Oasification
Encyclopedia
In hydrology
, oasification is the antonym
to desertification
by soil erosion; this technique has limited application and is normally considered for much smaller areas than those threatened by desertification.
To help the oasification process, engineers aim to develop a thriving dense woody plant cover to redress the hydrological, edaphic
and botanical degradation affecting a slope. This is done through appropriate soil preparation and the introduction of suitable plant species. It is also necessary to make adequate water harvesting systems -- ideally taking advantage of the degradation process of the slope, collecting runoff water in ponds around the sites to be forested.
The term "oasification" was coined in 1999 by Andrés Martínez de Azagra Paredes, Doctor of Forestry Engineering and professor of Hydraulics, Forestry Hydrology and Hydrologic Models at (E.T.S. of Agroforestry Engineering) in Palencia
, University of Valladolid
, Spain
.
In oasification, soil and nutrient harvesting are regarded as fundamental component parts in the reclamation process of a degraded slope. Besides harvesting water, oasification preserves and accumulates soil and nutrients, helping to control water erosion -- a common problem in dry climates. Ludwig et al. (1997) reported about sloping areas under semiarid conditions in Australia where the landscape is naturally divided into source and sink zones (surface runoff
and run-on areas), which are sometimes reclaimed by plant species through retention of water soil and litter.
Hydrology
Hydrology is the study of the movement, distribution, and quality of water on Earth and other planets, including the hydrologic cycle, water resources and environmental watershed sustainability...
, oasification is the antonym
Antonym
In lexical semantics, opposites are words that lie in an inherently incompatible binary relationship as in the opposite pairs male : female, long : short, up : down, and precede : follow. The notion of incompatibility here refers to the fact that one word in an opposite pair entails that it is not...
to desertification
Desertification
Desertification is the degradation of land in drylands. Caused by a variety of factors, such as climate change and human activities, desertification is one of the most significant global environmental problems.-Definitions:...
by soil erosion; this technique has limited application and is normally considered for much smaller areas than those threatened by desertification.
To help the oasification process, engineers aim to develop a thriving dense woody plant cover to redress the hydrological, edaphic
Edaphic
Edaphic is a nature related to soil. Edaphic qualities may characterize the soil itself, including drainage, texture, or chemical properties such as pH. Edaphic may also characterize organisms, such as plant communities, where it specifies their relationships with soil...
and botanical degradation affecting a slope. This is done through appropriate soil preparation and the introduction of suitable plant species. It is also necessary to make adequate water harvesting systems -- ideally taking advantage of the degradation process of the slope, collecting runoff water in ponds around the sites to be forested.
The term "oasification" was coined in 1999 by Andrés Martínez de Azagra Paredes, Doctor of Forestry Engineering and professor of Hydraulics, Forestry Hydrology and Hydrologic Models at (E.T.S. of Agroforestry Engineering) in Palencia
Palencia
Palencia is a city south of Tierra de Campos, in north-northwest Spain, the capital of the province of Palencia in the autonomous community of Castile-Leon...
, University of Valladolid
University of Valladolid
The University of Valladolid is a public university in the city of Valladolid, province of Valladolid, in the autonomous region of Castile-Leon, Spain...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.
In oasification, soil and nutrient harvesting are regarded as fundamental component parts in the reclamation process of a degraded slope. Besides harvesting water, oasification preserves and accumulates soil and nutrients, helping to control water erosion -- a common problem in dry climates. Ludwig et al. (1997) reported about sloping areas under semiarid conditions in Australia where the landscape is naturally divided into source and sink zones (surface runoff
Surface runoff
Surface runoff is the water flow that occurs when soil is infiltrated to full capacity and excess water from rain, meltwater, or other sources flows over the land. This is a major component of the water cycle. Runoff that occurs on surfaces before reaching a channel is also called a nonpoint source...
and run-on areas), which are sometimes reclaimed by plant species through retention of water soil and litter.