Conditions of gully development within piedmont areas with examples from the western part of the Getic Piedmont, Romania.

Features of gully morphometry and associated relief characteristics emphasize that gully develop under a wide variety of rock conditions, rainfall regimes, geomorphic predisposition, and human influence. Consequently, many slopes within piedmont areas, in this case, the Getic Piedmont, are characterized by dense gully systems, as there occur excessive clearing, inappropriate land use, compaction of the soil caused by grazing, on the general background of a favourable climate. Both rainfall and runoff factors must be considered in assessing a water erosion problem. The erosional slope development within the Getic Piedmont was evaluated based on maps and field studies in the last 15 years, which emphasized that about 20% of the total surface of the piedmont is affected by gully erosion. The results show that the factors leading to the strong gully erosion in this area include - the widely distributed friable rocks, the unique geomorphologic configuration, the strong and time-concentrated rainfall, the alternance of drought-humid periods that prepares the ground for the development of fissures in soils, the drought that influence the growth and recovery of vegetation, and the intense human activities. Gully erosion is one of the most visible forms of soil erosion, which affects its productivity, provides considerable material transport- torrential transports, debris flow, restricts land use, and threatens local communities.