Modelling the Event-Based Hydrological Response of Mediterranean Forests to Prescribed Fire and Soil Mulching with Fern Using the Curve Number, Horton and USLE-Family (Universal Soil Loss Equation) Models

The SCS-CN, Horton, and USLE-family models are widely used to predict and control runoff and erosion in forest ecosystems. However, in the literature there is no evidence of their use in Mediterranean forests subjected to prescribed fire and soil mulching. To fill this gap, this study evaluates the...

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Main Authors:	Bruno Gianmarco Carra, Giuseppe Bombino, Manuel Esteban Lucas-Borja, Pietro Denisi, Pedro Antonio Plaza-Álvarez, Demetrio Antonio Zema
Format:	article
Language:	EN
Published:	MDPI AG 2021
Subjects:	runoff erosion soil loss hydrological modeling oak chestnut Agriculture S
Online Access:	https://doaj.org/article/b16aa0b33eb1427fbcd9c2a05e119ea4
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:b16aa0b33eb1427fbcd9c2a05e119ea42021-11-25T18:09:23ZModelling the Event-Based Hydrological Response of Mediterranean Forests to Prescribed Fire and Soil Mulching with Fern Using the Curve Number, Horton and USLE-Family (Universal Soil Loss Equation) Models10.3390/land101111662073-445Xhttps://doaj.org/article/b16aa0b33eb1427fbcd9c2a05e119ea42021-10-01T00:00:00Zhttps://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/10/11/1166https://doaj.org/toc/2073-445XThe SCS-CN, Horton, and USLE-family models are widely used to predict and control runoff and erosion in forest ecosystems. However, in the literature there is no evidence of their use in Mediterranean forests subjected to prescribed fire and soil mulching. To fill this gap, this study evaluates the prediction capability for runoff and soil loss of the SCS-CN, Horton, MUSLE, and USLE-M models in three forests (pine, chestnut, and oak) in Southern Italy. The investigation was carried out at plot and event scales throughout one year, after a prescribed fire and post-fire soil mulching with fern. The SCS-CN and USLE-M models were accurate in predicting runoff volume and soil loss, respectively. In contrast, poor predictions of the modelled hydrological variables were provided by the models in unburned plots, and by the Horton and MUSLE models for all soil conditions. This inaccuracy may have been due to the fact that the runoff and erosion generation mechanisms were saturation-excess and rainsplash, while the Horton and MUSLE models better simulate infiltration-excess and overland flow processes, respectively. For the SCS-CN and USLE-M models, calibration was needed to obtain accurate predictions of surface runoff and soil loss; furthermore, different CNs and C factors must be input throughout the year to simulate the variability of the hydrological response of soil after fire. After calibration, two sets of CNs and C-factor values were suggested for applications of the SCS-CN and USLE-M models, after prescribed fire and fern mulching in Mediterranean forests. Once validated in a wider range of environmental contexts, these models may support land managers in controlling the hydrology of Mediterranean forests that are prone to wildfire risks.Bruno Gianmarco CarraGiuseppe BombinoManuel Esteban Lucas-BorjaPietro DenisiPedro Antonio Plaza-ÁlvarezDemetrio Antonio ZemaMDPI AGarticlerunofferosionsoil losshydrological modelingoakchestnutAgricultureSENLand, Vol 10, Iss 1166, p 1166 (2021)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	runoff erosion soil loss hydrological modeling oak chestnut Agriculture S
spellingShingle	runoff erosion soil loss hydrological modeling oak chestnut Agriculture S Bruno Gianmarco Carra Giuseppe Bombino Manuel Esteban Lucas-Borja Pietro Denisi Pedro Antonio Plaza-Álvarez Demetrio Antonio Zema Modelling the Event-Based Hydrological Response of Mediterranean Forests to Prescribed Fire and Soil Mulching with Fern Using the Curve Number, Horton and USLE-Family (Universal Soil Loss Equation) Models
description	The SCS-CN, Horton, and USLE-family models are widely used to predict and control runoff and erosion in forest ecosystems. However, in the literature there is no evidence of their use in Mediterranean forests subjected to prescribed fire and soil mulching. To fill this gap, this study evaluates the prediction capability for runoff and soil loss of the SCS-CN, Horton, MUSLE, and USLE-M models in three forests (pine, chestnut, and oak) in Southern Italy. The investigation was carried out at plot and event scales throughout one year, after a prescribed fire and post-fire soil mulching with fern. The SCS-CN and USLE-M models were accurate in predicting runoff volume and soil loss, respectively. In contrast, poor predictions of the modelled hydrological variables were provided by the models in unburned plots, and by the Horton and MUSLE models for all soil conditions. This inaccuracy may have been due to the fact that the runoff and erosion generation mechanisms were saturation-excess and rainsplash, while the Horton and MUSLE models better simulate infiltration-excess and overland flow processes, respectively. For the SCS-CN and USLE-M models, calibration was needed to obtain accurate predictions of surface runoff and soil loss; furthermore, different CNs and C factors must be input throughout the year to simulate the variability of the hydrological response of soil after fire. After calibration, two sets of CNs and C-factor values were suggested for applications of the SCS-CN and USLE-M models, after prescribed fire and fern mulching in Mediterranean forests. Once validated in a wider range of environmental contexts, these models may support land managers in controlling the hydrology of Mediterranean forests that are prone to wildfire risks.
format	article
author	Bruno Gianmarco Carra Giuseppe Bombino Manuel Esteban Lucas-Borja Pietro Denisi Pedro Antonio Plaza-Álvarez Demetrio Antonio Zema
author_facet	Bruno Gianmarco Carra Giuseppe Bombino Manuel Esteban Lucas-Borja Pietro Denisi Pedro Antonio Plaza-Álvarez Demetrio Antonio Zema
author_sort	Bruno Gianmarco Carra
title	Modelling the Event-Based Hydrological Response of Mediterranean Forests to Prescribed Fire and Soil Mulching with Fern Using the Curve Number, Horton and USLE-Family (Universal Soil Loss Equation) Models
title_short	Modelling the Event-Based Hydrological Response of Mediterranean Forests to Prescribed Fire and Soil Mulching with Fern Using the Curve Number, Horton and USLE-Family (Universal Soil Loss Equation) Models
title_full	Modelling the Event-Based Hydrological Response of Mediterranean Forests to Prescribed Fire and Soil Mulching with Fern Using the Curve Number, Horton and USLE-Family (Universal Soil Loss Equation) Models
title_fullStr	Modelling the Event-Based Hydrological Response of Mediterranean Forests to Prescribed Fire and Soil Mulching with Fern Using the Curve Number, Horton and USLE-Family (Universal Soil Loss Equation) Models
title_full_unstemmed	Modelling the Event-Based Hydrological Response of Mediterranean Forests to Prescribed Fire and Soil Mulching with Fern Using the Curve Number, Horton and USLE-Family (Universal Soil Loss Equation) Models
title_sort	modelling the event-based hydrological response of mediterranean forests to prescribed fire and soil mulching with fern using the curve number, horton and usle-family (universal soil loss equation) models
publisher	MDPI AG
publishDate	2021
url	https://doaj.org/article/b16aa0b33eb1427fbcd9c2a05e119ea4
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Modelling the Event-Based Hydrological Response of Mediterranean Forests to Prescribed Fire and Soil Mulching with Fern Using the Curve Number, Horton and USLE-Family (Universal Soil Loss Equation) Models

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