Catastrophic soil erosion in Iceland: Impact of long-term climate change, compounded natural disturbances and human driven land-use changes

This study examines the interplay between long-term climate changes, compounded natural disturbances and human driven land-use changes on catastrophic soil erosion of the heathland ecosystem of Haukadalsheiði, south Iceland. Soil erosion was catastrophic for three centuries (~ 1660–1960 AD) and was characterized by almost total loss of vegetation and underlying soil. Soil erosion resulted in a desertified, barren landscape that had no...