Reclamation of ancient agricultural terraces in the Negev Highlands; soil, archeological, hydrological, and topographical perspectives

Abstract

Ancient terraced lands are considered badlands without profitable utilization except for urbanization. Nevertheless, this attitude prevents further agricultural utilization in addition to the loss of archaeological data. The study hypothesizes that the main influencing part in these systems is the retaining walls (RW). An analysis of their current influence on soil fertility, stability, and hydrology will indicate their adequate reclamation strategy. The objectives are to gather the influences and correlate them to the RW constructional state. In the Yeroham Hills, three parallel located terraced systems (one on the Wadi Shualim channel and the other, which is located on its banks) were studied. Their ancient agricultural utilization was dated, after in‐site excavations, to the Roman until early Islamic eras. Ten representative RWs were chosen, five from each terraced system. Their influences on the soil fertility, hydrology, and physical properties of the adjacent soil and 2 m ahead (the terrace) were studied. The finding indicates that the RW serves as a physical ecosystem engineer with positive influences on soil organic matter (0.5% higher content compared to the terrace) and land stability properties (maturated soil biocrust and higher aggregate stability). Comparison of the finding from both terraced irrigation systems, which differ in their conservation state, enables to determine the agricultural utilization and land stabilization after an adequate reclamation strategy, which is based on the RWs constructional parameters analyzed in‐site, and adaption to the current floodwater paths. The study's principles and analysis scheme enable the study and conservation of similar areas worldwide for increased utilization and profitability.

Trenched and diked contours for sustainable agricultural utilization in changing world; soil hydrological, geomorphological, and physical perspectives from over 70 years of implementation in the Northern Negev

“…The previous studies on TDC dealt with the ecological processes in the ‘runoff contributing area’ and the trench of the TDC without considering the hydrological process between the TDC landforms and the dike units. The study hypothesizes similar to other ones on water catchments in arid regions, such as check dammed gully terraces (Mor‐Mussery, Ben‐Eli, & Leu, 2022) and ancient wadi terraces (Sapir et al, 2022), that the TDC functions as a multi‐sectional, dynamically hydrologically connected system.…”

“…The single TDC is influenced by the topographic patterns of the system (altitude and aspect), similar to other chained water catchments over a cluttered landscape, such as the ‘wadi terraces’ (Mor‐Mussery, Ben‐Eli, & Leu, 2022) and ‘slope terraces’ (Sapir et al, 2022). The TDC altitude is positively correlated to the SMC or its' biological indicator, the HBW (as found in two sites; Sayeret Shaked forest LTER and Mishmar Hanegev forest).…”

“…The agricultural utilization of an agricultural system, which is based on runoff water, is tightly correlated to the hydrological interrelations between its' composing landforms, as was indicated by Kutílek and Nielsen (1994), and found in‐field in check dammed gully terraces (Mor‐Mussery, Ben‐Eli, & Leu, 2022) and in ancient wadi terraces (Sapir et al, 2022). Therefore, this study hypothesizes that the main reason for the limited agricultural utilization of the TDC system is the lack of hydrological data on their functioning.…”

“…Salinity was determined by the Electrical conductivity‐EC (Corwin, 2021), and fertility by SOM content (Sarah, 2006). The land stability was determined by incisional patterns (Mor‐Mussery, Ben‐Eli, & Leu, 2022), and two biological indicators: biocrust development state, which has been indicated by the polysaccharides content (Sapir et al, 2022) and species biodiversity as Vidrih and Lobnik (2003) noted: ‘key indicator for a land stability and productivity is succession’. The measurement procedure in the laboratory is summarized in Table 2.…”

“…Influence of topographic patterns on TDC functioningThe single TDC is influenced by the topographic patterns of the system (altitude and aspect), similar to other chained water catchments over a cluttered landscape, such as the 'wadi terraces' (Mor-Mussery, Ben-Eli, & Leu, 2022) and 'slope terraces'(Sapir et al, 2022). TheF I G U R E 1 0 Herbaceous biomass weight (HBW) (a biological indicator for hydrological state).…”