Search results for "Conservation"
showing 10 items of 2328 documents
Role of rock fragment cover on runoff generation and sediment yield in tilled vineyards
2017
Summary The soil in conventional Mediterranean vineyards is an active and non-sustainable source of sediment and water. Lack of vegetation cover, small soil organic matter content and intense ploughing result in large rates of erosion in a millennia-old tillage system. There is a need for soil conservation strategies that enable sustainability of wine and grape production; therefore, it is essential to measure the rates and to investigate the processes and factors of soil erosion. This study evaluated factors that can reduce soil losses in traditional Mediterranean vineyards. The investigation was carried out with 96 rainfall simulation experiments at the pedon scale (0.24 m2) to measure so…
Effect of plant species on water balance in a pilot-scale horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetland planted with Arundo donax L. and Cyperus alt…
2015
Abstract In constructed wetland systems (CWs) for wastewater treatment, evapotranspiration (ET) is the most important water balance component in arid and semi-arid regions, where high performance levels are needed when treating contaminants and where it is also vital to preserve as much water as possible for reuse in irrigation. This study shows the results of a series of water balance measurements obtained between 2012 and 2013 from a pilot HSSF system in the West of Sicily (Italy). The system was made by two separate vegetated units: one with Arundo donax L. (giant reed) and the other with Cyperus alternifolius L. (umbrella sedge), and fed with urban wastewater following secondary treatme…
Mountain dairy wastewater treatment with the use of a 'irregularly shaped' constructed wetland (Aosta Valley, Italy)
2014
Abstract In mountain areas, economical activities related to milk processing represent both a key source of income and job opportunities. One of the main characteristics of cheese production is the seasonal variability in the volume of milk processed and wastewater production that tend to limit the capacity of ecosystems to absorb their inputs. In alpine environment, the scarcity of plain surfaces and the climatic conditions results in the need for high CW performances of variable nutrient inputs in different seasons. By evaluating a CW seasonal efficiency for dairy wastewaters in a mountain region (Aosta Valley-NW Italy), this research was aimed to understand how performances of nutrient r…
Properties and erosional response of soils in a degraded ecosystem in Crete (Greece)
2013
To study desertification processes relating to soil erosion, a climatological and altitudinal gradient from south to north was selected in Crete (Greece) and four locations were selected along the gradient. At the locations precipitation ranged from 1400 mm/year at the highest location to 400 mm/year at the lowest. All locations are affected by the actual land use: intensive grazing, small controlled fires, and abandoned agricultural terraces. Representative soil profiles were described in the field and analyzed in the laboratory, and rainfall simulation experiments in the field measured soil erosion over different soil surfaces and land uses. Data on physical and chemical properties were o…
Shrubland as a soil and water conservation agent in Mediterranean-type ecosystems
2015
John Thornes found that shrubland was a key factor in the control of soil erosion on Mediterranean hillsides. His research inspired many scientists to investigate the impact of shrubland changes and management in semi-arid ecosystems. An example of Professor Thornes’ scientific influence is the experiment carried out on the El Teularet–Sierra de Enguera experimental station since 2003 which showed erosion rates on a 30-year-old abandoned orchard with dense vegetation cover of Ulex parviflorus and Cistus albidus and a 20-year-old fire-affected maquia with Quercus coccifera, Pistacia lentiscus and Juniperus oxycedrus. The measurements demonstrated that the shrubs help create more stable soil …
Response of water and nutrient fluxes to improvement fellings in a tropical montane forest in Ecuador
2009
Abstract Management of natural forests might be one option to reduce the high deforestation rate in Ecuador. We therefore evaluated the response of water and nutrient cycles in a natural tropical montane forest to improvement fellings with the aim of favoring economically valuable target trees which will later be harvested with additional ecosystem impacts not considered here. The study was conducted at ca. 1900–2200 m above sea level in the south Ecuadorian Andes on the east-exposed slope of the east cordillera. In June 2004, one of two paired ca. 10-ha large catchments was thinned by felling 10.2% of the initial basal area (dbh ≥ 10 cm) on 30% of the catchment. The stems remained in situ.…
Geomorphing effect of sand fences in primary dunes of Gulf of Riga
2022
Finding a the most appropriate solution for the problems caused by coastal eros ion is very important, as erosion prevention and habitat management measures must promote the restoration of the natural balance (order of things before anthropogenic disturbances) and restore the coastal status quo as much as possible [6; 2].Dune fences are a very widespread erosion management tool on developed sandy coastal areas due to ease of installation, inexpensiveness, and generally positive public attitude [1]. Effectiveness and impact of fences have also been studied in many places around the world, however previous studies in Latvia have been very limited and episodic [16].This article shows the obser…
Hydrogeological hazards and weather events: Triggering and evolution of shallow landslides
2014
Abstract Landslides are the most intense and serious manifestations of the degradation of slopes and they are the main causes of geological hazard when they, directly or indirectly, involving towns and infrastructures. They are a global environment problem; there are several examples that have produced untold damages and loss of human lives in many parts of the world. In 1920 the landslides mobilization, as a result of a strong earthquake in China, in the province of Kansu, killed 200,000 people; in 1938 fast debris flow, triggered by heavy rainfalls in Japan, caused the death of 600 people; in 1963 in Italy the Vajont disaster caused the death of 1,899 people, as a result of a landslide lo…
Stemflow determination in forest stands
1997
Abstract A stemflow measurement technique is described, based on: (1) correlations between stemflow volume and tree diameters at breast height (DBH), determined on the basis of a relatively low number of tree samplings; (2) the distribution of trees in the stand relative to their DBH. Stemflow for trees in a stand (mm) can thus be determined from total rainfall (mm). The results were compared to those obtained with two other stemflow determination techniques. The proposed method was found to be more reliable, precise and easier to apply than the standard methods.
Predicting unit plot soil loss in Sicily, south Italy
2008
Predicting soil loss is necessary to establish soil conservation measures. Variability of soil and hydrological parameters complicates mathematical simulation of soil erosion processes. Methods for predicting unit plot soil loss in Sicily were developed by using 5 years of data from replicated plots. At first, the variability of the soil water content, runoff, and unit plot soil loss values collected at fixed dates or after an erosive event was investigated. The applicability of the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) was then tested. Finally, a method to predict event soil loss was developed. Measurement variability decreased as the mean increased above a threshold value but it was low als…