Showing papers by "Artemi Cerdà published in 1999"
TL;DR: In this article, the parent material and vegetation affect infiltration, runoff, and erosion in eastern Spain, and the interaction of vegetation and parent material showed that, on marl soils, plant cover was the main factor preventing high runoff and erosion rates.
Abstract: Landscapes in eastern Spain are characterized by a wide range of erosion susceptibility. We hypothesized that parent material and vegetation affect infiltration, runoff, and erosion. Sixty field rainfall simulation trials (55 mm during 1 h on 0.22-0.27 m 2 plots) were carried out on soils formed on marl, clay, limestone, and sandstone parent material under three vegetation cover rates: 0 to 20 (bare), 40 to 60 (intermediate), and 80 to 100% (vegetated) in eastern Spain to test this hypothesis. Surface runoff and erosion were related to parent material and vegetation cover. Vegetation enhanced infiltration and reduced surface runoff and erosion, and their variability decreased as vegetation cover increased. For bare soils, the steady-state infiltration rates ranged from 3 to 55 mm h 1 , the runoff from 0 to 83%, and the erosion rates from 0 to 3720 g m 2 h -1 . On the vegetated soil, the values were 53 to 55 mm h -1 , 0 to 9%, and 0 to 6 g m -2 h -1 , respectively, for infiltration, runoff, and erosion rates. Runoff and erosion were greatest for marl soils (0-83% and 0-3720 g m -2 h -1 , respectively) and intermediate for clay and limestone (0-46% and 0-131 g m -2 h 1 ). Sandstone generated negligible water and soil losses (0-7 % and 0-0.29 g m 2 h 1 ). The interaction of vegetation and parent material showed that, on marl soils, plant cover was the main factor preventing high runoff and erosion rates.
186 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigated the spatial and temporal variations of infiltration rates on badland landscapes under Mediterranean climatic conditions of the eastern Iberian Peninsula, and measured under simulated rainfall and by cylinder infiltrometer for typical winter, spring, summer, and autumn conditions.
Abstract: This paper investigates the spatial and temporal variations of infiltration rates on badland landscapes under Mediterranean climatic conditions of the eastern Iberian Peninsula. Soil infiltration was measured under simulated rainfall and by cylinder infiltrometer for typical winter, spring, summer, and autumn conditions. The spatial variability of infiltration within the badland landscapes is determined by the two main geomorphological units: slopes and pediments. Slopes show greater steady state infiltration rates than pediments (averaging 6.6 and 11.9 mm h−1, respectively), but they generate faster runoff and the runoff curves are steeper than on the slopes. For short thunderstorms, pediments generate more runoff because soils on the slopes have a wider and deeper crack network, which favors higher infiltration rates at the beginning of the rainfall. However, for simulated storms of 40 min duration, the runoff rate on the slopes (74.3%) is slightly greater than on the pediments (72.5%) due to their lower steady state infiltration rate. For both slopes and pediments, greater steady state infiltration rates were measured under simulated rainfall (fc) for summer (18.9 and 11.6 mm h−1) than for winter (11.8 and 6.8 mm h−1), spring (3.8 and 8.7 mm h−1), and autumn (4.1 and 8.3 mm h−1) for slope and pediment positions, respectively. Measurements by means of cylinder infiltrometer (ifc) confirm these seasonal trends. On the pediment plots, ifc varies from 43 mm −1 in winter to 26 mm h−1 in spring, rises to 62 mm h−1 in summer, and finally drops to 26 mm h−1 in autumn. For the slope positions, ifc has a similar seasonal trend: 18 mm h−1 in winter, 9 mm h−1 in spring, 52 mm h−1 in summer, and 10 mm h−1 in autumn. Measurements by means of cylinder infiltrometer results in 3 times greater steady state infiltration rates due to the effect of water depth pressure and crust development under simulated rainfall. In summer the development of wide and deep cracks results in macropore flow, and these are important factors in pipe initiation.
108 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, two sites, both affected by grazing but under different climatic conditions, were selected in Israel to study the effect of grazing on soil degradation, and simulated rain experiments were performed in the field and in the laboratory in order to evaluate differences in hydrological and erosional response to rainfall.
Abstract: Two sites, both affected by grazing but under different climatic conditions, were selected in Israel to study the effect of grazing on soil degradation. One site was selected in the Judean Desert, a dry environment (260 mm mean annual rainfall) with a long history of overgrazing and very little vegetative cover. The second site was selected in the Galilee Mountains where the climate is of Mediterranean type (650 mm mean annual rainfall) and the vegetative cover is much greater in spite of the grazing. Simulated rain experiments were performed in the field and in the laboratory in order to evaluate differences in hydrological and erosional response to rainfall between the two sites. The results show a clear difference between these two ecosystems. In the Judean Desert, where vascular plant cover is sparse, a crust was developed which enhanced overland flow and erosion. In the Mediterranean environment the overland flow and erosion were negligible under shrubs and relatively high at the intershrub corridors. At the hillslope scale a mosaiclike pattern of water and soil contributing and accepting patches was developed. Such a pattern usually protect the hillslope from being eroded. Runoff and erosion rates luere very high in the Judean Desert and negligible in the Galilee Mountains.
55 citations
TL;DR: Banded patterns in soils and vegetation form part of important discontinuities on semi-arid slopes in Spain this paper, and at fine scales they can be found in many regions of the world.
Abstract: Banded patterns in soils and vegetation form part of important discontinuities on semi-arid slopes in Spain. At fine scales (
55 citations
DOI•
01 Jan 1999TL;DR: A largo del gradiente climatico estudiado, the tasas de infiltracion decrecen with the precipitacion, mientras que las escorrentias, the salinidad de estas and las perdidas de suelo aumentan as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: -1 de intensidad y 45 minutos de duracionSe ha comprobado que el clima determina las caracteristicas de los suelos y el comportamiento de los procesos geomorfologicos A lo largo del gradiente climatico estudiado las tasas de infiltracion decrecen con la precipitacion, mientras que las escorrentias, la salinidad de estas y las perdidas de suelo aumentan Ademas del clima, el uso antropico influye drasticamente en la respuesta del suelo ante la lluvia Asi, la influencia del clima se ve alterada por el sobrepastoreo, ya que este modifica la composicion floristica, la cubierta vegetal y las costras superficiales, con lo que se favorece la erosion del suelo
2 citations