Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

The vegetation’s impact on erosion control is widely explored, even though research’ results are scattered where it suggests a both positive and negative relationship between roots and erosion tendency. Research has measured the roots’ impact on erosion by many different methods, hence the aim of this study is to offer a clearance of what factors play an important role in the choice of appropriate species controlling river bank erosion. I have therefore
studied 17 articles concerning vegetation and erosion control, which were found in different databases such as: Web of Knowledge, Biological Sciences, Academic Search Elite and Google Scholar. The articles were then analysed and formed to a theoretical model, which was applied on a field study of two key areas facing erosion in a river bank; Rönne å, Ängelholm municipality, Sweden.
The result of this study stresses the importance of infiltration as well as interception on erosion control. The more the stormwater runoff can be delayed, the less the transport of sediment will occur. Therefore, areas with low infiltration and interception will face bigger problems on river bank erosion than others that do not.
Appropriate species to use in controlling river bank erosion are the ones corresponding to the following factors: high density of fine roots, fast growing, root length, dense root system, stress tolerance and competitive strategies. Other factors to regard are the ones concerning
ground cover, succession, existing vegetation and diversity.