Indicators in the study sites

Table of Contents

1. Compilers and contributors
2. Introduction
3. Climate indicators
4. Water indicators
5. Soil indicators
6. Vegetation indicators
7. Water runoff indicators
   1. Drainage density
   2. Flooding frequency
   3. Impervious surface area
8. Forest fires indicators
9. Agriculture indicators
10. Cultivation indicators
11. Animal husbandry indicators
12. Land management indicators
13. Land use indicators
14. Water use indicators
15. Tourism indicators
16. Human characteristics indicators
17. Institutional indicators
18. Conclusions
19. References

Water runoff indicators

Vegetation and land use are clearly important factors controlling the intensity and the frequency of overland flow and surface water erosion. Extensive deforestation followed by overgrazing or cultivation with rainfed crops usually results in decreased soil protection by vegetation cover, which reduces effective rainfall intensity, and in the reduction of infiltration rate due to degradation of soil structure and crust formation favoring surface water runoff and sediment loss. High t quantities of water runoff and sediment loss represents a serious hazard for land degradation and desertification in the study field sites, bringing about large reductions in vegetation growth, siltation of water courses, flooding of alluvial planes leaving even bigger areas under the threat of flood risk, and filling of valleys and reservoirs. Coastal zones are particularly prone to such devastating processes. Littoralisation accentuates the process of increased surface water runoff mainly through the artificial infrastructure cover that reduces water infiltration into the soil and disturbs the natural ecosystem. The following indicators related to surface water runoff have been considered in this project: (a) drainage density, (b) flooding frequency, and (d) impervious surface area.

Table 5. Number of field sites in which the indicators related to water runoff was recorded in the filled questionnaires