Establishment of Monterrey Pine ( Pinus radiata ) Plantations and Their Effects on Seasonal Sediment Yield in Central Chile

Roberto Pizarro, Pablo García-Chevesich (), Ben Ingram, Claudia Sangüesa, Juan Pino, Alfredo Ibáñez, Romina Mendoza, Carlos Vallejos, Felipe Pérez, Juan Pablo Flores, Mauricio Vera, Francisco Balocchi, Ramón Bustamante-Ortega and Gisella Martínez
Additional contact information
Roberto Pizarro: Centro Nacional de Excelencia para la Industria de la Madera (CENAMAD), Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 7810128, Chile
Pablo García-Chevesich: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO 80401, USA
Ben Ingram: School of Water, Energy and Environment, Cranfield University, Cranfield MK43 0AL, UK
Claudia Sangüesa: Centro Nacional de Excelencia para la Industria de la Madera (CENAMAD), Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 7810128, Chile
Juan Pino: Dirección de Transferencia Tecnológica, Universidad Tecnológica Metropolitana, Santiago 8330367, Chile
Alfredo Ibáñez: Centro Nacional de Excelencia para la Industria de la Madera (CENAMAD), Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 7810128, Chile
Romina Mendoza: UNESCO Chair Surface Hydrology, University of Talca, Talca 3467769, Chile
Carlos Vallejos: UNESCO Chair Surface Hydrology, University of Talca, Talca 3467769, Chile
Felipe Pérez: Dirección General de Aguas, Ministerio de Obras Públicas, Santiago 8340652, Chile
Juan Pablo Flores: Centro de Información de Recursos Naturales (CIREN), Santiago 7501556, Chile
Mauricio Vera: UNESCO Chair Surface Hydrology, University of Talca, Talca 3467769, Chile
Francisco Balocchi: Ecosystems, Productivity and Climate Change, Bioforest SA, Camino a Coronel km 15, Coronel 413000, Chile
Ramón Bustamante-Ortega: UNESCO Chair Surface Hydrology, University of Talca, Talca 3467769, Chile
Gisella Martínez: Facultad de Geología y Minas, Universidad Nacional de San Agustín de Arequipa, Arequipa 04000, Peru

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 7, 1-12

Abstract: Sediment production and transport in a basin are generally a function of the degree of soil protection, normally represented by plant cover. In this study, two basins located at similar latitudes but with different hydrological regimens and plant covers were studied, one with a pluvial regimen and forest plantations (Purapel) and another one with the pluvio-nival regimen and native forest (Ñuble). For this purpose, sediment yield was analyzed in both drainage areas using the Mann-Kendall statistical test. Both basins showed larger amounts of sediment production during winter months. In addition, sediment yield trends did not show significant variation in the case of the Ñuble, most likely due to non-relevant changes in plant cover over time. However, there is a sustained decrease in annual sediment release at Purapel, coinciding with the afforestation in the basin, so it is logical to attribute the referred reduction to this process. For the first time, the behavior of two watersheds is contrasted, one covered with native forest and the other one with forest plantations, appreciating that the basin covered with plantations presents a reduction in sediment production over time, which means that forest plantations are efficient in sediment retention, even in contrast to native forest. However, both basins have different types of soil, topography, etc., meaning that more studies are needed to support this theory.

Keywords: sediment yield; forest plantations; Chile; Monterrey pine; native forest; seasonal analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
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