Addressing soil protection concerns in forest ecosystem management under climate change

Ana Raquel Rodrigues; Brigite Botequim; Catarina Tavares; Patrícia Pécurto; José G. Borges

doi:10.1186/s40663-020-00247-y

Forest Ecosystems 2020, 7(3): 34 https://doi.org/10.1186/s40663-020-00247-y

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Open Access | Issue | Published: 19 May 2020

Addressing soil protection concerns in forest ecosystem management under climate change

Show Author's Information Hide Author's Information Ana Raquel Rodrigues(

), Brigite Botequim, Catarina Tavares, Patrícia Pécurto, José G. Borges

Forest Research Centre, School of Agriculture, Lisbon University, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisbon, Portugal

Keywords:

Ecosystem services, Forest management, C-factor, Erosivity, Revised universal soil loss equation (RUSLE)

Cite this article:

Rodrigues AR, Botequim B, Tavares C, et al. Addressing soil protection concerns in forest ecosystem management under climate change. Forest Ecosystems, 2020, 7(3): 34. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40663-020-00247-y

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Abstract Full text About this article

Abstract

Background

Climate change may strongly influence soil erosion risk, namely through variations in the precipitation pattern. Forests may contribute to mitigate the impacts of climate change on soil erosion and forest managers are thus challenged by the need to define strategies that may protect the soil while addressing the demand for other ecosystem services. Our emphasis is on the development of an approach to assess the impact of silvicultural practices and forest management models on soil erosion risks under climate change. Specifically, we consider the annual variation of the cover-management factor (C) in the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation over a range of alternative forest management models to estimate the corresponding annual soil losses, under both current and changing climate conditions. We report and discuss results of an application of this approach to a forest area in Northwestern Portugal where erosion control is the most relevant water-related ecosystem service.

Results

Local climate change scenarios will contribute to water erosion processes, mostly by rainfall erosivity increase. Different forest management models provide varying levels of soil protection by trees, resulting in distinct soil loss potential.

Conclusions

Results confirm the suitability of the proposed approach to address soil erosion concerns in forest management planning. This approach may help foresters assess management models and the corresponding silvicultural practices according to the water-related services they provide.

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Abstract

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About this article

Addressing soil protection concerns in forest ecosystem management under climate change

Show Author's information Hide Author's Information Ana Raquel Rodrigues(

), Brigite Botequim, Catarina Tavares, Patrícia Pécurto, José G. Borges

Forest Research Centre, School of Agriculture, Lisbon University, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisbon, Portugal

Abstract

Background

Results

Conclusions

Keywords: Ecosystem services, Forest management, C-factor, Erosivity, Revised universal soil loss equation (RUSLE)

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Publication history

Received: 18 December 2019

Accepted: 07 May 2020

Published: 19 May 2020

Issue date: September 2020

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Acknowledgements

Authors wish to thank Associação Florestal do Vale do Sousa for assistance with study area characterization and stakeholders contact.

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