<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">The purpose of this study was to assess how terracing affected overland flow and associated sediment losses, at the micro-plot scale (0.25 m2), in recently burnt stands of the two principal forest types in north-central Portugal, i.e. mono-specific stands of Maritime Pine and Eucalypt. Terracing is an increasingly common practice of slope engineering in the study region but its impacts on runoff and erosion are poorly studied. Non-terraced plots at the Eucalypt and the Pine site revealed similar median runoff coefficients (rc: 20-30%) as well as comparable median sediment losses (15-25 g m-2) during the first seven months following wildfire. During the ensuing, slightly wetter 18-month period, however, non-terraced plots at the Pine site lost noticeably more sediments (in median, 90 vs. 18 g m-2), in spite the runoff response had remained basically the same (median rc: 33 vs. 28%). By contrast, terraced plots at the same Pine site lost hugely more sediments (in median, 1,200 g m-2) during this 18-month period. Terraced plots at the Eucalypt site even lost three times more sediments (in median, 3,600 g m-2). Ground cover and resistance to shear stress seemed to be key factors in the observed/inferred impacts of terracing.</abstract>

The purpose of this study was to assess how terracing affected overland flow and associated sediment losses, at the micro-plot scale (0.25 m2), in recently burnt stands of the two principal forest types in north-central Portugal, i.e. mono-specific stands of Maritime Pine and Eucalypt. Terracing is an increasingly common practice of slope engineering in the study region but its impacts on runoff and erosion are poorly studied. Non-terraced plots at the Eucalypt and the Pine site revealed similar median runoff coefficients (rc: 20-30%) as well as comparable median sediment losses (15-25 g m-2) during the first seven months following wildfire. During the ensuing, slightly wetter 18-month period, however, non-terraced plots at the Pine site lost noticeably more sediments (in median, 90 vs. 18 g m-2), in spite the runoff response had remained basically the same (median rc: 33 vs. 28%). By contrast, terraced plots at the same Pine site lost hugely more sediments (in median, 1,200 g m-2) during this 18-month period. Terraced plots at the Eucalypt site even lost three times more sediments (in median, 3,600 g m-2). Ground cover and resistance to shear stress seemed to be key factors in the observed/inferred impacts of terracing.

Runoff and inter-rill erosion in a Maritime Pine and a Eucalypt plantation following wildfire and terracing in north-central Portugal

Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), Department of Environment and Planning, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal

Journal of Hydrology and Hydromechanics

The purpose of this study was to assess how terracing affected overland flow and associated sediment losses, at the micro-plot scale (0.25 m2), in recently...

Runoff and inter-rill erosion in a Maritime Pine and a Eucalypt plantation following wildfire and terracing in north-central Portugal

Published Online: Dec 01, 2013

Page range: 261 - 268

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/johh-2013-0033

Keywords
Wildfire, Terracing, Eucalypt, Pine, Overland flow, Erosion

This content is open access.

Runoff and inter-rill erosion in a Maritime Pine and a Eucalypt plantation following wildfire and terracing in north-central Portugal

Published Online: Dec 01, 2013

Page range: 261 - 268

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/johh-2013-0033

KeywordsWildfire, Terracing, Eucalypt, Pine, Overland flow, Erosion

This content is open access.

Keywords
Wildfire, Terracing, Eucalypt, Pine, Overland flow, Erosion