-252

    Google Scholar 

  • Kutschera L, Lichtenegger E (1997) Wurzeln. Bewurzelung von Pflanzen in verschiedenen Lebensräumen. Stapfia 49, Land Oberösterreich, OÖ. Landesmuseum, Linz

    Google Scholar 

  • Kutschera L, Lichtenegger E (2002) Wurzelatlas mitteleuropäischer Waldbäume und Sträucher. Leopold Stocker Verlag, Graz-Stuttgart

    Google Scholar 

  • Lammeranner W, Rauch HP, Laaha G (2005) Implementation and monitoring of soil bioengineering measures at a landslide in the Middle Mountains of Nepal. Plant Soil 278:159-170

    Google Scholar 

  • Mattia C, Bischetti GB, Gentile F (2005) Biotechnical characteristics of root systems of typical Mediterranean species. Plant Soil 278:23-32

    Google Scholar 

  • Mickovski SB, Stokes A, van Beek LPH (2005) A decision support tool for windthrow hazard assessment and prevention. For Ecol Manage 216:64-76

    Google Scholar 

  • Muller S, Dutoit T, Alard D, Grévilliot F (1998) Restoration and rehabilitation of species-rich grassland ecosystems in France: a review. Rest Ecol 6:94-101

    Google Scholar 

  • Myers RD (1993) Slope Stabilization and Erosion Control Using Vegetation: A Manual of Practice for Coastal Bluff. Document number 30, Washington State-Department of Ecology, Ecology publications

    Google Scholar 

  • Preston NJ, Crozier MJ (1999) Resistance to shallow landslide failure through root-derived cohesion in East Coast Hill Country soils, North Island, New Zealand. Earth Surf Proc Land 24:665-675

    Google Scholar 

  • Prosser IP, Dietrich WE, Stevenson J (1995) Flow resistance and sediment transport by concentrated overland flow in a grassland valley. Geomorphology 13:71-86

    Google Scholar 

  • Recondes (2007) Combating Land Degradation by Minimal Intervention: The Connectivity Reduction Approach, RECONDES team (eds), Published by University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, UK, http://www.port.ac.uk/research/recondes/

  • Reid BJ, Goss MJ (1987) Effect of living roots of different plant species on the aggregate stability of two arable soils. J Soil Sci 32:521-541

    Google Scholar 

  • Reubens B, Poesen J, Danjon F, Geudens G, Muys B (2007) The role of fine and coarse roots in shallow slope stability and soil erosion control with a focus on root system architecture: a review. Trees-Struct Func 4:385-402

    Google Scholar 

  • Schiechtl HM (1980) Bioengineering for Land Reclamation and Conservation. University of Alberta Press, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

    Google Scholar 

  • Schmid T, Mueller U, Tognini F, Meyer J (2007) Comparison of revegetation techniques on alpine slopes prone to avalanches and erosion. In: Stokes A, Spanos I, Norris JE, Cammeraat LH (eds) Ecoand Ground Bio-Engineering: The Use of Vegetation to Improve Slope Stability. Developments in Plant and Soil Sciences Volume 103, Springer Publishers, Dordrecht, pp 433-438

    Google Scholar 

  • Schönenberger W, Noack A, Thee P (2005) Effect of timber removal from windthrow slopes on the risk of snow avalanches and rockfall. For Ecol Manage 213:197-208

    Google Scholar 

  • Sidle RC, Pearce AJ, O’Loughlin CL (1985) Hillslope stability and land use. Am Geophys U. Water Res Monogr 11, pp 140

    Google Scholar 

  • Stokes A (2002) The biomechanics of tree root anchorage. In: Waisel Y, Eshel A, Kafkaki U (eds) Plant Roots-The Hidden Half. Plenum Publishing, New York, pp 175-186

    Google Scholar 

  • Stokes A (2006) Selecting tree species for rockfall protection forests. For Snow Land Res 80:77-86

    Google Scholar 

  • Stokes A, Salin F, Kokutse AD, Berthier S, Jeannin H, Mochan S, Kokutse N, Dorren L, Abd.Ghani M, Fourcaud T (2005) Mechanical resistance of different tree species to rockfall in the French Alps. Plant Soil 278:107-117

    Google Scholar 

  • Tasser E, Mader M, Tappeiner U (2003) Effects of land use in alpine grasslands on the probability of landslides. Basic Appl Ecol 4:271-280

    Google Scholar 

  • Tengbeh GT (1993) The effect of grass roots on shear strength variations with moisture content. Soil Tech 6:387-295

    Google Scholar 

  • Tsukamoto Y, Kusakabe O (1984) Vegetative influences on debris slide occurrences on steep slopes in Japan. In: Proc. Symposium Effects of Forest Land Use on Erosion and Slope Stability, Environment and policy Institute, Honolulu, Hawaii

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Beek LPH, Wint J, Cammeraat LH, Edwards JP (2005) Observation and simulation of root reinforcement on abandoned Mediterranean slopes. Plant Soil 278:55-74

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Noordwijk M, Brouwer G (1991) Review of quantitative root length data in agriculture. In: McMichael BL and Persson H (eds) Plant Roots and their Environment, Proceedings of an ISSR Symposium, August 21-26, 1988, Uppsala, Sweden, Elsevier Science Publishers, Amsterdam, pp 515-525

    Google Scholar 

  • Weigel G, Shrestha RB, Meyer WP, Berg C (1987) Vegetative Soil Conservation Measures: A Field Manual. Vol. 1. Soil and Watershed Conservation Section Tansen, Palpa, Nepal

    Google Scholar 

  • Wu TH (2007) Root reinforcement analyses and experiments. In: Stokes A, Spanos I, Norris JE, Cammeraat LH (eds) Ecoand Ground Bio-Engineering: The Use of Vegetation to Improve Slope Stability. Developments in Plant and Soil Sciences. Springer, Dordrecht, Netherlands, pp 21-30

    Google Scholar 

  • Wu TH, Watson AJ, El-Khouly MA (2004) Soil-root interaction and slope stability. In: Barker DH, Watson AJ, Sombatpanit B, Northcut B, Magliano AR (eds) Ground and Water Bioengineering for Erosion Control and Slope Stabilization. Science Publishers Inc. USA, pp 183-192

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2008 Springer Science + Business Media B.V

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Norris, J.E., Di Iorio, A., Stokes, A., Nicoll, B.C., Achim, A. (2008). Species Selection for Soil Reinforcement and Protection. In: Norris, J.E., et al. Slope Stability and Erosion Control: Ecotechnological Solutions. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-6676-4_6

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics