Relationship of weather types on the seasonal and spatial variability of rainfall, runoff, and sediment yield in the western Mediterranean basin

Rainfall is the key factor to understand soil erosion processes, mechanisms, and rates. Most research was conducted to determine rainfall characteristics and their relationship with soil erosion (erosivity) but there is little information about how atmospheric patterns control soil losses, and this is important to enable sustainable environmental planning and risk prevention. We investigated the temporal and spatial variability of the relationships of rainfall, runoff, and sediment yield with atmospheric patterns (weather types, WTs) in the western Mediterranean basin. For this purpose, we analyzed a large database of rainfall events collected between 1985 and 2015 in 46 experimental plots and catchments with the aim to: (i) evaluate seasonal differences in the contribution of rainfall, runoff, and sediment yield produced by the WTs; and (ii) to analyze the seasonal efficiency of the different WTs (relation frequency and magnitude) related to rainfall, runoff, and sediment yield. The results indicate two different temporal patterns: the first weather type exhibits (during the cold period: autumn and winter) westerly flows that produce the highest rainfall, runoff, and sediment yield values throughout the territory; the second weather type exhibits easterly flows that predominate during the warm period (spring and summer) and it is located on the Mediterranean coast of the Iberian Peninsula. However, the cyclonic situations present high frequency throughout the whole year with a large influence extended around the western Mediterranean basin. Contrary, the anticyclonic situations, despite of its high frequency, do not contribute significantly to the total rainfall, runoff, and sediment (showing the lowest efficiency) because of atmospheric stability that currently characterize this atmospheric pattern. Our approach helps to better understand the relationship of WTs on the seasonal and spatial variability of rainfall, runoff and sediment yield with a regional scale based on the large dataset and number of soil erosion experimental stations

Mapeo físico y genético de cuatro microsatélites derivados cósmidos en bovino

El aislamiento de microsatélites a partir de cósmidos, permite la integración de los mapas meióticos y citogenéticos. La localización precisa de los marcadores genéticos es una potente herramienta para asignar y orientar los grupos de ligamiento. En el presente articulo se presenta el aislamiento de cuatro microsatélites polimórficos (INRAZARA 232, INRAZARA 233, INRA 238 and INRA 241) procedentes de cuatro cósmidos (cos AE21, cosAE33, cosAE44 and cosPL139), estudiados por motivos TG/TC y localizados mediante FISH en los cromosomas bovinos 2q45, 2q45, l9gl5y 1 1q28 respectivamente. Las secuencias de flanqueo de los microsatélites fueron caracterizadas mediante subclonamiento en vector pGEM4Z. Se designaron los primeros y se consiguieron productos específicos de amplificación. Esos marcadores fueran analizados en los animales pertenecientes al International Bovine Reference Panel (IBRP) y el análisis del ligamiento fue realizado empleando el programa CRl-MAP en la base de datos Cattle Geneotypic. Los resultados obtenidos estan de acuerdo con la localización física. Además el polimorfismo de dos de esos microsatélites fue evaluado sobre 40 animales no relacionados, pertenecientes a diferentes razas autóctonas españolas mostrando el siguiente número de alelos y valores PIC 910.796 para 1 N RA ZARA232 y 10/0.805 para INRAZARA 233

Mapeo físico y genético de cuatro microsatélites derivados cósmidos en bovino

El aislamiento de microsatélites a partir de cósmidos, permite la integración de los mapas meióticos y citogenéticos. La localización precisa de los marcadores genéticos es una potente herramienta para asignar y orientar los grupos de ligamiento. En el presente articulo se presenta el aislamiento de cuatro microsatélites polimórficos (INRAZARA 232, INRAZARA 233, INRA 238 and INRA 241) procedentes de cuatro cósmidos (cos AE21, cosAE33, cosAE44 and cosPL139), estudiados por motivos TG/TC y localizados mediante FISH en los cromosomas bovinos 2q45, 2q45, l9gl5y 1 1q28 respectivamente. Las secuencias de flanqueo de los microsatélites fueron caracterizadas mediante subclonamiento en vector pGEM4Z. Se designaron los primeros y se consiguieron productos específicos de amplificación. Esos marcadores fueran analizados en los animales pertenecientes al International Bovine Reference Panel (IBRP) y el análisis del ligamiento fue realizado empleando el programa CRl-MAP en la base de datos Cattle Geneotypic. Los resultados obtenidos estan de acuerdo con la localización física. Además el polimorfismo de dos de esos microsatélites fue evaluado sobre 40 animales no relacionados, pertenecientes a diferentes razas autóctonas españolas mostrando el siguiente número de alelos y valores PIC 910.796 para 1 N RA ZARA232 y 10/0.805 para INRAZARA 233

Spatial variability of the relationships of runoff and sediment yield with weather types throughout the Mediterranean basin

Soil degradation by water is a serious environmental problem worldwide, with specific climatic factors being the major causes. We investigated the relationships between synoptic atmospheric patterns (i.e. weather types, WTs) and runoff, erosion and sediment yield throughout the Mediterranean basin by analyzing a large database of natural rainfall events at 68 research sites in 9 countries. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used to identify spatial relationships of the different WTs including three hydro-sedimentary variables: rainfall, runoff, and sediment yield (SY, used to refer to both soil erosion measured at plot scale and sediment yield registered at catchment scale). The results indicated 4 spatial classes of rainfall and runoff: (a) northern sites dependent on North (N) and North West (NW) flows; (b) eastern sites dependent on E and NE flows; (c) southern sites dependent on S and SE flows; and, finally, (d) western sites dependent on W and SW flows. Conversely, three spatial classes are identified for SY characterized by: (a) N and NE flows in northern sites (b) E flows in eastern sites, and (c) W and SW flows in western sites. Most of the rainfall, runoff and SY occurred during a small number of daily events, and just a few WTs accounted for large percentages of the total. Our results confirm that characterization by WT improves understanding of the general conditions under which runoff and SY occur, and provides useful information for understanding the spatial variability of runoff, and SY throughout the Mediterranean basin. The approach used here could be useful to aid of the design of regional water management and soil conservation measures

Spatial variability of the relationships of runoff and sediment yield with weather types throughout the Mediterranean basin

Soil degradation by water is a serious environmental problem worldwide, with specific climatic factors being the major causes. We investigated the relationships between synoptic atmospheric patterns (i.e. weather types, WI's) and runoff, erosion and sediment yield throughout the Mediterranean basin by analyzing a large database of natural rainfall events at 68 research sites in 9 countries. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used to identify spatial relationships of the different WTs including three hydro-sedimentary variables: rainfall, runoff, and sediment yield (SY, used to refer to both soil erosion measured at plot scale and sediment yield registered at catchment scale). The results indicated 4 spatial classes of rainfall and runoff: (a) northern sites dependent on North (N) and North West (NW) flows; (b) eastern sites dependent on E and NE flows; (c) southern sites dependent on S and SE flows; and, finally, (d) western sites dependent on W and SW flows. Conversely, three spatial classes are identified for SY characterized by: (a) N and NE flows in northern sites (b) E flows in eastern sites, and (c) W and SW flows in western sites. Most of the rainfall, runoff and SY occurred during a small number of daily events, and just a few WTs accounted for large percentages of the total. Our results confirm that characterization by WT improves understanding of the general conditions under which runoff and SY occur, and provides useful information for understanding the spatial variability of runoff, and SY throughout the Mediterranean basin. The approach used here could be useful to aid of the design of regional water management and soil conservation measures

Spatial variability of the relationships of runoff and sediment yield with weather types throughout the Mediterranean basin

Este artículo contiene 16 páginas, 6 figuras, 2 tablas.Soil degradation by water is a serious environmental problem worldwide, with specific climatic factors being the major causes. We investigated the relationships between synoptic atmospheric patterns (i.e. weather types, WTs) and runoff, erosion and sediment yield throughout the Mediterranean basin by analyzing a large database of natural rainfall events at 68 research sites in 9 countries. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used to identify spatial relationships of the different WTs including three hydro-sedimentary variables: rainfall, runoff, and sediment yield (SY, used to refer to both soil erosion measured at plot scale and sediment yield registered at catchment scale). The results indicated 4 spatial classes of rainfall and runoff: (a) northern sites dependent on North (N) and North West (NW) flows; (b) eastern sites dependent on E and NE flows; (c) southern sites dependent on S and SE flows; and, finally, (d) western sites dependent on W and SW flows. Conversely, three spatial classes are identified for SY characterized by: (a) N and NE flows in northern sites (b) E flows in eastern sites, and (c) Wand SW flows in western sites. Most of the rainfall, runoff and SY occurred during a small number of daily events, and just a few WTs accounted for large percentages of the total. Our results confirm that characterization by WT improves understanding of the general conditions under which runoff and SY occur, and provides useful information for understanding the spatial variability of runoff, and SY throughout the Mediterranean basin. The approach used here could be useful to aid of the design of regional water management and soil conservation measures.This research was supported by projects funded by the MINECOFEDER: CGL2014-52135-C3-3-R, CGL2014-59946-R, CGL2015-65569- R, CGL2015-64284-C2-2-R, and PCIN-2017-061/AEI. When this manuscript was first submitted Estela Nadal-Romero and Damià Vericat received a “Ramón y Cajal” postdoctoral contract (RYC-2013-14371 and RYC‐2010‐06264, Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, MEC). Damià Vericat is now a Serra Húnter Fellow at the University of Lleida. María Fernández-Raga received a “José Castillejo” postdoctoral grant (Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports). Carla Ferreira was supported by a post-doctoral research grant from the Portuguese Science and Technology Foundation (SFRH/ BPD/120093/2016). Mariano Moreno-de las Heras received a Juan de la Cierva postdoctoral contract (IJCI-2015-26463) from the MEC. José Andrés López-Tarazón received a Vicenç Mut postdoctoral fellowship from the Autonomous Balearic Government (CAIB PD/038/2016). José Andrés López-Tarazón and Ramon Batalla also acknowledge the Secretariat for Universities and Research of the Department of the Economy and Knowledge of the Autonomous Government of Catalonia for supporting the Consolidated Research Group 2014 SGR 645 (RIUSFluvial Dynamics Research Group), and the CERCA Programme. This paper has benefited from the Lab and Field Data Pool created within the framework of the COST action CONNECTEUR (ES1306).Peer reviewe

Analysis of the spatial variability of the relationships between rainfall, runoff, erosion and sediment yield and synoptic atmospheric patterns around the Mediterranean basin

Trabajo presentado en TERRAenVISION Environmental Issues Today: Scientific Solutions for Societal Issues, celebrado en Barcelona (España) del 27 de enero al 2 de febrero de 2018This contribution results from international collaborative efforts of different research groups around the Mediterranean basin focusing on soil conservation and water management. We will present the most complete database of runoff and soil erosion information and analyze the records from 68 locations, including more than 22458 detail events between 1985-2015. Soil conservation and water planning are two of the most challenging problems around the Mediterranean basin due to climate conditions and human activity. We believe that future advances on understanding soil degradation by water should be developed under global approaches. In this contribution, we will present an analysis of atmospheric conditions, expressed by weather types and the resulted rainfall, runoff, and erosion and sediment yield around the Mediterranean basin. The weather types compile daily information about the different air masses responsible for rainfall, runoff and eventually erosion and sediment yield, and their analyses let us know the synchrony of the response at different sites around the Mediterranean basin. The analyses of the global dataset display different spatial patterns for rainfall, runoff, and sediment yield, related to different atmospheric patterns. This research will be a valuable tool for understanding the evolution of these environmental variables, and therefore it will allow future planning to design regional water management and soil conservation measuresPeer reviewe

Spatial variability of the relationships of runoff and sediment yield with weather types throughout the Mediterranean basin

Summarization: Soil degradation by water is a serious environmental problem worldwide, with specific climatic factors being the major causes. We investigated the relationships between synoptic atmospheric patterns (i.e. weather types, WTs) and runoff, erosion and sediment yield throughout the Mediterranean basin by analyzing a large database of natural rainfall events at 68 research sites in 9 countries. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used to identify spatial relationships of the different WTs including three hydro-sedimentary variables: rainfall, runoff, and sediment yield (SY, used to refer to both soil erosion measured at plot scale and sediment yield registered at catchment scale). The results indicated 4 spatial classes of rainfall and runoff: (a) northern sites dependent on North (N) and North West (NW) flows; (b) eastern sites dependent on E and NE flows; (c) southern sites dependent on S and SE flows; and, finally, (d) western sites dependent on W and SW flows. Conversely, three spatial classes are identified for SY characterized by: (a) N and NE flows in northern sites (b) E flows in eastern sites, and (c) W and SW flows in western sites. Most of the rainfall, runoff and SY occurred during a small number of daily events, and just a few WTs accounted for large percentages of the total. Our results confirm that characterization by WT improves understanding of the general conditions under which runoff and SY occur, and provides useful information for understanding the spatial variability of runoff, and SY throughout the Mediterranean basin. The approach used here could be useful to aid of the design of regional water management and soil conservation measures.Παρουσιάστηκε στο: Journal of Hydrolog