A review of the magnitude and response times for sediment yield reductions following the rehabilitation of gullied landscapes

Gully erosion is a major driver of elevated sediment yields across many areas of the globe, and considerable rehabilitation has occurred to reduce the amount of sediment eroded from gullies. However, compared to other forms of erosion, there has been little systematic review of the effectiveness of gully rehabilitation on reducing sediment yields. This study reviewed the global literature to provide an understanding of the potential sediment yield reductions that can occur following the rehabilitation of gullied landscapes. We focused on studies reporting a measured response on how gully and catchment sediment yield has changed since treatment. A total of 37 studies were found that met this criterion. The studies were partitioned into three broad categories, including those focused on: (i) treating the catchment above the gully; (ii) installing treatments in the actual gully channel; and (iii) a combination of approaches which include treating both the catchment and the gully channel. All the studies demonstrated a reduction in sediment yield following gully rehabilitation, with reported values ranging between 12 and 94%. The timeframes associated with the reductions in sediment yield varied considerably (2–80 years). Applying a variety of rehabilitation measures, which generally includes treating both the hillslope above the gully, and trapping sediment within the gully, appears to result in shorter (median) timescales for sediment yield reduction. Overall, this review indicates that gully rehabilitation strategies combining both engineering and vegetation measures are often the most successful. Engineering measures such as check dams are important for stabilizing sites in the early phases to support the revegetation of gullies and adjacent hillslopes. However, vegetation is the key to the long-term success of gully rehabilitation. This is because many engineering structures eventually fail, or they have a limited life span as an active sediment trap. © 2020 The Authors. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd     

Grazing impacts on gully dynamics indicate approaches for gully erosion control in northeast Australia

Drainage network extension in semi‐arid rangelands has contributed to a large increase in the amount of fine sediment delivered to the coastal lagoon of the Great Barrier Reef, but gully erosion rates and dynamics are poorly understood. This study monitored annual erosion, deposition and vegetation cover in six gullies for 13 years, in granite‐derived soils of the tropical Burdekin River basin. We also monitored a further 11 gullies in three nearby catchments for 4 years to investigate the effects of grazing intensity. Under livestock grazing, the long‐term fine sediment yield from the planform area of gullies was 6.1 t ha^‐1 yr^‐1. This was 7.3 times the catchment sediment yield, indicating that gullies were erosion hotspots within the catchment. It was estimated that gully erosion supplied between 29 and 44% of catchment sediment yield from 4.5% of catchment area, of which 85% was derived from gully wall erosion. Under long‐term livestock exclusion gully sediment yields were 77% lower than those of grazed gullies due to smaller gully extent, and lower erosion rates especially on gully walls. Gully wall erosion will continue to be a major landscape sediment source that is sensitive to grazing pressure, long after gully length and depth have stabilised. Wall erosion was generally lower at higher levels of wall vegetation cover, suggesting that yield could be reduced by increasing cover. Annual variations in gully head erosion and net sediment yield were strongly dependent on annual rainfall and runoff, suggesting that sediment yield would also be reduced if surface runoff could be reduced. Deposition occurred in the downstream valley segments of most gullies. This study concludes that reducing livestock grazing pressure within and around gullies in hillslope drainage lines is a primary method of gully erosion control, which could deliver substantial reductions in sediment yield. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Lake level changes of Nam Co since 25 ka as revealed by OSL dating of paleo-shorelines

Many lakes in the Tibetan Plateau (TP) experienced dramatic lake level changes in the late Quaternary, as suggested by well-preserved paleo-shorelines up to ∼200 m above present lake levels. These relic shorelines provide direct geomorphic record to reconstruct past lake level fluctuation history and water volume changes, linked closely to variations in paleo-climatic controls including Asian monsoon, westerlies and glacial meltwater. In this study, 27 near-shore sediment samples from three of eight paleo-shorelines at north of Nam Co were dated by Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) technique, using coarse grains of quartz and potassium feldspar.Our results indicate that: 1) S1 is the highest/most developed shoreline (+26 m). Sediment from upper part of S1 has a consistent age of ∼25 ka (nine samples from 3 gullies), suggesting a high lake level of Nam Co occurred around 25 ka. An overflow point west of Nam Co has a close elevation to that of S1 and thus limits the presence of higher lake levels; 2) sediment profile from the slightly lower S2 (+22 m) contains two parts, silty sand (6.9–8.9 ka) at the bottom and shoreline deposits atop (∼2.3 ka), suggesting Nam Co maintained a relative high lake level in the early Holocene and such lake level occurred again at about 3.0–2.0 ka; 3) In contrast to the swift variations of monsoon precipitation and glacial meltwater in the late Quaternary, water level of Nam Co remained relatively stable during the period from ∼25 ka to about early Holocene (from +26 m to +22 m), implying a continuous outflowing stage and lake infill constantly exceeds evaporation; 4) S5 (+11 m) has an age of 0.7–1.4 ka. Nam Co showed a much accelerated pace of shrinkage since about 2.0 ka in the late Holocene in roughly two steps: it dropped from +22 m to +11 m from ∼2.0 ka to 1.4 ka, and subsequently dropped another 11 m after 0.7 ka.     

Rehabilitation effects on gully sediment yields and vegetation in a savanna rangeland

Gully rehabilitation can contribute to catchment management by stabilizing erosion and reducing downstream sediment yields, yet the globally observed responses are variable. Developing the technical basis for gully rehabilitation and establishing guidelines for application requires studies that evaluate individual rehabilitation measures in specific environments. An eight-year field experiment was undertaken to evaluate sediment yield and vegetation responses to several gully rehabilitation measures. The rehabilitation measures aimed to reduce surface runoff into gully head cuts, trap sediment on gully floors and increase vegetation cover on gully walls and floors. The study occurred in a savanna rangeland in northeast Australia. Two gullies were subject to treatments while four gullies were monitored as untreated controls. A runoff diversion structure reduced headcut erosion from 4.3 to 1.2 m² yr⁻¹. Small porous check dams and cattle exclusion reduced gully total sediment yields by more than 80%, equivalent to a reduction of 0.3 to 2.4 t ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹, but only at catchment areas less than 10 ha. Fine sediment yields (silt and clay) were reduced by 7 and 19% from the two treated gullies, respectively. The porous check dam deposits contained a lower percentage of the fine fraction than the parent soil. Significant regeneration of gully floor vegetation occurred, associated with trapping of organic litter and fine sediment. Increases in vegetation cover and biomass were comprised of native perennial grasses, trees and shrubs. In variable climates, long-term gully rehabilitation will progress during wetter periods, and regress during droughts. Understanding linkages between rehabilitation measures, their hydrologic, hydraulic and vegetation effects and gully sediment yields is important to defining the conditions for their success.     

基于高分辨率DEM的裂点序列提取和古地震序列的识别——以霍山山前断裂为实验区

以霍山山前断裂为实验区,基于高分辨率IRS-P5 DEM数据提取了横穿断裂的冲沟,在23条冲沟纵剖面上识别出断裂活动诱发裂点.在其中5条冲沟上识别出1级裂点,裂点几乎位于断裂上;在2条冲沟上识别出2级裂点,最新裂点也位于断裂上.这些位于断裂上的裂点,高度达4～9m,推测它们形成之后并未向上游明显迁移,并可能接受了多次事...     

Episodic bedrock erosion by gully‐head migration,Colorado High Plains,USA

This study explores the frequency of bedrock exposure in a soil‐mantled low‐relief (i.e. non‐mountainous) landscape. In the High Plains of eastern Colorado, gully headcuts are among the few erosional features that will incise through the soil mantle to expose bedrock. We measured the last time of bedrock exposure using optically stimulated luminescence dating of alluvial sediment overlying bedrock in gully headcuts. Our dating suggests that headcuts in adjacent gullies expose bedrock asynchronously, and therefore, the headcuts are unlikely to have been triggered by a base‐level drop in the trunk stream. This finding supports the hypothesis that headcuts can develop locally in gullies as a result of focused scour in locations where hydraulic stress during a flash flood is sufficiently high, and/or ground cover is sufficiently weak, to generate a scour hole that undermines vegetation. Alluvium dating also reveals that gullies have been a persistent part of this landscape since the early Holocene. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Badass gully morphodynamics and sediment generation in Waipaoa Catchment,New Zealand

Large (>0.1 km²) gully–mass movement complexes (badass gullies) are significant contributors to the sediment cascade in New Zealand's steepland East Coast Region catchments. The scale of change taking place in these gully systems allows significant evolution in morphology and sediment dynamics to be tracked at annual to decadal timescales. Here we document changes in two adjacent badass gullies in Waipaoa catchment (Tarndale and Mangatu) to infer sediment generation processes and connectivity using a morphological budgeting approach. A baseline dataset for this study is provided by a LiDAR-derived digital elevation model (DEM) in 2005. We produced new DEMs and orthophoto mosaics using photogrammetry in 2017, 2018, and 2019 to quantify gully morphodynamics and associated volumes of sediment erosion and deposition in both systems as they co-evolved. Results indicate ongoing rapid development of both gully complexes. Severe erosion took place at the gully heads with lowering and migration (up to 25 m vertically and laterally) of the topographic divide separating the two gullies between 2005 and 2019. Over the same period, net lowering of each gully system was ~250 mm year⁻¹. Key sediment-generating processes included surface erosion, deep-seated landslides, and debris flows. Longer term, the overall contribution of sediment from both badass gullies to the Waipaoa catchment has been declining. In the mid-20th century, both gullies yielded in excess of 300 kt year⁻¹. From 2005 to 2019, 80 kt year⁻¹ was yielded from Tarndale and 110 kt year⁻¹ from Mangatu. Our most recent surveys demonstrated considerable variability in sediment yield, ranging from 76 kt year⁻¹ (2017–2018) to 291 kt year⁻¹ (2018–2019). The annual variability observed reflects the complex morphodynamics of discrete hillslopes and tributary fans in these badass gully systems and underlines the importance of integrating decadal and annual surveys when assessing system trajectory. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Deep solar activity minima, sharp climate changes, and their impact on ancient civilizations

It is shown that, over the past ～10000 years (the Holocene), deep Maunder type solar minima have been accompanied by sharp climate changes. These minima occurred every 2300–2400 years. It has been established experimentally that, at ca 4.0 ka BP, there occurred a global change in the structure of atmospheric circulation, which coincided in time with the discharge of glacial masses from Greenland to North Atlantic and a solar activity minimum. The climate changes that took place at ca 4.0 ka BP and the deep solar activity minimum that occurred at ca 2.5 ka BP affected the development of human society, leading to the degradation and destruction of a number of ancient civilizations.     

Controls on the development of continuous gullies: A 60 year monitoring study in the Moldavian Plateau of Romania

Gully erosion is a major environmental threat on the Moldavian Plateau (MP) of eastern Romania. The permanent gully systems consist of two main gully types. These are: (1) discontinuous gullies, which are mostly located on hillslopes and (2) large continuous gullies in valley bottoms. Very few studies have investigated the evolution of continuous gullies over the medium to longer term. The main objective of this study was to quantitatively analyse the development of continuous gullies over six decades (1961–2020). The article aimed at predicting temporal patterns of gully head erosion based on field data from multiple gullies. Fourteen representative continuous gullies were selected near the town of Barlad, most of them having catchment areas < 500 ha. Linear gully head retreat (LGHR) and areal gully growth (AGG) rates were quantified for six decades. Two main periods were distinguished and compared (i.e., the wet 1961–1980 period and the drier 1981–2020 period). Results indicate that gully erosion rates have significantly decreased since 1981. The mean LGHR of 7.7 m yr⁻¹ over 60 years was accompanied by a mean AGG of 213 m² yr⁻¹. However, erosion rates between 1961 and 1980 were 4.0 times larger for LGHR and 5.9 times more for AGG compared to those for 1981–2020. Two regression models indicate that annual precipitation depth (P) is the primary controlling factor, explaining 57% of LGHR and 53% of AGG rate. The contributing area (CA) follows, with ~33%. Only 43% of total change in LGHR and 46% of total change in AGG results from rainfall-induced runoff during the warm season. Accordingly, the cold season (with associated freeze–thaw processes and snowmelt runoff) has more impact on gully development. The runoff pattern, when flow enters the trunk gully head, is largely controlled by the upper approaching discontinuous gully.     

Estimation of temporally averaged sediment delivery ratio using aggradational terraces in headwater catchments of the Waipaoa River,North Island,New Zealand

The sediment delivery ratio was estimated for two periods (28 years and eight years) following reforestation of seven tributary catchments (0·33 to 0·49 km²) in the headwaters of the Waipaoa River basin, North Island, New Zealand. In these catchments, gully erosion, which largely resulted from clearance of the natural forest between 1880 and 1920, is the main source of sediment to streams. Reforestation commenced in the early 1960s in an attempt to stabilize hillslopes and reduce sediment supply. Efforts have been partially successful and channels are now degrading, though gully erosion continues to supply sediment at accelerated rates in parts of the catchment. Data from the area indicate that the sediment delivery ratio (SDR) can be estimated as a function of two variables, ψ (the product of catchment area and channel slope) and A _g (the temporally averaged gully area for the period). Sediment input from gullies was determined from a well defined relationship between sediment yield and gully area. Sediment scoured from channels was estimated from dated terrace remnants and the current channel bed. Terrace remnants represent aggradation during major floods. This technique provides estimates of SDR averaged over periods between large magnitude terrace‐forming events and with the present channel bed. The technique averages out short‐term variability in sediment flux. Comparison of gully area and sediment transport between two periods (1960–1988 and 1988–1996) indicates that the annual rate of sediment yield from gullies for the later period has decreased by 77 per cent, sediment scouring in channels has increased by 124 per cent, and sediment delivered from catchments has decreased by 78 per cent. However, average SDR for the tributaries was found to be not significantly different between these periods. This may reflect the small number of catchments examined. It is also due to the fact that the volume of sediment scoured from channels was very small relative to that produced by gullies. According to the equation for SDR determined for the Waipaoa headwaters, SDR increases with increasing catchment area in the case where A _g and channel slope are fixed. This is because the amount of sediment produced from a channel by scouring increases with increasing catchment area. However, this relationship does not hold for the main stem of the study catchments, because sediment delivered from its tributaries still continues to accumulate in the channel. Higher order channels are, in effect, at a different stage in the aggradation/degradation cycle and it will take some time until a main channel reflects the effects of reforestation and its bed adjusts to net degradation. Results demonstrate significant differences among even low order catchments, and such differences will need to be taken into consideration when using SDR to estimate sediment yields. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Debris flows on vegetated screes in the black mountain,Carmarthenshire

The Black Mountain Scarp in Carmarthenshire is currently being modified by debris-flow activity along gullies cut into the vegetated scree, which is a persistent feature of the scarp-front. Low angled, concave debris flow cones are accumulating at the mouths of the gullies. Mean rate of sediment yield from the sides of one gully was estimated to be 8·4 m³ in one year, and 9·8 m³ was shifted out of the gully by a single debris-flow in the same year. Movement by other transport processes, such as streamflow, was negligible in the gullies. No new gullies are being initiated at the present and all of them appear to be in a similar state of development. Consequently, it appears that some marked environmental change was responsible for initiating gully erosion. If present rates of gully-erosion are representative of the past, the gullies are only about 540–700 years old and may possibly have been initiated by sheep-grazing in the area.     

Gully erosion in the Siwalik Hills,Nepal: estimation of sediment production from active ephemeral gullies

A simple field‐based monitoring programme was established in a small catchment (area 4·6 km²) to find the rates of gully erosion in the Siwalik Hills, Nepal. The rates are used to estimate the amount of sediment produced by gully erosion in the catchment. Three large and active gullies were selected with areas ranging from 0·44 to 0·78 ha. Aerial photographs taken in 1964, 1978 and 1992 were ortho‐rectified and used to study the dynamics of gully heads. The same gullies were also monitored manually using an orthogonal reference system fixed by erosion pins around the gully heads. Results from the aerial photos indicated that the gullies expanded remarkably over the period from 1964 to 1992, by 34 to 58 per cent. Head‐retreat rates during that period were 0·48, 0·55 and 0·73 m a^?1 and average annual sediment evacuation was estimated as 2534 ± 171, 959 ± 60 and 2783 ± 118 m³ a^?1 for the three gullies respectively. From the field measurement, estimated volumes were found to vary from 731 ± 57 to 2793 ± 201 m³ a^?1 over the monitoring period of two years. It was also found that the gullies produce sediment which accounts for up to 59 per cent of the sediment produced from surface erosion in the headwater catchment. The findings are useful for planning and executing appropriate control measures and constructing a sediment hazard map at the catchment scale. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

湖泊沉积物磁学特征指示的埃及Faiyum盆地全新世以来的环境演变

利用埃及北部Faiyum盆地获得的高取芯率沉积物岩芯,进行沉积物多种磁性参数的测量,结合有机碳、介形虫、粒度等分析,在AMS14C加速器测年的基础上,建立全新世以来湖泊沉积物磁性特征变化的时间序列.结果表明,粒度效应以及沉积后的各种次生作用对沉积物的磁性特征没有明显的影响,磁性变化主要反映了沉积物不同来源组成的相对变化.全新世前沉积物磁性较弱,主要含不完全反铁磁性矿物,与周边沙漠的物质相似,结合其粒度特征,沉积物来源应以近源物质为主.全新世早中期(约10 5.4 ka BP)沉积物磁性变化相对稳定,有机质含量也较高,指示了来自尼罗河较为稳定的物质供应;而大约5.4 ka BP尤其最近约4.2 ka BP以来,磁性的明显变化反映了流域降水减少情况下,来自青尼河物质贡献的相对增加;最近约2.0 ka BP以来沉积物的磁性变化,则更多地与盆地人类活动的强化有关.总体而言,Faiyum盆地全新世以来的环境演变主要受控于全新世以来尼罗河与盆地的水力学联系.即:全新世前盆地未与尼罗河连通时,沉积物主要来源于周边沙漠的风成物质;而受全新世早-中期来流域季风降水增加的影响,泛滥的尼罗河为盆地提供了相对稳定的物质供应,湖泊也处于高湖面;全新世晚期以来,随着流域干旱化的加剧,尼罗河与盆地的连通性开始减弱,来自高磁性的青尼罗河物质贡献开始相对增加.最近约2.0 ka BP以来,虽然仍有人工运河连接尼罗河与盆地,但沉积物磁性的显著变化更多地反映了盆地人类活动的不断强化.     

Gully prevention and control: Techniques,failures and effectiveness

Gully erosion is a major environmental problem, posing significant threats to sustainable development. However, insights on techniques to prevent and control gullying are scattered and incomplete, especially regarding failure rates and effectiveness. This review aims to address these issues and contribute to more successful gully prevention and control strategies by synthesizing the data from earlier studies. Preventing gully formation can be done through land use change, applying soil and water conservation techniques or by targeted measures in concentrated flow zones. The latter include measures that increase topsoil resistance and vegetation barriers. Vegetation barriers made of plant residues have the advantage of being immediately effective in protecting against erosion, but have a short life expectancy as compared to barriers made of living vegetation. Once deeply incised, the development of gullies may be controlled by diverting runoff away from the channel, but this comes at the risk of relocating the problem. Additional measures such as headcut filling, channel reshaping and headcut armouring can also be applied. To control gully channels, multiple studies report on the use of check dams and/or vegetation. Reasons for failures of these techniques depend on runoff and sediment characteristics and cross-sectional stability and micro-environment of the gully. In turn, these are controlled by external forcing factors that can be grouped into (i) geomorphology and topography, (ii) climate and (iii) the bio-physical environment. The impact of gully prevention and control techniques is addressed, especially regarding their effect on headcut retreat and network development, the trapping of sediment by check dams and reduction of catchment sediment yield. Overall, vegetation establishment in gully channels and catchments plays a key role in gully prevention and control. Once stabilized, gullies may turn into rehabilitated sites of lush vegetation or cropland, making the return on investment to prevent and control gullies high. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Gully catchments as a sediment sink,not just a source: Results from a long‐term (~12 500 year) sediment budget

Sediment delivery from hillslopes to trunk streams represents a significant pathway of mass transfer in the landscape, with a large fraction facilitated by gully systems. The internal gully geomorphic dynamics represent a considerable gap in many landscape and empirical erosion models, therefore a better understanding of these processes over longer timescales (10–10⁴ years) is needed. This study analyses the sediment mass balance and storage dynamics within a headwater gully catchment in central Europe over the last ~12 500 years. Human induced erosion resulted in hillslope erosion rates ~2.3 times higher than under naturally de‐vegetated conditions (during the Younger Dryas), however the total sediment inputs to the gully system (and therefore gully aggradation), were similar. Net gully storage has consistently increased to become the second largest term in the sediment budget after hillslope erosion (storage is ~45% and ~73% of inputs during two separate erosion and aggradation cycles). In terms of the depletion of gully sediment storage, the sediment mass balance shows that export beyond the gully fan was not significant until the last ~500 years, due to reduced gully fan accommodation space. The significance of storage effects on the gully sediment mass balance, particularly the export terms, means that it would be difficult to determine the influences of human impact and/or climatic changes from floodplain or lake sedimentary archives alone and that the sediment budgets of the headwater catchments from which they drain are more likely to provide these mechanistic links. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Development and controlling factors of gullies and gully complexes,East Coast,New Zealand

Sequential aerial photographs of a small headwater catchment in the Waiapu basin, East Coast Region, North Island, New Zealand, were interpreted to measure and analyse temporal changes in active area of gullies and gully complexes for a longer time span (1939–2003) and with higher temporal resolution compared to previous studies. We focus on the conditions leading to the development of gullies and gully complexes under pasture and forest by using topographic thresholds (slope–area relationships) of catchments for the initiation of gullies and gully complexes. In addition, the influence of two different lithologies as well as the occurrence of major rainfall events was related to gully activity. Twenty gullies and four gully complexes (occupying 62·5 ha or 12·5 per cent of the catchment area) occurred in the study catchment between 1939 and 2003. However, the majority of these were not active at all of the dates studied. Gullies developed in the sandstone‐dominated Tapuwaeroa Formation tended to attain their maximum size by 1957 with a mean catchment area of 2·1 ha. Gullies developed in mudstone of the Whangai Formation attained their maximum size in 1939 with a mean catchment area of 4·31 ha. Exceptions are gullies which developed into mass movement deposits or into an earth flow deposit as well as gullies developed under indigenous forest. Topographic threshold values for gullies under pasture and indigenous forest show that values for gullies under forest plot far above the threshold line of gullies under pasture, indicating that the topographical threshold for gully development under forest is higher compared to under pasture. A threshold value of 9·4 ha in catchment area is needed for the development of gully complexes under pasture, all located in the Whangai Formation and with the same orientation as the strike of the mudstones. Gully‐complex area and dominance of mass‐movement erosion increased with larger catchment area. A decreasing distance to the threshold line for gullies under pasture indicates a later development for gully complexes. No gully complexes developed under indigenous forest, indicating that the threshold value for gully‐complex development is higher than for gully complexes under pasture and was not reached in the study area. A model of shifting topographical threshold for gully development for a given catchment is developed which depends on land use. When a catchment has an indigenous forest cover the topographical threshold is very high. After conversion to pasture, threshold values decrease drastically. With the invasion of scrub, the threshold slowly increases and returns to a similar level to that under indigenous forest after reforestation. Development of gullies and gully complexes is a highly dynamic phenomenon, and phases of expansion and inactivity indicate that models describing only unidirectional advancing stages without periods of inactivity are not suitable. Therefore, this study adds more phases to models of gully and gully‐complex development in the East Coast Region. The threshold line for gully initiation under pasture and a value of 9·4 ha in catchment area for gully‐complex initiation permits one to predict which catchments, under similar environmental settings, develop gullies and gully complexes on a physical basis. This enables land managers to implement sustainable land‐use strategies to reduce erosion rates of gullies and gully complexes. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Quantifying the spatial distribution of sediment transport in an experimental gully system using the morphological method

Whilst time-series of sediment transport in gullies in both laboratory experimental and field settings can be determined through instrumentation, quantifying the spatial distribution of transport rates remains challenging. The morphological method, which was proposed for estimating bed-material transport in both one- and two-dimensions in rivers, provides an alternative. Here, we developed this method for gully systems. A laboratory catchment was used to simulate gully erosion. High-resolution topographical data were acquired by close-range digital photogrammetry. Morphological changes were determined using high-resolution topographic data and an associated level of detection. Based on measured morphological changes, one-dimensional (1D) and two-dimensional (2D) sediment transport rates were calculated via cross-section by cross-section routing (1D) and cell by cell routing (2D). The 1D application provided a general trend of longitudinal variation of sediment transport for the whole gully system, increased gradually from zones of headward extension to a zone downstream where erosion and deposition were in balance, and sediment transport rates less variable in space. For the 2D application, hydrological and blended hydrological-hydraulic routing solutions were compared. We found that the level of negative transport was insensitive to whether or not a blended hydrological-hydraulic routing was used and that results from applying the hydrological routing throughout were not significantly degraded. We also found that consideration should be given to spatial and temporal resolution of the topographic data. The 2D application provided spatial patterns of sediment transport that vary with gully evolution. The main gully remained a high transport corridor but branch transport became more important through time. The framework we report provides an additional tool for both experimental and field quantification of the spatial patterns of sediment transport in gullies; and quantification of how these patterns change under different forcing factors.     

Paraglacial modification of slope form

The morphological consequences of paraglacial modification of valley-side drift slopes are investigated at six sites in Norway. Here, paraglacial slope adjustment operates primarily through the development of gully systems, whereby glacigenic sediment is stripped from the upper drift slope and redeposited in debris cones downslope. This results in an overall lowering of average gradient by up to 4·5° along gully axes. In general, slope profile adjustment appears to be characterized by a convergence of slope profiles towards an ‘equilibrium form’ with an upper rectilinear slope gradient at 29°± 4° and a range of concavities of approximately 0·0 to 0·4. After initial rapid incision, further gully deepening is limited, but gullies become progressively wider as sidewall gradients decline to c. 25°, after which parallel retreat appears to predominate. The final form of mature paraglacial gully systems consists of an upper bedrock-floored source area, a mid-slope area of broad gullies whose sidewalls rest at stable, moderate gradients, and a lower slope zone where gullies discharge onto the surfaces of debris cones and fans. Some gullies appear to have attained this final form and have stabilized following exhaustion of readily entrainable sediment within decades of gully initiation. At most sites, paraglacial activity has transformed steep drift-mantled valley sides into gullied slopes where an average of c. 2–3 m of surface lowering has taken place. At the most active sites, these average amounts imply minimum erosion rates averaging c. 90 mm a⁻¹ since gully initiation, which highlights the extreme rapidity of paraglacial erosion of deglaciated drift-mantled slopes. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

NATURAL AND ANTHROPOGENIC FACTORS CONTROLLING GULLY EROSION IN THEBASALTIC UPLAND OF SOUTHERN BRAZIL

This paper describes an analysis of natural and anthropogenic factors controlling the evolution of gullies in a rural basin in the basaltic upland in the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Southern Brazil. In this region of deep ferrallitic soils with more than 60% clay, runoff and erosion are of increasing concern. In the TaboAo drainage basin （100 km^2）, gully erosion was studied in a field survey that measured rills and gullies. Eighty-four gullies were identified. They had an average length of 136 m, were 10 m wide, and 3 m deep and had a volume of 15.458 m3. Each gully was characterised in terms of factors that included slope, geological structure, presence of piping, drainage, soil use, and the presence of surface and subsurface flow. On average, the main channels had knickpoints varying from 2 m to 7 m, and their evolution in the vertical plane increased until bed-rock basalt material was reached, after which gullies increase in width and length. Gully development was also monitored from 1991 to 2003. Subsurface flow appears to be the principal agent controlling their development. Results show that both natural （slope, surface curvature, geological structure and rainfall） and anthropogenic （soil use, road construction） factors are important in gully development. The change in cultural practices throughout the drainage basin from conventional to direct seeding has led to increased subsurface flow, which was more important than surface runoff in causing erosion. However, the higher rainfall during E1 Nifio Southern Oscillation （ENSO） events and the consequently higher subsurface flow were the dominant factors. From 1991 to 2003 a total land loss of 1,013 m3 was observed in one gully, with 236 m^3 lost during the 1992 ENSO and 702 m3 during the 1997 ENSO; 95% of the total volume lost occurred during ENSO periods.     

Holocene valley aggradation and gully erosion in headwater catchments,south-eastern highlands of Australia

Late Quaternary stratigraphy of a 50 km² catchment on the south-eastern highlands of Australia reveals processes and history of denudation, and helps resolve a long-standing debate about factors controlling episodic valley aggradation and degradation during Holocene times. Valley sedimentation occurred when swampy vegetation fully colonized valley floors and obliterated all channels, promoting aggradation for periods of several thousand years, with most incoming sediment being trapped in swampy meadows. Much of the sediment was reworked from late Pleistocene alluvial fan and valley fill deposits, and primary hillslope erosion was minor during the Holocene. Differing sedimentation patterns between the Late Pleistocene, Holocene and Post-European settlement periods reflect regional changes in sediment supply and transport capacity as a result of major environmental change. Within the Holocene, however, valley fill stratigraphy is controlled by massive, episodic gully erosion terminating aggradation. Gully initiation appears to be controlled more by thresholds of incision into vegetated valley floors than by changes to sediment supply. Whether the thresholds are exceeded because of climatic change, autonomous change or extreme events cannot yet be determined. Overall, the Holocene history represents continuing complex response to events of the Late Pleistocene, and does not support the K-cycle concept, which has strongly influenced late Quaternary geomorphology in Australia.