El papel de la vegetación de pinar y de matorral en la regeneración de los suelos afectados por los incendios forestales. Efectos hidrológicos y erosivos en el año posterior al incendio

Forest fires provide an excellent opportunity to understand the relationship between vegetation and erosion. This is because changes in vegetation and erosion processes and rates are highly dynamics after the fire. Through simulated rainfall and WDPT (Water Drop Penetration Time) tests the soil water repellency and the runoff and erosion rates after a fire in the Serra Grossa Range, Eastern Spain, was measured. Sampling (six plots) was carried out in October 2002 and July 2003, under wet and dry conditions respectively. The results show high losses of soil and water during the October 2002 measurements for both vegetation covers: pine (Pinus halepensis) and scrubland (Ulex parviflorus y Cistus albidus). However, during the July 2003 measurements, the pine forest area continues to show high rates of erosion while the shrub is drastically reduced as the runoff was lower. This was due to the higher soil water repellency on the pine covered soils, what caused the increase in runoff and the acceleration of erosion processes. Therefore, the type of vegetation influences the erosive processes, which must be taken into account in forest policy.