Exploring the Impact of Overgrazing on Soil Erosion and Land Degradation in a Dry Mediterranean Agro-Forest Landscape (Crete, Greece)

Kairis, Orestis; Karavitis, Christos A.; Salvati, Luca; Kounalaki, A.; Kosmas, Kostas

doi:10.1080/15324982.2014.968691

Cited by 120 publications

(78 citation statements)

References 31 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…, which is consistent with the measurements conducted in a similar nearby grazing land with 23% slope gradient for a period of three years [47]. The next soil erosion class was 20-50 t·ha , occurred, respectively, in 7.4% and 8.4% of the total area.…”

Section: Vegetation Cover Classes Changes and Soil Erosionsupporting

confidence: 77%

Exploring Long-Term Impact of Grazing Management on Land Degradation in the Socio-Ecological System of Asteroussia Mountains, Greece

Kosmas

Detsis

Karamesouti

et al. 2015

Land

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract:The socio-ecological system dominated by pastureland in the Asteroussia Mountains (Crete, Greece) was analyzed over a long time interval to identify the most relevant system's characteristics and changes. Vegetation cover and land-uses have been quantified by analyzing aerial photographs exploring the whole study period. Soil characteristics have been assessed by carrying out an extensive field survey for the last reference year (2010) and by estimating the average soil loss for the past period using the PESERA soil erosion model validated by field measurements. Based on environmental, social and economic attributes, three major periods characterizing the socio-ecological system of Asteroussia Mountains have been distinguished. During the first and second period, the land was satisfactorily managed with moderate-low soil erosion rates despite the adverse (prevailing) soil, topographic and climate conditions for vegetation growth. The third time interval featured a rapid growth in the livestock density causing increased soil erosion rates, loss in plant productivity, and a generalized over-exploitation of natural resources. As a consequence, the desertification process has significantly increased in the OPEN ACCESS Land 2015, 4 542 last period. The analysis of the long-term evolution of socio-ecological system provided evidence to understand the main drivers of land degradation and to recommend mitigation policies specifically addressing Mediterranean pastureland.

show abstract

Section: Vegetation Cover Classes Changes and Soil Erosionsupporting

confidence: 77%

Exploring Long-Term Impact of Grazing Management on Land Degradation in the Socio-Ecological System of Asteroussia Mountains, Greece

Kosmas

Detsis

Karamesouti

et al. 2015

Land

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The link between anthropogenic disturbance and rates of degradation (detected here by low LNS) has been noted by Hill et al (2005) and Kairis et al (2015) and specifically in the BDT by McKeon et al (2009). Independent evidence for anthropogenesis presented here includes correlation with the VAST map which, although not a map of vegetation degradation, does distinguish varying degrees of human-related modification of native vegetation (Thackway and Lesslie, 2005).…”

Section: Anthropogenic and Environmental Degradationmentioning

confidence: 94%

Degradation of net primary production in a semiarid rangeland

Jackson

Prince

2016

Biogeosciences

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract. Anthropogenic land degradation affects many biogeophysical processes, including reductions of net primary production (NPP). Degradation occurs at scales from small fields to continental and global. While measurement and monitoring of NPP in small areas is routine in some studies, for scales larger than 1 km 2 , and certainly global, there is no regular monitoring and certainly no attempt to measure degradation. Quantitative and repeatable techniques to assess the extent of deleterious effects and monitor changes are needed to evaluate its effects on, for example, economic yields of primary products such as crops, lumber, and forage, and as a measure of land surface properties which are currently missing from dynamic global vegetation models, assessments of carbon sequestration, and land surface models of heat, water, and carbon exchanges. This study employed the local NPP scaling (LNS) approach to identify patterns of anthropogenic degradation of NPP in the Burdekin Dry Tropics (BDT) region of Queensland, Australia, from 2000 to 2013. The method starts with land classification based on the environmental factors presumed to control (NPP) to group pixels having similar potential NPP. Then, satellite remotely sensing data were used to compare actual NPP with its potential. The difference in units of mass of carbon and percentage loss were the measure of degradation. The entire BDT (7.45 × 10 6 km 2 ) was investigated at a spatial resolution of 250 × 250 m. The average annual reduction in NPP due to anthropogenic land degradation in the entire BDT was −2.14 MgC m −2 yr −1 , or 17 % of the non-degraded potential, and the total reduction was −214 MgC yr −1 . Extreme average annual losses of 524.8 gC m −2 yr −1 were detected. Approximately 20 % of the BDT was classified as "degraded". Varying severities and rates of degradation were found among the river basins, of which the Belyando and Suttor were highest. Interannual, negative trends in reductions of NPP occurred in 7 % of the entire region, indicating ongoing degradation. There was evidence of areas that were in a permanently degraded condition. The findings provide strong evidence and quantitative data for reductions in NPP related to anthropogenic land degradation in the BDT.

show abstract

“…Further, land degradation leads to a reduction in resilience of host species, reduction of vegetation cover, decreased species diversity, and reduced herbaceous biomass production (Kairis et al 2015;Belgacem et al 2013). Nonetheless, disturbances such as overgrazing favors establishment of invader species, survival, and dominance of short-lived, unpreferred annual plant species rather than the palatable perennial species (Byers 2002).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of rangeland rehabilitation on the herbaceous species composition and diversity in Suswa catchment, Narok County, Kenya

et al. 2017

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Introduction: Land degradation is a serious environmental problem of our time. In Kenya, it is estimated that 30% of the total land mass is severely degraded. Suswa catchment within Narok County is a good example with gullies of over 25 m deep and 30 m wide. In response to the increasing land degradation in the area, the Sustainable Land Management (SLM) project rehabilitated the catchment through establishment of soil and water conservation structures such as cutoff drains, semicircular bunds, and water retention ditches. Despite the various rehabilitation approaches carried out, little research has been done to ascertain their effect on successful vegetation recovery. This coupled with the fact that many restoration approaches have failed in East Africa and Kenya in particular gave drive to the study. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of rangeland rehabilitation on herbaceous species composition and diversity in a severely degraded rangeland. Methods: To assess the diversity of aboveground herbaceous layer in the rehabilitated and degraded areas along a slope (upper, middle, and lower), line transect and quadrat count methods were used. Within each slope position, three 100-m-long transects were placed across the hill parallel to one another 30 m apart using a tape. The species hit, the closest species to the hit, and hits on bare ground were recorded. Along the same transects, 1-m 2 quadrats were placed 25 m apart and aboveground biomass determined by the use of the destructive method. In the determination of species richness, diversity, relative abundance, percentage cover, and species composition, the Shannon-Wiener diversity index was used. Data collected on vegetation attributes was subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) using Genstat and Tukey's HSD post hoc used in means separation where F values were significant. Results: The results showed that percent cover (74.67%), aboveground biomass (1459 kg/ha), relative abundance, richness, composition, and diversity of perennial grasses significantly (P ≤ 0.05) increased downslope and were higher in the rehabilitated area than in the degraded area. On the contrary, forbs and annual grasses were significantly (P ≤ 0.05) higher within the degraded area compared to the rehabilitated area and increased upslope.

show abstract

Exploring the Impact of Overgrazing on Soil Erosion and Land Degradation in a Dry Mediterranean Agro-Forest Landscape (Crete, Greece)

Cited by 120 publications

References 31 publications

Exploring Long-Term Impact of Grazing Management on Land Degradation in the Socio-Ecological System of Asteroussia Mountains, Greece

Exploring Long-Term Impact of Grazing Management on Land Degradation in the Socio-Ecological System of Asteroussia Mountains, Greece

Degradation of net primary production in a semiarid rangeland

Effect of rangeland rehabilitation on the herbaceous species composition and diversity in Suswa catchment, Narok County, Kenya

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About