Soil erosion and runoff in different vegetation patches from semiarid Central Mexico

Auteur(s) et Affiliation(s)

VÁSQUEZ-MÉNDEZ, R.

Univ. of Queretaro, School of Engineering, Graduate Program in Environmental and Water Resources Engineering, Cerro de las Campanas, Mexique

VENTURA-RAMOS, E.

Univ. of Queretaro, School of Engineering, Graduate Program in Environmental and Water Resources Engineering, Cerro de las Campanas, Mexique

OLESCHKO, K.

Centro de Geociencias, UNAM, Juriquilla, Mexique

HERNÁNDEZ-SANDOVAL, L.

Univ. of Queretaro, School of Engineering, Graduate Program in Environmental and Water Resources Engineering, Cerro de las Campanas, Mexique

PARROT, J.-F.

Inst. de Geografia, UNAM, Mexico, Mexique

NEARING, M.A.

Research Leader, USDA-ARS-Southwest Watershed Research Center, Tucson, Etats-Unis

Description :
During the 2006 rainy season, 4 USLE-type plots were installed around representative vegetation patches with predominant individual species of Huisache (Acacia sp), Mesquite (Prosopis sp), Prickly Pear or Nopal (Opuntia sp) and Cardon (Opuntia imbricata), to evaluate soil erosion and runoff, in semiarid Central Mexico. A comparative bare surface condition (Control) was also evaluated. Vegetative canopy and ground cover were computed using digital images. Selected soil parameters were determined. Soil erosion was different for the studied vegetation conditions, decreasing as canopy and ground cover increased. A close relationship was found between soil properties and the surface hydrological processes of soil erosion and runoff, enhancing the hydrological functioning of these semiarid ecosystems.

Type de document :
Article de périodique

Source :
Catena (Giessen), issn : 0341-8162, 2010, vol. 80, n°. 3, p. 162-169, nombre de pages : 8, Références bibliographiques : 46 ref.

Date :
2010

Editeur :
Pays édition : Allemagne, Cremlingen-Destedt, Catena

Langue :
Anglais