Search results for " badland"

Are calanco landforms similar to river basins?

2017

In the past badlands have been often considered as ideal field laboratories for studying landscape evolution because of their geometrical similarity to larger fluvial systems. For a given hydrological process, no scientific proof exists that badlands can be considered a model of river basin prototypes. In this paper the measurements carried out on 45 Sicilian calanchi, a type of badlands that appears as a small-scale hydrographic unit, are used to establish their morphological similarity with river systems whose data are available in the literature. At first the geomorphological similarity is studied by identifying the dimensionless groups, which can assume the same value or a scaled one in…

Phytosociological notes on the Lygeum spartum grasslands from Crete.

2002

Lygeum spartum grasslands from Crete have been studied by the application of the phytosocological method. A new alliance, Scorzonero creticae-Lygeion sparti and three new associations and have been recognized. The first, Limonio hyssopifolii-Lygeetum sparti occurs on halomorphyc badlands in the Sitia territory (NE Crete); the second Erodio crassifolii-Lygeetum sparti grows on heavily eroded clayey outcrops close to Hyerapetra (SE Crete); the third Convolvulo oleifolii-Lygeetum sparti, substitutes the previous one some Km eastward from Hyerapetra, on stratified marls alternated to conglomerates. Within the last association, two subassociations have been recognized: limonietosum roridi (typic…

Relationships between a new slope morphometric index and calanchi erosion in northern Sicily, Italy

2012

The Italian badlands, or “calanchi”, are common landforms in Mediterranean areas including central and southern Italy. Calanchi landforms may be compared to small hydrographic basins. These landforms are characterised by dense, hierarchical and rapidly evolving drainage systems carved into steep clayey slopes and by a sharply alternating pattern of furrows and narrow, generally sharp crests. This work presents a study of morphometric characteristics and a statistical analysis for two sites in northern Sicily (Italy), on outcrops of silty-clay deposits affected by active erosion processes, which give this area a typical calanchi landscape. In particular, factors closely linked to the charact…

FROM SLOPE MORPHOMETRY TO MORPHOGENETIC PROCESSES: AN INTEGRATED APPROACH OF FIELD SURVEY, GIS MORPHOMETRIC ANALYSIS AND STATISTICS IN ITALIAN BADLAN…

2016

Calanchi (singular calanco) represent a typical example of badlands in the Italian peninsula, which rapidly evolve on clayey terrains such as the widespread Pliocene-Pleistocene marine clays. The present study aimed at investigating the role of the slope morphometry on the typology and distribution of morphogenetic processes in a calanchi area located in southern Italy. The research included detailed geomorphological surveying, morphometric and statistical analysis. The study area was first subdivided into individual hydrographic units (HUs), for which field survey allowed to identify the dominant denudation processes, their intensity and the distribution of the associated landforms (pipes,…

Water erosion assessment and modeling in two calanchi areas in Sicily, Italy

I badlands sono forme di erosione localizzate principalmente nelle regioni aride e semi-aride e sono formati da una complessa combinazione di processi morfogenetici. La loro origine coinvolge processi di erosione idrica ma anche tunnel erosion e movimenti di massa. Inoltre, tali forme possono anche essere correlate a fenomeni di erosione accelerata che hanno luogo laddove le azioni antropiche disturbano l'equilibrio naturale tra processi morfogenetici e suolo. I badlands, con i loro versanti ripidi, sono spesso inseriti all’interno di paesaggi più dolci, in mezzo a colture o bosco, localizzati in aree dove i processi responsabili del loro modellamento sono di solito piuttosto attivi determi…

La reserva de semillas en una cuenca de "badlands" (Petrer, Alicante)

1992

In order to determine the influence of erosion in the absence of vegetation of badlands slopes, the seed content of the regolith and the seed removal by runoff in five storms were analyzed in an experimental catchment at Petrer (Alicante). Both, seed redistribution and seed loss were detected, but these seem to be insufficient to explain the lack of vegetation. It is hypothesized that besides the erosion process, factors such as pedoclimate, and chemical and physical properties of the regolith should be considered.

A new empirical model for estimating calanchi Erosion in Sicily, Italy

2015

Abstract Calanchi (plural of calanco) are typical badland landforms of the Italian landscape. They consist of dense networks of V-shaped valleys, with a sparse or absent vegetation cover, which frequently develop on unconsolidated or poorly consolidated clayey deposits. In this paper, the dimensional analysis and the incomplete self-similarity theory were used to deduce a model relating the volume of sediments eroded from the calanchi area to a set of geometric attributes of their tributary areas. The morphometric characteristics of 209 calanchi basins were used to calibrate and validate the model. The predictive skill of the model was assessed by calculating the mean square error and the N…

Morphometric analysis of two calanchi areas in Sicily (Italy) by exploiting high resolution Digital Elevation Models

2013

In the Mediterranean areas, specifically in Sicily (Italy), irregular rainfalls, strong seasonal changes, scarce vegetation cover and, frequently, outcropping of clayey deposits favor water erosion phenomena. Badland landscapes are the result of severe erosion processes, characterized by steep slopes, sparse vegetation, high drainage density, rapid erosion rates and a shallow or non existing regolith profile. In this investigation we focused on the calanchi badland type, consisting of heavily dissected terrain with steep, unvegetated slopes and channels that rapidly incise and extend headwards. This research was carried out in two calanchi sites located in Sicily. The geometry of 25 badland…