Soil erosion in Mediterranean olive groves: a review

Abstract

Abstract. Olive groves are a defining feature of the Mediterranean landscape, economy, and culture. However, this keystone agroecosystem is under severe threat from soil erosion, a problem exacerbated by the region's unique topographic, climatic conditions and agricultural practices. Although soil erosion in olive groves has been extensively studied, significant uncertainties remain due to the high variability of scales and measurement methods. Knowledge gaps persist regarding the average soil loss rates and runoff coefficients as well as the effects of different management approaches and the influence of triggering factors on soil erosion rates. So far, an effort to quantify this effect on Mediterranean olive cultivation has not been made comprehensively. Therefore, the aim of this literature review is to discern clearer patterns and trends that are often obscured by the overall heterogeneity of the available data. By systematically analysing the data according to measurement methodology, this review provides clear answers to these knowledge gaps and reveals a consistent narrative about the primary drivers of soil loss. While natural factors like topography, rainfall intensity and soil properties establish a baseline risk, this review shows that agricultural management, particularly the presence of groundcovers, is the pivotal factor controlling soil degradation. The long-standing debate on erosion severity is largely reconciled by the finding that reported rates are highly dependent on the measurement methodology, and hence on the spatial and temporal scale. Conservation practices consistently reduce soil loss by more than half, an effect far more pronounced for sediment control than for runoff reduction. Ultimately, the path to sustainability requires a shift away from conventional tillage and bare-soil management towards the widespread adoption of vegetation/groundcover, driven by effective policies and a commitment to multi-scale and multi-proxy research to improve predictive models.