Gullies network development due to man's impact at central forest-steppe of the European USSR with view to cultivation of the region

Abstract

The paper states the results of first attempt to estimate in retrospect the gullies quantity growth due to deforestation at the South of the former Tula province (area about 6000 sq. km) during more than 200 years up to early XXth century. Maps of forests and forest soils of different age were compared with gullies' map (dated at 1909). The comparison revealed the gullies' number to grow concordantly with increase of deforestated area till the middle XIX century, later, after the land reform in 1961, sharp acceleration of gullies growth was recorded as compared with deforestation.