@article{PAR00000587,
  title = {{G}ully erosion: {I}mpacts, factors and control},
  author = {{V}alentin, {C}. and {P}oesen, {J}. and {L}i, {Y}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{G}ully erosion attracts increasing attention from scientists as reflected by two recent international meetings [{P}oesen and {V}alentin ({E}ds.), {C}atena 50 (2-4), 87-564; {L}i et al., 2004. {G}ully {E}rosion {U}nder {G}lobal {C}hange. {S}ichuan {S}cience {T}echnology {P}ress, {C}hengu, {C}hina, 354 pp.]. {T}his growing interest is associated with the increasing concern over off-site impacts caused by soil erosion at larger spatial scales than the {C}ultivated plots. {T}he objective of this paper is to review recent studies on impacts, factors and control of gully erosion and update the review on 'gully erosion and environmental change: importance and research needs' [{P}oesen et al., 2003. {C}atena. 50 (2-4), 91-134.]. {F}or the farmers, the development of gullies leads to a loss of crop yields and available land as well as an increase of workload (i.e. labour necessary to cultivate the land). {G}ullies can also change the mosaic patterns between fallow and cultivated fields, enhancing hillslope erosion in a feedback loop. {I}n addition, gullies tend to enhance drainage and accelerate aridification processes in the semi-arid zones. {F}ingerprinting the origin of sediments within catchments to determine the relative contributions of potential sediment sources has become essential to identify sources of potential pollution and to develop management strategies to combat soil erosion. {I}n this respect, tracers such as carbon, nitrogen, the nuclear bomb-derived radionuclide 137 {C}s, magnetics and the strontium isotopic ratio are increasingly used to fingerprint sediment. {R}ecent studies conducted in {A}ustralia, {C}hina, {E}thiopia and {USA} showed that the major part of the sediment in reservoirs might have come from gully erosion. {G}ullies not only occur in marly badlands and mountainous or hilly regions but also more globally in soils subjected to soil crusting such as loess ({E}uropean belt, {C}hinese {L}oess {P}lateau, {N}orth {A}merica) and sandy soils ({S}ahelian zone, north-east {T}hailand) or in soils prone to piping and tunnelling such as dispersive soils. {M}ost of the time, the gullying processes are triggered by inappropriate cultivation and irrigation systems, overgrazing, log haulage tracks, road building and urbanization. {A}s exemplified by recent examples from all over the world, land use change is expected to have a greater impact on gully erosion than climate change. {Y}et, reconstructions of historical causes {O}f gully erosion, using high-resolution stratigraphy, archaeological dating of pottery and {C}-14 dating of wood and charcoal, show that the main gully erosion periods identified in {E}urope correspond to a combination not only of deforestation and overuse of the land but also to periods with high frequency of extreme rainfall events. {M}any techniques have proved to be effective for gully prevention and control, including vegetation cover, zero or reduced tillage, stone bunds, exclosures, terracing and check dams. {H}owever, these techniques are rarely adopted by farmers in the long run and at a larger spatial scale because their introduction is rarely associated with a rapid benefit for the farmers in terms of an increase in land or labour productivity and is often contingent upon incentives. (c) 2005 {E}lsevier {B}.{V}. {A}ll rights reserved.},
  keywords = {gully erosion ; land use change ; sediments ; soil crusts ; erosion control ; reservoirs},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{C}atena},
  volume = {63},
  numero = {2-3 {S}pecial {I}ss.},
  pages = {132--153},
  ISSN = {0341-8162},
  year = {2005},
  DOI = {10.1016/j.catena.2005.06.001},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/{PAR}00000587},
}