Characteristics, controlling factors and importance of deep gullies under cropland on loess-derived soils

Several studies describe the formation and importance of shallow ephemeral gullies under cropland (depth<0.8 m). Some of these gullies may develop into channels with a depth of more than 0.8 m (up to 4 m). Despite their spectacular nature, these deep gullies have not yet been studied in detail. Therefore, the objectives of this study are to analyze the characteristics and the controlling factors of these deep gullies, as well as their importance in terms of sediment production.Comparison of a dataset with 28 deep gullies, formed in the period 1985–2003 and 123 shallow ephemeral gullies formed in the period 1994–1999 in central Belgium indicates that the deep gullies have clearly different morphological characteristics compared to shallow ephemeral gullies. Several factors were analyzed to understand the formation of deep gullies. Plotting runoff contributing area versus slope of the soil surface at the gully head indicates that the topographical threshold for deep gully formation is significantly larger compared to ephemeral gully formation. Deep gullies form on short, steep valley sides and their position is strongly affected by the presence of linear landscape elements. All deep gullies incised on landscape positions with a very erodible soil horizon at shallow depth. Analysis of causative rainfall showed no significant differences in incision thresholds between rills and shallow ephemeral gullies on the one hand and deep gullies on the other hand.The relation between area-specific sediment yield in central Belgium and drainage area, indicates that the development of deep gullies contributes significantly to the sediment output of small rural catchments and causes peaks in the mean area-specific sediment yield that are up to a factor of three higher compared with catchments where shallow ephemeral gullying occurs.     

云南蒋家沟泥石流运动要素观测数据整编

根据中国科学院东川泥石流观测研究站所在地蒋家沟的多年观测数据,利用成熟的计算和分析方法,按建立数据库的要求对泥石流运动要素的原始观测数据进行了计算机处理,提出了建立泥石流运动要素数据库的内容及其指标和计算公式,并对数据库的编建原则、特点及结果表达进行了讨论。     

Medium-term evolution of a gully developed in a loess-derived soil

Field surveys in the Belgian loess belt revealed the presence in many forested areas of large, permanent gully systems, most of which are currently inactive. In cultivated areas, such gullies can only be observed in cross-sectional soil profiles through hollows, as virtually all such large gullies are currently infilled with colluvium. Little is known about the spatial distribution, initiation and temporal evolution of these large, permanent gully systems on loess-derived soils. Therefore, the medium-term evolution of a gully initiated in a cultivated area on loess-derived soils southwest of Leuven (Belgium) in May–June 1986, was studied over 13 years. Two intense rainfall events created this (ephemeral) gully, which was not erased by subsequent tillage. Between June 1986 and the December 1999, eight field surveys were conducted to measure gully dimensions. During two surveys, topographic indices (e.g., slope and drainage area) were also measured. Daily rainfall for the measuring period were obtained from a rainfall station located some 10 km southwest of the gully. Analysis of rainfall data showed that no extreme rainfall event was required to initiate such large (permanent) gullies, as observed in forested areas and through cross-sectional profiles in cultivated fields in the Belgian loess belt. Return periods of the event that caused the gully varied between <1 year and 25 years, depending on the assumptions used for defining event rain intensity. Once established, length, surface area and volume of the studied gully evolved with time, cumulative rainfall or cumulative runoff, following a negative exponential relation. This accords with observations reported for gullies in Australia and the USA. This study shows that a degressive increase of gully extension, can be largely explained by the evolution of a “slope–drainage area” factor (S×A, which is proportional to stream power) with time. While gully length and gully surface area asymptotically evolve towards a final value, gully volume decreased at a given point in time. From this, it is inferred that sediment deposition will potentially infill the gully to such an extent that the farmer can drive across it. From this moment on, the combined effect of water and tillage erosion in the gully drainage area, will lead towards rapid infilling. This expected evolution of a gully in cultivated fields accords with observations of large infilled gully systems in cultivated areas in eastern Belgium. The permanent gullies observed under forest are attributed to the fact that after severe gully erosion, this area was reforested or abandoned. Therefore, the sediment source was cut off and the gully was not filled in by sediment deposition.     

滇东北蒋家沟坡麓堆积量

1980年10月—1989年8月,用大比例尺制图和粒度分析法,观测研究蒋家沟内杨家坡和滑脚坡的坡麓堆积,两者堆积速度分别为5411,3046(立方米/年),侵蚀模量分别为22735,5382[立方米/(平方公里·年)]。两者平均为14058立方米/(平方公里·年)。蒋家沟流域内岩石剥落和切沟-冲沟泥石流的坡地面积13.3平方公里,泥沙流失量186978立方米/年。此值约为全流域泥沙流失量总值的1/10。     

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.     

A sapping erosion susceptibility model for the southern Cantabrian Range, North Spain

A susceptibility model of sapping-related depressions has been produced by analysing the statistical relationship between the location of depressions and topographical variables. Sapping erosion plays an important role in the growth of gullies developed over poorly-consolidated quartzite conglomerates in the northern sector of the Duero Tertiary Basin (the Cantabrian Mountain Range of Spain). Gullies, topsoil subsidence depressions related to sapping processes, and shallow slides have been identified over sandy soils in an area of 37 km². This area underwent major changes in land use during the 20th century, leading to the expansion of gully erosion processes. On the surface, depressions of several meters in diameter, caused by internal erosion related to sapping processes, can be identified. Using the topographical location of these topsoil depressions and several topographical variables, 14 discriminate functions were derived to provide information about the influence of topography on the development of sapping erosion processes. The functions have accuracy levels varying from 56 to 81%. The most accurate function was regionalized by means of a Geographical Information System and was used to complete a land classification method which is based on the Mahalanobis distance to the multivariate average (centroid) of a sapping erosion form group. The classification of this model allows the identification of areas with different relative probabilities of sapping processes and the resultant growth of gullies.     

An empirical–conceptual gully evolution model for channelled sea cliffs

Incised coastal channels are a specific form of incised channel that are found in locations where stream channels flowing to cliffed coasts have the excess energy required to cut down through the cliff to reach the outlet water body. The southern coast of the Isle of Wight, southern England, comprises soft cliffs that vary in height between 15 and 100 m and which are retreating at rates ≤ 1.5 m a^− 1, due to a combination of wave erosion and landslides. In several locations, river channels have cut through the cliffs to create deeply (≤ 45 m) incised gullies, known locally as ‘Chines’. The Chines are unusual in that their formation is associated with dynamic shoreline encroachment during a period of rising sea-level, whereas existing models of incised channel evolution emphasise the significance of base level lowering. This paper develops a conceptual model of Chine evolution by applying space for time substitution methods using empirical data gathered from Chine channel surveys and remotely sensed data. The model identifies a sequence of evolutionary stages, which are classified based on a suite of morphometric indices and associated processes. The extent to which individual Chines are in a state of growth or decay is estimated by determining the relative rates of shoreline retreat and knickpoint recession, the former via analysis of historical aerial images and the latter through the use of a stream power erosion model.     

PROCESSES OF HEADCUT GROWTH AND MIGRATION IN RILLS AND GULLIES

lINTRoDUCTIONHeadcuterosionwithinrills,ephemeralguIlies,classicgullies,andstreamscausesseriousenvironmentalproblems.Headcuterosionacceleratesthelossoftopsoilanddecreasestheproductivityofagriculturallands.Erodedsedimentsoftenendupinreceivingstreams,causingwaterqualityproblemsandnegativelyimpactingbioIogicalprocesses.Inadditiontolandscapedegradation,gulliesarethedominantformofdamagetoearthspillways.lfagullycanmovethroughanearthspillwayandbreachthecrestofadam,thentheimpoundedfloodwaterswiI1…     

四川金川八步里沟沟谷地貌与泥石流

八步里沟流域内有4200—4300米,3700—3800米和 3000—3200米三级夷平面,沟口至八角有五级河流阶地。主沟北岸占流域面积的1/3,南岸占2/3。这种沟谷地貌特点经历了约200多万年的发展历史。自然历史上的泥石流比现代规模要大。八步里沟泥石流综合防治工程的完成并不意味着和泥石流作斗争的事业结束,效益观测和维修养护工作必须制度化,方能长久运用,发挥效益。     

A SIMPLE DEVICE TO MONITOR SEDIMENT YIELD FROM GULLY EROSION

1INTRODUCTION Gully erosion has been investigated by many researchers throughout the world.Their studies have focused on how the process evolves and on a better understanding of the sub-processes that take place in gully erosion(Small and Clark,1982;Morgan,1986;Hasset and Banwart,1992;Boardman and Favis-Mortlock,1993;Selby,1993;Goudie and Viles,1997;Guerra and Favis-Mortlock,1998;Favis-Mortlock and Guerra,1999,2000;Figueiredo,2003;Garcia and Guerra,2003).Soil properties,rainfall re…