Search results for "badlands"
showing 10 items of 15 documents
Runoff Generation in Badlands
2019
Capítulo 5.
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…
A formal classification of the Lygeum spartum vegetation of the Mediterranean Region
2019
Aims: We examined all available literature and some unpublished data on the We examined all available literature and some unpublished data on the grasslands dominated by Lygeum spartum from Southern Europe and North Africa to produce a formalised classification of this vegetation and to identify the main factors determining its plant species composition. Location: Mediterranean Basin and Iberian Peninsula. Methods: We used a dataset of 728 releves, which were resampled to reduce unbalanced sampling effort, resulting in a dataset of 568 releves and 846 taxa. We classified the plots by TWINSPAN, interpreted the resulting pools, and used them to develop formal definitions of phytosociological …
GIS-MORPHOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF BADLANDS IN SICILY (ITALY)
2012
Sicily is affected by severe erosion processes, locally causing large volumes of soil loss and high denudation rates. The effects of intense water erosion phenomena are testified by the occurrence of badlands that constitute a common landscape particularly in the central and southern areas of the Island, where slopes are frequently underlain by clay-rich deposits. This paper presents the first results of an investigation carried out in a badlands site located in the head sector of the Imera Meridionale river basin, where geometry of several erosion channels has been characterized. Since length of linear erosion landforms such as rills, ephemeral gullies and permanent gullies, has been prove…
Morphological characterization of calanchi (badland) hillslope connectivity
2018
Calanchi, a type of Italian badlands created by a combination of water erosion processes and local geomorphological and tectonic controls, is a striking example of long-term landscape evolution. In small temporal/spatial scales, the calanchi exhibit many of the geomorphic processes and landforms that may be observed in fluvial landscapes; hence, they may be considered as microbasins where geomorphic dynamics and landscape features can be related. The goal of this research is testing the use of simple morphometric variables for assessing sediment connectivity of calanchi landforms. In order to detect the morphological characteristics controlling the landscape connectivity of calanchi basins,…
Interacción de procesos geomórficos y distribución de componentes de la superficie del suelo en relación a la evolución de los abarrancamientos de Ta…
2009
Este artículo se ha desarrollado en el contexto de los proyectos: REN2003-045707GLO(PECOS); CGL2007-63258/BOS(PREVEA) y CGL2006-11619(PROBASE), financiados por la CICYT en el marco del Plan Nacional I+D+I
Morphometric characterization of a calanchi inventory in Sicily, Italy
2015
Calanchi are a frequent type of badland landscape of Sicily (Italy), usually located in the middle of crops or forests. They are characterized by heavily dissected terrains with unvegetated slopes, knife ridge edges, V-shaped valleys and channels with a dendritic pattern, which incise and extend headwards. Calanchi exhibit, in smaller temporal and spatial scales, many of the geomorphic processes and landforms that may by observed in a fluvial landscape, hence, this type of badland may be considered as micro-watersheds where geomorphic dynamics can be related to their geometric features. The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the morphometric characteristics of calanchi landforms in S…
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…
Hillslope degradation in representative Italian areas. Just soil erosion risk or opportunity for development?
2018
In recent years, much research have dealt with the impact of human and climate change on the morpho-evolution of Mediterranean catchments characterized by high ecological and cultural value. In this paper, we speculated how humans can influence hillslope degradation by reviewing the relationships between denudation processes and land use changes in some representative areas located in different Italian regions (i.e., Liguria, Tuscany, Basilicata, and Sicily). The selected study cases are characterized by different climatic and geological features, land use, and land management and can be considered indicative of the hillslope degradation issues that affected the Apennines during the last ce…
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.