Main Issues for Preserving Mediterranean Soil Resources From Water Erosion Under Global Change

Abstract

Soil resources are important for the socioeconomic development of the Mediterranean area. Their durability may be threatened because of intense erosion processes that result in severe degradation in the field (on‐site effects) and downstream degradation (off‐site effects). Based on the literature and results obtained during several research projects, this paper presents the main lessons and challenges dealing with Mediterranean soil resources under global change. After a review of the main drivers of Mediterranean soil erosion and the main impacts of water erosion processes, the paper highlights that the nature and intensity of active erosion processes are as diverse as the mosaic of the Mediterranean landscape. It then discusses the expected evolution of Mediterranean soil resources under global change and illustrates the prevalent influences of land use (partly depending on climatic constraints) on the evolution of erosion risk and soil vulnerability. Finally, it details some main challenges for the future of Mediterranean soil resources dealing with a better knowledge of factors and processes involved in soil erosion, a better evaluation of soil vulnerability through a combined quantitative and qualitative soil erosion approach, and the need for a site‐specific conservation strategy for Mediterranean soil resources. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Temporal variability and time compression of sediment yield in small Mediterranean catchments: impacts for land and water management

“…Soil erosion in Mediterranean regions is particularly severe because of specific environmental conditions (low annual precipitation, high evapotranspiration, intense rainstorms, drought occurrence and steep slopes), long land management history, recent tectonic activity, recurrent use of fire, overgrazing and farming (Verstraeten et al ., ; González‐Hidalgo et al ., ; de Vente et al ., ; Prosdocimi et al ., 2016a). For mitigating soil loss, effective catchment‐specific tailor‐made solutions are required (García‐Ruiz et al ., ; Raclot et al ., ). Several studies have demonstrated that soil erosion and sediment transport are affected by land use and landscape design (Kosmas et al ., ; Cerdan et al ., ; Cerdà et al ., ).…”

Overland runoff erosion dynamics on steep slopes with forages under field simulated rainfall and inflow

“…Soil erosion is a major environmental problem worldwide, particularly in semiarid environments (Barrow, ; Lal, ; Li et al, ; Morgan, ; Raclot, Le Bissonnais, Annabi, Sabir, & Smetanova, ). Erosion results in the degradation of soils and their associated agronomic and environmental functions and services (Lal, ).…”

Predicting Streamflow and Nutrient Loadings in a Semi-Arid Mediterranean Watershed with Ephemeral Streams Using the SWAT Model

“…The indirect effects of the modified freshwater flux and water supply associated with the local climates' uncertainties will induce changes in plant growth and the productivity of crops due to drought and heat stress [7]. Again, contrasting climate-driven land use changes and human pressure might increase the magnitude of land degradation and associated ecosystem functions and services in the Mediterranean drylands [8,9]. This issue is particularly pressing for Mediterranean farmers and their 'adaptive capacity' to deal with water scarcity [10], considering that the expected effects of climate change at a regional level could result in lower farm incomes compared to northern regions [11], in turn resulting in regional imbalances and economic winners and losers [12].…”