Abstract

Water erosion is the main soil degradation process in landscapes under human pressure. The assessment of soil losses according to biophysical factors is the key to understanding erosion processes. This study aimed to assess the biophysical and anthropological factors controlling the change in water soil erosion rates under different morphological units as an indicator of geological evolution, topographic variety, and land use. The revised Universal Soil Loss Equation model was employed to estimate the soil erosion rates and evaluate soil loss. The geographic information system was used to present the spatial distribution of soil erosion and its change induced by geological and morphological factors. Non-parametric multidimensional scaling ordinations were applied to evaluate similarities in soil erosion parameters between six geomorphological units. The analyses showed a clear clustering between morphological units, both in terms of absolute soil loss and in the distribution pattern of erosion rates. The unit, characterized by variable slopes and consisting of basic and acid rocks, has been found to have the highest soil loss rate due to its age. This small unit, along with others of similar size, significantly contributes to the total soil loss. On the other hand, areas of low slope that are conducive to agriculture ranks highest in sediment production. The land use and management factor, particularly the presence of secondary vegetation, supports water erosion. However, the findings indicate that erosional processes in complex landscapes are driven by a combination of this factor, the age of the units, and the high topographic variability.