Support for this research was provided by the projects: “Processes and sediment balances at different spatial scales in Mediterranean environments: Effects of climate fluctuations and land use changes” (PROBASE, CGL2006- 11619/HID CONSOLIDER), and “Spatiotemporal behaviour and models of the sediment transfer on different land uses” (CETSUS, CGL2007-66644-C04- 01/HID), both funded by the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science, “Development and validation of coupled hydrological and hydraulic models in catchments at different spatial scales” (PI032/08) funded by the DGA, and ACQWA, supported by the EU-FP7 (www.acqwa.ch) under Contract Nr 212250. Monitoring of the catchment was supported by an agreement between the CSIC and the Spanish Ministry of Environment (RESEL). The first author benefited from a research contract (I+D+I 2008-2011 National Program), funded by the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science.

[ES] Se presenta una síntesis de la investigación realizada en una pequeña cuenca experimental afectada por una intensa actividad agraria en el pasado y sujeta a un proceso de revegetación natural en la actualidad en el Pirineo Central. Los principales resultados obtenidos demuestran su complejo comportamiento hidrogeomorfológico. El análisis de la información hidrológica sugiere que diferentes procesos dominantes de generación de escorrentía pueden ocurrir de manera simultánea en diferentes áreas de la cuenca, en función del estado de humedad de la misma y de las características de la precipitación. La respuesta sedimentológica está principalmente controlada por la dinámica espacio-temporal de las áreas fuente de escorrentía y de sedimento. La exportación de sedimento ilustra la complejidad de la respuesta geomorfológica en los ambientes de montaña afectados por actividades agrarias en el pasado.

[EN] A small catchment affected by agricultural practices in the past, then progressively abandoned and naturally re-vegetated was monitored in the central Spanish Pyrenees. The results obtained over a 9-year period revealed the complexity of its hydrological and geomorphological behaviour. Several runoff generation processes can occur at the same time and in different parts of the catchment, depending on the water reserves conditions and rainfall characteristics. Sediment response is mainly controlled by the spatial and temporal dynamics of water and sediment contributing areas within the catchment. The sediment output illustrates the complexity of the geomorphic response of mountain environments modified by past farmland activities.

18 páginas, 6 figuras, 3 tablas y 1 fotografía

Peer reviewed