The role of plant species on runoff and soil erosion in a Mediterranean shrubland.
Shrubland is a Mediterranean biome characterized by densely growing evergreen shrubs adapted to fire events. To date, scientific research has focused on the impact of vegetation on soil erosion mainly through the control that plant biomass or plant cover exerts on sediment delivery and runoff discharge, being the individual plant species influence on hydrological and erosional processes not achieved in detail. The objective of this research is to determine: i) runoff and soil losses in a shrubland-covered rangeland at Sierra de Enguera, Spain; and ii) how four plant species affect soil and water losses. We measured soil cover, soil properties, runoff discharge and sediment yield under natur…
Tree species flammability based on plant traits: A synthesis.
Abstract The occurrence of large and recurring forest fires has long been associated with fire-prone environments, but this perception has been shifted rapidly in recent decades as Earths' landscapes have become increasingly threatened by severe and unpredictable fires as a result of climate changes. In this regard, the flammability of trees is a topic of great interest for ecology, management, and the development of sustainable restoration and rehabilitation plans. Tree species differ in regard to flammability, and many plant functional traits contribute to flammability at species, community and vegetation level. The relationship between plant traits and flammability at species level is im…
Rainfall and water yield in Macizo del Caroig, Eastern Iberian Peninsula. Event runoff at plot scale during a rare flash flood at the Barranco de Benacancil
[EN] Floods are a consequence of extreme rainfall events. Although surface runoff generation is the origin of discharge, flood research usually focuses on lowlands where the impact is higher. Runoff and sediment delivery at slope and pedon scale receiving much less attention in the effort to understand flood behaviour in time and space. This is especially relevant in areas where, due to climatic and hydrogeological conditions, streams are ephemeral, so-called dry rivers (¿wadis¿, "ramblas" or ¿barrancos¿) that are widespread throughout the Mediterranean. This paper researches the relationship between water delivery at pedon and slope scale with dry river floods in Macizo del Caroig, Eastern…
Current Wildland Fire Patterns and Challenges in Europe: A Synthesis of National Perspectives
Changes in climate, land use, and land management impact the occurrence and severity of wildland fires in many parts of the world. This is particularly evident in Europe, where ongoing changes in land use have strongly modified fire patterns over the last decades. Although satellite data by the European Forest Fire Information System provide large-scale wildland fire statistics across European countries, there is still a crucial need to collect and summarize in-depth local analysis and understanding of the wildland fire condition and associated challenges across Europe. This article aims to provide a general overview of the current wildland fire patterns and challenges as perceived by natio…