Soil erosion on fallow fields: an example from Murcia

Abstract

Precipitation, infiltration and soil erosion are examined for four fields which have been left fallow for 1, 2, 5 and 20 years (from November 1985) and for one site which has not been cultivated. Infiltration rates are highest on the sites which have been left fallow for longest. Conversely erosion is lowest on the older sites (dueto high infiltration rates) and on the most recently ploughed site (due to the storage effect of the ridges and furrows).