The present thesis describes the theoretical transfer of soil and water bioengineering (SWBE) as a measure for erosion mitigation to a fire-prone Take-Up Site in the temperate Andes in southern Ecuador. A fire-prone area in the Pisan Mountains/Italy, where SWBE measures are frequently used, served as Leading Site. The Transferability Analysis aims to estimate key barriers or key support factors appearing with the transfer. Various analyses were carried out to support the findings: Autonomous vegetation recovery capacity at the Take-Up Site in post- fire conditions was analyzed using multitemporal vegetation indices from Sentinel 2 images. A soil data base at the Take-Up Site elaborated from field study and laboratory gave information regarding soil properties. To estimate soil loss at both sites the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) was used to simulate pre- and post-fire conditions. Further, the fire induced change of the runoff coefficient was estimated for one unburned and one burned basin at the Leading Site. The results showed a high vegetation recovery of grasslands at the Take-Up Site to the level of pre-fire conditions within one year. One key result from the soil analysis was the high infiltration rate in post-fire conditions, probably influencing the subsurface flow. The comparison of erosion behavior showed a moderate mean annual erosion at the Leading Site in pre-fire conditions (33.89 t/ha^-1/yr^-1), with an increase of 285% in post-fire conditions. The mean annual erosion at the Take-Up Site was already high in pre- fire conditions (116.14 t/ha^-1/yr^-1) and showed an increase of 7.16 % in post fire conditions. The runoff coefficient at the Leading Site changed with the fire event from 0.2 to 0.5. Regarding the take-up of SWBE measures to the fire prone area in the temperate Andes probable constraints resulted to be qualified labor and equipment/mechanical instruments. Key support factors for the transfer were Botany and Materials as a variety of plants shows important characteristics for SWBE measures, able to compensate constraints in certain cases.

Transferability analysis as a supporting tool for the uptake of soil and water bioengineering measures in fire prone areas / Melanie Maxwald. - (2022).

Transferability analysis as a supporting tool for the uptake of soil and water bioengineering measures in fire prone areas.

Melanie Maxwald
2022

Abstract

The present thesis describes the theoretical transfer of soil and water bioengineering (SWBE) as a measure for erosion mitigation to a fire-prone Take-Up Site in the temperate Andes in southern Ecuador. A fire-prone area in the Pisan Mountains/Italy, where SWBE measures are frequently used, served as Leading Site. The Transferability Analysis aims to estimate key barriers or key support factors appearing with the transfer. Various analyses were carried out to support the findings: Autonomous vegetation recovery capacity at the Take-Up Site in post- fire conditions was analyzed using multitemporal vegetation indices from Sentinel 2 images. A soil data base at the Take-Up Site elaborated from field study and laboratory gave information regarding soil properties. To estimate soil loss at both sites the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) was used to simulate pre- and post-fire conditions. Further, the fire induced change of the runoff coefficient was estimated for one unburned and one burned basin at the Leading Site. The results showed a high vegetation recovery of grasslands at the Take-Up Site to the level of pre-fire conditions within one year. One key result from the soil analysis was the high infiltration rate in post-fire conditions, probably influencing the subsurface flow. The comparison of erosion behavior showed a moderate mean annual erosion at the Leading Site in pre-fire conditions (33.89 t/ha^-1/yr^-1), with an increase of 285% in post-fire conditions. The mean annual erosion at the Take-Up Site was already high in pre- fire conditions (116.14 t/ha^-1/yr^-1) and showed an increase of 7.16 % in post fire conditions. The runoff coefficient at the Leading Site changed with the fire event from 0.2 to 0.5. Regarding the take-up of SWBE measures to the fire prone area in the temperate Andes probable constraints resulted to be qualified labor and equipment/mechanical instruments. Key support factors for the transfer were Botany and Materials as a variety of plants shows important characteristics for SWBE measures, able to compensate constraints in certain cases.
2022
Federico Preti, Hans Peter Rauch
AUSTRIA
Melanie Maxwald
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Utilizza questo identificatore per citare o creare un link a questa risorsa: https://hdl.handle.net/2158/1295983
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