Rock fragments protect soil against erosion
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Rock fragments protect soil against erosion

by Antonio Jordán, University of Seville, Sevilla, Spain

This is a view of a burnt area in Navalón (Valencia, eastern Spain). After the fire, when the vegetation cover is lost, rock fragments protect soil from the direct impact of raindrops, interrupt runoff, channel water and help to maintain the structure and porosity of soil immediately beneath them, creating a mosaic of infiltration / runoff.