Defining minimum runoff length allows for discriminating biocrusts and rainfall events
Author:
Lázaro Roberto1, Calvo-Cases Adolfo2, Arnau-Rosalén Eva3, Rubio Consuelo1, Fuentes David45, López-Canfín Clément16
Affiliation:
1. Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas (CSIC) , Carretera Sacramento s/n, 04120 La Cañada , Almería , Spain . 2. Inter-University Institute for Local Development (IIDL), Department of Geography , University of Valencia , Edifici d’Instituts, 4ª Planta C/ Serpis 29, 46022 , València , Spain . 3. Department of Natural Sciences , Manchester Metropolitan University , John Dalton Building E410a, Chester Street, Manchester M1 5GD, UK . 4. Department of Ecology , University of Alicante , C/ de San Vicente del Raspeig, s/n, 03690 San Vicente del Raspeig , Alicante , Spain . 5. Ecodrone Works, C/ Señores Maripino Rosello, 4, 03550, Sant Joan d’Alacant , Spain . 6. Departamento de Física Aplicada , Universidad de Granada , Avenida Fuente Nueva s/n, 18071 Granada , Spain .
Abstract
Abstract
The runoff coefficient (RC) is widely used despite requiring to know the effective contributing area, which cannot be known a priori. In a previous work, we defined runoff length (RL), which is difficult to measure. This work aimed to define the minimum RL (mRL), a quantitative and easy proxy of RL, for use in a pilot study on biocrusts in the Tabernas Desert, Spain. We show that RC decreases according to a hyperbola when the contributing area increases, the independent variable being the length of the effective contributing area and its coefficient involving the effects of rainfall and surface features and antecedent conditions. We defined the mRL as the length of the effective contributing area making RC = 1, which is calculated regardless of the area. We studied mRL from three biocrust types and 1411 events clustered in seven categories. The mRL increased with rain volume and intensity, catchment area and slope, whereas plant cover and biocrust succession (with one exception) had a negative effect. Depending on the plot, mRL reached up 3.3–4.0 m on cyanobacterial biocrust, 2.2–7.5 m on the most widespread lichens, and 1.0–1.5 m on late-successional lichens. We discuss the relationships of mRL with other runoff-related parameters.
Publisher
Walter de Gruyter GmbH
Reference67 articles.
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