Search results for " runoff"
showing 10 items of 262 documents
Short-term changes in infiltration between straw mulched and non-mulched soils after wildfire in Mediterranean forest ecosystems
2018
Abstract Water infiltration is a basic parameter to understand the hydrological response of semi-arid or arid soils – where runoff generation is dominated by infiltration-excess – subjected to wildfire. To evaluate the hydrological effects of straw application on a sandy loam soil after wildfire, the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity, water content and temperature of mulched and nonmulched (considered as control) soils were monitored throughout eight months. Compared to untreated soils, straw maintained higher temperatures and water contents in mulched plots, but reduced their unsaturated hydraulic conductivity, particularly in the drier season. These results suggest that straw release may…
The impact of soil erosion on soil fertility and vine vigor. A multidisciplinary approach based on field, laboratory and remote sensing approaches
2018
Soil erosion processes in vineyards, beyond surface runoff and sediment transport, have a strong effect on soil organic carbon (SOC) loss and redistribution along the slope. Variation in SOC across the landscape can determine differences in soil fertility and vine vigor. The goal of this research was to analyze the interactions among vines vigor, sediment delivery and SOC in a sloping vineyard located in Sicily. Six pedons were studied along the slope by digging 6 pits up to 60 cm depth. Soil was sampled every 10 cm and SOC, water extractable organic carbon (WEOC) and specific ultraviolet absorbance (SUVA) were analyzed. Erosion rates, detachment and deposition areas were measured by the po…
Effects of soil management techniques on soil water erosion in apricot orchards.
2016
Soil erosion is extreme in Mediterranean orchards due to management impact, high rainfall intensities, steep slopes and erodible parent material. Vall d'Albaida is a traditional fruit production area which, due to the Mediterranean climate and marly soils, produces sweet fruits. However, these highly productive soils are left bare under the prevailing land management and marly soils are vulnerable to soil water erosion when left bare. In this paper we study the impact of different agricultural land management strategies on soil properties (bulk density, soil organic matter, soil moisture), soil water erosion and runoff, by means of simulated rainfall experiments and soil analyses. Three rep…
Runoff initiation, soil detachment and connectivity are enhanced as a consequence of vineyards plantations.
2017
[EN] Rainfall-induced soil erosion is a major threat, especially in agricultural soils. In the Mediterranean belt, vineyards are affected by high soil loss rates, leading to land degradation. Plantation of new vines is carried out after deep ploughing, use of heavy machinery, wheel traffic, and trampling. Those works result in soil physical properties changes and contribute to enhanced runoff rates and increased soil erosion rates. The objective of this paper is to assess the impact of the plantation of vineyards on soil hydrological and erosional response under low frequency - high magnitude rainfall events, the ones that under the Mediterranean climatic conditions trigger extreme soil ero…
An automatic tool for reconstructing monthly time-series of hydro-climatic variables at ungauged basins
2017
Abstract Integrative information models for filling/reconstructing hydro-climatic time-series are required for a variety of practical applications. A GIS-based model for a rapid and reliable assessment of monthly time-series of several key hydro-climatic variables at the basin scale, is here developed as plug-in and applied to the entire region of Sicily (Italy). The plug-in, once the desired basin outlet section and time-window are selected, uses appropriate spatial techniques and algorithms to identify its drainage area and estimate the corresponding mean areal rainfall and temperatures time-series. A recent regional regressive rainfall-runoff model is successively applied for the assessm…
An economic, perception and biophysical approach to the use of oat straw as mulch in Mediterranean rainfed agriculture land
2017
[EN] Soil erosion is a key cause of land degradation in agriculture lands; and it is a worldwide threat that must be solved by means of nature-based strategies to be able to achieve sustainability. The use of mulches can be a solution, but there is a lack of information on long-term effects of the use of straw. Furthermore, little is known about the perception of farmers and the economic cost on the implantation of straw as a conservation measure. Eight paired plots were selected in Sierra de Enguera on an agriculture field to determine the effect of straw cover on soil erosion. Four plots were tilled three times per year (Control) and four plots were not ploughed and 0.125 kg m(-2) y(-1) o…
Biological soil crusts determine soil properties and salt dynamics under arid climatic condition in Qara Qir, Iran
2020
Biological soil crusts are a thin layer within the soil system but strongly determine the infiltration, runoff and water and solute movement. Little is known about the role of biological soil crusts on soil solute dynamics in arid ecosystems and the objective of this paper is to determine in Qara Qir rangeland how biological soil crusts control the water and salt distribution along the soil profile. Rainfall simulation experiments were carried out at five locations, and measurements of the soil at 0-5, 5-10, 10-20, 20-30, 30-50 and 50-80 cm depth were done before, 48 h and 21 days after the rainfall simulations. Soil particle size distribution, bulk density, water content, organic carbon an…
Quantitative comparison of initial soil erosion processes and runoff generation in Spanish and German vineyards.
2016
The aim of this study was to enable a quantitative comparison of initial soil erosion processes in European vineyards using the same methodology and equipment. The study was conducted in four viticultural areas with different characteristics (Valencia and Málaga in Spain, Ruwer-Mosel valley and Saar-Mosel valley in Germany). Old and young vineyards, with conventional and ecological planting and management systems were compared. The same portable rainfall simulator with identical rainfall intensity (40 mm h− 1) and sampling intervals (30 min of test duration, collecting the samples at 5-min-intervals) was used over a circular test plot with 0.28 m2. The results of 83 simulations have been an…
Contribution of raindrop impact to the change of soil physical properties and water erosion under semi-arid rainfalls
2017
Soil erosion by water is a three-phase process that consists of detachment of soil particles from the soil mass, transportation of detached particles either by raindrop impact or surface water flow, and sedimentation. Detachment by raindrops is a key component of the soil erosion process. However, little information is available on the role of raindrop impact on soil losses in the semi-arid regions where vegetation cover is often poor and does not protect the soil from rainfall. The objective of this study is to determine the contribution of raindrop impact to changes in soil physical properties and soil losses in a semiarid weakly-aggregated agricultural soil. Soil losses were measured und…
Current European approaches in highway runoff management: A review
2022
Highway runoff is one of the most significant non-point sources of pollution for the terrestrial and aquatic environment with biological, physical, and chemical effects. Considering local characteristics, treatment practices, and determining factors are essential for highway runoff management. The aim of this paper is to survey the review of highway runoff management in Europe with emphasis on runoff characterization, treatment, and modeling approaches and identifying possible knowledge gaps exists based on our review. The results showed that highway runoff has spatiotemporal variation, which is the main factor in the regional selection of the best management practice (BMP). Also, recent st…