The effectiviness of plant cover in reducing erosion of steep slopes and its use for recultivation of mining waste dumps

Abstract

By a conceptual model it is evaluated, how and in which relative extent the vegetation reduces the surface layer erosion under rainwater. In consideration of the Hungarian climatic conditions, two mechanisms are taken into account: 1. the striking and splashing effect of raindrops (the soil structure breaks apart to small particles, and these are subsequently moved airborne downslope), 2. sheet erosion (the rainwater moves down the hill and carries small pieces of soil with it). The model provides a mathematical expression for the soil volume eroded per unit time.