The Role of Fire Disturbance on Runoff and Erosion Processes – a Long‐Term Approach, Mt. Carmel Case Study, Israel

Bibliographic Data

ID15543166
AuthorsLea Wittenberg (0000-0002-9251-3756, University of Haifa, corresponding author), Moshe Inbar (0000-0002-4707-9508, University of Haifa)
Year2008
Volume47
Issue1
Pages46-56
Publication date2008-11-28
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueGeographical Research (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1745-5863 • E-ISSN: 1745-5871
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/j.1745-5871.2008.00554.x
OpenAlexW2113796116
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited23

The Mediterranean ecosystem of Mt. Carmel, Israel, is subjected to an increasing number of forest fires of various extents and severities. The impacts of forest fires on runoff and erosion are widely documented and include increased peak flows and soil loss until the return of a vegetation cover. Most studies, however, treat fire as a single event, whereas the present study is aimed at exploring the long‐term effects of repeated forest fires on eco‐geomorphic processes. The study integrates the results of plot‐based, detailed analysis of post‐fire runoff and erosion with vegetation recovery analysis, at a temporal‐spatial scale which includes the effect of reburning. Our results indicate that forest fires lead to a significant increase in runoff and sediment yields, particularly during the first two years following the disturbance, up to five orders of magnitude higher than from the adjacent unburnt control plots

Disturbance (geology · Ecosystem · Erosion · Erosion control · Geography · Geomorphology · Hydrology (agriculture · Land use · Mediterranean climate · Physical geography · Sediment · Surface runoff · Vegetation (pathology · Vegetation cover · Aeolian processes and effects · Environmental Science · Fire effects on ecosystems · Soil erosion and sediment transport · Ecology · Geology

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