Vulnerability Assessment of Land for Surface Erosion using Usle Model. Case Study: Some È™ Mare Hills

  • Dorel Colniță University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, 3-5 Manastur St., 400372 Cluj-Napoca
  • Ioan Păcurar
  • Sanda Roșca
  • Ștefan Bilașco
  • Marcel Dîrja
  • Amalia Ioana Boț
Keywords: GIS Analysis, U.S.L.E. soil erodability, soil erosion.

Abstract

Surface erosion represents, for the territory of Transylvanian Depression and especially for the contact area with
the mountains, one of the major processes of degradation of land, along with landslides, which imprints a reduction of
the quality of the soil and also for the agricultural production. Thereby, in studies, it is represented by the estimation of
the quantity of degraded soil by surface erosion using models and methods which include integrated analysis of the factors
that lead to the appearance of erosional processes. The new methods and techniques of spatial analysis in GIS
environment for the analysis of the unique influence of each factor, as well as the integrated manifestation of the factors
in the framework of the complex process of surface erosion. This are materialized in date bases which represent specific
coefficient as: the erodability coefficient of soil, coverage of ground vegetation, slope degree, slope length, the pluvial
erosion coefficient and so on. This were analyzed also through spatial distribution and the degree of influence among the
erosion of the whole area in study, at the subunits level of hydrographic basins from Some
È™ Mare hills, as well as through
the level of the administrative territorial units space identified in the study area. Identifying the areas with high
vulnerability for surface erosion represents the first step regarding the identification of areas with degraded lands, aimed
mainly the rehabilitation of this areas through establishment of pilot forest resorts, which will aloud after words their
inclusion in the economic circuit by sustainable exploitation of the obtained timber.

Published
2016-03-30