@article{article_300074, title={Land-use/vegetation cover and soil erosion impacts on soil properties of hilly slopes in Drama Prefecture of Northern Greece.}, journal={Kastamonu University Journal of Forestry Faculty}, volume={17}, pages={427–433}, year={2017}, DOI={10.17475/kastorman.300074}, author={Zaimes, George and Kayiaoglu, Kostas and Kozanidis, Athanasios}, keywords={Agricultural practices,Forested areas,Slope position,Climate Change}, abstract={<p> <b style="text-align:justify;text-indent:14.15pt;font-size:.9em;"> <span lang="en-us" style="font-size:9pt;font-family:’Times New Roman’, serif;" xml:lang="en-us">Abstract </span> </b> <br /> </p> <div style="border:none;border-bottom:solid 1pt;padding:0cm 0cm 1pt 0cm;"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:14.15pt;line-height:normal;border:none;padding:0cm;"> <i> <span lang="en-us" style="font-size:9pt;font-family:’Times New Roman’, serif;" xml:lang="en-us">Aim of study: </span> </i> <span lang="en-us" style="font-size:9pt;font-family:’Times New Roman’, serif;" xml:lang="en-us">Soil erosion is one of the most
serious threats because of the multiple effects it has on society. The
Mediterranean region is extremely susceptible to severe erosion because of the
inappropriate agricultural management, overgrazing, deforestation, wildfires,
land abandonment, urbanization, etc. Land-use/vegetation cover has a major
impact on soil erosion and soil properties. The aim of this study was to compare
soil properties of slopes of hills with three different land-uses/vegetation
covers. <i> </i> </span> </p> <p> <i> </i> </p> <i> </i> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:14.15pt;line-height:normal;border:none;padding:0cm;"> <i> <span lang="en-us" style="font-size:9pt;font-family:’Times New Roman’, serif;" xml:lang="en-us">Area of study: </span> </i> <span lang="en-us" style="font-size:9pt;font-family:’Times New Roman’, serif;" xml:lang="en-us">The study was conducted on
different slopes along Menoikio Mountain of the Prefecture of Drama in Greece. <i> </i> </span> </p> <p> <i> </i> </p> <i> </i> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:14.15pt;line-height:normal;border:none;padding:0cm;"> <i> <span lang="en-us" style="font-size:9pt;font-family:’Times New Roman’, serif;" xml:lang="en-us">Material and Methods: </span> </i> <span lang="en-us" style="font-size:9pt;font-family:’Times New Roman’, serif;" xml:lang="en-us">The three different land-uses/vegetation
covers investigated were: a) cultivated areas, b) grazed rangelands and c)
forested areas. Each slope had all three land-uses/vegetation covers and was
separated in three parts: a) top, b) middle and c) bottom slope. Five soil
samples were collected from each part. The soil samples were analyzed in the
laboratory for the following soil properties: a) clay, silt and sand
percentage, b) soil texture, c) soil density, d) soil moisture, e) pH and f)
organic matter. <i> </i> </span> </p> <p> <i> </i> </p> <i> </i> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:14.15pt;line-height:normal;border:none;padding:0cm;"> <i> <span lang="en-us" style="font-size:9pt;font-family:’Times New Roman’, serif;" xml:lang="en-us">Main results: </span> </i> <span lang="en-us" style="font-size:9pt;font-family:’Times New Roman’, serif;" xml:lang="en-us">Significant differences among the
three land-uses/vegetation covers were expected to be found because of the
difference in soil erosion rates and also among the three slope parts because
of the difference in erosional and depositional process that take place. This was
not the case because in some soil variables other parameters e.g. other
management practices in the three land-uses (grazing in the forested areas)
were as influential. <i> </i> </span> </p> <p> <i> </i> </p> <i> </i> </div> <i> <span lang="en-us" style="font-size:9pt;line-height:115%;font-family:’Times New Roman’, serif;" xml:lang="en-us">Highlights: </span> </i> <span lang="en-us" style="font-size:9pt;line-height:115%;font-family:’Times New Roman’, serif;" xml:lang="en-us">Examines
land-use/vegetation cover implications on soil properties due to erosional and
depositional process along a slope and provides insights to land managers of
Greece in regards to soil management practices in order to promote
sustainability. </span>}, number={3}, publisher={Kastamonu Üniversitesi}