Land degradation caused by erosion processes is a widespread global problem. Rain simulators are one of the tools often used to determine the resistance of soils to erosion processes. The aim of this publication is to present the process of the construction and calibration of a small, portable field simulator which would be implemented in research studies designed to determine the changes in the soils’ shear strength parameters in forested areas (in situ) caused by a change in soil moisture content achieved by the rain simulation. The constructed simulator consists of a metal frame, sprayers (with specific nozzles), a sediment funnel/tray made of metal, water and a sediment collector unit, a water tank and pump, and a set of rubber hoses, manometer, valves, reducers, adapters and other supplementary equipment. The calibration was carried out by using the pluviometric method. The choice of nozzles was based on the criteria of low water consumption (losses), the Christiansen uniformity coefficient (CU) and the possibility of achieving specific downpour intensities for the investigated area. The further calibration of the device consisted of determining the raindrop diameter and the distribution of the rainfall when the simulator is positioned on the slopes (7° and 15°). The achieved rain intensity was 1.7–1.9 mm/min, with a CU of 92.23–93.70% for the raindrop diameters (D₅₀) equal to 1.2 mm. The kinetic energy of the simulated rain (Ke) was 2.82∙10^–6 J. The constructed simulator proved itself to be in accordance with all of the given criteria, and it can successfully be implemented in research studies aimed at determining the resistance of forest soils to erosion processes, infiltration, and sediment yield.

Soil is an important natural resource whose proper use requires a good knowledge of all endogenous and exogenous factors that cause different types of degradation. Erosion is one of the forms of soil degradation. Erosion processes are characterized by a distinctive complexity and the factors affecting them are dynamics and change in space and time. A complex system degradation requires a multidisciplinary approach to the use of modern methods and techniques. Today, a large number of models are available for the assessment of soil loss through erosion as well as the levels of risk from erosion, today. Most of these are based on the logics of GIS thanks to its ability to sublimate heterogeneous information. In this paper, the analysis of spatial and temporal degradation of natural resources is carried out in the Likodra River watershed. The Likodra River is located in the northwestern part of the Republic of Serbia, and is positioned in the municipality of Krupanj. The main stream in the immediate vicinity of the town of Krupanj formed from four small streams that have expressed torrential character (the Bogostica with the Krzava and the Cadjavica with the Brstica). In May 2014, the urban area and rural parts of the municipality Krupanj were affected by catastrophic flash floods that resulted in the loss of human lives and enormous material damage. Soil degradation in the study area was analyzed using the Erosion Potential Method (EPM). The method is characterized by a high degree of reliability for determining the intensity of erosion, calculation of sediment yield and transport. The advantage of this method compared to other methods its lower complexity in terms of quantity of input parameters, simplicity and the possibility of application in GIS. In addition, the method has the advantage of choice, because it was developed in this area. The method is based on the analytical processing of data on factors affecting erosion. As the erosion spatial phenomenon appears on the map according to the classification on the basis of the calculated analytical erosion coefficient (Z), which depends on the characteristics of the soil, vegetation cover, relief and visible degree of erosion. By applying the Erosion Potential Method (EPM) an erosion map has been developed, showing the spatial distribution of erosion processes in the catchment area of the Likodra River watershed. The erosion map provides an insight into the state of erosion processes of different intensity and character. For the study basin, all its visible manifestations are manifested in the medium coefficient of erosion Zsr = 0.204. The current state of erosion was analyzed in comparison with the situation in the original 1983 erosion map of FR Serbia.

Soil erosion is a global problem that negatively affects the quality of the environment, the availability of natural resources, as well as the safety of inhabitants. Soil erosion threatens the functioning of urban areas, which was the reason for choosing the territory of the Master Plan of Belgrade (Serbia) as the research area. The calculation of soil erosion loss was analyzed using the G2 erosion model. The model belongs to a group of empirical models and is based on the synthesis of the equation from the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) and the Erosion Potential Method (EPM). The estimation of soil degradation was analyzed in two time periods (2001 and 2019), which represent the time boundaries of the management of the Master Plan of Belgrade. The novel approach used in this research is based on using the land cover inventory as a dynamic indicator of the urbanization process. Land cover was identified using remote sensing, machine learning techniques, and the random forest algorithm applied to multispectral satellite images of the Landsat mission in combination with spectral indices. Climatic parameters were analyzed on the basis of data from meteorological stations (first scenario, i.e., 2001), as well as on simulations of changes based on climate scenario RCP8.5 (representative concentration pathways) concerning the current condition of the land cover (second scenario). A comparative analysis of the two time periods identified a slight reduction in total soil loss. For the first period, the average soil loss value is 4.11 t·ha−1·y−1. The analysis of the second period revealed an average value of 3.63 t·ha−1·y−1. However, the increase in non-porous surfaces has led to a change in the focus of soil degradation. Increased average soil loss as one of the catalysts of torrential flood frequencies registered on natural and semi-natural areas were 43.29% and 16.14%, respectively. These results are a significant contribution to the study of soil erosion in urban conditions under the impact of climate change.

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