Comparison of the influences of vegetation stem parameters on hydraulic variables and sediment transport capacity

The hydraulic variables (Hv) and sediment transport capacity (Tc) of overland flow have changed immensely due to large-scale revegetation. However, research comparing the influences of stem parameters (diameter, cover, and arrangement) on Hv and Tc is limited. The objectives of this study were to explore and compare the influences of stem parameters on Hv and Tc. Data on three treatment groups with varying stem diameters, covers, arrangements, flow discharges and slopes were collected in this study. With increasing stem diameter, Hv and Tc increased; Hv included the Reynolds and Froude numbers, flow velocity (v), shear stress (τ), stream power (Ω), and unit stream power (ω). However, the trend of the Darcy-Weisbach friction coefficient (f) was opposite. Hv and Tc were significantly influenced by stem diameter and cover. The effect of stem diameter on Hv and Tc was greater than the effects of cover and arrangement. Stem cover as a variable could not be used to adequately estimate the Tc when there were various stem diameters. A new exponential equation involving stem cover and stem diameter was demonstrated to be an appropriate predictor of Tc. Stem diameter and arrangement had no obvious influence on the relationship between Tc and v, and v as an indicator could explain the effect of stem parameters on Hv and Tc. This result could illustrate why the variables, including v, were able to predict Tc under vegetation stem and litter cover.