Influencia del pastoreo en la cubierta vegetal y la geomorfodinámica en el transecto Depresión del Ebro-Pirineos

Abstract

Extensive grazing by sheep and goats on fallow land and abandoned fields in the Ebro basin and the Pyrenees impedes the regeneration of vegetation cover by browsing and hoof threads. An association of characteristic patterns of geomorphodynamically highly dynamic animal trails and largely stable areas develops. In the High Pyrenees and the Pre-Pyrenees, even existing matorral scrubss hows clear sign of thinning, while morphodynamic activity increases. Areas affected by erosion rills expand especially where sheep trails encourage their development by very high runoff and erosion rates. Regarding their effects on vegetation cover development and geomorphodynarnic processes, sheep breeding subsidizing programmes by the European Union have to he critically assessed.