Soil erosion and climate change: the transect approach and the influence of scale

Ž. Geomorphology 23 1998 219 227 Soil erosion and climate change: the transect approach and the influence of scale A.C. Imeson a,), H. Lavee b a Landscape and EnÕironmental Research Group, UniÕersity of Amsterdam, Nieuwe Prinsengracht 130, 1018 VZ Amsterdam, Netherlands b Department of Geography, Bar-Ilan UniÕersity, 52900 Ramat-Gan, Israel Received 15 December 1995; revised 8 July 1996; accepted 8 July 1996 Abstract Studies of geo-ecological processes are being made along climatological transects on similar limestone rocks at different locations across the Mediterranean. The main objectives of the research are firstly, to gain insight into the influence of climate on key-geomorphological process pattern relationships that characterise different locations along the transect; and secondly, to obtain a better insight into the possible impact of climate change on ecosystem degradation. The paper begins by considering the possible methodological approaches that can be applied to investigate the impact of climate change on ecosystem degradation in complex ecosystems and explains why a nonlinear evolutionary modelling framework was chosen for the transect studies. The conceptual basis of the methodology is presented and the transect approach described. The research methodology takes into account the influence of climate at four different scales Žlandscape, slope, response unit and patch.. Field research at these scales is oriented towards identifying and understanding the key processes and to identifying key parameters that can be monitored to establish change. Some results are presented from the Judean Desert transect in Israel to show how a key indicator, in this case aggregate stability, varies with temperature and to show how process pattern features vary along the limestone transect from the area having a Mediterranean climate to the desert. Both conceptual and practical models of soil erosion need to address scale issues. In particular, as time and spatial scales change, so also does the relative significance of different processes. It is concluded that process pattern phenomena are useful in this context and that they can be applied to the problem of up-scaling. q 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. Keywords: soil erosion; climate change; transect approach; ecosystem degradation 1. Introduction General relationships between climate and erosion are well established Ž Langbein and Schumm, 1958. and these have been applied by many researchers to hypothesise about the probable impact of climate ) Corresponding author. E-mail: a.c.imeson@frw.uva.nl change on soil erosion. Several global and regional models have been developed for this purpose. These have enabled the relative importance of different factors on erosion to be investigated ŽKirkby and Neale, 1987; Kirkby and Cox, 1995; Kirkby et al., 1993; Kirkby, 1994.. One important outcome of such research has been to reveal the very limited amount of relevant field data available for establishing the influence of climate on several key processes of soil 0169-555Xr98r$19.00 q 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. Ž. PII S0169-555X 98 00005-1

220 ( ) A.C. Imeson, H. LaÕeerGeomorphology 23 1998 219 227 erosion at detailed scales of study. Another has been to draw attention to temporal and spatial scales of field data collection and modelling. Parameters of soil erosion models that have constant values for periods of years become variable as the temporal scale of interest increases. Over longer time scales, thresholds and discontinuities occur as a result of vegetation soil interactions, human activity and the adaptive evolution of the system under study. This implies that as the temporal or spatial scale of the research increases, new processes can emerge to dominate soil erosion Ž Imeson et al., 1995.. For example, in the case of an ecosystem disturbed by a wildfire, soil erosion over a period of 30 100 yr is strongly dependent on the factors that influence the recovery trajectory Ž resilience. of the system. The speed of this recovery determines the effectiveness of erosive rainfall events Ž Cerda` et al., in press a.. Similarly, as the spatial scale of measurement is increased, the largest sediment transfer events are separated by longer periods of time and the most important erosion processes are those that emerge at coarser scales. Coarser scale processes may be explained by the dynamics of finer scale processes but they may be very different from them. A generalised scheme showing how key soil erosion processes change at different spatial and temporal scales on semi-arid and subhumid slopes is shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 1. Key soil erosion processes at different spatial and temporal scales. This figure only covers a scale relevant to soil erosion and it describes the process pattern phenomena at different scales along the transects described in this paper. The correspondence between spatial and temporal scales suggested in Fig. 1 is only indicative. Relationships between process rate and spatial scale are in reality more complex and ambiguous than the figure suggests. Against the above background, a series of transect studies was initiated in 1987, first in Israel, later in Spain and Crete ŽLavee et al., 1991; Imeson et al., 1994.. The initial objectives were firstly to obtain information on relationships between climate conditions and soil erosion and secondly, to study the changes that occur across major eco-geomorphological zones Ži.e., zones in which particular soil water vegetation erosion relationships exist. on limestone in a progression from humid Mediterranean to desert environments. 2. Approaches in projecting the impact of climate change on ecosystem degradation Recent reviews of the impact of climatic change on environmental processes can be found in Jeftic et al. Ž 1992. and in Troen Ž 1994.. In a review of the impact on land degradation in the Mediterranean, Imeson and Emmer Ž 1992. described different approaches used to study the impact of climate change on soil erosion. One approach is using temporal or spatial analogues, for example by looking at historical data or by studying existing conditions along climatological gradients Ž Lavee et al., 1991.. Analogue studies give insight into trends but they cannot be used as a basis for prediction due to the complexity of ecosystem processes and a range of historic and socio-economic factors that affect the underlying processes. Lavee et al. Ž 1991. emphasised that relationships are highly nonlinear and that threshold conditions are very important. Another approach is modelling. Modelling the impact of future climate change on soil erosion is a very complicated task requiring an integrated methodology. A first step proposed and being developed by the GCTE Soil Erosion Network Ž Ingram et al., 1996. is to calibrate existing soil erosion models such as EPIC ŽWilliams et al., 1990. and MEDALUS Ž Kirkby et al., 1993.,

( ) A.C. Imeson, H. LaÕeerGeomorphology 23 1998 219 227 221 and run these with inputs from weather generation models Ž Nicks et al., 1990.. This work will improve understanding of relationships between climate and erosion but there are many future tasks that are required before projections can be made. New dynamic models might be developed as a second step that consider dynamic interactions between biological and physical processes and incorporate land use change projections that can be made with socio-economic models. A lack of information about processes affecting soil erosion and how these are related to climate is another problem. The transect approach aims to identify and understand relationships between climate and erosion at different scales. To this end soil erosion measurements are made under different climatological conditions found along the transect. The Judean Desert transect reported by Lavee et al. Ž1991, 1995. and the transects in Crete and SE Spain ŽIm- eson et al., 1994; Boix-Fayos et al., 1994a,b, 1995. provide examples of this approach. Long term investigations of soil erosion require information about the way in which climate change influences the resilience and stability of geo-ecosystems Ž Westman, 1992.. It is, therefore, necessary to identify and monitor indicators of ecosystem resilience and stability. An important element of climate change soil erosion relationships is establishing how rapidly such key indicators respond to change. This can be done, for example, by following changes occurring after fire, grazing or land abandonment on slopes having different aspects. 3. The transect approach methodology A major component of the transect approach is monitoring. This requires establishing base-line stations where long-term measurements can be made. Monitoring climate is straight forward but soil erosion is more difficult to monitor, partly because temporal and spatial scales require consideration. The transect studies of Lavee et al. Ž 1991, 1995., Imeson et al. Ž 1998., Boix-Fayos et al. Ž 1994a,b. involved establishing measurements and experiments at representative reference sites along climatological and topographical gradients. The geology, land use and geomorphic conditions of the reference sites were kept as uniform as possible. The transects were located on similar lithologies and vegetation in Israel, Crete and SE Spain. At each site, climatological, geomorphological and ecological measurements were made at different scales of study, and soil vegetation erosion relationships were analysed. Soil aggregation characteristics were found to be sensitive indicators of ecosystem resilience, stability or health Ž Cammeraat and Imeson, 1998., as well as of soil erodibility. Cammeraat and Imeson Ž in press. and Cerda ` et al. Ž in press b. have established changes in key erosion indicators on abandoned cultivated land in the Guadalentin catchment over a period of about 25 yr. Lavee and Pariente Ž 1995, 1996. established seasonal variations in aggregation processes and controlling factors along the Judean Desert climatological gradient. The methodological approach applied in the transect studies was developed to overcome scale problems Ž Imeson et al., 1994, 1995. that are usually inherent to the methodologies of field experiments and modelling, traditionally used in geomorphological and soil erosion studies. For this purpose an integrated evolutionary modelling framework Ž IEF., drawn from complex systems and hierarchy theory Ž O Neill et al., 1986; Salthe, 1985., was applied in our transect studies as a demonstration of how concepts from nonlinear systems dynamics can be applied in geomorphology. It is a conceptual methodology that views the complex response of erosional systems, in terms of the hierarchy of processes that drive its dynamics, at different spatial and temporal scales. These processes can be affected by both socio-economic and bioticrabiotic factors. The IEF firstly uses field measurements to identify and study key processes of erosion at different scales, in order to assess the effect of these on structures and flows observed at different spatial scales Ž plot, slope, catchment.. A second stage involves monitoring key parameters that can be used either Ž. a to monitor the rate of change in patterns or structures as a result of the key process or Ž. b as model input parameters. Finally, dynamic models are developed to explore how process pattern phenomena are affected by factors such as climate, grazing and fire Ž see for example Imeson et al., 1995.. The dynamic models can be validated by comparing how well they can predict changes in patterns, or differ-

222 ( ) A.C. Imeson, H. LaÕeerGeomorphology 23 1998 219 227 ences in patterns under different climatological or other site conditions. Consequently, it is not necessary to make long-term measurements of sediment or water fluxes that are highly sensitive to initial conditions. The study of process pattern phenomena at different scales can be illustrated on semi-arid hillslopes. Usually runoff and sediment transport in these regions are spatially discontinuous ŽYair and Lavee, 1985.. Rain that falls relatively uniform results in a heterogeneous but nonrandom pattern of infiltration and sediment accumulation on the slope which results in the emergence of relatively arid and humid soil vegetation subsystems. In these subsystems, soil aggregation and infiltration characteristics are totally different; those in the humid subsystem Fig. 2. Water redistribution and relevant processes at different scales. ŽAsaggregation; Bsbiological activity; ETqevapotranspiration; Isinfiltration; Rsrunoff; SAsstructure of aggregates and SMssoil moisture..

A.C. Imeson, H. LaÕeer Geomorphology 23 (1998) 219 227 Fig. 3. Process pattern phenomena at four positions along the Judean Desert transect. A: GIV, Mediterranean site Žannual rainfall 620 mm.; B: MAL, Semi-arid site Žannual rainfall 320 mm.; C: MIS, Arid site Žannual rainfall 260 mm. and D: KAL, Extreme arid site Žannual rainfall 120 mm.. 223

224 ( ) A.C. Imeson, H. LaÕeerGeomorphology 23 1998 219 227 are dependent on the supply of water from the dry subsystem. The process pattern structures resulting from water and sediment redistribution reflect both relatively static Ž e.g., rock fragments. and dynamic Ž e.g., soil aggregation. factors. Positive feedback loops occur when water redistribution reinforces differences in plant growth and soil aggregation development Ž Fig. 2.. Examples of process pattern phenomena produced by water redistribution on the Judean Desert transect are shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 2 also illustrates how process pattern phenomena at one scale influence the response of the system at other scales. The effects of the most rapid Žfine scale. processes may be usually considered as being incorporated Ž O Neill et al., 1986. into the long-term effects of slower Ž coarse scale. processes. The relevance of incorporation for the degradation of Mediterranean ecosystems is described by Bergkamp Ž 1995. and Imeson et al. Ž 1995.. Imeson et al. Ž 1995. observed process pattern phenomena at three scales Ž patch, response unit, and slope.. Differentiation at the patch scale was described as being the result of first-order processes Žsuch as soil aggregation dynamics and surface sealing.. Second order processes were those that resulted in process pattern phenomena used to characterise the second level of scale called the response unit. The key process at this scale was the effect of local water redistribution on vegetation soil patterning. At the hillslope scale, third-order processes were those that resulted in the removal of sediment. The emergence of such processes Žslope scale movement of sediment and runoff. depends on the dynamics of the response unit process pattern phenomena produced by the second order processes. Bergkamp Ž 1995. stressed the need to consider the connectivity of processes occurring at different scales because in practice this is an important criteria determining the degree to which processes at different hierarchical levels interact. Under field conditions, lithological and land use controls and boundaries restrict the degree of hierarchical organisation. 4. The effects of climate on erosion at different spatial scales The effect of parameters such as temperature and soil moisture can be considered with respect to the different process pattern phenomena present in the landscape at different scales. A point measurement has a value which is influenced by Ž. a the general position along the transect Ž landscape scale., Ž b. slope characteristics, such as aspect and hillslope shading Ž slope scale., Ž c. plot characteristics, such as shading and cover Ž response unit scale., and Ž d. local cover and soil conditions Ž patch scale.. Comparisons of data at these different scales enable these differences to be observed. For example, Fig. 4 shows the relationship between soil temperature, soil moisture and aggregate stability Ž erosion indicator. to be compared at the landscape scale. In this case, the effects of differences at other scales are kept constant by considering sites that have the same characteristics of cover, aspect and slope position. At the landscape scale, it was found that at different positions along the transect, key processes varied in affecting how temperature influenced erosion. Below about 320 mm of rainfall, soil aggregate stability was uniformly low because of the influence of high levels of water soluble salts; above 320 mm aggregate stability varied according to the way in which temperature influenced organic matter dynamics. In some places, specific soil animal vegetation interactions resulted in relationships that were specific to a particular site Ž Lavee et al., 1996.. In general, domains, within which conditions are uniform, are present along the transect. Considering the slope and response unit scales and the relationships of climate to aggregate stability, the results showed that the important factor influencing aggregate stability was the degree of shading. Under vegetated or litter covered areas high values of aggregate stability were found. Just as at the humid sites at the landscape scale, favourable organic matter dynamics resulting from a large turnover of organic matter and production of soil stabilising substances and roots, gave uniformly high levels of aggregate stability. Conversely, areas of soil not covered, had a uniformly low level of aggregate stability, sometimes as a result of dispersive conditions resulting from small amounts of water soluble salts. Aspect seemed to be important not at the patch scale but at the hillslope and response unit scales. This can be explained by differences in the amount of vegetated cover on north and south facing slopes. Irrespective of the slope aspect, soil aggrega-

( ) A.C. Imeson, H. LaÕeerGeomorphology 23 1998 219 227 225 Fig. 4. Aggregate stability and soil temperature at three sites. Ž. 1 GIV, annual rainfall 620 mm; Ž. 2 MIS, annual rainfall 260 mm; and Ž. 3 KAL, annual rainfall 120 mm, along the Judean Desert climatological gradient Ž after Lavee et al., 1996.. tion properties are similar under vegetated or bare surfaces Ž Cerda ` et al., in press b.. Fig. 2 illustrates how the more favourable conditions on north-facing slopes allow the evolution of plot scale process pattern features that trap water on the hillslope. These are absent from the south facing slopes because of the relatively high amount of erosion and runoff that occur when the soils are in a period of post disturbance recovery. The redistribution of water on the south facing slope is at a hillslope scale. At the finest scale of observation, the spatial and temporal variabilities in aggregate stability are impossible to explain unless they are considered within the context of the multi-scaled process pattern phenomena within which the sampling point is located. In other words, any point selected for monitoring soil aggregation, occupies a geographic position within the dynamic process pattern elements present at different hierarchical levels. 5. Climate and soil erosion at different hierarchical scales Information from the transect studies can be used to demonstrate the relative importance of processes at different hierarchical levels. In the response unit methodology mentioned above, the terms first, second and third order processes were introduced, corresponding partially to the patch, response unit and slope scales. The key first-order processes studied on the transects were those related to soil structure evolution. Soil aggregate stability was used as an indicator. It was found that the general level of aggregate stability was controlled by the climatological conditions of the soil, thus determining the time biological activity was possible. It was high, when the production of soil stabilising substances and mechanisms exceeded the rate of that were lost; low, when the opposite was the case or variable where a limited food supply was available and where systems were disturbed by recent fires, trampling or drought. When soil erosion is considered along the transect in Israel, there is a fairly close correspondence with the soil aggregation expressing the effectiveness of the first order processes Ž Fig. 4.. At the transects in SE Spain and Crete, this was not the case ŽBoix-Fayos et al., 1995; Imeson et al., 1994.. The reason for this is that the second order processes, dependent on the dynamics of first order processes, override the effects of organic matter dynamics on soil erosion. The most eroded sites were those that were climatologically favourable for biological activity. In Crete, grazing was intensive at all of the study sites. The

226 ( ) A.C. Imeson, H. LaÕeerGeomorphology 23 1998 219 227 effect of trampling was greatest on soils that produced the most biomass. Consequently, most erosion seemed to be on west facing slopes and not on south facing ones where relatively less biomass was produced. In SE Spain, high biomass production at sites with favourable soil aggregation dynamics resulted in very frequent wild fires. The high rainfall of the areas most affected by fire and grazing is an important factor. Seen at the scale of the transect, erosion processes associated with grazing and fire reverse the general relationships with climate and erosion that are seen in Israel. As soon as the temporal scale is considered, soil aggregation dynamics become important in explaining the longer term erosional impact of fire and grazing. This is because they are a key factor in explaining the resilience of the sites affected. This is why the areas of low biological activity are the most vulnerable to erosion under intensive disturbance regimes. The more resilient areas are subject to the most disturbance. The relationship of climate to erosion will therefore depend on the effect of climate at different scales. Over a period of months or a few years erosion will be related to the actual amount of rainfall that occurs along the transects and to the aggregation Ž erodibility. status of the soil. Over a period of 15 30 yr it will be dependent on the stability and resilience of the soil and vegetation Ž indicated by process-pattern structures. and the frequency and severity of disturbance Ž fire and grazing. in combination with the amount of erosive rainfall. 6. Conclusions Transect studies can be used to collect information about relationships between climate and soil erosion. The evolutionary modelling framework was found to provide a useful methodology for addressing the scale problem. Although still under development several conclusions can be made from the results analysed so far. Firstly, it is possible to consider hierarchies of processes operating in time space domains. According to the spatial or temporal scale of interest different time space domains will form the focal point of the research requiring measurements at the appropriate scale. A field observation, for example of soil erosion measurement, has in itself little value taken alone. The problem is that the value measured will reflect the unique space time position within the nested hierarchical scales. This is why relationships of soil erosion rates to runoff or precipitation are so hard to model, especially in areas of frequent disturbance. By transferring the emphasis from a measurement of a flux Ž for example soil loss. to a process pattern feature resulting from an erosion process, a way of avoiding this problem is presented. The concepts of hierarchy theory can be applied for this purpose. Process pattern phenomena are indicative of the inertia and resilience of a system subject to erosion. Projection of the impact of climate on erosion over a period of 30 50 yr requires understanding how the resilience of the eco-geomorphological system is affected by climate. The interaction of processes at different hierarchical levels is important because different conclusions will be reached according to the scale of study. Process pattern phenomena may provide a useful means of up-scaling erosional phenomena because the patterns and structures found in the landscape at different scales can be used as indicators. The interpretation of patterns and structures as indicators requires an understanding of their evolution in time. It is suggested that this should be one of the future research objectives of transect studies. Acknowledgements We gratefully appreciate the contributions to this paper from the many people with whom we have discussed this work. In particular, we would like to thank Ger Bergkamp, Erik Cammeraat, F. Perez- Trejo, Adolfo Calvo-Cases and all of those who have helped to collect the field data upon which this paper depended. We gratefully acknowledge the financial support for the research from The German-Israeli Programme of Scientific Cooperation Ž DISUM-029. and from the European Community Environmental Programme Ž EV5V-0023.. References Bergkamp, G., 1995. A hierarchical approach for desertification assessment. Environ. Monit. Assess. 37, 1 20.

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