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Cited by 201Hydrology and Sediment Transport ProcessesTree Root and Stability StudiesSoil erosion and sediment transport

Effects of wet meadow riparian vegetation on streambank erosion. 2. Measurements of vegetated bank strength and consequences for failure mechanics

Micheli, E. R., Kirchner, J. W.·2002·Earth Surface Processes and Landforms
DOI 10.1002/esp.340
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Abstract

We measured the effect of wet meadow vegetation on the bank strength and failure mechanics of a meandering montane meadow stream, the South Fork of the Kern River at Monache Meadow, in California's Sierra Nevada. Streambanks colonized by ‘wet’ graminoid meadow vegetation were on average five times stronger than those colonized by ‘dry’ xeric meadow and scrub vegetation. Our measurements show that strength is correlated with vegetation density indicators, including stem counts, standing biomass per unit area, and the ratio of root mass to soil mass. Rushes appear better than sedges at stabilizing coarse bar surfaces, while sedges are far more effective at stabilizing actively eroding cut banks. Wet meadow floodplain vegetation creates a composite cut bank configuration (a cohesive layer overlying cohesionless materials) that erodes via cantilever failure. Field measurements and a geotechnical model of cantilever stability show that by increasing bank strength, wet meadow vegetation increases the thickness, width, and cohesiveness of a bank cantilever, which, in turn, increases the amount of time required to undermine, detach, and remove bank failure blocks. At Monache Meadow, it takes approximately four years to produce and remove a 1 m wide wet meadow bank block. Wet meadow vegetation limits bank migration rates by increasing bank strength, altering bank failure modes, and reducing bank failure frequency. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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  • Extensive root systems of riparian vegetation help stabilize riverbanks, facilitating narrow river channels and reduced rates of lateral channel migration.

    “the extensive root systems of riparian vegetation help to stabilize riverbanks, thus facilitating narrow river channels and reduced rates of lateral channel migration (Hickin 1984; Micheli and Kirchner 2002; Murray and Paola 2003).”

    From A Century of Overabundant Ungulates in Yellowstone’s Lamar Valley: First Elk and Now Bison (2026) · cites this paper as Micheli and Kirchner 2002

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Authors
Micheli, E. R., & Kirchner, J. W.
Affiliations
University of California, Berkeley (US)
Corresponding author
Kirchner, J. W.
ORCID
Venue
Earth Surface Processes and Landforms
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2002-07-07
Volume
27
Issue
7
Pages
687-697
ISSN
  • 0197-9337 (ISSN-L)
  • 1096-9837
DOI
10.1002/esp.340
OpenAlex
W1981417182
Cited by
201
References
25
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 16 · 2020: 14 · 2019: 13 · 2018: 11 · 2017: 16 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 9 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 11 · 2012: 7
FWCI
2.82
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor (vor, 5 d)
Locations
Earth Surface Processes and Landforms (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Hydrology and Sediment Transport Processes
  • Physical Sciences › Engineering › Mechanical Engineering › Tree Root and Stability Studies
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Soil erosion and sediment transport
Keywords
streambank erosion, riparian vegetation, cutbanks, vegetation density, Juncaceae, Cyperaceae, Kern River, Sierra Nevada

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