Lau Ka Wah Joyce. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 177-192). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Abstract --- p.i / Acknowledgements --- p.iv / Table of Contents --- p.vi / List of Tables --- p.xi / List of Figures --- p.xiv / List of Plates --- p.xvi / Chapter Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1.1 --- Environment of Hong Kong --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1.1.1 --- Topography --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1.1.2 --- Climate --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1.1.3 --- Expanding population --- p.3 / Chapter 1.1.2 --- Landslide history in Hong Kong and government action --- p.4 / Chapter 1.1.3 --- Slopes in Hong Kong --- p.6 / Chapter 1.1.4 --- Stabilization means --- p.7 / Chapter 1.2 --- Biotechnical stabilization --- p.8 / Chapter 1.2.1 --- Concept --- p.8 / Chapter 1.2.2 --- History --- p.9 / Chapter 1.2.3 --- Advantages and strengths of vegetation --- p.9 / Chapter 1.2.4 --- Other components in biotechnical stabilization --- p.11 / Chapter 1.3 --- The situation in Hong Kong --- p.12 / Chapter 1.3.1 --- Government policy on control of visual impact of slopes --- p.12 / Chapter 1.3.2 --- Landslip Preventive Measures (LPM) Program --- p.15 / Chapter 1.3.3 --- Slope landscaping proprietary systems --- p.16 / Chapter 1.3.3.1 --- Proprietary systems --- p.16 / Chapter 1.3.3.2 --- Problems and limitations --- p.20 / Chapter 1.4 --- Ecosystem reconstruction on slopes --- p.23 / Chapter 1.4.1 --- Concept --- p.23 / Chapter 1.4.2 --- Plant requirements --- p.24 / Chapter 1.4.3 --- Potential challenges --- p.24 / Chapter 1.4.3.1 --- Steep gradient and related problems --- p.24 / Chapter 1.4.3.2 --- Thin soil --- p.24 / Chapter 1.4.3.3 --- Water supply --- p.26 / Chapter 1.4.3.4 --- Nutrient availability --- p.27 / Chapter 1.5 --- Species selection --- p.28 / Chapter 1.5.1 --- Vegetation types --- p.28 / Chapter 1.5.2 --- Natives or exotics --- p.29 / Chapter 1.5.3 --- Currently employed species and problems --- p.29 / Chapter 1.6 --- The current study --- p.31 / Chapter 1.6.1 --- Objectives --- p.31 / Chapter 1.6.2 --- Significance --- p.31 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- Soil status and vegetation of cutslopes --- p.35 / Chapter 2.1 --- Introduction --- p.35 / Chapter 2.2 --- Materials and methods --- p.42 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Physical properties of substrates on slopes --- p.43 / Chapter 2.2.1.1 --- Gradient --- p.43 / Chapter 2.2.1.2 --- Aspect --- p.43 / Chapter 2.2.1.3 --- Soil depth --- p.44 / Chapter 2.2.1.4 --- Bulk density --- p.44 / Chapter 2.2.1.5 --- Soil texture --- p.44 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- Chemical properties of substrates on slopes --- p.45 / Chapter 2.2.2.1 --- pH --- p.45 / Chapter 2.2.2.2 --- Conductivity --- p.45 / Chapter 2.2.2.3 --- Organic carbon --- p.46 / Chapter 2.2.2.4 --- Carbon: nitrogen ratio --- p.46 / Chapter 2.2.2.5 --- Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen --- p.46 / Chapter 2.2.2.6 --- Mineral nitrogen (Ammonium and nitrate) --- p.46 / Chapter 2.2.2.7 --- Total phosphorus --- p.47 / Chapter 2.2.2.8 --- Available phosphorus --- p.47 / Chapter 2.2.2.9 --- Major extractable cations --- p.47 / Chapter 2.2.3 --- Statistical analysis --- p.47 / Chapter 2.2.4 --- Other properties on slopes --- p.48 / Chapter 2.2.4.1 --- Green coverage --- p.48 / Chapter 2.2.4.2 --- Invaded species --- p.48 / Chapter 2.3 --- Results --- p.48 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- Physical properties of substrates on slopes --- p.48 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- Chemical properties of substrates on slopes --- p.51 / Chapter 2.3.3 --- Other properties of the slopes --- p.58 / Chapter 2.3.3.1 --- Green coverage --- p.58 / Chapter 2.3.3.2 --- Invaded species --- p.60 / Chapter 2.4 --- Discussion --- p.61 / Chapter 2.4.1 --- The physical properties of substrates on slopes --- p.63 / Chapter 2.4.2 --- Chemical properties of substrates and their seasonal changes on slopes --- p.66 / Chapter 2.4.3 --- Green coverage and its seasonal changes --- p.70 / Chapter 2.4.4 --- Comparison between the standards and results --- p.75 / Chapter 2.4.5 --- Other problems --- p.78 / Chapter 2.5 --- Summary --- p.79 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- Species selection for cutslope revegetation --- p.81 / Chapter 3.1 --- Introduction --- p.81 / Chapter 3.1.1 --- The need to expand species variety for revegetation --- p.81 / Chapter 3.1.2 --- Criteria for plant selection --- p.81 / Chapter 3.1.3 --- Advantages of grasses and herbaceous legumes --- p.83 / Chapter 3.1.4 --- Pot experiment --- p.85 / Chapter 3.2 --- Materials and methods --- p.86 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Summer grasses --- p.88 / Chapter 3.2.1.1 --- Germination rate --- p.88 / Chapter 3.2.1.2 --- Pot experiment --- p.88 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Summer legumes --- p.90 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- Winter grasses --- p.90 / Chapter 3.2.4 --- Winter legumes --- p.90 / Chapter 3.3 --- Results --- p.91 / Chapter 3.3.1 --- Soil properties --- p.91 / Chapter 3.3.2 --- Aboveground biomass production --- p.91 / Chapter 3.3.2.1 --- Summer grasses --- p.91 / Chapter 3.3.2.2 --- Summer legumes --- p.98 / Chapter 3.3.2.3 --- Winter grasses --- p.101 / Chapter 3.3.2.4 --- Winter legumes --- p.106 / Chapter 3.3.3 --- Foliar nutrient concentration --- p.111 / Chapter 3.3.3.1 --- Summer grass --- p.111 / Chapter 3.3.3.2 --- Summer legumes --- p.113 / Chapter 3.3.3.3 --- Winter grasses --- p.114 / Chapter 3.3.3.4 --- Winter legumes --- p.115 / Chapter 3.4 --- Discussion --- p.116 / Chapter 3.4.1 --- Aboveground biomass production --- p.119 / Chapter 3.4.1.1 --- Summer grasses --- p.119 / Chapter 3.4.1.2 --- Summer legumes --- p.121 / Chapter 3.4.1.3 --- Winter grasses --- p.122 / Chapter 3.4.1.4 --- Winter legumes --- p.125 / Chapter 3.4.2 --- Foliar nutrient concentration --- p.126 / Chapter 3.4.3 --- Common nutrient application and the plant requirements --- p.128 / Chapter 3.5 --- Summary --- p.129 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- Growth of summer grasses in a combination of stresses --- p.131 / Chapter 4.1 --- Introduction --- p.131 / Chapter 4.2 --- Materials and methods --- p.131 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- Study species --- p.131 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- Pot experiment --- p.132 / Chapter 4.3 --- Results --- p.132 / Chapter 4.3.1 --- Pot experiment --- p.132 / Chapter 4.3.1.1 --- Aboveground biomass --- p.132 / Chapter 4.3.1.2 --- Foliar nutrient concentration --- p.138 / Chapter 4.4 --- Discussion --- p.140 / Chapter 4.4.1 --- Pot experiment --- p.140 / Chapter 4.4.1.1 --- Aboveground biomass --- p.140 / Chapter 4.4.1.2 --- Foliar nutrient concentration --- p.141 / Chapter 4.5 --- Summary --- p.141 / Chapter Chapter 5 --- Growth of summer grasses on simulated slopes --- p.143 / Chapter 5.1 --- Introduction --- p.143 / Chapter 5.2 --- Materials and methods --- p.145 / Chapter 5.2.1 --- Study species --- p.145 / Chapter 5.2.2 --- Artificial panel trial --- p.145 / Chapter 5.2.2.1 --- Experimental setup --- p.145 / Chapter 5.2.2.2 --- Growth pattern and green coverage --- p.147 / Chapter 5.2.2.3 --- Sediment runoff and change in soil thickness --- p.147 / Chapter 5.3 --- Results --- p.148 / Chapter 5.3.1 --- Grass growth on artificial panels --- p.148 / Chapter 5.3.1.1 --- Aboveground biomass and green coverage --- p.148 / Chapter 5.3.2 --- "Relationship between rainfall, runoff and soil loss" --- p.149 / Chapter 5.3.2.1 --- Effect of rainfall on runoff --- p.149 / Chapter 5.3.2.2 --- Effect of runoff on soil loss --- p.151 / Chapter 5.3.2.3 --- Effect of rainfall on soil loss --- p.152 / Chapter 5.3.2.4 --- Effect of aspect --- p.154 / Chapter 5.3.2.5 --- Effect of green coverage on soil loss --- p.154 / Chapter 5.3.3 --- Percentage of greening --- p.155 / Chapter 5.3.4 --- Soil thickness --- p.157 / Chapter 5.4 --- Discussion --- p.159 / Chapter 5.4.1 --- Grass growth on artificial panels --- p.159 / Chapter 5.4.2 --- "Relationship between rainfall, runoff and soil loss" --- p.160 / Chapter 5.4.2.1 --- Effect of rainfall on runoff --- p.160 / Chapter 5.4.2.2 --- Effect of runoff on soil loss --- p.160 / Chapter 5.4.2.3 --- Effect of rainfall on soil loss --- p.161 / Chapter 5.4.2.4 --- Effect of aspect on runoff and soil loss --- p.163 / Chapter 5.4.2.5 --- Effect of green coverage on runoff and soil loss --- p.164 / Chapter 5.4.3 --- Effects of other variables --- p.165 / Chapter 5.4.3.1 --- Effect of green coverage --- p.165 / Chapter 5.4.3.2 --- Effect of aspect --- p.167 / Chapter 5.4.4 --- Soil thickness --- p.168 / Chapter 5.5 --- Summary --- p.168 / Chapter Chapter 6 --- Conclusion --- p.170 / Chapter 6.1 --- Summary of major finding --- p.170 / Chapter 6.2 --- Implications of the study --- p.172 / Chapter 6.2.1 --- Growth medium --- p.172 / Chapter 6.2.2 --- Species selection --- p.174 / Chapter 6.3 --- Limitations of the study --- p.175 / Chapter 6.4 --- Suggestions for further investigation --- p.175 / References --- p.177