**7. Acknowledgment**

This research was supported by the project ''Land use changes in inland Central and Northern Portugal" (POCTI/GEO/49371/2002) funded by the Science and Technology Foundation – Portugal (FCT).

#### **8. References**

78 Soil Erosion Studies

As pointed out by Imeson (1990), the main characteristics affecting the vulnerability of the Mediterranean area to erosion are intense rainfall after a very dry summer. In fact, autumn is the most water erosive season as a consequence of the heaviest concentration of rainfall and rainfall erosivity (Nunes et al., 2011). Recent research into climate change in Portugal (the SIAM Project, Miranda et al., 2006) for the 21st century (including 3 greenhouse gas emission scenarios used by many global and two regional climate models), are homogeneous predicting a reduction in annual rainfall in mainland Portugal (within the range of 20 to 40% of the current value), as a result of a decline in the duration of the wet season. Predictions for temperature changes agree on an overall increase in the annual mean, with a much more pronounced maximum summer temperature particularly affecting inland areas of Portugal. This climatic trend will extend the long, dry, hot summers in the Mediterranean region and lead to more frequent and intense extreme weather events, which could increase the rates of erosion and the risk of desertification that is threatening

In Portugal, as well as in the Mediterranean countries, important land use and cover changes have occurred since the second half of the last century. The abandoning of traditional subsistence systems based on cereal cultivation, probably the most important change, has taken place mainly in the more disadvantaged areas where farming systems in general and livestock farms in particular are often operating close to the margins of sustainability. This was originally a consequence of the difficulties associated with adopting modern farming systems. Later, it was the result of the demographic exodus from these rural areas, and more recently it has been reinforced by the implementation of CAP measures. In several areas, cereal crop soils were neglected and a natural vegetation succession occurred, increasing plant recovery and establishing shrub and woodland areas. In other areas, the adoption of measures aimed at reducing intensive agricultural methods

There are important differences in the hydrological and erosional functioning of the different land uses/cover types monitored. Shrub and woodland are considered better for soil and water conservation, producing less surface runoff and therefore less soil erosion. The results obtained also show a positive trend in organic matter content, highlighting the importance of vegetation in these very shallow soils with a low clay content in increasing structural stability and avoiding soil loss. The major threat to these ecosystems is associated

Conversely, cereal cultivation and tree planting accelerate runoff and soil erosion, which is attributed to soil tillage which loosens the soil and reduces anti-erodibility. Erosion and land degradation became a problem in Portugal when arable farming expanded into marginal areas over the decades. The poor water and soil protection provided by young pine is

In fact, the amount of bare soil on a site is generally a good indicator of the soil's vulnerability to erosion and degradation. Good soil coverage is an essential element in soil conservation programmes. Vegetation protects the soil from eroding in various ways. Rainfall interception by the plant has two main consequences, the most important being that it reduces the erosive power of impacting raindrops. It also reduces the volume of water reaching the soil surface. Subsequently, soil erosion can be controlled by changing land use

substantial areas of Portugal (Nunes & Seixas, 2003; Nearing et al., 2005).

involved afforestation schemes and conversion to grazing land.

with controlling the frequency of wildfires.

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**Soil Erosion and Conservation Measures in Semiarid Ecosystems Affected by Wildfires** 

Fire is a factor of the first order in the interpretation of current ecosystem composition and landscape shape. Wildfires are a common phenomena dating back to the Earth's origins when they were caused by volcanic events or lightning. However, nowadays fires are more often caused by human interventions, accidental or deliberate, than by natural ones. In the European Mediterranean regions wildfires increases from 1960s aided by a general warming and drying trend, but driven primarily by socio-economic changes, including rural depopulation, land abandonment and afforestation with flammable species (Shakesby, 2011). Within that global Mediterranean region, semiarid areas have plant communities of sclerophyllous evergreen shrubs, rich in essences and with low plant water content, especially in dry seasons. These conditions facilitates the burning of

Wildfires can be considered as a disturbance with a relatively severe temporary impact (Cerdà & Doerr, 2005). Their severity will depend on key factors such as the intensity and frequency of fire, but also on the the ecosystem components (vegetation, soil, rainfall, etc). The burning of plant cover and litter leaves the soil unprotected against rain impact. Also, immediately following a wildfire, a layer of ash and charred material typically covers the ground. It can increase or decrease the post-fire runoff and erosion response, depending upon the soil and ash properties and the ash thickness (Bodí et al., 2011). Soil loss after wildfire increases as long as there is no a minimal recovery of both plant cover and soil properties (Mataix et al., 2007). Although some strategies, such as plant resprouting, allow them to recover quickly, high fire frequency or soils with low quality can requier restoration strategies (Cerda & Robichaud, 2009); these aspects that will be discused in this chapter.

Soil loss after fire in different soil types and plant community structures were analyzed in

Soil loss after fire is affected by soil properties, plant community structure (i.e. seeders versus sprouters ratio) as well as fire and rainfall intensity. In this subchapter, we analyze

**2. Erosion on contrasting soil types affected by fire** 

the semi-arid central Ebro Basin (NE-Spain) after fire.

**1. Introduction** 

these ecosystems.

**2.1 Methods** 

David Badía, Clara Martí and Raquel Charte

*University of Zaragoza, Huesca* 

*School of Environmental Sciences and Agricultural Engineering* 

Elliot, M. Latham, & J. Dumanski (Eds.), Vol. 2: Technical Papers. IBSRAM Proceedings No. 12, IBSRAM, ISBN**:** 974-7087-05-7, Bangkok, Thailand

