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Gully Erosion Analysis. Why Geopedology Matters?

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Abstract

Gully erosion dynamics is a complex phenomenon, usually human-induced, which cannot be described nor predicted using conventional soil erosion models such as USLE or similar. In the early 1980s it was stated that gully initiation and growth could be studied from a purely empirical perspective, because no deductive approach could serve the purpose. In this chapter, this premise is used to briefly summarize how gully erosion research has developed, what were the major achievements in the conceptual and methodological dimensions, and which may be potential courses of action for further research, with emphasis on the contribution of geopedology. Despite the advancements in the development of models and in RS and GIS techniques, gully erosion still remains a complex issue difficult to model and predict. In this sense, geopedology may play a role in its understanding and management. As other geomorphic processes, gullies occur in certain terrain, soil, and hydrology conditions which may be conveniently approached from a geopedologic perspective.

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Acknowledgements

María Lira helped in the preparation of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Centro de Investigaciones en Geografía Ambiental (CIGA), Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico

    G. Bocco

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  1. G. Bocco
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Correspondence to G. Bocco .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC), University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands

    Joseph Alfred Zinck

  2. School of Science, Western Sydney University, Richmond, NSW, Australia

    Graciela Metternicht

  3. Facultad de Ciencia y Tecnología (FCyT) Centre. Centro Regional de Geomática, Universidad Autónoma de Entre Ríos (UADER), Paraná-Oro Verde, Entre Rios, Argentina

    Héctor Francisco del Valle

  4. Instituto de Suelos, National Agricultural Technology Institute, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Marcos Angelini

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Bocco, G. (2023). Gully Erosion Analysis. Why Geopedology Matters?. In: Zinck, J.A., Metternicht, G., del Valle, H.F., Angelini, M. (eds) Geopedology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-20667-2_19

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