Temporal and spatial variation of soil erosion in wooded rangelands of southwest Spain

Abstract

Changes in land use are common in Mediterranean areas and are reported as having produced changes in the intensity of soil erosion. Dehesas are rangelands with a disperse tree cover, widespread in the south-western part of the Iberian Peninsula and similar ecosystems are also common in other areas with a Mediterranean climate. The aim of the present study is to analyse temporal and spatial variations of soil erosion rates estimated along three hillsides, located in two farms (Buitrera and Parapuños) in southwest Spain. To understand the temporal variation, soil erosion rates were studied in light of land use-management changes that took place during the last few centuries. Results indicate very low erosion rates prior to the 18 th century in both farms. In Buitrera, a first increase of soil loss rates was identified during the period 1831-1897, amounting to 7.4 t ha -1 y -1 . A further increase took place during the 20 th century, reaching a mean erosion rate of 29.1 t ha -1 y -1 . In Parapuños, data points to a significant increase from 1881 onwards, with an estimated mean erosion rate of 18.5 t ha -1 y -1 . Those increases were presumably connected with an intensification of land use, such as cultivation and excessive livestock populations. Regarding spatial variation, the bare surface and the erosive power of run-off along the hillsides accounts for 76% of the soil erosion rates dispersion. At a local scale, the variability of erosion rates could not be explained, because of (i) uncertainty related to the micromorphology of the past soil surface and (ii) the role of tillage erosion in the past. However, the results obtained offer valuable data on the temporal and spatial variation of erosion rates in dehesas at the hillslope scale and a similar approach could be used for other rangelands with a disperse tree cover.

Spatial Assessment of the Effects of Land Cover Change on Soil Erosion in Hungary from 1990 to 2018

“…Land use and land cover (LULC) play a critical role in soil erosion processes. The changes in LULC can have significant effect on susceptibility to soil erosion [23][24][25], especially in case of agricultural land use [26][27][28], and, thus, can contribute to reductions in soil organic carbon (SOC) [29]. Therefore, understanding LULC dynamics and its effects on soil erosion can provide key information to decision makers [11,[30][31][32][33].…”

Impacts of Weather Types on Soil Erosion Rates in Vineyards at “Celler Del Roure” Experimental Research in Eastern Spain

“…Thus, soil erosion is more than the loss of sediments as it also poses risks to human societies [6,7]. Understanding which factors play key roles in runoff generation and subsequent soil loss is crucial to the design of proper land management plans [8,9]. Despite the huge amount of studies published in the last decades, the contribution of each of the factors governing the soil erosion process is still not clear [6,10].…”

Response of surface soil nutrients and organic carbon fractions to tillage erosion vs. water erosion in an agricultural landscape

“…(2010) argued that soil erosion‐induced lateral fluxes of N and P are of similar magnitude to those induced by fertilizer application and crop removal. Nevertheless, current studies almost exclusively attribute the variability of soil C, N and P within sloping farmland to water erosion, while less attention has been paid to the role of tillage erosion (Hu et al., 2020; Q. Y. Li et al., 2014; Rubio‐Delgado et al., 2019; Shi & Schulin, 2018; Thaler et al., 2021). Tillage erosion, defined as the net translocation of soil material by tillage operations, typically results in soil loss from slope convexities and soil accumulation in slope concavities (Lobb et al., 1999; Quine et al., 1997).…”

“…Failure to recognize tillage erosion reflects its almost invisible nature on a per‐event basis (FAO, 2019). However, recent studies have shown that the effect of tillage erosion on soil degradation is even more important than water erosion (Öttl et al., 2021; Rubio‐Delgado et al., 2019; Thaler et al., 2021; Zhao et al., 2018). For example, more than one‐third of the Corn Belt in the midwestern United States has completely lost its C‐rich topsoil, largely attributed to tillage erosion, which reduces corn ( Zea mays L.) and soybean [ Glycine max (L.) Merr.]…”