Rainfed Orchards in Semi-arid Environments

ISBN-13: 9783639129472 / Angielski / Miękka / 2009 / 200 str.

Andr Meerkerk

Opis

The spatial distribution and properties of rainfedorchards in semi-arid environments result fromcomplex interactions between man and the physical andeconomical environment. It is shown how the practiceof clean sweeping (i.e. frequent shallow tillage)influences the orchard water balance and how theremoval of traditional soil and water conservationstructures affects the connectivity of overland flowto the river system. Clean sweeping constrains theroot growth in the plough layer, so that the treescannot access the water from small rain events. Itappears that the practice of clean sweeping limitsthe water availability in orchards on loamy soilswith an annual rainfall in the order of 300 mm. Theobserved decline in conservation structures liketerraces and check-dams leads to an increase in theconnectivity of water and sediment to the riversystem. An alternative for these traditionaltechniques to retain the water and the soil is theapplication of cover crops. Field evidence and waterbalance simulations suggest that cover crops arefeasible in areas with an annual precipitation of 500mm or more.

O autorze

The author obtained a B.Sc. and M.Sc. degree at Wageningen
University, The Netherlands, based on the study program "Soil,
water, atmosphere". The M.Sc. study was followed by a Ph.D. in
physical geography at the Université Catholique de Louvain in
Belgium. More information about the author is available on
http://www.alataire.nl/.