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Type: Journal Article
Author(s): A. Cerda; A. C. Imeson; A. Calvo
Publication Date: 1995

This paper presents measurements of soil aggregation parameters and rainfall simulation experiments from areas of Mediterranean scrubland vegetation in La Costera district, in the southern part of Valencia Province, Spain. Data were obtained using a portable rainfall simulator and from laboratory studies of aggregate stability, using the water-drop test and ultrasonic dispersion methods. Three locations were chosen to enable the influences of aspect and the post-fire recovery time of the vegetation on soil erosion and hydrology to be investigated. The slopes studied were (a) a north-facing slope burnt ten years before the experiment, (b) a south-facing slope burnt at the same time, and (c) a north facing slope, burnt two years before the experiment, similar to slope 'a' in terms of its basic characteristics. The experiments demonstrate the importance of both wildfires and aspect on hydrological and erosional soil surface processes. The north facing slope at La Costera (slope a) has a higher aggregate stability than the corresponding south facing slope (slope b). The recently burnt north facing slope (c) is intermediate in terms of aggregation, but has the most erodible soils because of the lower infiltration rates and the low vegetation and litter cover. Nevertheless, for the slopes burnt ten years previously, the south-facing slope is more erodible than the north-facing one. The results suggest that the forest fire ten years ago did not produce a persistent degradation of the ecosystem, the only higher soil and water losses during the first years following the fire. A southern aspect, where vegetation recovery rates are slower and the hydraulic stress is higher, favours the development of soils with a relatively low aggregate stability.

Citation: Cerda, A., A. C. Imeson, and A. Calvo. 1995. Fire and aspect induced differences on the erodibility and hydrology of soils at La Costera, Valencia, southeast Spain. Catena, v. 24, p. 289-304.

Cataloging Information

Topics:
Regions:
Keywords:
  • Brachypodium retusum
  • Chamaerops
  • Cistus spp.
  • cover
  • Erica multiflora
  • erosion
  • Europe
  • fire frequency
  • ground cover
  • hardwood forests
  • hydrology
  • litter
  • Mediterranean habitats
  • old fields
  • Olea europaea
  • pine forests
  • Pinus halepensis
  • Pistacia lentiscus
  • post fire recovery
  • precipitation
  • Quercus coccifera
  • regeneration
  • Rosmarinus officinalis
  • runoff
  • scrub
  • sedimentation
  • shrublands
  • sloping terrain
  • soil erosion
  • soil moisture
  • soils
  • Spain
  • Thymus vulgaris
  • Ulex parviflorus
  • water
  • wildfires
Tall Timbers Record Number: 11643Location Status: In-fileCall Number: Fire FileAbstract Status: Okay, Fair use, Reproduced by permission
Record Last Modified:
Record Maintained By: FRAMES Staff (https://www.frames.gov/contact)
FRAMES Record Number: 37197

This bibliographic record was either created or modified by Tall Timbers and is provided without charge to promote research and education in Fire Ecology. The E.V. Komarek Fire Ecology Database is the intellectual property of Tall Timbers.