Utilización de la dendrogeomorfología como geoindicador para evaluar procesos de erosión

Abstract

Use of dendrogeomorphology as geoindicator to assess erosion processes.Anatomical changes of exposed tree roots are a valuable tools to date erosion events. The roots of some tree species subjected to erosive events suffer changes allow to quantify such processes. A descriptive and quantitative study was conducted in Scots pine Pinus sylvestris L the Senda Schmidt, a popular trail located on the northern slope of the Sierra de Guadarrama (Central Iberian System, Spain). Measurement of significant parameters allowed the moment of exposure of the roots to be identified. These parameters were: a) width of the growth ring; b) number of cells per ring; c) percentage of latewood and d) diameter of cellular light in earlywood. A one-way analysis ANOVA was also carried out in order to establish statistically significant differences between homogeneous groups of measurements in preexposed and exposed roots.