El impacto de la ganadería y la agricultura en los ecosistemas terrestres.-Modelos de distribución espacial de la erosión en laderas cultivadas con viñedos

Abstract

RESUMEN Soils cultivated with vineyards have high rates of erosion. In the Mediterranean area, this is related to the environmental characteristics and the management of cultivation techniques. Indeed, in this region the rainfall intensity and the location of vineyards on slopes favour the erosive activity of runoff. The total area of vineyard in La Rioja (Spain) is currently almost 40,000 ha. Vineyards are located on hillsides between 400 and 600 m a.s.l. Of the vineyards of La Rioja, 81.7% are planted on slopes with a gradient between 3º and 9º. The aim of this paper is to present the behaviour and spatial organization of soil erosion in vineyards after high intensity rainfall and to identify the factors that influence in this organization. From erosion processes cartography, geographic information systems and multivariate statistical analysis, the distribution of erosion on a hillside cultivated with vineyards is modelling and predicted. The results are validated and compared with WATEM, a spatially distributed soil erosion and sediment delivery model. The use of spatial models of erosion can be very useful for agriculture, since they predict areas vulnerable to erosion and assist in planning of soil conservation techniques.