The role of wildfire on soil quality in abandoned terraces of three Mediterranean micro-catchments

Lucas‐Borja, Manuel Esteban; Calsamiglia, Aleix; Fortesa, Josep; García-Comendador, Julián; Guardiola, E. Lozano; García‐Orenes, Fuensanta; Gago, Jorge; Estrany, Joan

doi:10.1016/j.catena.2018.06.014

Cited by 21 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 47 publications

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“…Many studies have demonstrated how and by what extent land uses influence the physico-chemical and hydrological characteristics of soil (e.g., [4,11,16,34,47]). However, these characteristics also depend on the specific soil properties, such as texture and vegetal cover.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The main causes of such negative environmental impacts are agricultural practices, deforestation, overgrazing, land abandonment, wildfires, and civil works [6,7]. For instance, agriculture is thought to generate high erosion rates [4,8,9], and the use of land for intensive agriculture, in general, may cause soil damage [10,11]. As well known, agriculture, particularly when intensive and subject to frequent tillage operations, may strongly affect the physico-chemical properties of soil, making it more prone to erosion and quality decay.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For instance, in SE Spain, where drastic human impacts were recorded in the second half of the past century [15], anthropogenic land use changes have triggered soil erosion and led to severe land degradation [1]. Here, since the mid-twentieth century, the use of land for intensive agriculture and the gradual process of vegetation recovery of abandoned farmlands and marginal areas have been the main causes of land degradation [10,11]. These land use changes, whose environmental impacts are worsened by the specific climate and the soil fragility, make this region very prone to runoff generation and soil erosion [3] with consequent pollution of water bodies, soil organic matter decline, devastating floods, reservoir siltation, and mass failures [1,15].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effects of Different Land Uses (Abandoned Farmland, Intensive Agriculture and Forest) on Soil Hydrological Properties in Southern Spain

Lucas‐Borja

Zema

Plaza‐Álvarez

et al. 2019

Water

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A detailed knowledge of soil water repellency (SWR) and water infiltration capacity of soils under different land uses is of fundamental importance in Mediterranean areas, since these areas are prone to soil degradation risks (e.g., erosion, runoff of polluting compounds) as a response to different hydrological processes. The present study evaluates the effects of land uses on SWR and soil hydraulic conductivity (SHC) by direct measurements at the plot scale in three areas representing (1) intensive agricultural use, (2) abandoned farmland, and (3) a forest ecosystem in Southern Spain under Mediterranean climatic conditions. The physico-chemical properties and water content of the experimental soils were also measured. Significant SWR and SHC differences were found among the analyzed land uses. Forest soils showed high SWR and low SHC, while the reverse effects (that is, low SWR and high SHC) were detected in soils subjected to intensive agriculture. Organic matter and bulk density were important soil properties influencing SWR and SHC. The study, demonstrating how land uses can have important effects on the hydrological characteristics of soils, give land managers insights into the choice of the most suitable land use planning strategies in view of facing the high runoff and erosion rates typical of the Mediterranean areas.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effects of Different Land Uses (Abandoned Farmland, Intensive Agriculture and Forest) on Soil Hydrological Properties in Southern Spain

Lucas‐Borja

Zema

Plaza‐Álvarez

et al. 2019

Water

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“…The soil activity of enzymes is important in assessing the soil quality and diagnosing their ecological status (Hugh, 2012;Burns et al, 2013;Dose et al, 2015;Raiesi & Salek-Gilani, 2018). The fire-induced effect has a significant effect on the enzyme activity of the soil (Odabashyan et al, 2017;Lucas-Borja et al, 2018;Fernández-García et al, 2019;Moya et al, 2019). Therefore, the soil activity of enzymes can be considered as potential parameter of the fire-induced effects in soils.…”

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confidence: 99%

Post-fire changes in the biological properties of the brown soils in the Utrish State Nature Reserve (Russia)

Казеев¹,

Poltoratskaya²,

Yakimova³

et al. 2019

Nat. Conserv. Res.

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The unique ecosystems of the Abraus peninsula on the Caucasian Black Sea coast persisted in the Utrish State Nature Reserve (Russia), are represented by dry Eastern Mediterranean subtropics with a large number of endemics and relics that have been persisted from the Tertiary period. This is one of the few places in Russia where juniper pistachio (Pistacia atlantica, Juniperus excelsa, J. foetidissima, J. oxycedrus) woodlands grow. In 2016-2018, a study was conducted on the content of the biological properties of brown soils in two areas of the Abraus peninsula. The main focus is on the monitoring of Vodopadnaya shchel' on the Utrish State Nature Reserve monitoring site, located in the post-fire area of juniper woodland (Pistacia atlantica, Juniperus excelsa, J. foetidissima, J. oxycedrus) at an altitude of 110-140 m a.s.l. on the southern spurs of the Ridge Navagir. The fire happened in 2009. Additionally, in April 2018, the site of the burnt area of 2013 was investigated in the immediate vicinity of the Sukhaya shchel' of the Utrish State Nature Reserve. The area of the burnt site was several hectares including violation of terrestrial vegetation and changes in the ecological state of the soil. We have demonstrated that brown soils are rare for Russia (Cromic Cambisol and Cromi-Leptic Luvisol according to the WRB international classification). But these are widespread in most parts of the Abraus peninsula, including the Utrish State Nature Reserve. The main features of brown soils include the brown colour of the soil profile; intense textural lining of the middle part of the soil profile; eluvial-illuvial type of decarbonisation closed to neutral reaction of the environment; soil richness with elements of mineral nutrition. The studied soils in the Utrish State Nature Reserve are characterised by higher stoniness and rubble, no carbonate growths, fragmentation of the forest floor due to the low-mountain dissected relief of the territory. We have studied the ecological and biological properties of these soils in response to fire (e.g. temperature, moisture, soil bulk density, organic carbon and carbonate content, bacteria abundance, catalase, peroxidase, dehydrogenase, and invertase activities). In the grass-shrub stage, the restorative succession was in both burnt areas. The fire had a significant effect on the ecological and biological properties of brown soils 5-9 years after the fire impact. Many of the biological properties of post-fire soils differed significantly in comparison with the properties of control areas of juniper light forest. The organic carbon content and biological activity of post-fire soils as a whole are reduced as compared with the soils of control areas of juniper light forest. In this case, a high variation of the biological parameters of the soil was noted in different parts of the same burnt area. The variation is associated both with the peculiarities of the mountain relief, and with the nature of the vegetation, which forms refugia different in the number of plant residues. The rate...

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“…Literature studies have demonstrated that land uses influence the physico-chemical and hydrological characteristics of a soil e.g., reference [33,35,[56][57][58][59]. It is also known that soil detachment capacity affected by overland flow varies widely under different land uses [26,60].…”

Section: Impacts Of Land Use On Soil Properties and Rill Detachment Cmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing and Modeling Soil Detachment Capacity by Overland Flow in Forest and Woodland of Northern Iran

Parhizkar

Shabanpour

Khaledian

et al. 2020

Forests

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Land use has significant effects on the erosion process, since it influences the soil detachment capacity by causing an overland flow (Dc). The effects of different land uses on the rill detachment capacity have not been explained in depth, and the hydraulic parameters providing accurate estimates of this soil property have not been completely identified. This study quantifies Dc at low flow rates in woodland and forestland, compared to two other land uses (cropland and grassland), in the Saravan watershed (Northern Iran), and develops prediction models of Dc and rill erodibility (Kr). Dc was measured on undisturbed soil samples, collected in the four land uses, and characterized in terms of the main physico-chemical properties in a flume experiment, simulating five slopes and five shallow water flows. The results showed that Dc was significantly lower in woodland and forestland compared to cropland and grassland, as the consequence of the changes in the main soil properties and the more developed vegetation cover and structure. Dc was positively correlated to clay and silt contents of soils, and negatively correlated to sand content, aggregate stability, root density, and organic matter. The stream power and unit stream power were found to be very accurate predictors of Dc in woodland and forestland, respectively. Kr values, which assumed the lowest values in woodland and forestland, were provided by interpolating Dc and the shear stress of water flow. Overall, this study has confirmed that vegetation cover and improved soil properties in forestland and woodland may help to reduce erosion in delicate environment ecosystems, such as the forests of Northern Iran.

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The role of wildfire on soil quality in abandoned terraces of three Mediterranean micro-catchments

Cited by 21 publications

References 47 publications

Effects of Different Land Uses (Abandoned Farmland, Intensive Agriculture and Forest) on Soil Hydrological Properties in Southern Spain

Effects of Different Land Uses (Abandoned Farmland, Intensive Agriculture and Forest) on Soil Hydrological Properties in Southern Spain

Post-fire changes in the biological properties of the brown soils in the Utrish State Nature Reserve (Russia)

Assessing and Modeling Soil Detachment Capacity by Overland Flow in Forest and Woodland of Northern Iran

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