Abstract
Terraces are a common Mediterranean feature influencing soils, slopes and subsurface hydrology; however, little is known about their impact on erosion processes, especially in humid regions. The purpose of this study was to assess how terracing after a fire affected erosion processes such as splash erosion. For 8 months, the study monitored splash erosion in three terraced plots, one plot under pre-fire conditions and the other two under post-fire conditions. Assessment of the impact of the terracing treatment in such plots was carried out by the installation of two different splash erosion quantitative systems: cups and funnels. An analysis of the splash data obtained in 17 rainfall events and meteorological data collected during each one of those periods was then performed. A significant positive correlation between the amount of rainfall and the splash erosion was observed. The two splash sampling systems show a high degree of concordance; however, the funnel-type model seems to be the most appropriate when it comes to preventing loss of splashed soil samples. The post-fire treatment with terracing leads to a smaller stability of surface soil aggregates, causing higher splash erosion rates. Sampling using the funnel system collects three times the amount of splashed soil than that collected by the cup system, although both systems correlate appropriately with the meteorological parameters.
Highlights
IntroductionFires produce a wide range of impacts on the soil, depending on factors such as soil characteristics (moisture, organic matter content, etc.), fire intensity or duration [1]
Fires produce a wide range of impacts on the soil, depending on factors such as soil characteristics, fire intensity or duration [1]
The treatment of terraces was stabilized over time, increasing the mean weight diameter of the aggregates after eight months, which implies a greater stability
Summary
Fires produce a wide range of impacts on the soil, depending on factors such as soil characteristics (moisture, organic matter content, etc.), fire intensity or duration [1]. Ferreira et al (2009) found that soil erosion was associated with increased soil vulnerability to erosion [2], mainly due to changes in the physical properties of soil These changes are directly related to the effect of fire on organic matter [1] and with the elimination of vegetation and litter during combustion, favoring the destabilization of aggregates and subsequent disintegration [3,4]. Terracing maintains a dual purpose: on the one hand it improves the soil conditions of depth and soil drainage [18], while on the other, it limits the runoff of the surface [19,20,21,22] This technique involves the modification of many ecological and environmental factors, such as water storage, water purification, changes in aquifer recharge and changes in erosion rates [23,24,25]
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