Soil erosion favored by agriculture
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Soil erosion favored by agriculture

by Antonio Jordán, University of Seville, Sevilla, Spain

In the Mediterranean region, traditional agricultural practices have favored soil erosion for centuries. In the Sierra de Setenil (Cádiz, SW Spain), continued erosion has led to the emergence of infertile areas in the upper parts of the slopes (not rocky outcrops), which are expanding slowly and can not be recovered. These formations are known locally as "machorros" (male in opposition to female, fertile).