Structural and functional control of surface-patch to hillslope runoff and sediment connectivity in Mediterranean dry reclaimed slope systems
<p>Connectivity has emerged as a useful concept for exploring the movement of water and sediments between landscape locations and across spatial scales. In this study, we examine the structural and functional controls of surface-patch to hillslope runoff and sediment connectivity in three Medi...
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2020-05-01
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doaj-037f444ac86945bbb3d572488a8953022020-11-25T02:33:29ZengCopernicus PublicationsHydrology and Earth System Sciences1027-56061607-79382020-05-01242855287210.5194/hess-24-2855-2020Structural and functional control of surface-patch to hillslope runoff and sediment connectivity in Mediterranean dry reclaimed slope systemsM. Moreno-de-las-Heras0M. Moreno-de-las-Heras1L. Merino-Martín2L. Merino-Martín3P. M. Saco4P. M. Saco5T. Espigares6F. Gallart7J. M. Nicolau8J. M. Nicolau9Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA, CSIC), 08034 Barcelona, SpainDesertification Research Centre (CIDE, CSIC-UV-GV), 46113 Moncada, Valencia, SpainUniversity of Montpellier, AMAP, INRAE, CIRAD, CNRS, IRD, PS2 TA/A51, 34 398 Montpellier CEDEX 5, FranceCEFE, Univ. Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Univ. Paul Valéry, Montpellier, FranceCivil, Surveying and Environmental Engineering, The University of Newcastle, 2308 Callaghan, New South Wales, AustraliaCentre for Water Security and Environmental Sustainability, The University of Newcastle, 2308 Callaghan, New South Wales, AustraliaDepartment of Life Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, University of Alcalá, 28805 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, SpainInstitute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA, CSIC), 08034 Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Agrarian and Environmental Sciences, Technological School, University of Zaragoza, 22071 Huesca, SpainEnvironmental Sciences Institute of Aragon, University of Zaragoza, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain<p>Connectivity has emerged as a useful concept for exploring the movement of water and sediments between landscape locations and across spatial scales. In this study, we examine the structural and functional controls of surface-patch to hillslope runoff and sediment connectivity in three Mediterranean dry reclaimed mining slope systems that have different long-term development levels of vegetation and rill networks. Structural connectivity was assessed using flow path analysis of coupled vegetation distribution and surface topography, providing field indicators of the extent to which surface patches that facilitate runoff and sediment production are physically linked to one another in the studied hillslopes. Functional connectivity was calculated using the ratio of patch-scale to hillslope-scale observations of runoff and sediment yield for 21 monitored hydrologically active rainfall events. The impact of the dynamic interactions between rainfall conditions and structural connectivity on functional connectivity were further analysed using general linear models with a backward model structure selection approach. Functional runoff connectivity during precipitation events was found to be dynamically controlled by antecedent precipitation conditions and rainfall intensity and strongly modulated by the structural connectivity of the slopes. On slopes without rills, both runoff and sediments for all events were largely redistributed within the analysed hillslopes, resulting in low functional connectivity. Sediment connectivity increased with rainfall intensity, particularly in the presence of rill networks where active incision under high-intensity storm conditions led to large non-linear increases in sediment yield from the surface-patch to the hillslope scales. Overall, our results demonstrate the usefulness of applying structural- and functional-connectivity metrics for practical applications and for assessing the complex links and controlling factors that regulate the transference of both surface water and sediments across different landscape scales.</p>https://www.hydrol-earth-syst-sci.net/24/2855/2020/hess-24-2855-2020.pdf |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
M. Moreno-de-las-Heras M. Moreno-de-las-Heras L. Merino-Martín L. Merino-Martín P. M. Saco P. M. Saco T. Espigares F. Gallart J. M. Nicolau J. M. Nicolau |
spellingShingle |
M. Moreno-de-las-Heras M. Moreno-de-las-Heras L. Merino-Martín L. Merino-Martín P. M. Saco P. M. Saco T. Espigares F. Gallart J. M. Nicolau J. M. Nicolau Structural and functional control of surface-patch to hillslope runoff and sediment connectivity in Mediterranean dry reclaimed slope systems Hydrology and Earth System Sciences |
author_facet |
M. Moreno-de-las-Heras M. Moreno-de-las-Heras L. Merino-Martín L. Merino-Martín P. M. Saco P. M. Saco T. Espigares F. Gallart J. M. Nicolau J. M. Nicolau |
author_sort |
M. Moreno-de-las-Heras |
title |
Structural and functional control of surface-patch to hillslope runoff and sediment connectivity in Mediterranean dry reclaimed slope systems |
title_short |
Structural and functional control of surface-patch to hillslope runoff and sediment connectivity in Mediterranean dry reclaimed slope systems |
title_full |
Structural and functional control of surface-patch to hillslope runoff and sediment connectivity in Mediterranean dry reclaimed slope systems |
title_fullStr |
Structural and functional control of surface-patch to hillslope runoff and sediment connectivity in Mediterranean dry reclaimed slope systems |
title_full_unstemmed |
Structural and functional control of surface-patch to hillslope runoff and sediment connectivity in Mediterranean dry reclaimed slope systems |
title_sort |
structural and functional control of surface-patch to hillslope runoff and sediment connectivity in mediterranean dry reclaimed slope systems |
publisher |
Copernicus Publications |
series |
Hydrology and Earth System Sciences |
issn |
1027-5606 1607-7938 |
publishDate |
2020-05-01 |
description |
<p>Connectivity has emerged as a useful concept for exploring the movement of water and sediments between landscape locations and across spatial scales. In this study, we examine the structural and functional controls of surface-patch to hillslope runoff and sediment connectivity in three Mediterranean dry reclaimed mining slope systems that have different long-term development levels of vegetation and rill networks. Structural connectivity was assessed using flow path analysis of coupled vegetation distribution and surface topography, providing field indicators of the extent to which surface patches that facilitate runoff and sediment production are physically linked to one another in the studied hillslopes. Functional connectivity was calculated using the ratio of patch-scale to hillslope-scale observations of runoff and sediment yield for 21 monitored
hydrologically active rainfall events. The impact of the dynamic interactions between rainfall conditions and structural connectivity on
functional connectivity were further analysed using general linear models with a backward model structure selection approach. Functional runoff
connectivity during precipitation events was found to be dynamically
controlled by antecedent precipitation conditions and rainfall intensity
and strongly modulated by the structural connectivity of the slopes. On
slopes without rills, both runoff and sediments for all events were largely
redistributed within the analysed hillslopes, resulting in low functional
connectivity. Sediment connectivity increased with rainfall intensity,
particularly in the presence of rill networks where active incision under high-intensity storm conditions led to large non-linear increases in
sediment yield from the surface-patch to the hillslope scales. Overall, our
results demonstrate the usefulness of applying structural- and functional-connectivity metrics for practical applications and for assessing the complex links and controlling factors that regulate the transference of both surface water and sediments across different landscape scales.</p> |
url |
https://www.hydrol-earth-syst-sci.net/24/2855/2020/hess-24-2855-2020.pdf |
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