Spatiotemporal analysis of gullies and environmental controlling factors in the municipality of Alegre (state of Espírito Santo, southeastern Brazil)

Water erosion of soil slopes causes several environmental, economic, and social losses worldwide every year, particularly, when it reaches more advanced stages, leading to the formation of gullies. The municipality of Alegre, in the state of Espírito Santo (southeastern Brazil), has numerous gullie...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Marcos Eduardo Hartwig, João Pedro Inacio Alves
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universidade de São Paulo 2022-06-01
Series:Geologia USP. Série Científica
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.revistas.usp.br/guspsc/article/view/199577
_version_ 1811238189599293440
author Marcos Eduardo Hartwig
João Pedro Inacio Alves
author_facet Marcos Eduardo Hartwig
João Pedro Inacio Alves
author_sort Marcos Eduardo Hartwig
collection DOAJ
description Water erosion of soil slopes causes several environmental, economic, and social losses worldwide every year, particularly, when it reaches more advanced stages, leading to the formation of gullies. The municipality of Alegre, in the state of Espírito Santo (southeastern Brazil), has numerous gullies, which stand out in the landscape by their impressive proportions and environmental impacts. Nevertheless, very few studies have been published on the subject and most focus on specific erosion features. Therefore, this study aimed at mapping out the gullies to create an inventory and at qualitatively evaluating the environmental factors controlling gully development from 2009 to 2019. Terrain elevation, slope angle, aspect, surface curvature, lithology, soil types, rainfall erosivity, and land cover were considered gully causative factors. Google Earth Pro imagery and classical Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques were used to locate the gullies and to process/evaluate the environmental factors. The number of gullies in the study area remained approximately constant over the past ten years. Results revealed that the gullies may have started at different periods and are still active and evolving. Finally, the spatial distribution of the gullies is not random, but controlled by geomorphological, geological, and land cover factors. 
first_indexed 2024-04-12T12:37:34Z
format Article
id doaj.art-9d82c81fdb984072bff85cba05f8ac70
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2316-9095
language English
last_indexed 2024-04-12T12:37:34Z
publishDate 2022-06-01
publisher Universidade de São Paulo
record_format Article
series Geologia USP. Série Científica
spelling doaj.art-9d82c81fdb984072bff85cba05f8ac702022-12-22T03:32:52ZengUniversidade de São PauloGeologia USP. Série Científica2316-90952022-06-01222Spatiotemporal analysis of gullies and environmental controlling factors in the municipality of Alegre (state of Espírito Santo, southeastern Brazil)Marcos Eduardo Hartwig0João Pedro Inacio Alves1Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo - UFES, Departamento de GeologiaUniversidade Federal do Espírito Santo - UFES, Departamento de Geologia Water erosion of soil slopes causes several environmental, economic, and social losses worldwide every year, particularly, when it reaches more advanced stages, leading to the formation of gullies. The municipality of Alegre, in the state of Espírito Santo (southeastern Brazil), has numerous gullies, which stand out in the landscape by their impressive proportions and environmental impacts. Nevertheless, very few studies have been published on the subject and most focus on specific erosion features. Therefore, this study aimed at mapping out the gullies to create an inventory and at qualitatively evaluating the environmental factors controlling gully development from 2009 to 2019. Terrain elevation, slope angle, aspect, surface curvature, lithology, soil types, rainfall erosivity, and land cover were considered gully causative factors. Google Earth Pro imagery and classical Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques were used to locate the gullies and to process/evaluate the environmental factors. The number of gullies in the study area remained approximately constant over the past ten years. Results revealed that the gullies may have started at different periods and are still active and evolving. Finally, the spatial distribution of the gullies is not random, but controlled by geomorphological, geological, and land cover factors.  https://www.revistas.usp.br/guspsc/article/view/199577Soil erosionEnvironmental impactsNitisolGeoprocessingSoil conservation
spellingShingle Marcos Eduardo Hartwig
João Pedro Inacio Alves
Spatiotemporal analysis of gullies and environmental controlling factors in the municipality of Alegre (state of Espírito Santo, southeastern Brazil)
Geologia USP. Série Científica
Soil erosion
Environmental impacts
Nitisol
Geoprocessing
Soil conservation
title Spatiotemporal analysis of gullies and environmental controlling factors in the municipality of Alegre (state of Espírito Santo, southeastern Brazil)
title_full Spatiotemporal analysis of gullies and environmental controlling factors in the municipality of Alegre (state of Espírito Santo, southeastern Brazil)
title_fullStr Spatiotemporal analysis of gullies and environmental controlling factors in the municipality of Alegre (state of Espírito Santo, southeastern Brazil)
title_full_unstemmed Spatiotemporal analysis of gullies and environmental controlling factors in the municipality of Alegre (state of Espírito Santo, southeastern Brazil)
title_short Spatiotemporal analysis of gullies and environmental controlling factors in the municipality of Alegre (state of Espírito Santo, southeastern Brazil)
title_sort spatiotemporal analysis of gullies and environmental controlling factors in the municipality of alegre state of espirito santo southeastern brazil
topic Soil erosion
Environmental impacts
Nitisol
Geoprocessing
Soil conservation
url https://www.revistas.usp.br/guspsc/article/view/199577
work_keys_str_mv AT marcoseduardohartwig spatiotemporalanalysisofgulliesandenvironmentalcontrollingfactorsinthemunicipalityofalegrestateofespiritosantosoutheasternbrazil
AT joaopedroinacioalves spatiotemporalanalysisofgulliesandenvironmentalcontrollingfactorsinthemunicipalityofalegrestateofespiritosantosoutheasternbrazil