Foc, pluges i resposta hidrològica del sòl a les muntanyes d'Alacant

Abstract

Forest fires, rainstorms and soil hydrological response in the Alicante rangelands (SE Iberian Peninsula). Forest fires directly affect the soil surface through the increment of temperature and the deposition of ashes. Fires also result in the reduction or elimination of aboveground biomass and organic layers, thereby modifying the impact of raindrops on the soil surface. The post-fire degradation risk is controlled by diverse factors, e.g. climate, pre-fire vegetation and soil characteristics. Study sites were located in transitional areas between semiarid and subhumid climates. We assessed the temporal dynamics of runoff and sediment yield using a rainfall simulator. Under semiarid climate, the infiltration capacity was not directly modified by the fire. Both under semiarid and under subhumid climates, an increase in runoff and sediment production was observed by comparing the post-fire results obtained prior to and after than the rainy season. Plant response was one of the main factors controlling the post-fire soil degradation risk.