Effects of Post-Fire Mulching with Loranthus europaeus Jacq. on Surface Runoff and Rainsplash Erosion in a Semi-Arid Pine Forest

Mehdi Navidi, Abbas Banj Shafiei (), Ahmad Alijanpour, Sajad Pirsa, Hesam Ahmady-Birgani, Manuel Esteban Lucas-Borja and Demetrio Antonio Zema ()
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Mehdi Navidi: Department of Forestry, Faculty of Natural Resources, Urmia University, Urmia 1177, Iran
Abbas Banj Shafiei: Department of Forestry, Faculty of Natural Resources, Urmia University, Urmia 1177, Iran
Ahmad Alijanpour: Department of Forestry, Faculty of Natural Resources, Urmia University, Urmia 1177, Iran
Sajad Pirsa: Department of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, Urmia University, Urmia 1177, Iran
Hesam Ahmady-Birgani: Department of Range and Watershed Management, Faculty of Natural Resources, Urmia University, Urmia 1177, Iran
Manuel Esteban Lucas-Borja: Department of Agroforestry Technology, Campus Universitario s/n, Castilla La Mancha University, E-02071 Albacete, Spain
Demetrio Antonio Zema: Department AGRARIA, “Mediterranea” University of Reggio Calabria, Località Feo di Vito, I-89122 Reggio Calabria, Italy

Resources, 2023, vol. 12, issue 3, 1-16

Abstract: To avoid flooding and erosion hazards, post-fire management actions are essential in Mediterranean forests after severe wildfires. In this regard, mulching is the most common action but some mulch materials, such as straw, may lead to adverse impacts in burned forests. The use of yellow mistletoe fruits ( Loranthus europaeus Jacq., hereafter “LE”) for the production of biodegradable mulch and its effectiveness in post-fire hydrology have never been studied. To fill this gap, this study has evaluated surface runoff and rainsplash erosion in a pine forest in Central Eastern Spain burned by a wildfire and mulched by a mixture of LE fruits and straw (with or without adding clay particles) using a portable rainfall simulator. Compared to untreated sites, runoff increased in burned and mulched soils (by 13.6% for the mixture without clay and by 17.2% when clay was added, in the latter case significantly). This increase was mainly due to the compact layer created by mulch application on the soil surface. However, the peak flow and the time to peak were lower in mulched soils (on average by 32.7% and 60.5%, significantly only for the mulch mixture without clay), thus indicating that, in these soils, peak runoff takes longer and its maximum value is lower compared to untreated sites. Soil erosion noticeably and significantly decreased (up to 97%) in mulched areas in comparison to untreated sites without significant differences between the two mixtures. Overall, this study indicates to land managers that soil mulching with a mixture of Loranthus europaeus Jacq. and straw is an effective post-fire management action to reduce the soil erosion risk after a wildfire.

Keywords: soil hydrology; post-fire management; overland flow; time to peak; soil loss; rainfall simulation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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