USING NDVI TO EXAMINE WHY RETAINING WALLS EXIST IN CYPRUS

Agricultural retaining walls alter landscapes through catching sediment and run-off in sloped landscapes. As such, retaining walls often seek to decrease soil erosion but can also increase soil moisture. In the Malloura Valley of Cyprus, retaining walls in agricultural fields exist ubiquitously but it is unclear when they were built, and if they were built to increase moisture or minimize erosion. We mapped the geomorphology of the Malloura Valley to differentiate landforms. We then examined soil development and sedimentology at a collapsed retention wall. Lastly, we used normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) as a proxy for water retention to examine soil moisture at four topographically different sites containing retaining walls. NDVI analysis aims to examine if retaining walls are successful in increasing soil moisture. Calcification of the upper B horizon in RW1 differs from soils elsewhere in the valley suggesting that retaining walls increase soil stability. Around RW1 and similar retaining walls, the NDVI value is not higher than areas without retaining walls. Instead, NDVI is highest on ridgetops where soil has recently been created through the ripping of bedrock. In the Malloura Valley of Cyprus, we interpret that retaining walls do little to increase soil moisture, but rather are primarily constructed as a means of erosion prevention.