Reconstruction of historical soil surfaces and estimation of soil erosion rates with mound measurements and UAV photogrammetry in Mediterranean olive groves
Soil water erosion is one of the most important environmental problems for the sustainability of Mediterranean olive groves on hillsides. Governments and public agencies recognize the need to control this process in order to improve soil conservation, especially in vulnerable areas. In the present s...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2023-12-01
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| Series: | Geoderma |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0016706123003853 |
| _version_ | 1797398677645426688 |
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| author | Francisco Lima Rafael Blanco-Sepúlveda Mikel Calle Dionisio Andújar |
| author_facet | Francisco Lima Rafael Blanco-Sepúlveda Mikel Calle Dionisio Andújar |
| author_sort | Francisco Lima |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Soil water erosion is one of the most important environmental problems for the sustainability of Mediterranean olive groves on hillsides. Governments and public agencies recognize the need to control this process in order to improve soil conservation, especially in vulnerable areas. In the present study, a simple, inexpensive method using Structure-from-motion (SfM) and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) technology was applied to quantify the soil loss rates provoked by water erosion and tillage in mountain olive groves, according to a reconstruction of their historical surface features. Specifically, the main study aims were: i) to quantify the historical soil loss in olive groves, by analysing residual tree mounds; ii) to consider how soil relief and management can influence the erosion process; iii) to determine the degree to which the proposed method achieves the above aims.Analysis revealed a mean erosion rate in the study area of 127.69 t ha−1 years−1, with a linear relationship between soil truncation and slope (R2 = 0.64, p < 0.001). The highest soil loss rates (-1.67 ± 0.48 m) occurred in areas where the slopes were steepest (22.36 ± 4.46 %) and the longitudinal profile rectilinear. Erosion rates are determined not only by the slope, but also by its position and distance from the tree mound. This study highlights the need for differential management based on slope-feature considerations, in order to limit soil losses. Overall, the tool presented to support decision making provides an effective method for calculating erosion rates. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T01:29:02Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1447b69ea6054c368d37cf1c8ef1003a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1872-6259 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T01:29:02Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Geoderma |
| spelling | doaj.art-1447b69ea6054c368d37cf1c8ef1003a2023-12-10T06:13:38ZengElsevierGeoderma1872-62592023-12-01440116708Reconstruction of historical soil surfaces and estimation of soil erosion rates with mound measurements and UAV photogrammetry in Mediterranean olive grovesFrancisco Lima0Rafael Blanco-Sepúlveda1Mikel Calle2Dionisio Andújar3Geographic Analysis Research Group, Department of Geography, University of Malaga, Teatinos Campus, 29071 Malaga, Spain; Corresponding author.Geographic Analysis Research Group, Department of Geography, University of Malaga, Teatinos Campus, 29071 Malaga, SpainDepartment of Geography and Geology, University of Turku, Turku, Turun Yliopisto 20014, FinlandCentre for Automation and Robotics, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), La Poveda, 28500 Arganda del Rey (Madrid), SpainSoil water erosion is one of the most important environmental problems for the sustainability of Mediterranean olive groves on hillsides. Governments and public agencies recognize the need to control this process in order to improve soil conservation, especially in vulnerable areas. In the present study, a simple, inexpensive method using Structure-from-motion (SfM) and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) technology was applied to quantify the soil loss rates provoked by water erosion and tillage in mountain olive groves, according to a reconstruction of their historical surface features. Specifically, the main study aims were: i) to quantify the historical soil loss in olive groves, by analysing residual tree mounds; ii) to consider how soil relief and management can influence the erosion process; iii) to determine the degree to which the proposed method achieves the above aims.Analysis revealed a mean erosion rate in the study area of 127.69 t ha−1 years−1, with a linear relationship between soil truncation and slope (R2 = 0.64, p < 0.001). The highest soil loss rates (-1.67 ± 0.48 m) occurred in areas where the slopes were steepest (22.36 ± 4.46 %) and the longitudinal profile rectilinear. Erosion rates are determined not only by the slope, but also by its position and distance from the tree mound. This study highlights the need for differential management based on slope-feature considerations, in order to limit soil losses. Overall, the tool presented to support decision making provides an effective method for calculating erosion rates.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0016706123003853Unmanned aerial vehicleSoil erosion rateMediterranean mountainOlive grovesTree moundsTillage |
| spellingShingle | Francisco Lima Rafael Blanco-Sepúlveda Mikel Calle Dionisio Andújar Reconstruction of historical soil surfaces and estimation of soil erosion rates with mound measurements and UAV photogrammetry in Mediterranean olive groves Geoderma Unmanned aerial vehicle Soil erosion rate Mediterranean mountain Olive groves Tree mounds Tillage |
| title | Reconstruction of historical soil surfaces and estimation of soil erosion rates with mound measurements and UAV photogrammetry in Mediterranean olive groves |
| title_full | Reconstruction of historical soil surfaces and estimation of soil erosion rates with mound measurements and UAV photogrammetry in Mediterranean olive groves |
| title_fullStr | Reconstruction of historical soil surfaces and estimation of soil erosion rates with mound measurements and UAV photogrammetry in Mediterranean olive groves |
| title_full_unstemmed | Reconstruction of historical soil surfaces and estimation of soil erosion rates with mound measurements and UAV photogrammetry in Mediterranean olive groves |
| title_short | Reconstruction of historical soil surfaces and estimation of soil erosion rates with mound measurements and UAV photogrammetry in Mediterranean olive groves |
| title_sort | reconstruction of historical soil surfaces and estimation of soil erosion rates with mound measurements and uav photogrammetry in mediterranean olive groves |
| topic | Unmanned aerial vehicle Soil erosion rate Mediterranean mountain Olive groves Tree mounds Tillage |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0016706123003853 |
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