Hydrological response of abandoned agricultural soils along a climatological gradient on metamorphic parent material in southern Spain

Abstract

The hydrological and erosive response of the Mediterranean eco-geomorphologic system has showed a very variable and complex behaviour depending on several factors: topography, geology, vegetation pattern, soil properties, land use management, etc. Climate is a key factor due to the great spatial and temporal variability. This research was carried out over different micro-environments representative from fi ve hillslopes localized in the Littoral Bethic Mountains in the south of Spain. The results of 20 experiments with rainfall simulations on micro-plots (0.24 m 2 ) and the differences of the incidence of some biotic and abiotic factors in the eco-geomorphologic system from semi-arid, dry-Mediterranean and sub-humid sites are exposed. Runoff, soil moisture and sediment were measured before, during and after the experiments. The results have shown rock fragments disposition on soil surface and vegetation seem to be the main factors that control the hydrological and erosive response at the micro-plot-scale of the experiments. Embedded rock fragments are the most important soil surface property because they reduce the infi ltration. Whilst vegetation increases it what is more infl uential on the hydrological and erosive response of microenvironments at more arid sites. We have also observed that there are micro-environment particularities which play a more important role than the localization in the climatic gradient at micro-plot scale.

Soil erosion assessment on tillage and alternative soil managements in a Sicilian vineyard

“…Organic matter loss causes soil aggregates to break down easily and increases soil erodibility (Wu and Tiessen, 2002;Cantó n et al, 2009). Soil erosion depends not only on soil characteristics, climate, and slope (Ruiz Sinoga and Martinez Murillo, 2009), but also on land use and cover plants (García-Ruiz, 2010). In the Mediterranean, in particular, vineyards on hilly areas have the highest measured soil losses compared to rainfed cereals, olives, eucalyptus plantation or scrubland (Kosmas et al, 1997).…”

Contrasted Impact of Land Abandonment on Soil Erosion in Mediterranean Agriculture Fields

“…The process of abandonment can be considered as a world-wide change associated to a progressive abandonment of traditional agricultural practices, which is enhancing land degradation processes by increasing sediment and water yield (García-Ruiz and Lana-Renault, 2011;Ruiz-Sinoga and Martinez-Murillo, 2009;Ries 2010). However, we found that not always the abandonment results in higher soil erosion rates.…”

“…The vegetation recovery in the orange and olive terraced orchards is the key factor to determine the high infiltration rates and negligible soil erosion. Vegetation can function as natural filter enhancing infiltration, and avoid soil crusting development and enhance aggregate formation Ruiz-Sinoga and Martinez-Murillo, 2009). Governmental policies must promote plant recovery after abandonment.…”

“…Herbs and shrub recover fast (<5 years) after the abandonment . However, vegetation recovery is by far slower in semi-arid areas as well as Mediterranean territories, where water is the key resource for plant recovery (Cammeraat et al, 2010;Ries, 2010;Ruiz-Sinoga and Martinez-Murillo, 2009). In cultivated fields, the removal of the weeds by tillage or herbicides results in extremely high erosion rates Prosdocimi et al, 2016a).…”

Impact of Low Pressure Grazing on the Hydrological and Sediment Connectivity in Hillslopes under Contrasted Mediterranean Climatic Conditions (South of Spain)

“…Generally speaking, along the rainfall gradient observed in the study area, a decrease in vegetation cover would be expected (Lavee et al, ), being higher in HU and lower in SM. Vegetation is a key factor in connectivity: it influences surface roughness and local capacity to store sediments and water (Puigdefábregas et al, ) and, also, increasing infiltration (Bochet et al, ; Cammeraat, ; Ruiz‐Sinoga & Martínez‐Murillo, ). Hence, vegetation contributes towards disconnecting upstream and downstream areas (Borselli et al, ).…”