Analysis of the spatial variability of the relationships between rainfall, runoff, erosion and sediment yield and synoptic atmospheric patterns around the Mediterranean basin

Abstract

This contribution results from international collaborative efforts of different research groups around the Mediterranean basin focusing on soil conservation and water management. We will present the most complete database of runoff and soil erosion information and analyze the records from 68 locations, including more than 22458 detail events between 1985-2015. Soil conservation and water planning are two of the most challenging problems around the Mediterranean basin due to climate conditions and human activity. We believe that future advances on understanding soil degradation by water should be developed under global approaches. In this contribution, we will present an analysis of atmospheric conditions, expressed by weather types and the resulted rainfall, runoff, and erosion and sediment yield around the Mediterranean basin. The weather types compile daily information about the different air masses responsible for rainfall, runoff and eventually erosion and sediment yield, and their analyses let us know the synchrony of the response at different sites around the Mediterranean basin. The analyses of the global dataset display different spatial patterns for rainfall, runoff, and sediment yield, related to different atmospheric patterns. This research will be a valuable tool for understanding the evolution of these environmental variables, and therefore it will allow future planning to design regional water management and soil conservation measures