Abstract

ARAMAYO, Valeria; CREMONA, María Victoria  and  NOSETTO, Marcelo D.. HYDROLOGICAL BEHAVIOR OF RANGELANDS UNDER DIFFERENT DEGRADATION CONDITIONS IN NORTHWESTERN ARID PATAGONIA. Cienc. suelo [online]. 2023, vol.41, n.2, pp.223-237. ISSN 1850-2067.

In arid Patagonia grazing by livestock is the most widespread form of land use. Although grazing is known to affect soils hydrological characteristics, few studies have addressed runoff flows generation as influenced by cattle grazing in these areas. In this study, we evaluated the relationship between grass-land condition and hillside surface characteristics that influence the response to rainfall. We compared landscape characteristics, landscape function indices and soil properties of bare soil (uncovered) inter-patches at different slope positions with two degradation conditions and monitored interpatch moisture content during a rainy season. Severe degradation was associated with greater surface runoff, suggesting downslope resource transport. In the most severely degraded soils the upper slope showed a the lowest profile depth, greatest resistance to penetration and slowest infiltration rate, and the lower slope registered the second highest degree of saturation after rainfall events. These differences in hydrological properties would have also modified vegetation behavior as indicated by the NDVI. These results support the premise that the hydrologic response on arid zones slopes depends on the functionality of bare soil interpatches and on the previous moisture content.

Keywords : hillslope; runoff; bare soil interpatch; land degradation..

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