Correlating hydrologic reinforcement of vegetated soil with plant traits during establishment of woody perennials

Background and aims Vegetation stabilizes slopes via root mechanical reinforcement and hydrologic reinforcement induced by transpiration. Most studies have focused on mechanical reinforcement and its correlation with plant biomechanical traits. The correlations however generally ignore the effects of hydrologic reinforcement. This study aims to quantify the hydrologic reinforcement associated with ten woody species and identify correlations with relevant plant traits.