Affiliation:
1. University of Extremadura, Spain
2. Autonomous University of Madrid, Spain
Abstract
Mediterranean savannahs, “dehesas,” are an agro-silvo-pastoral land use system in the southwest of Iberian Peninsula where the extensive livestock farming is the main land use. This study analyzes the evolution of bare soil in two different farms with an agro-silvo-pastoral system located in Extremadura (Spain). The main objective was to study the relationship between rainfall and land management with the surface of bare soil in the dehesas. Evolution of annual and monthly rainfall in the study areas from 2001 to 2017 was analyzed. The main findings showed that a lack of rainfall during three months combined with an increase in the livestock density had repercussions in the presence of a greater surface of bare soil in the dehesas. The distribution of livestock in specific areas (for example, ponds or feed troughs) limited grass growth and favored the development of permanent livestock paths. Therefore, new trends in regenerative livestock management combined with a sustainable use of the dehesa ecosystem may be a key to lessen this problem.
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