Proyectos vigentes

EROSION AND DEGRADATION OF SOILS ARE MAIN THREATS FOR SOIL CONSERVATION UNDER CLIMATE CHANGE AND ANTHROPOGENIC PRESSURES IN THE 21ST CENTURY. A MAJOR SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN EMERGES FOR MAINTAINING SOIL HEALTH. QUANTITATIVE DATA ARE REQUIRED IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO ADVISE POLICY MAKERS AND STAKEHOLDERS ON HOW LOCAL POPULATIONS CAN ADAPT TO CHANGES. MEDITERRANEAN AGROECOSYSTEMS HAVE PHYSIOGRAPHIC, CLIMATIC AND MILLENARY HUMAN INTERVENTION FEATURES THAT GENERATE INTRICATE MOSAICS IN THE LANDSCAPE. THE OCCURRENCE OF CONVECTIVE STORMS DURING SOIL TILLAGE ALONG WITH PROJECTIONS OF EXTREME EVENTS INCREASE AND THE GREATER DURATION OF DROUGHTS ARE ADDED RISKS FOR INTENSIFICATION OF SOIL EROSION UNDER CLIMATE CHANGE. THE LOSS OF NUTRIENTS IN AGROECOSYSTEMS POSES A RISK FOR THE CONSERVATION OF ADEQUATE LEVELS OF NUTRIENTS NECESSARY FOR THE FUNCTIONALITY OF SOIL, AFFECTING AGRICULTURAL AND FARM INCOMES. A LARGE SECTOR IN THE SOUTH PYRENEAN HOLDS PRODUCTIVE RAINFED CROPLANDS THAT CAN BE SERIOUSLY THREATENED UNDER CLIMATE CHANGE. SOIL MOBILIZATION INVOLVES THE ASSOCIATED TRANSPORT OF NUTRIENTS BESIDES THE TRANSFER OF STABLE ELEMENTS AND RADIONUCLIDES. WE HAVE EVIDENCED THAT PATTERNS OF SOIL REDISTRIBUTION ARE CLOSELY LINKED TO THAT OF NUTRIENTS AND AS SUCH WE APPLY FINGERPRINTING METHODS FOR TRACKING NUTRIENT SOURCES (C, N, P) AND SINKS. COMPLEX PROCESSES THAT OCCUR ON HILLSLOPES AND STREAM CHANNEL BANKS SUPPLY IMPORTANT AMOUNTS OF SEDIMENTS DURING STORMS THREATENING THE QUALITY AND QUANTITY OF WATER AND THE SUSTAINABILITY OF HYDROLOGICAL RESOURCES.