Browsing by Subject "Vallcebre"

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    Morfología Fluvial.-Hidrología de un ambiente Mediterráneo de montaña. Las cuencas de Vallcebre (Pirineo Oriental) I. 20 años de investigaciones hidrológicas
    Latron, J.; Llorens, P.; Soler, M.; Poyatos, R.; Rubio, C.; Muzylo, A.; Martínez-Carreras, N.; Delgado, J.; Regüés, D.; Catari, G.; Nord, G.; Gallart, F.; Universidad de Murcia
    ABSTRACT The Vallcebre research catchments are located in a Mediterranean mountain area (Pyrenean range, NE Spain). These catchments were originally covered by Quercus pubescens Willd. and deforested for agricultural use in the past. Nowadays they are covered by mesophyle grasses with spontaneous afforestation by Pinus sylvestris L. In this context, different investigations studying water fluxes in the soil-vegetation-atmosphere continuum have been performed. The main objective of these studies is the analysis and modelling of the role of vegetation cover on the catchment water balance in a framework of climate and land use changes. The dynamics of rainfall interception and transpiration by Scots pines and pubescens oaks, are investigated in terms of their dependence on meteorological conditions, on soil moisture and water table depth. Furthermore, the role of vegetation on catchment water balance is analysed. The results underline: (i) the importance of rainfall interception losses by both tree species and the high temporal variability of this flux, (ii) the effect of forest covers on soil moisture and (iii) the differences in transpiration between species, showing Scots pines a strong reduction of transpiration during droughts. Modelling results indicate that TOPBAL model (a developed version of TOPMODEL for an improved simulation of the response of catchments with diverse vegetation covers and high climatic seasonality) improved the simulation of the catchment water balance.
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    Morfología Fluvial.-Hidrología de un ambiente Mediterráneo de montaña. Las cuencas de Vallcebre (pirineo oriental) III. Vegetación y flujos de agua
    Llorens, P.; Poyatos, R.; Muzylo, A.; Rubio, C.M.; Latron, J.; Delgado, J.; Gallart, F.; Universidad de Murcia
    ABSTRACT The Vallcebre research catchments are located in a Mediterranean mountain area (Pyrenean range, NE Spain). These catchments were originally covered by Quercus pubescens Willd. and deforested for agricultural use in the past. Nowadays they are covered by mesophyle grasses with spontaneous afforestation by Pinus sylvestris L. In this context, different investigations studying water fluxes in the soil-vegetation-atmosphere continuum have been performed. The main objective of these studies is the analysis and modelling of the role of vegetation cover on the catchment water balance in a framework of climate and land use changes. The dynamics of rainfall interception and transpiration by Scots pines and pubescens oaks, are investigated in terms of their dependence on meteorological conditions, on soil moisture and water table depth. Furthermore, the role of vegetation on catchment water balance is analysed. The results underline: (i) the importance of rainfall interception losses by both tree species and the high temporal variability of this flux, (ii) the effect of forest covers on soil moisture and (iii) the differences in transpiration between species, showing Scots pines a strong reduction of transpiration during droughts. Modelling results indicate that TOPBAL model (a developed version of TOPMODEL for an improved simulation of the response of catchments with diverse vegetation covers and high climatic seasonality) improved the simulation of the catchment water balance.
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    Relaciones agua-suelo-vegetación.-Hidrología de un ambiente Mediterráneo de montaña. Las cuencas de Vallcebre (Pirineo Oriental) II. Relaciones precipitación-escorrentía y procesos hidrológicos
    Latron, J.; Soler, M.; Nord, G.; Llorens, P.; Gallart, F.; Universidad de Murcia
    ABSTRACT Hydrological response and runoff processes have been studied in the Vallcebre research basins (North Eastern Spain) for almost 20 years. Results obtained allowed to build a more complete perceptual model of the hydrological functioning of Mediterranean mountains basins. On a seasonal and monthly scale, there was no simple relationship between rainfall and runoff depths. Monthly rainfall and runoff values revealed the existence of a threshold in the relationship between rainfall and runoff depths. At the event scale, the storm-flow coefficient had a clear seasonal pattern. The effect of the water table position on how rainfall and runoff volumes relate was observed. Examination of soil water potential and water table dynamics during representative floods helped to identify 3 types of characteristic hydrological behaviour during the year. Under dry conditions, runoff was generated essentially as infiltration excess runoff in low permeable areas, whereas saturation excess runoff dominated during wetting-up and wet conditions. During wetting-up transition, saturated areas resulted from the development of scattered perched water tables, whereas in wet conditions they were linked to the rise of the shallow water table.