Agricultural ciltivation of land and small rivers degradation in European Russia

Abstract

The small rivers degradation in European Russia is considered as resulting from agricultural cultivation of their basins and consequent increase in the rate of man-induced erosion on interfluves and alluviation of channels and floodplains. The authors developed a technique which permits to identify correctly spatial and temporal changes in small river length, degree of silting, and the mechanism of silting. History of the land cultivation in the European pan of Russia is briefly stated.