@article{fdi:010078939,
  title = {{H}igher runoff and soil detachment in rubber tree plantations compared to annual cultivation is mitigated by ground cover in steep mountainous {T}hailand},
  author = {{N}eyret, {M}. and {R}obain, {H}enri and {D}e {R}ouw, {A}nneke and {J}aneau, {J}ean-{L}ouis and {D}urand, {T}. and {K}aewthip, {J}. and {T}risophon, {K}. and {V}alentin, {C}hristian},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{D}ue to high rainfall erosivity and rapid land-use changes, {S}outh-{E}ast {A}sia is one of the hot spots of soil degradation worldwide. {I}n recent decades, several studies showed that the expansion of rubber tree ({RT}) plantations into previously forested areas has caused a major increase in soil erosion. {H}owever, the effects of cropland conversion to {RT} plantations on surface runoff and soil detachment are still unclear. {H}ere we show that mature {RT} plantations considerably increase runoff and soil detachment compared to annual crops or young {RT} plantations with intercrop, mostly due to the absence of understorey. {M}onitoring 1 m(2) microplots over four years in mountainous {N}orthern {T}hailand, we found that runoff and detachment increased with time since the onset of the rainy season and with rainfall height, but more so in mature {RT} plantations than in young {RT} plantations and maize. {T}his led to much higher annual soil detachment in mature {RT} plantations (5.7 kg/m(2) on average) than in maize and young {RT} plantations with intercrop (0.36 kg/m(2)). {W}e identified two main factors explaining this difference: first, rubber tree leaf litter, although abundant, seemed ineffective in reducing runoff at the end of the rainy season. {S}econdly, the cover by low-growing plants in mature rubber tree plantation was usually sparse and provided little protection. {I}n particular we showed that increasing the cover by low-growing plants from quasi-null cover to >31% cover decreased runoff coefficient by 32%. {O}ur results demonstrate that afforestation by {RT}, at least under current management practices and on steep slopes, is overall detrimental to soil conservation but that its effects could be mitigated by the adoption of less intense weeding practices.},
  keywords = {{R}ubber trees ; {S}oil detachment ; {L}and use change ; {S}oil erosion ; {S}teep slopes ; {G}round cover ; {THAILANDE}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{C}atena},
  volume = {189},
  numero = {},
  pages = {art. 104472 [12 ]},
  ISSN = {0341-8162},
  year = {2020},
  DOI = {10.1016/j.catena.2020.104472},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010078939},
}