A5004932812- Soil and Unsaturated Flow
- Soil erosion and sediment transport
- Groundwater flow and contamination studies
- Soil Moisture and Remote Sensing
- Hydrology and Sediment Transport Processes
- Hydrology and Watershed Management Studies
- Landslides and related hazards
- Irrigation Practices and Water Management
- Aeolian processes and effects
- Landfill Environmental Impact Studies
- Plant Water Relations and Carbon Dynamics
- Dam Engineering and Safety
- Soil Management and Crop Yield
- Historical and Environmental Studies
- Fire effects on ecosystems
- 3D Surveying and Cultural Heritage
- Soil Geostatistics and Mapping
- Urban Planning and Valuation
- Flood Risk Assessment and Management
- Microplastics and Plastic Pollution
- Geotechnical Engineering and Soil Stabilization
- 3D Modeling in Geospatial Applications
- Plant Ecology and Soil Science
- Geophysical and Geoelectrical Methods
- Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics
University of Palermo
2016-2025
Organizzazione per la Tutela Forestale, Ambientale e Agroalimentare
2010-2021
Università degli Studi Internazionali di Roma
2021
University of Palermo
2018-2020
Abstract Human activity and related land use change are the primary cause of accelerated soil erosion, which has substantial implications for nutrient carbon cycling, productivity in turn, worldwide socio-economic conditions. Here we present an unprecedentedly high resolution (250 × 250 m) global potential erosion model, using a combination remote sensing, GIS modelling census data. We challenge previous annual reference values as our estimate, 35.9 Pg yr −1 eroded 2012, is at least two...
ABSTRACT Rill erosion is a significant problem worldwide as it determines relevant amounts of soil loss on hillslopes. Although, in the last few years, many studies have focused rill and biochar amendment, their influence hydrological properties relevance conservation strategies still uncertain. In this paper, effects formation addition physical hydraulic clay‐loam were assessed by laboratory measurements (water retention, conductivity, minidisk infiltrometer data 1 H Nuclear Magnetic...
Abstract. Microplastics are recognized as a factor of global change contaminating many environmental compartments. Agricultural soils very likely to receive microplastic contamination and particular concern due their role in food production. Microplastic fibers have already been shown be able affect soil properties, but effect on different types is poorly understood. Moreover, limited information available how the presence this pollutant can water erosion processes, which extremely important...
Abstract Infiltration regulates the movement and storage of water at soil–atmosphere interface is, therefore, a key component many related physical biogeochemical processes. Numerous studies have examined infiltration over past two centuries. These efforts resulted in development numerous models that capture effects specific soil properties initial boundary conditions. This proliferation has advanced our collective ability to understand processes but also made it challenging for researchers...
Various laboratory methods are used for packing sieved soil, thus influencing soil properties. This study tested a simple method and determined compaction effects on the dry bulk density, ρb, saturated hydraulic conductivity, Ks, of three loamy soils (AR, LE, OR). For energies, Ep, 1 to 100 kJ/m2, LE with similar content large (>0.25 mm; 53%) small (<0.25 47%) undispersed particles, yielded higher ρb (1.43 g/cm3) lower Ks (23 mm/h) values as compared AR OR (ρb = 1.12−1.14 g/cm3;...
Simplified measurements of the field‐saturated hydraulic conductivity, K fs , require short duration experiments, small water volumes, and easily transportable equipment. A simplified falling‐head (SFH) technique for rapid determination has been developed tested. The consists in applying a volume on soil surface, confined by ring inserted distance into soil, then measuring time from application to instant at which surface area is no longer covered water. measurement initial contents, an...
The increasing interest in the Beerkan Estimation of Soil Transfer parameters (BEST) procedure soil hydraulic characterization justifies an assessment alternative methods to analyze infiltration data. BEST-slope and BEST-intercept algorithms allow estimation sorptivity, S, saturated conductivity, Ks, using transient part experimental curve slope intercept, respectively, linear portion this curve. With reference 401 runs performed Sicily (Italy) Burundi, investigation showed that these two...
Abstract Obtaining good quality soil loss data from plots requires knowledge of the factors that affect natural and measurement variability erosion processes occur on different sizes. Data was investigated in southern Italy by collecting runoff four universal soil‐loss equation (USLE) 176 m 2 , 20 ‘large’ microplots (0·16 ) 40 ‘small’ (0·04 ). For most erosive events (event erosivity index, R e ≥ 139 MJ mm ha −1 h ), mean USLE significantly correlated with . Variability measurements five to...
Abstract Both capacitive indicators derived from the water retention curve and dynamic measurements of flow‐weighted mean pore radius, R 0 , were used to assess soil physical quality two agricultural areas (cropland olive orchard) natural (grassland managed woodlot plantation) potentially subject degradation. The overall idea study was investigate whether a indicator quantitatively hydraulic conductivity could be supplement traditionally applied retrieved measurements. According available...
The Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) is used by professionals and technicians to predict soil loss water erosion establish conservation measures. One of the key elements USLE K factor, which a measure erodibility. Given difficulty in collecting sufficient data adequately K, early USLE's history erodibility nomograph method was developed allow estimation based on standard properties. Since approach small number soils United States, it necessary for other contexts check nomograph's ability...
Forest and pasture soils should have differing properties due, for example, to root characteristics or livestock trampling rates, but contradictory results been reported in the literature. The surface soil physical hydraulic of five forest sites were determined a Sicilian watershed. In general, had significantly lower bulk density, ρb (by 17–35%), higher field saturated conductivity, Kfs factor 3.4–11.5), than soils. Differences between water retention low when high levels organic matter, OM...
Field-saturated soil hydraulic conductivity, Kfs, is highly variable. Therefore, interpreting and simulating hydrological processes, such as rainfall excess generation, need a large number of Kfs data even at the plot scale. Simple reasonably rapid experiments should be carried out in field. In this investigation, simple infiltration experiment with ring inserted shortly into estimation so-called α* parameter allowed to obtain an approximate measurement Kfs. The theoretical approach was...
As a network of researchers we release an open-access database (EUSEDcollab) water discharge and suspended sediment yield time series records collected in small to medium sized catchments Europe. EUSEDcollab is compiled overcome the scarcity data at relevant spatial scales for studies on runoff, soil loss by erosion delivery. Multi-source measurement from numerous institutions were harmonised into common metadata structure. Data reuse facilitated through accompanying descriptors providing...
The computation of the single-storm erosion index, EI, which is basis to determine rainfall factor R Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE), tedious and time-consuming requires a continuous record intensity. In this article, simplified methods for estimating EI in Mediterranean area are developed. particular, data from 32 Sicilian locations 3 additional continental south Italy at first used derive test regionalized relationship index only storm amount data. A potential with an exponent equal...
Abstract Predicting soil loss is necessary to establish conservation measures. Variability of and hydrological parameters complicates mathematical simulation erosion processes. Methods for predicting unit plot in Sicily were developed by using 5 years data from replicated plots. At first, the variability water content, runoff, values collected at fixed dates or after an erosive event was investigated. The applicability Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) then tested. Finally, a method...
Abstract Methods for predicting unit plot soil loss the ‘Sparacia’ Sicilian (Southern Italy) site were developed using 316 simultaneous measurements of runoff and from individual bare plots varying in length 11 to 44 m. The event was directly proportional an erosivity index equal ( Q R EI 30 ) 1·47 , being ratio times single storm erosion (EI ). relationship represents a modified version USLE‐M, therefore it named USLE‐MM. By USLE‐MM, constant erodibility coefficient deduced different...