Influence of bare soil and cultivated land use types upstream of a bank gully on soil erosion rates and energy consumption for different gully erosion zones in the dry-hot valley region,Southwest China

This study assessed temporal variation in soil erosion rates in response to energy consumption of flow (ΔE). It employed an in situ bank gully field flume experiment with upstream catchment areas with bare (BLG) or cultivated land (CLG) that drained down to bare gully headcuts. Water discharge treatments ranged from 30 to 120 L Min⁻¹. Concentrated flow discharge clearly affected bank gully soil erosion rates. Excluding minimal discharge in the CLG upstream catchment area (30 L min⁻¹), a declining power function trend (p ≤ 0.1) was observed with time in soil erosion rates for both BLG and CLG upstream catchment areas and downstream gully beds. Non-steady state soil erosion rates were observed after an abrupt collapse along the headcut slope after prolonged scouring treatments. However, as the experiment progressed, ΔE and energy consumption of flow per unit soil loss (ΔEu) exhibited a logarithmic growth trend (p < 0.1) at each BLG and CLG position. Although similar temporal trends in soil erosion and infiltration rates were observed, values clearly differed between BLG and CLG upstream catchment areas. Furthermore, Darcy–Weisbach friction factor (f) values in the CLG upstream catchment area were higher than the corresponding BLG area. In contrast to the BLG upstream catchment area, lower ΔEu and higher soil erosion rates were observed in the CLG upstream catchment area as a result of soil disturbances. This indicated that intensive land use changes accelerate soil erosion rates in upstream catchment areas of bank gullies and increase soil sediment transport to downstream gullies. Accordingly, reducing tillage disturbances and increasing vegetation cover in upstream catchment areas of bank gullies are essential in the dry-hot valley region of Southwest China.

     

The morphological characteristics of gully systems and watersheds in Dry-Hot Valley,SW China

Gully systems and watersheds are geomorphic units with clear boundaries that are relatively independent of basin landscapes and play an important role in natural geography. In order to explore the morphological characteristics of gully systems and watersheds in the Dry-Hot Valley [South West (SW) China], gullies are interpreted from online Google images with high resolution and watersheds are extracted from digital elevation model at a scale of 1:50,000. The results show that: (1) There are 17,382 gullies (with a total area of 1141.66 km²) and 42 watersheds in the study area. (2) The average gully density of the study area (D) is 4.29 km/km², gully frequency (F) is 14.39 gullies/km², the branching ratio (B) is 5.13, the length ratio (L) is 3.12, and the coefficient of the main and tributary gullies (M) is 0.06. The degree of gully erosion is strong to extremely strong, the main development intensity of gully erosion ranges from intense to moderate, and the type of gully system is tributary. (3) The watershed areas (A) are between 0.39 and 96.43 km², the relief ratio (R) is from 0.10 to 0.19, the circularity ratio (C) is from 0.30 to 0.83, the texture ratio (T) is from 0.82 to 39.35, and the dominant geomorphological texture type is fine. (4) There is a quantitative relationship between F and D:F?=?0.624D² (R?=0.84) and T is closely related to D, F, M (R²?>?0.7). A, R and C are related to M (R²?>?0.5). The development of gully systems is the result of coupling effects between multiple factors. In this area, the degree of erosion and the condition of the main and tributary gullies can be controlled by the degree of topographic breakage in the watershed, which provides some theoretical basis for the evaluation of gully erosion by the latter. In addition, the scale, relief, and shape have a significant impact on the locations of the main and tributary gullies. For tributary gullies, attention should be paid to the interception and control of runoff and sediment in the small confluence branches in order to prevent gully expansion and head advance. These features can inform the development of targeted measures for the control of soil erosion.     

Statistical analyses and controls of root-zone soil moisture in a large gully of the Loess Plateau

Soil moisture variability and controls are little known in large gullies of the Loess Plateau which represent complex topography with steep slopes. This study analyzed spatial–temporal variability of soil moisture at the 0–20, 20–40, 40–60, and 60–80 cm depths in a large gully of the Loess Plateau based on root-zone soil moisture measurements for 3 years (2009–2011). The result showed that mean soil moisture, standard deviation (SD), and coefficient of variation, were highly dependent on depth; the highest mean value was observed at the 20–40 cm depth, while the lowest one was at the 0–20 cm depth. The SD increased with mean soil moisture for various depths as soil moisture was relatively wet; however, a transition that SD decreased with mean soil moisture occurred when soil moisture was relatively dry. Positive correlations exist between moisture contents over different depths, and that the relationships of the neighboring layers are relatively high with R ² from 0.70 to 0.76. Correlation analysis, principle component analysis, and stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that soil particle size distribution and topography (slope and elevation) were the main environmental factors controlling soil moisture variability in the large gully.     

坡面不同侵蚀沟断面特征及水力几何形态

通过整理和分析国内外大量野外调查数据,系统研究了裸露坡耕地壤土土质不同侵蚀沟的断面特征和水力几何形态,并给出了相应的判别标准。结果表明:随坡面侵蚀沟逐步发展,宽深比参数ζ逐渐减小,细沟、浅沟、切沟和冲沟适宜的ζ范围分别为5~17、2~5、0.4~1.8和0.1~0.6;同一侵蚀沟条件下,壤土类型对ζ值也有影响。土壤质地越细,ζ值越小。不同侵蚀沟水力几何形态指数也不相同,细沟的形态指数β₁、β₂和β₃分别为0.3、0.4和0.3,浅沟和切沟为0.4、0.4和0.2,冲沟为0.5、0.4和0.1。验证结果表明给出的判别标准可以用来界定不同侵蚀沟类型。     

Research on the gully forming in the gully region of Yanhe River Basin and process of geological disasters

In recent years, the frequency of geological disasters gradually increases in the gully region of the Loess Plateaus centred with Yanhe River Basin. The research on the forming of the geological disasters in gully region and the disaster process will help us further understand the development of geological disasters and the disaster process. According to the detailed survey of geological disasters in Yan’an City, the river and gully erosion is the main natural predisposing factor that caused the geological disasters in the river gully region. In the forming of ditches and gullies, the surface water system changes the stress form of the original slope and reduces the strength combination of the slope in ways of water erosion and gravity erosion. Gully’s forming stage and stratigraphic contact form have some influence on the geological disasters and disaster process.     

An integrated assessment of soil erosion dynamics with special emphasis on gully erosion in the Mazayjan basin,southwestern Iran

Soil erosion by water is a significant problem in arid and semi-arid areas of large parts of Iran. Water erosion is one of the most effective phenomena that leads to decreasing soil productivity and pollution of water resources; especially, in the Mazayjan watershed in the southwest of Fars Province gully erosion contributes to the sediment dynamics in a significant way. Consequently, the intention of this research is to identify the different types of soil erosion processes acting in the area and to assess the process dynamics in an integrative way. Therefore, we applied GIS and satellite image analysis techniques to derive input information for the numeric models. For sheet and rill erosion the Unit Stream Power-based Erosion Deposition Model (USPED) was utilized. The spatial distribution of gully erosion was assessed using a statistical approach, which used three variables (stream power index, slope, and flow accumulation) to predict the spatial distribution of gullies in the study area. The eroded gully volumes were estimated for a 7-year period by fieldwork and Google Earth high-resolution images. Finally the gully retreat rates were integrated into the USPED model. The results show that the integration of the SPI approach to quantify gully erosion with the USPED model is a suitable method to qualitatively and quantitatively assess water erosion processes. The application of GIS and stochastic model approaches to spatialize the USPED model input yields valuable results for the prediction of soil erosion in the Mazayjan catchment. The results of this research help to develop an appropriate management of soil and water resources in the southwestern parts of Iran.     

Gully development in eastern Romania: a case study from Falciu Hills

The gullied systems from the Falciu Hills within the Chioara catchment (2997 ha) consist of both main types of gullies, discontinuous and large continuous ones along valley bottoms, and lots of ephemeral gullies. Several methods have been used to measure and estimate gully characteristics. Then, the gully development stages, the effect of the natural conditions, and especially the impact of land management on gullying in the Falciu Hills over the last two centuries have been defined. In addition, the role of gully erosion in triggering landslides has also been studied. Two main periods have been distinguished (until 1960 and 1961–2012) for assessing major characteristics of land degradation. The results show that total gully area in the Chioara catchment is 66.4 ha excepting for the ephemeral gullies, and areas occupied by gullies from the five study sub-catchments (2334 ha) account for two-thirds. Total length of the main gully network in the entire catchment is 33.2 km from which the five sub-catchments account for 71 %. The mean gully density of 1.11 km km⁻² supports the evidence that here gullying is the major environmental threat. Half of the gully areal growth and three-quarters of the new landslide area occurred over the 1961–2012 period. Delayed deforestation peaking during 1830–1930 and land conversion to arable use resulted in severe soil erosion, high aggradation along the non-gullied valley bottoms, and severe gullying. The average gully head retreat rate over the last two centuries from four trunk continuous gullies is 14 m year⁻¹, and the sediment yield from gullying only accounted for 54–69 % of the sediment mass produced by water erosion. The evolution of gullies is linked to major land-use changes in the study area. Despite a decreasing tendency of gullying and catchment area over the last half century, gullying still remains problematically high in East Romania.

     

A simple DEM assessment procedure for gully system analysis in the Lake Manyara area,northern Tanzania

Gully erosion is a major threat concerning landscape degradation in large areas along the northern Tanzanian Rift valley. It is the dominant erosion process producing large parts of the sediments that are effectively conducted into the river network. The study area is located in the Lake Manyara—Makuyuni River catchment, Arusha, northern Tanzania. During fieldwork, we measured topographic data of eight gully systems close to Makuyuni Town. The main focus of this study is to assess gully erosion dynamics using improved DEMs with original resolutions of 30 and 20 m, respectively. We assessed terrain characteristics to extract information on environmental drivers. To improve the DEM, we integrated information deduced from satellite images as well as from acquired GPS field data. Topographic indices such as Stream Power Index or Transport Capacity Index were derived from the re-interpolated DEM. To evaluate gully evolution, we assessed also the longitudinal slope profiles. Finally, the gully evolution phases of each gully were classified according to the concept proposed by Kosov et al. (Eksperimental’naya geomorfologiya, vol 3. Moscow University, Moskva, pp 113–140, 1978). The re-interpolated DEMs revealed a positive response especially for the more developed gullies. We show that the extraction of information on this spatial process scale based on “low-resolution” data is feasible with little additional fieldwork and image interpretation. In fact, areas identified as having a greater risk of gully erosion have been confirmed by observations and surveys carried out in the field.     

黏性泥石流沟床冲刷深度研究

沟床冲刷深度是泥石流灾害防治工程设计最重要的参数之一,但到目前为止,关于黏性泥石流沟床冲刷的研究较少,沟床冲刷深度还没有权威可信的计算方法,是泥石流防治工程设计急需解决的技术问题。详细分析了黏性泥石流及可能冲刷沟床运动过程中受力情况,推导出黏性泥石流沟床最大冲刷深度计算公式。公式表明黏性泥石流沟床冲刷深度随泥石流泥深、泥石流重度和沟床纵比降及沟床堆积土体黏性的增大而增大,随沟床堆积土体内摩擦角的增大而减小。与现有计算方法相比,公式基于严格理论推导,计算结果更为精确,可用于计算已发生泥石流地区的不同频率的泥石流的冲刷深度,并举例说明了计算公式的实用价值,其结果为泥石流防治工程设计提供技术支撑。     

A GIS-based approach for gully erosion susceptibility modelling using bivariate statistics methods in the Ourika watershed,Morocco

Gully erosion is an important environmental issue with severe impacts. This study aimed to characterize gully erosion susceptibility and assess the capability of information value (InfVal) and frequency ratio (FR) models for its spatial prediction in Ourika watershed of the High Atlas region of Morocco. These two bivariate statistical methods have been used for gully erosion susceptibility mapping by comparing each data layer of causative factor to the existing gully distribution. Weights to the gully causative factors are assigned based on gully density. Gullies have been mapped through field surveys and Google earth high-resolution images. Lithofacies, land use, slope gradient, length-slope, aspect, stream power index, topographical wetness index and plan curvature were considered predisposing factors to gullying. The digitized gullies were randomly split into two parts. Sixty-five percent (65%) of the mapped gullies were randomly selected as training set to build gully susceptibility models, while the remaining 35% cases were used as validation set for the models’ validation. The results showed that barren and sparse vegetation lands and slope gradient above 50% were very susceptible to gully erosion. The ROC curve was used for testing the accuracy of the mentioned models. The analysis confirms that the FR model (AUC 80.61%) shows a better accuracy than InfVal model (AUC 52.07%). The performance of the gully erosion susceptibility map constructed by FR model is greater than that of the map produced by InfVal model. The findings proved that GIS-based bivariate statistical methods such as frequency ratio model could be successfully applied in gully susceptibility mapping in Morocco mountainous regions and in other similar environments. The produced susceptibility map represents a useful tool for sustainable planning, conservation and protection of land from gully processes.     

昆明市东川城区泥石流危险度评价

泥石流是昆明东川城区最主要的地质灾害之一,严重阻碍了城市的社会经济发展。开展东川城区泥石流危险度评价对城市安全与稳定有着重要的意义。文章从地貌学侵蚀旋回理论出发,运用斯特拉勒面积-高程分析法对东川城区后山的3条泥石流沟的危险度进行评价研究。结果表明,深沟和石羊沟的斯特拉勒面积-高程值分别为0.580和0.520,泥石流沟谷正由发育的中年末期向老年期演化,泥石流危险度较低;尼拉姑沟的斯特拉勒面积-高程值为0.452,处于沟谷发育的旺盛时期,泥石流危险度较高,计算结果与当地实际情况有较好的一致性。     

土壤侵蚀链内细沟浅沟切沟流动力机制研究

通过模拟降雨试验的方法,系统研究了细沟流流速与流量、水深与流量、流速与水深及阻力系数与雷诺数之间的关系,雨强与坡度对细沟流水力特性的影响,不同细沟流流型、流态及水动力要素作用下的侵蚀特点,并对浅沟与切沟流的水动力特性及侵蚀规律进行了初步探讨.研究结果对于揭示土壤侵蚀链内不同侵蚀方式下的水沙流动力学机制,以及土壤侵蚀演化规律具有重要意义.     

Identifying sediment sources from the inter-gully area and gully area in a small watershed in the Loess Hilly Region of China

Understanding the sediment source is very significant for erosion control in small watersheds. On the Loess Plateau of China, over 110 thousands of check dams were constructed in the past 60 years, which played an important role in controlling soil loss and also kept much information of erosion and sediment yield in the past. The objective of this investigation is to identify the sediment source by the ¹³⁷Cs tracing method in a small watershed in the Loess Hilly Region of China. Fifty-five sampling sites were selected from the watershed (44 from the inter-gully area, 7 from the gully sides and 4 from the reference sites), and a total of 114 soil samples were collected from three sediment profile cores at the Sidizui watershed check dam constructed in 1959. Based on the erosion rate from the inter-gully area by the ¹³⁷Cs models, and the total erosion amount deposited in the check dam since 1963, the relative contributions of sediment from the inter-gully area and gully area were estimated during 1963–2013. By comparing the difference of ¹³⁷Cs activities of surface soils from the check dam (deposited in the 2011–2013 flood events), the inter-gully and gully areas, the relative contributions of sediment derived from the two source areas to the flood sediment during recent years (2011–2013) were estimated by a simple mixing model. Results showed that the erosion rate from the inter-gully area was about 3054 t/km² a during 1963–2013, and the relative contributions of sediment from the inter-gully area and gully area were estimated to be 27 and 73%, respectively. The sediment from the inter-gully area was about 20% of the total sediment yield amount to the 2011–2013 floods, and from the gully area it was about 80%. The relative contribution of sediment from the inter-gully or gully area was not a fixed value in the watershed. Both of the inter-gully erosion and gully erosion should be simultaneously controlled, and more erosion control measures on the gully area should be taken in the subsequent watershed management in order to reduce the erosion amount in this region.     

Comparison of volumetric and remote sensing methods (TLS) for assessing the development of a permanent forested loess gully

The gully systems develop a compact network dissecting the loess cover of the NW part of the Lublin Upland. They are overgrown by dense and multi-storey forest assemblages. It is very difficult to apply teledetection techniques, GPS positioning, and geodesic tools, such as a laser rangefinder or total station, for monitoring of gully development. The detailed research, involving the comparison of traditional and modern methods, was conducted in a gully with a secondary erosional dissection, developing in the gully bottom with varied intensity for the last 15 years. In the period of comparative research (2012/2013), the rate of development of the erosional dissection was measured by means of traditional methods as well as a Leica HDS 7000 laser scanner. 3D laser scanning permitted precise terrain modelling and the assessment of qualitative and quantitative spatial changes. This paper compares the results of three measurement campaigns. The analysis showed intensive development of the dissection, manifested in an increase in its volume (37 %), retreat of the erosion scarp (32 m), deep erosion (19 %), and lateral erosion (27 %). Registered moderate snowmelt in 2013 caused the volume dissection to increase by 57 m³, mainly as a result of the gully bottom scouring. During heavy rainfalls in June, the landforms were widened by a further 217 m³ and observed deepening and widening of erosive potholes. The prevalence of deep erosion resulted in the transformation back into a V-shaped cross section. A total of 37.3 Mg km⁻² of material was discharged from the gully catchment during snowmelt runoffs in 2013. A precipitation event in June 2013 caused the discharge of 856.9 Mg km⁻² of material from the catchment. The obtained results confirm that snowmelt erosion determines the spatial development of perennial gullies, but the volume of material discharged from the catchment depends on the occurrence of extreme precipitation during the warm season.

     

切沟中土壤水分的空间变化特征

切沟侵蚀不仅破坏土地资源，而且影响下游地区环境。目前的土壤侵蚀预报模型没有包括切沟侵蚀，因此研究切沟中土壤水分空间变化是建立切沟侵蚀模型的基础，也是恢复植被的基础。在陕西省安塞大南沟流域选择一个切沟，从1998-2000年连续 3年在 4～10月间对切沟不同部位土壤水分状况进行了观测。分析结果表明，切沟中浅层土壤水分空间分异规律明显，沟顶土壤水分状况较好，土壤容积湿度达到10．3％。沟坡则较差，但沿沟坡向下到沟底，土壤水分不断增加，分别为 6．3％、6．4％和10．4％。沟坡陡崖的土壤水分条件最差，接近凋萎湿度，容积含水量仅为4.6％～5.9％。沟底土壤湿度有所好转，为 7．7％。从雨季开始到结束，整体上土壤水分呈下降趋势，但随降雨事件发生波动。季节变化比较明显的是土壤水分条件好的部位，如沟顶、沟坡底部和沟底。尤以沟底变化最大。沟坡陡崖土壤湿度随季节没有任何变化。从1998-2000年，随降水量减少，切沟所有部位土壤湿度持续下降，即使在水分条件较好的沟顶和沟坡下部，土壤湿度也仅为 8．1％～8．8％，其它部位则都接近于凋萎湿度。土壤水分亏缺相当严重。切沟不同部位土壤水分的季节和年际变化主要受降雨入渗补给影响，而沟底则与径流的产生有关。因此应进一步研究不同降雨类型与径流产生、以及土壤湿度变化的关系。     

陕北黄土区流域分水线土壤干层分布

陕北黄土区切沟密集,地形支离破碎,地形与植被共同作用下土壤水分状况较为复杂。通过长期定位观测深剖面土壤含水量,分析了流域分水线深层土壤水分时空动态及干层分布特征。研究结果表明:生长季0~3 m土层土壤水分亏缺,生长季后1.2 m以上土层亏缺水分得到补充,但该深度以下土壤水分含量未得到恢复,其中2.6~6.4 m深度范围缺水严重,流域分水线土壤水分含量出现明显的垂直分层现象;各观测点土壤含水量随深度的分布曲线、极值出现深度和干层深度范围不同,剖面干层随各分水线走向表现出不连续分布的特点;分水线干层平均起始深度为2.03 m,厚度为0.4~8 m,干层土壤含水量均值为9.03%,干层厚度与起始深度和干层土壤含水量均呈负相关关系。比较而言,陕北黄土高原干层发育严重程度较突出。相关研究结果可为流域土壤水资源分布及土壤水库功能评价提供理论依据。     

A GIS-based approach for gully erosion susceptibility modelling: a test in Sicily, Italy

The aim of this study is to analyze the susceptibility conditions to gully erosion phenomena in the Magazzolo River basin and to test a method that allows for driving the factors selection. The study area is one of the largest (225 km²) watershed of southern Sicily and it is mostly characterized by gentle slopes carved into clayey and evaporitic sediments, except for the northern sector where carbonatic rocks give rise to steep slopes. In order to obtain a quantitative evaluation of gully erosion susceptibility, statistical relationships between the spatial distributions of gullies affecting the area and a set of twelve environmental variables were analyzed. Stereoscopic analysis of aerial photographs dated 2000, and field surveys carried out in 2006, allowed us to map about a thousand landforms produced by linear water erosion processes, classifiable as ephemeral and permanent gullies. The linear density of the gullies, computed on each of the factors classes, was assumed as the function expressing the susceptibility level of the latter. A 40-m digital elevation model (DEM) prepared from 1:10,000-scale topographic maps was used to compute the values of nine topographic attributes (primary: slope, aspect, plan curvature, profile curvature, general curvature, tangential curvature; secondary: stream power index; topographic wetness index; LS-USLE factor); from available thematic maps and field checks three other physical attributes (lithology, soil texture, land use) were derived. For each of these variables, a 40-m grid layer was generated, reclassifying the topographic variables according to their standard deviation values. In order to evaluate the controlling role of the selected predictive variables, one-variable susceptibility models, based on the spatial relationships between each single factor and gullies, were produced and submitted to a validation procedure. The latter was carried out by evaluating the predictive performance of models trained on one half of the landform archive and tested on the other. Large differences of accuracy were verified by computing geometric indexes of the validation curves (prediction and success rate curves; ROC curves) drawn for each one-variable model; in particular, soil texture, general curvature and aspect demonstrated a weak or a null influence on the spatial distribution of gullies within the studied area, while, on the contrary, tangential curvature, stream power index and plan curvature showed high predictive skills. Hence, predictive models were produced on a multi-variable basis, by variously combining the one-variable models. The validation of the multi-variables models, which generally indicated quite satisfactory results, were used as a sensitivity analysis tool to evaluate differences in the prediction results produced by changing the set of combined physical attributes. The sensitivity analysis pointed out that by increasing the number of combined environmental variables, an improvement of the susceptibility assessment is produced; this is true with the exception of adding to the multi-variables models a variable, as slope aspect, not correlated to the target variable. The addition of this attribute produces effects on the validation curves that are not distinguishable from noise and, as a consequence, the slope aspect was excluded from the final multi-variables model used to draw the gully erosion susceptibility map of the Magazzolo River basin. In conclusion, the research showed that the validation of one-variable models can be used as a tool for selecting factors to be combined to prepare the best performing multi-variables gully erosion susceptibility model.     

Gully erosion as a natural hazard: the educational role of geotourism

Gully erosion is one of the greatest natural hazards in the loess areas of E. (Eastern) Poland. At the same time, permanent gullies are a major tourist attraction and can provide a basis for the development of geotourism. The study objective was to assess the possibilities of using the loess gullies for educational purposes. Detailed studies were conducted within the municipality of Kazimierz Dolny, an area with an extremely high concentration of permanent gullies. The questionnaire survey of students and tourists (nearly 300 surveys were completed) showed that the respondents’ knowledge of geomorphology was limited, despite their familiarity with gullies. In most cases, they were unable to accurately identify the determinants of gully erosion, its negative effects and methods for preventing it. An assessment of the tourism and geotourism potential of the municipality made it possible to identify the sites (gullies) that can perform an educational function, with regard to gully erosion. The establishment of the Małopolska Vistula Gap Geopark, whose highlights will include numerous loess gullies, can pave the way for the development of geotourism.

     

Influences of revegetation mode on soil water dynamic in gully slope of the Chinese Loess hilly–gully region

Gully slope is one of the most active areas of soil erosion in small watershed of the Chinese Loess hilly–gully region. Although its soil erosion has been effectively controlled with the implementation of the “Grain-for-Green Program” in this region, the soil water storage and distribution have been also impacted. In particular, unreasonable revegetation model has aggravated the water shortage, which may in turn threaten the health of ecosystems. However, yet little is known about the effect mechanism of vegetation on soil water in the gully slope. In this study, we examined the relationship between two revegetation modes, including afforestation (i.e. black locust forest) and natural revegetation (i.e. the grassland), and soil water in a depth of 0–120 cm of the gully slope, during the rainy season. The results showed that the effect of the vegetation to the soil water was smaller than that of the precipitation. Furthermore, the response of soil water to the environmental factors was higher in afforestation vegetation due to its lower soil water content, resulting in higher space dependence for soil water, compared to the natural revegetation. The lower soil water content of the black locust forest was mainly caused by its higher recession rate, not its supply. The soil water was deficient for a long time, caused by afforestation, with a shallower formation depth of the dried soil layer and stronger desiccation degree. However, this deficient could not be effectively relieved until in wet year. In comparison with the ridge slope, the effect of vegetation to soil water in gully slope was stronger, with greater water consumption in afforestation vegetation and the higher water storage in natural revegetation. From the aspect of water resources conservation on the water scale, the natural revegetation was the optimal revegetation mode in the gully slope of the loess hilly region.

     

Gully erosion as a natural hazard: the educational role of geotourism

Gully erosion is one of the greatest natural hazards in the loess areas of E. (Eastern) Poland. At the same time, permanent gullies are a major tourist attraction and can provide a basis for the development of geotourism. The study objective was to assess the possibilities of using the loess gullies for educational purposes. Detailed studies were conducted within the municipality of Kazimierz Dolny, an area with an extremely high concentration of permanent gullies. The questionnaire survey of students and tourists (nearly 300 surveys were completed) showed that the respondents’ knowledge of geomorphology was limited, despite their familiarity with gullies. In most cases, they were unable to accurately identify the determinants of gully erosion, its negative effects and methods for preventing it. An assessment of the tourism and geotourism potential of the municipality made it possible to identify the sites (gullies) that can perform an educational function, with regard to gully erosion. The establishment of the Ma?opolska Vistula Gap Geopark, whose highlights will include numerous loess gullies, can pave the way for the development of geotourism.