@misc{10481/72111,
year = {2021},
month = {11},
url = {http://hdl.handle.net/10481/72111},
abstract = {The runoff coefficient (RC) is widely used despite requiring to know the effective contributing area, which
cannot be known a priori. In a previous work, we defined runoff length (RL), which is difficult to measure. This work
aimed to define the minimum RL (mRL), a quantitative and easy proxy of RL, for use in a pilot study on biocrusts in the
Tabernas Desert, Spain. We show that RC decreases according to a hyperbola when the contributing area increases, the
independent variable being the length of the effective contributing area and its coefficient involving the effects of rainfall
and surface features and antecedent conditions. We defined the mRL as the length of the effective contributing area
making RC = 1, which is calculated regardless of the area. We studied mRL from three biocrust types and 1411 events
clustered in seven categories. The mRL increased with rain volume and intensity, catchment area and slope, whereas
plant cover and biocrust succession (with one exception) had a negative effect. Depending on the plot, mRL reached up
3.3–4.0 m on cyanobacterial biocrust, 2.2–7.5 m on the most widespread lichens, and 1.0–1.5 m on late-successional
lichens. We discuss the relationships of mRL with other runoff-related parameters.},
organization = {Spanish National Plan for RDI	REN2003-04570/GLO	
CGL2007-63258/BOS},
organization = {European ERDF Funds (European Regional Development Fund)},
organization = {Spanish Government	PRI-PIMBDV-2011-0874},
organization = {DINCOS project (Spanish State Programme for Scientific Research)	CGL2016-78075-P},
organization = {European ERDF Funds (Euro-pean Regional Development Fund)		
FPU18/00035},
publisher = {Sciendo},
keywords = {Semiarid},
keywords = {Biological soil crust},
keywords = {Runoff connectivity},
keywords = {Length slope factor},
keywords = {Infiltration},
keywords = {Taberans Desert},
title = {Defining minimum runoff length allows for discriminating biocrusts and rainfall events},
doi = {10.2478/johh-2021-0029},
author = {Lázaro, Roberto and López Canfín, Clément},
}