Does the topographic threshold concept explain the initiation points of sunken lanes in the European loess belt?

Geeter, Sofie De; Poesen, Jean; Vanmaercke, Matthias

doi:10.1016/j.catena.2020.104586

Cited by 14 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 40 publications

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“…Then, a parameter ( c ) was added to change the function S = aA −b as S = aA −b + c since it seemed that there may be a road gradient threshold for road gully initiation from the scatter plot of all measured RSs with gullies, rills, or no erosion. The threshold relationships were statistically processed by both ordinary linear regression and orthogonal regression (Vandekerckhove et al, 1998; Vanwalleghem et al, 2005; De Geeter et al, 2020). Similar to previous studies (e.g., Vanwalleghem et al, 2005), the mean threshold line was fitted with all measured RSs with gully erosion and the lower threshold line was obtained by fitting the lowermost data points.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Estimation of initiation thresholds and soil loss from gully erosion on unpaved roads on China's Loess Plateau

Zhao

Zhang

Yuan

et al. 2021

Earth Surf Processes Landf

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Gullies form easily on unpaved road surfaces during heavy rainstorms on China's Loess Plateau. The integrated effect of rainfall, topography, vegetation, land use, and other factors determines where and when gully erosion occurs; however, the mechanisms driving gully erosion on unpaved road surfaces need to be further understood. Repeated gully erosion on some roads during the storm season provides a good opportunity to better understand the mechanisms behind gully erosion. This article aimed to quantify the integrated threshold conditions required for gully initiation in terms of topography, event rainfall, and upslope land use, and to propose an event‐based model to predict the position and magnitude of road gully erosion. Rill and gully erosion on unpaved roads were investigated after an extreme rainstorm of 212.2 mm in 2017 and a regular rainstorm of 83.8 mm in 2018. A digital surface model (DSM) derived from unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) images was used to analyze the road gradient (S) and upslope area (A). The runoff (QRS) of each road segment (RS) was estimated by the runoff curve number method. The results showed the following: (1) The mean and total gully volumes under the regular rainstorm were only 26.3% and 8.1% of those under the extreme rainstorm, respectively; (2) Gully formation on the surveyed roads under both the regular and the extreme rainstorm could be explained by the threshold relationship (S − 0.056)QRS3.363 ≥ 72.444; and (3) A non‐linear relationship between gully erosion in road segments and event runoff (QRS) and road gradient (S) was found, and was subsequently used to predict road gully erosion on an event basis.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Estimation of initiation thresholds and soil loss from gully erosion on unpaved roads on China's Loess Plateau

Zhao

Zhang

Yuan

et al. 2021

Earth Surf Processes Landf

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“…Guerra et al, 2007;Makanzu Imwangana et al, 2015), sunken lanes (or road gullies; e.g. De Geeter et al, 2020) and gullies in badland areas (e.g. Nadal-Romero et al, 2015).…”

Section: The Challenge Of Assessing Gully Erosion At Regional To Continental Scalesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Measuring, modelling and managing gully erosion at large scales: A state of the art

Vanmaercke

Panagos

Vanwalleghem

et al. 2021

Earth-Science Reviews

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155

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“…Sunken Lanes (SLs) are the typical form of the incised roads or tracks on the ground with an obvious ancient legacy and commonly form by combining actions of the passage of animals, humans, vehicles and gravitational flow of water and wind (Boardman, 2013; Zgłobicki et al, 2021). The unconsolidated and soft geology is the key condition to form SLs upon which the erosional actions are taking place profoundly, therefore a major appearance of it is showing in the European loess belt (De Geeter et al, 2020). Geometrically, these routes are widely varying in length (30–2300 m), top width (2–36 m), and depth (0.6–12.5 m) (Zgłobicki et al, 2021).…”

Section: Major Transportation Infrastructures (Tis) and Their Mode Of...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Boardman (2013) has highlighted the importance of SLs on geomorphic connectivity by enhancing the flux of sediment and water from hillslope to valley bottom. SLs are also called ‘road gully’ (De Geeter et al, 2020; Zgłobicki et al, 2021) and ‘muddy flooding’ (Boardman et al, 2019) for their explicit role in soil erosion and sediment generation from their unprotected bank sides and beds, therefore it becomes an active erosional feature on the fluvial landscape with more than 70% source of sediment from the gullies formed on the steep sides of the lanes (Boardman, 2013). During the rainy season, SLs are acting as runoff channels and pathways for transferring enormous amounts of water and sediment to the river system (Zgłobicki et al, 2021).…”

Section: Major Transportation Infrastructures (Tis) and Their Mode Of...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Role of transportation infrastructures on the alteration of hillslope and fluvial geomorphology

Roy¹

2022

The Anthropocene Review

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Transport network infrastructure interacts with the earth’s surface because they often share common spaces (e.g. river valleys), such that transport is an anthropogenic pressure that can affect geomorphological processes and outcomes. Since having its profound effect worldwide, the systematic study on the effect of transportation infrastructures (TIs) on the alteration of geomorphological forms and processes has been less focused than on any other anthropogeomorphic driver. The present review provides a multidimensional overview based on the available literature and data on the effect of TIs in changing hillslope and fluvial geomorphology to sustain a peaceful harmony between the transport network and its surrounding landscapes. The study underlines the effect of major TIs like trails, roads, railways, tunnels, causeways, waterways and airports on the alteration of different geomorphological processes on hillslope and fluvial landscapes like the movement of earth material, geomorphic connectivity, slope instability, sediment production, gully initiation and surface runoff. For instance, the global level proximity analysis shows ~40% of landslides happen within the 500 m of any major roads only, while at the regional scale it becomes ~65% irrespective of the degree of seismicity. Due to the fast development of TIs, the mountain regions are more prone to slope instability because of the alteration of surface hydrology by increasing runoff, road and ditch guided concentrated flow, rills and gully formation by reducing drainage area to cross the critical threshold limit. The plain regions are primarily facing the problem of fluvial (dis)connectivity because of the close proximity between river and transport networks and undersized causeways. For sustainable TIs development, factors like the practice of bio-engineering for roadside slope management, de-culverting, 100-year flood return for causeway construction, mapping of river corridors, road water harvesting should be incorporated for less effect on hillslope and fluvial geomorphology.

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Does the topographic threshold concept explain the initiation points of sunken lanes in the European loess belt?

Cited by 14 publications

References 40 publications

Estimation of initiation thresholds and soil loss from gully erosion on unpaved roads on China's Loess Plateau

Estimation of initiation thresholds and soil loss from gully erosion on unpaved roads on China's Loess Plateau

Measuring, modelling and managing gully erosion at large scales: A state of the art

Role of transportation infrastructures on the alteration of hillslope and fluvial geomorphology

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