Efecto de diferentes tipos de cubierta vegetal en el control de la erosión en clima semiáridoSE – España

Abstract

We present the results about the study of 18 hydrology plots (16 m2) in theExperimental Station The Ventós(Alicante) during 4 years (1996 – 1999). We studied therunoff generation and the sediment yield in several vegetation cover types following a landcover gradient and vegetation structure, from pine afforestation over thorn shrubland, pineafforestation over dry grassland, thorn shrubland, dry grassland and alpha grass steppe toopen land. Overall runoff coefficient of vegetation plots was lesser than 1,0% of the rainfalland soil erosion was lesser than 0,05 Mg.ha-1.year-1, exceeded only by alpha grass steppe andopen land. These results are explained by the high percentage of land cover of the analysedtypes and the Mediterranean semiarid rainfall characteristics. Vegetation formations coveringmore than 70% of land and derived from the natural succession (shrublands, dry grassland),could be adequate alternatives as pine afforestation to reduce the runoff and soil erosion