Re-evaluating sheet erosion rates in a popular trekking trail located at the Spanish Central System

Abstract

Degradation of walking tracks, mainly due to sheet erosion associated with hiking activities, damages the natural and recreational value of protected natural areas. Senda Schmidt is a popular trail located on the northern slope of the Sierra de Guadarrama (Central Spanish System), that shows high denudation morphologies on account of accelerated soil-erosion processes basically caused by human influence (trampling by continuous trekking), resulted in exposed roots. Previous works have used dendrogeomorphological methods in this trail to estimate rates of sheet erosion based on the changing morphology of tree rings (from concentric to eccentric) when root is exposed. This study aims to evaluate soil erosion reconstructing the first year of root exposure by analyzing changes in wood anatomical parameters within growth rings. Additionally, different multivariate statistical approaches were used in order to determinate the influence of different environmental factors affecting the variation in velocity of the sheet erosion processes.