Spatial-Temporal Dynamics of the Ephemeral Gully Belt on the Plowed Slopes of River Basins in Natural and Anthropogenic Landscapes of the East of the Russian Plain

Abstract

Erosion is the leading process of soil degradation on agricultural land. In the spectrum of erosion processes, the most unfavorable for soil degradation are the processes of linear (ephemeral and gully) erosion. An assessment of the dynamics of linear erosion in the intensive farming zone of the European part of Russia (EPR) is relevant due to the lack of generalized data on the development of this type of erosion in the post-Soviet period and also, due to the highest intensity of soil erosion in the ephemeral gully erosion. The development of information technologies and the availability of high-resolution and ultra-high-resolution satellite images make it possible to solve the problems of ephemeral gully erosion belts identification, and also makes it possible to trace the dynamics of development of stream erosion on arable lands over a period characterized by the greatest changes in the climate system and economic conditions in the post-Soviet period (1980s–2010s). The study was conducted on the eastern wing of the boreal ecotone of the Russian Plain within the southern border of these zones of mixed and broad-leaved forests, forest-steppe, and steppe landscapes using the basin approach. For the initial material, satellite images of medium (30 m) and high resolution (0.5–1.5 m) were used in the work. The study used methods of image interpretation such as remote sensing of the earth and geoinformation mapping. For 70 key areas (interfluve spaces of river basins), the study developed a method of geoinformation mapping of the ephemeral gully erosion belt dynamics on arable lands. In the same way, the research developed a system of quantitative indicators characterizing its development on arable slopes. The dynamics of ephemeral gully erosion was evaluated over three-time intervals: the 1980s, 2000s, and 2010s by determining the horizontal dissection (density) and density of ephemeral gully erosion. Over the past 30 years, in the direction from the south of the forest sub-zone to the forest-steppe and steppe landscapes, there was a sharp increase in the horizontal dissection and density of the ephemeral gully network: an average of 4.6 and 10 times, respectively. The ephemeral gully erosion belt advances toward the watershed because of the formation of new erosion in the upper parts of the ephemeral gully networks and its extension, while there is a noticeable reduction in the width of the erosion-weakly active belt-sheet and rill erosion.

Spatial and temporal dynamics of gully erosion in anthropogenically modified forest and forest‐steppe landscapes of the European part of Russia

“…The ephemeral gully erosion belt increases in width and area by expanding towards the watersheds. At the same time, there is a significant reduction in the width of the less active sheet and rill erosion belt (Yermolaev, 2002; Yermolaev et al, 2020).…”

“…Soil erosion during the warm season is mainly caused by intense rainfall. In the RUSLE equation (Renard & Ferreira, 1993) sheet and rill erosion belt (Yermolaev, 2002;Yermolaev et al, 2020).…”

Rivers in the Focus of Natural-Anthropogenic Situations at Catchments

“…The authors of four papers presented by Russian researchers used different-scale levels of the basin organization of the territory when choosing their study area. Accordingly, river basin problems have been characterized at levels such as a group of four large river basins of Eastern Siberia [5], parts of two large river basins within the Volga Federal District with detail down to the level of small rivers [3], 70 key areas in three river basins located in three natural zones of the East European Plain [4], and small and medium rivers [2].…”

“…Modern advances in GIS techniques and the availability of high-resolution and ultrahigh-resolution satellite images make it possible in the paper by Yermolayev et al [4] to study an interesting phenomenon associated with the development of stream erosion on arable lands over a period characterized by the greatest changes in the climate system and economic conditions in the post-Soviet period (1980s-2010s). A trans-zonal approach to the organization of 70 key areas in three river basins, located in three natural zones of the East European Plain (mixed and broad-leaved forests, forest-steppe, and steppe landscapes).…”

“…A set of 16 non-repetitive controlled core topics assigned in the Scopus search engine (INDEXTERMS) showed that 255,549 related documents were identified in Scilit for five documents. However, judging by the data in Table 1, the greatest publication activity is currently associated with the use of new technologies for obtaining data in the subject area, as shown, for example, in the paper by Yermolayev et al [4]. In particular, only four keywords (soil erosion; watershed; satellite imagery; GIS) in the search from Scilit defines 201,191 related documents.…”