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Soil and Water Dynamics

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Mediterranean Oak Woodland Working Landscapes

Part of the book series: Landscape Series ((LAEC,volume 16))

Abstract

Soil properties and water dynamics play a crucial role in the function of oak woodland ranches and dehesas. They are largely controlled by climate conditions, terrain morphology and parent material, but also by land use and management. We review results obtained from research carried out in California and Spain on topics related to soil quality, soil degradation, and water dynamics. Of particular interest is gaining understanding of the influence of land-use and management practices. The distribution of vegetation produces spatial and temporal variation in soil properties that are described in detail. The influence of trees on soil water content is discussed and the dynamics of catchment hydrology is presented, for both California and Spanish cases. An important characteristic is high variability in precipitation, with the occurrence of prolonged dry periods (droughts) that affect water availability for plants. On ranches the effects are two-fold, influencing pasture productivity and water resources for livestock rearing. Soils in the Spanish dehesas have been subject to degradational processes as a consequence of centuries of agricultural use. Water erosion resulting in the reduction of organic matter and physical degradation is the most important phenomena. For California, with a much shorter history of plowing and livestock grazing, we present results from studies on water quality and the effects of vegetation conversion on water yield, soil stability and erosion.

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Acknowledgments

The investigation carried out in dehesas was made possible through funding offered by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology (AMB92–0580, AMB95–0986–C02–02, HID98–1056–C02–02, CGL2004–04919–C02–02, CGL2008–01215, CGL2011–23361). Special thanks to all the colleagues and graduate students who offered valuable contributions to the dehesa research, especially Antonio Ceballos Barbancho, Marco Maneta López, Álvaro Gómez Gutiérrez, Manuel Pulido Fernández, Francisco Lavado Contador and Silvia Nadal Chillemi.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. GeoEnvironmental Research Group, Universidad de Extremadura, Avda. de la Universidad, 10071, Cáceres, Spain

    Susanne Schnabel

  2. Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA

    Randy A. Dahlgren

  3. Grupo de Investigación Forestal, Universidad de Extremadura, Plasencia, 10600, Spain

    Gerardo Moreno-Marcos

Authors
  1. Susanne Schnabel
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  2. Randy A. Dahlgren
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  3. Gerardo Moreno-Marcos
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Susanne Schnabel .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Institute of Public Goods and Policies, Spanish National Research Council, Albasanz 26-28, Madrid, 28037, Madrid, Spain

    Pablo Campos

  2. , Dept. Environ. Sci. Policy Manage., University of California at Berkeley, 130 Mulford Hall MC 3114, Berkeley, 94720, California, USA

    Lynn Huntsinger

  3. , Institute of Public Goods and Policies, Spanish National Research Council, Albasanz 26-28, Madrid, 28037, Madrid, Spain

    Jose Luis Oviedo Pro

  4. , Department of Geography, University of Nevada at Reno, MacKay Science Mail Stop, Reno, 89557, Nevada, USA

    Paul F Starrs

  5. , Biogeography and Global Change, Spanish National Research Council, Serrano 115 bis, Madrid, 28006, Madrid, Spain

    Mario Diaz

  6. , Dept of Environ Sci Policy and Manage, University of California at Berkeley, 130 Mulford Hall MC 3114, Berkeley, 94720, California, USA

    Richard B Standiford

  7. , Centro de Investigación Forestal, Inst Nacl Invest Tecnol Agrar Aliment, Ctra. de La Coruña, km 7.5, Madrid, 28040, Madrid, Spain

    Gregorio Montero

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Schnabel, S., Dahlgren, R.A., Moreno-Marcos, G. (2013). Soil and Water Dynamics. In: Campos, P., et al. Mediterranean Oak Woodland Working Landscapes. Landscape Series, vol 16. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6707-2_4

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