Effectiveness of forest residue mulching in reducing post-fire runoff and erosion in a pine and a eucalypt plantation in north-central Portugal

Prats, Sérgio; MacDonald, Lee H.; Monteiro, Magda; Ferreira, A. J. D.; Coelho, Céleste; Keizer, Jan Jacob

doi:10.1016/j.geoderma.2012.02.009

Cited by 146 publications

(184 citation statements)

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“…The median runoff coefficient over the first study phase agreed reasonably well with the average figure of 22% reported by Prats et al (2012) for a nearby Maritime Pine stand on schist over the first 2-3 months after a wildfire in 2007, in spite plot size was considerable larger (16 m 2 ). Unlike in this study, however, the average runoff coefficient of the untreated plots in Prats et al (2012) dropped considerably over the subsequent 10 months, to 10%.…”

Section: Overland Flow At the Maritime Pine Sitesupporting

confidence: 80%

“…Unlike in this study, however, the average runoff coefficient of the untreated plots in Prats et al (2012) dropped considerably over the subsequent 10 months, to 10%. In another Maritime Pine stand on schist, in central Portugal, Prats et al (2013a) found markedly higher average runoff coefficients for untreated plots of 0.25-0.50 m 2 during both the first year (50-60%) and the second year (47%) following a wildfire.…”

Section: Overland Flow At the Maritime Pine Sitecontrasting

confidence: 80%

“…In another Maritime Pine stand on schist, in central Portugal, Prats et al (2013a) found markedly higher average runoff coefficients for untreated plots of 0.25-0.50 m 2 during both the first year (50-60%) and the second year (47%) following a wildfire. This contrast in overland flow between the present study and Prats et al (2012), on the one hand, and, on the other, Prats et al (2013a) could, at least in part, be explained by the higher fire severity in the latter study, as indicated by an almost complete combustion of the Pine tree crowns as opposed to their scorching in this study and Prats et al (2012). Such a differential effect of fire severity could operate directly, especially through heating-induced changes in topsoil hydrological properties (e.g.…”

Section: Overland Flow At the Maritime Pine Sitecontrasting

confidence: 78%

“…In the present study, as shown in Fig. 4, and in Prats et al (2012), the average litter cover attained 50% or more within the first few weeks after the wildfire, while it was less than 10% in Prats et al (2013a). Fig.…”

Section: Overland Flow At the Maritime Pine Sitesupporting

confidence: 64%

“…Fire-enhanced runoff and erosion rates are generally attributed to the partial removal of the protective vegetation and litter cover, combined with heating-induced alterations in soil properties controlling runoff generation and soil erodibility, for example soil water repellency and aggregate stability (Cerdà, 1998;Cerdà and Doerr, 2008;Leighton-Boyce et al, 2007;Mataix-Solera et al, 2011). Strong increases in runoff and erosion following wildfire have also been inferred for the two principal forest types in northcentral Portugal, Maritime Pine and Eucalypt plantations (Ferreira et al, 2008;Leighton-Boyce et al, 2007;Malvar et al, 2013;Prats et al, 2012;Shakesby et al, 1993). Post-fire forestry practices can also strongly influence overland flow and erosion in recently burnt areas.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Runoff and inter-rill erosion in a Maritime Pine and a Eucalypt plantation following wildfire and terracing in north-central Portugal

Martins¹,

Machado²,

Serpa³

et al. 2013

Journal of Hydrology and Hydromechanics

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Abstract:The purpose of this study was to assess how terracing affected overland flow and associated sediment losses, at the micro-plot scale (0.25 m 2 ), in recently burnt stands of the two principal forest types in north-central Portugal, i.e. mono-specific stands of Maritime Pine and Eucalypt. Terracing is an increasingly common practice of slope engineering in the study region but its impacts on runoff and erosion are poorly studied. Non-terraced plots at the Eucalypt and the Pine site revealed similar median runoff coefficients (rc: 20-30%) as well as comparable median sediment losses (15-25 g m -2 ) during the first seven months following wildfire. During the ensuing, slightly wetter 18-month period, however, non-terraced plots at the Pine site lost noticeably more sediments (in median, 90 vs. 18 g m -2 ), in spite the runoff response had remained basically the same (median rc: 33 vs. 28%). By contrast, terraced plots at the same Pine site lost hugely more sediments (in median, 1,200 g m -2 ) during this 18-month period. Terraced plots at the Eucalypt site even lost three times more sediments (in median, 3,600 g m -2 ). Ground cover and resistance to shear stress seemed to be key factors in the observed/inferred impacts of terracing.

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Section: Overland Flow At the Maritime Pine Sitesupporting

confidence: 80%

Section: Overland Flow At the Maritime Pine Sitecontrasting

confidence: 80%

Section: Overland Flow At the Maritime Pine Sitecontrasting

confidence: 78%

Section: Overland Flow At the Maritime Pine Sitesupporting

confidence: 64%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Runoff and inter-rill erosion in a Maritime Pine and a Eucalypt plantation following wildfire and terracing in north-central Portugal

Martins¹,

Machado²,

Serpa³

et al. 2013

Journal of Hydrology and Hydromechanics

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Post‐fire soil erosion mitigation at the scale of swales using forest logging residues at a reduced application rate

Prats

González-Pelayo

Silva

et al. 2019

Earth Surf Processes Landf

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Mulching with forest residues has proved to be highly effective in reducing post‐fire soil losses at the plot scale. However, its effectiveness has not been quantified at the application rates that are typically used in operational post‐fire land management (2–3 Mg ha‐1 using straw), as well as at scales larger than 100 m2. The present study compared post‐fire erosion rates for six convergent hillslopes or swales of 500 to 800 m2, three of which were left untreated while the other three were mulched immediately after the fire with shredded eucalypt bark at a rate of 2.4 Mg ha‐1. Erosion rates were monitored at irregular intervals during the first three post‐fire years, whilst ground cover was assessed yearly. Selected topsoil properties (0–2 cm) such as organic matter content and aggregate stability were determined at a single occasion – two years after the wildfire, for three micro‐environments separately: bare soil, and under mulch/litter and vegetation. Soil losses on the untreated swales decreased with post‐fire year from 2.2 to 0.4 and 0.11 Mg ha‐1 yr‐1 (respectively for the first, second and third post‐fire years), while the mulched swales produced 84%, 77% and 38% less soil losses than the untreated swales. Soil losses also depended on slope aspect, with the north‐facing swales producing less erosion than the west‐facing ones. This could be linked to their significant differences in bare soil, vegetation and stone cover, or a combination thereof. The type of micro‐environment also played a significant role in topsoil properties (stone content, bulk density, resistance to penetration/shear stress, porosity and organic matter content). The present results add to the increasing evidence that forest residues should be duly considered for operational post‐fire land management. Forest residues were highly effective in reducing erosion from swales at application rates as low as the typical 2 Mg ha‐1 of post‐fire straw mulch. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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Quantifying long‐term post‐fire sediment delivery and erosion mitigation effectiveness

Robichaud

Lewis

Wagenbrenner

et al. 2019

Earth Surf Processes Landf

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Large wildfires can have profound and lasting impacts not only from direct consumption of vegetation but also longer‐term effects such as persistent soil erosion. The 2002 Hayman Fire burned in one of the watersheds supplying water to the Denver metropolitan area; thus there was concern regarding hillslope erosion and sedimentation in the reservoirs. The efficacy of various treatments for reducing erosion was tested, including hand scarification on contour, agricultural straw mulch, wood mulch, burned controls and unburned reference plots. Simulated rill erosion experiments were used both immediately after the fire and again 10 years post fire. To better understand untreated recovery, the same experiments were applied to control plots in post‐fire years 1, 2, 3 and 4, and in unburned reference plots in years 4 and 10. Results indicate that control and scarified plots produced significantly greater sediment flux rates – 1.9 and 2.8 g s−1 respectively – than the straw and wood mulch treatments – 0.9 and 1.1 g s−1 – immediately after the fire. Mulch treatments reduced runoff rate, runoff velocity, and sediment concentration and flux rate. The straw mulch cover was no longer present, whereas the wood mulch was still there in year 10. Vegetation regrowth was slow and mulch treatments provided effective cover to reduce sediment right after the fire. In post‐fire year 10, there were no significant differences in sediment flux rates across treatments; it is notable, however, that the wood mulch treatment (0.09 g s−1) most closely approached the unburned condition (0.07 g s−1). The burned control plots had high sediment flux rates until post‐fire year 3, when flux rates significantly decreased and were statistically no longer higher than the unburned levels from year 4 and 10. These results will inform managers of the longer‐term post‐fire sediment delivery rates and of the ability of post‐fire emergency hillslope treatments to mitigate erosion rates. Published 2019. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

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Effectiveness of forest residue mulching in reducing post-fire runoff and erosion in a pine and a eucalypt plantation in north-central Portugal

Cited by 146 publications

References 27 publications

Runoff and inter-rill erosion in a Maritime Pine and a Eucalypt plantation following wildfire and terracing in north-central Portugal

Runoff and inter-rill erosion in a Maritime Pine and a Eucalypt plantation following wildfire and terracing in north-central Portugal

Post‐fire soil erosion mitigation at the scale of swales using forest logging residues at a reduced application rate

Quantifying long‐term post‐fire sediment delivery and erosion mitigation effectiveness

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