Factors Influencing Ephemeral Gullies at the Regional Scale: Formation and Density

Lei Ma, Chunmei Wang, Yuan Zhong, Guowei Pang, Lei Wang, Yongqing Long, Qinke Yang and Bingzhe Tang ()
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Lei Ma: Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Earth Surface System and Environmental Carrying Capacity, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Northwest University, Xi’an 710127, China
Chunmei Wang: Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Earth Surface System and Environmental Carrying Capacity, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Northwest University, Xi’an 710127, China
Yuan Zhong: Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Earth Surface System and Environmental Carrying Capacity, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Northwest University, Xi’an 710127, China
Guowei Pang: Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Earth Surface System and Environmental Carrying Capacity, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Northwest University, Xi’an 710127, China
Lei Wang: Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Earth Surface System and Environmental Carrying Capacity, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Northwest University, Xi’an 710127, China
Yongqing Long: Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Earth Surface System and Environmental Carrying Capacity, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Northwest University, Xi’an 710127, China
Qinke Yang: Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Earth Surface System and Environmental Carrying Capacity, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Northwest University, Xi’an 710127, China
Bingzhe Tang: Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Earth Surface System and Environmental Carrying Capacity, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Northwest University, Xi’an 710127, China

Land, 2024, vol. 13, issue 4, 1-18

Abstract: Ephemeral gully (EG) erosion is an important type of water erosion. Understanding the spatial distribution of EGs and other influencing factors at a regional scale is crucial for developing effective soil and water management strategies. Unfortunately, this area has not been sufficiently studied. The present study visually interpreted the EGs based on Google Earth images in 137 small watersheds uniformly distributed in the Loess Plateau, compared them with measured results, and analyzed the factors influencing EG formation and density using GeoDetector. The results showed that visually interpreting EGs from Google Earth images was suitable for EG regional studies. Out of the 137 small watersheds, 33.6% had EG occurrence with an average density of 3.41 km/km 2 . Rainfall (R) and slope gradient (S) were the primary factors influencing the formation of EGs, while the area proportion of sloping farmland (APSF) and soil erodibility (K) were the main factors affecting EG density. The interaction of dual factors had a greater influence compared to single factors, with the interaction between S and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) having the greatest impact on EG formation and the interaction between K and NDVI on EG density. Although natural forces significantly influence whether EGs can form in a specific area, human activities greatly affect the density of the gullies that develop. This underscores the importance of proper land management in controlling gully erosion. These findings could provide theoretical support for EG prediction models and a scientific basis for soil and water loss control strategies at the regional scale.

Keywords: Loess Plateau; soil erosion; ephemeral gully; regional scale; influencing factors (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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