Erosion-resistance effects of Glycyrrhiza vegetation coverage

The present study determined erosion-resistance effects of fields planted with Glycyrrhiza uralensis through measuring soil moisture content, aerodynamic roughness of soil surface and soil loss. The above ground biomass of G.uralensis community significantly increased with the extension of growing years. The aerodynamic roughness of soil surface increased by 12~55 times and soil moisture content in soil surface (0-5 cm) increased by 27%～148% after G.uralensis planted. Soil wind erosion in G.uralensis lands significantly decrease by 16%~83% than that of barren land. The above ground biomass positively correlated with roughness length and soil moisture content and negatively correlated with soil erosion. The possible mechanism of wind erosion resistance by planting G.uralensis was that surface of cultivated land was covered by the above ground dry branches and fallen leaves of G.uralensis which increased roughness of soil surface and topsoil moisture content, decreased the wind speed on soil surface and increased the starting wind speed for soil sand grain.