Foreword Executive summary Part I. User's guidebook: Part II. Technical Papers: Preface 1. Scoping and designing an adaptation project 2. Engaging stakeholders in the adaptation process 3. Assessing vulnerability for climate adaptation 4. Assessing current climate risks 5. Assessing future climate risks 6. Assessing current and changing socio-economic conditions 7. Assessing and enhancing adaptive capacity 8. Formulating an adaptation strategy 9. Continuing the adaptation process Part III. Case Studies: Preface Case studies Annexes: A. Glossary of terms B. List of reviewers.

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Adaptation Policy Frameworks For Climate Change: Developing Strategies, Policies And Measures

The term 'connectivity' is increasingly being applied in hydrological and geomorphological studies. Relevant research encompasses aspects of landscape connectivity, hydrological connectivity and sedimentological connectivity. Unlike other disciplines, notably ecology, published studies show no consensus on a standard definition. This paper provides an overview of how existing research relates to the concept of connectivity in both ecology and hydrology by proposing and evaluating a conceptual model of hydrological connectivity that includes five major components: climate; hillslope runoff potential; landscape position; delivery pathway and lateral connectivity. We also evaluate a proposed measure of connectivity called the volume to breakthrough to quantify changing connectivity between different environments and catchments.

The concept of hydrological connectivity and its contribution to understanding runoff‐dominated geomorphic systems

http://wpg.forestry.oregonstate.edu/sites/wpg/files/seminars/2000_Bryan_Geom.pdf

Soil erodibility and processes of water erosion on hillslope

Soil erosion is a critical environmental problem throughout the world’s terrestrial ecosystems. Erosion inflicts multiple, serious damages in managed ecosystems such as crops, pastures, or forests as well as in natural ecosystems. In particular, erosion reduces the water-holding capacity because of rapid water runoff, and reduces soil organic matter. As a result, nutrients and valuable soil biota are transported. At the same time, species diversity of plants, animals, and microbes is significantly reduced. One of the most effective measures for erosion control and regeneration the degraded former soil is the establishment of plant covers. Indeed, achieving future of safe environment depends on conserving soil, water, energy, and biological resources. Soil erosion can be controlled through a process of assessment at regional scales for the development and restoration of the plant cover, and the introduction of conservation measures in the areas at greatest risk. Thus, conservation of these vital resources needs to receive high priority to ensure the effective protection of managed and natural ecosystems. This review article highlights three majors topics: (1) the impact of erosion of soil productivity with particular focus on climate and soil erosion; soil seal and crust development; and C losses from soils; (2) land use and soil erosion with particular focus on soil loss in agricultural lands; shrub and forest lands; and the impact of erosion in the Mediterranean terraced lands; and (3) the impact of plant covers on soil erosion with particular focus on Mediterranean factors affecting vegetation; plant roots and erosion control; and plant cover and biodiversity.

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Soil-Erosion and Runoff Prevention by Plant Covers: A Review

Grazing effects on soil chemical and physical properties in a semiarid steppe of Inner Mongolia (P.R. China)

From the perspective of geomorphology, three important aspects of climate should be considered if conditions become more arid: (a) any decrease that might occur in the annual rainfall amount; (b) the duration of rainfall events; and (c) any increase in the intervals between rainfall events. These, together with increasing temperature, lead to less available water, less biomass and soil organic matter content and hence to a decrease in aggregate size and stability. As a consequence, the soil permeability decreases, soils develop surface crusts and infiltration rates decrease dramatically. Such changes in vegetation cover and soil structure lead to an increase in overland flow and in the erosion of the fertile topsoil layer. Positive feedback mechanisms may reinforce these eAects and lead to desertification. This paper considers the results of field investigations into the spatial variability of a number of ‘quick response’ variables at two scales: the regional and the plot scales. Concerning the regional scale spatial variability, results of experimental field work conducted along a climatic transect, from the Mediterranean climate to the arid zone in Israel, show that: (1) organic matter content, and aggregate size and stability decrease with aridity, while the sodium adsorption ratio and the runoA coeAcient increase; and (2) the rate of change of these variables along the climatic transect is non-linear. A steplike threshold exists at the semiarid area, which sharply separates the Mediterranean climate and arid ecogeomorphic systems. This means that only a relatively small climatic change would be needed to shift the borders between these two systems. As many regions of Mediterranean climate lie adjacent to semiarid areas, they are threatened by desertification in the event of climate change. Concerning spatial variability at the plot scale, diAerent patterns of overland flow generation and continuity characterize hillslopes under diAerent climatic conditions. While in the Mediterranean climate area infiltration is the dominant process all over the hillslope, in the arid area overland flow predominates. In contrast to the uniform distribution of processes in these two zones, a mosaic-like pattern, consisting of locally ‘arid’ water contributing and ‘moist’ water accepting patches is typical of the transitional semiarid area. Such pattern is strengthened by fires or grazing which are characteristic of this area. The development of such mosaic pattern enables most rainfall to be retained on hillslopes. Changes in the spatial pattern of contributing versus accepting waterareas can be used as an indicatorof desertification and applied to developing rehabilitation strategies. #1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The impact of climate change on geomorphology and desertification along a mediterranean- arid transect

The relationships between aggregate stability dynamics and soil temperature and moisture were studied at three sites in Israel under Mediterranean and arid climatic conditions. Soil moisture and te...

Aggregate Stability Dynamics as Affected by Soil Temperature and Moisture Regimes

The landscapes that we live in and the changes that they undergo play an important part in the qualities of our lives. They provide natural goods and services of value to us because of the existence of soil, which is a medium between the solid earth and the sphere in which we live our daily life. The medium soil is constantly subject to change and one of the causes is soil erosion. If one tries to understand or to deal with soil erosion it is helpful to consider soil as an integral part of continuously changing landscapes and to be aware of the different functions of a soil in its environmental context at different scales. To clarify this, we present three important concepts. These are: (1) scale/connectivity; (2) change; and (3) resilience. These concepts will be put in an innovative framework called the panarchy theory, which represents a hierarchical structure in which both human and natural systems are linked together in adaptive cycles. Presenting soil erosion in such a framework allows us to link causes and their impacts at different scales. The application of such a framework and the insight obtained could facilitate the assessment of risks and possibilities for sustainable use. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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A. C. Imeson

Papers

The impact of climate change on geomorphology and desertification along a mediterranean- arid transect

Aggregate Stability Dynamics as Affected by Soil Temperature and Moisture Regimes

Soil erosion and the adaptive cycle metaphor

Soil conservation and protection in Europe: the way ahead

Briefing papers of the second SCAPE workshop in Cinque Terre (IT), 13-15 April 2004