Trees slow down erosion and allow soil progression in an extremely high-rainfall old-growth mixed dipterocarp forest of southwest Sri Lanka
The result's identifiers
Result code in IS VaVaI
<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F00027073%3A_____%2F25%3AN0000073" target="_blank" >RIV/00027073:_____/25:N0000073 - isvavai.cz</a>
Alternative codes found
RIV/62156489:43410/25:43926801
Result on the web
<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0341816225002139?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" >https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0341816225002139?via%3Dihub</a>
DOI - Digital Object Identifier
<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2025.108911" target="_blank" >10.1016/j.catena.2025.108911</a>
Alternative languages
Result language
angličtina
Original language name
Trees slow down erosion and allow soil progression in an extremely high-rainfall old-growth mixed dipterocarp forest of southwest Sri Lanka
Original language description
Recent studies have revealed that trees can significantly drive soil evolution and hillslope processes in some temperate forests through mechanical soil disturbances such as tree uprootings. Such tree-soil interactions have resulted in improved biogeomorphic state transition models for old-growth forests. However, the situation in humid tropical forests, with extreme precipitation and different soil-forming processes, is less explored. Here, we focus on the erosion rates and biogeomorphic roles of trees in the Sinharaja Old-Growth Mixed Dipterocarp Forest, Southwest Sri Lanka. The site is notable for the fact that, despite high rainfall in this tropical primary forest reaching 5674 mm per year, there are well-developed Alisols. We hypothesized that the erosion rate would still be similar to the expected soil production rate (ca 1 t ha(-1) yr(-1)), despite the precipitation, and that there would be a significant bioprotective function of trees. Total denudation was assessed using various radiometrical methods, resulting in a long-term erosion rate ranging from 0.24 to 0.9 t ha(-1) yr(-1), and a recent erosion rate of 10.8 t ha(-1) yr(-1). The ability of trees to protect and stabilize soil was indeed significant in the Sinharaja forest reserve, with 3.65 t ha(-1) of measurably protected soil. However, trees also contribute to erosion as well, and interestingly, tree uprootings had a lesser impact than tree breakages. Such biotic-abiotic interactions can allow the progression of soils and may be important in protecting soils during ongoing climate change.
Czech name
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Czech description
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Classification
Type
J<sub>imp</sub> - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database
CEP classification
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OECD FORD branch
10618 - Ecology
Result continuities
Project
<a href="/en/project/GA24-11119S" target="_blank" >GA24-11119S: A global model of treethrow forms and the role of tree mortality in carbon storage</a><br>
Continuities
P - Projekt vyzkumu a vyvoje financovany z verejnych zdroju (s odkazem do CEP)
Others
Publication year
2025
Confidentiality
S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů
Data specific for result type
Name of the periodical
Catena
ISSN
0341-8162
e-ISSN
1872-6887
Volume of the periodical
254
Issue of the periodical within the volume
30 June 2025
Country of publishing house
NL - THE KINGDOM OF THE NETHERLANDS
Number of pages
14
Pages from-to
108911
UT code for WoS article
001451755400001
EID of the result in the Scopus database
2-s2.0-105000241463