Estimation of Soil Loss Tolerance in Olive Groves as an Indicator of Sustainability: The Case of the Estepa Region (Andalusia, Spain)
| Autor: | Jesús M. Barandica, Antonio Alberto Rodríguez Sousa, Alejandro J. Rescia |
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| Rok vydání: | 2019 |
| Předmět: |
Irrigation
Index (economics) sustainable management 010501 environmental sciences 01 natural sciences irrigation Soil management lcsh:Agriculture ground cover agricultural indices Productivity soil productivity 0105 earth and related environmental sciences Soil loss tolerance soil erosion Agroforestry Botánica lcsh:S Edafología 04 agricultural and veterinary sciences Sustainable management Sustainability 040103 agronomy & agriculture Erosion 0401 agriculture forestry and fisheries Environmental science soil management Agronomy and Crop Science |
| Zdroj: | E-Prints Complutense. Archivo Institucional de la UCM instname Agronomy Volume 9 Issue 12 Agronomy, Vol 9, Iss 12, p 785 (2019) E-Prints Complutense: Archivo Institucional de la UCM Universidad Complutense de Madrid |
| Popis: | Spain is the world's leading producer of olive oil, with the largest number of olive agro-systems in the Andalusia region. However, rural migration, low profitability, and biophysical limitations to production have compromised their sustainability. Soil erosion is the main cause of declining production and must be controlled to sustain production and keep soil loss below a threshold (soil loss tolerance, SLT). In this paper, the Soil Loss Tolerance Index (SLTI) for non-specific crops was calculated, theoretically, in different Andalusian olive-growing areas. A new Soil Loss Tolerance Index specifically for olive groves was developed (SLTIog) using soil variables related to erosion corresponding to the Estepa region. This index and the Soil Productive Index (SPI) were estimated. Andalusian olive groves with severe erosion were unsustainable for a 150-year period according to SLTI. However, applying the SLTIog in olive groves of Estepa, soil loss was not unsustainable. Although no statistically significant differences were detected between the two SLT indices, the consideration of specific soil variables in the SLTIog made it more accurate and reliable for the assessment of potential long-term sustainability. The use of specific indices for olive groves can inform the adoption of management measures to maintain productivity and support conservation. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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