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Gully erosion can reach alarming dimensions, and in several cases contributes significantly to soil loss and sediment yield in catchments. The studied example is one of the largest known gully networks in the world (its surface area is approximately 0.5 million m2 and volume 5 million m3), more than twice as large compared to the largest gullies described in peer-reviewed literature. To improve gully management strategies, it is not only critical to understand the factors that lead to erosion, but also to identify the extent of in-channel erosional and depositional features. Few studies consider in-channel patterns of erosion and deposition within gully systems. This study utilises a fixed-wing Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) and Structure-from-Motion (SfM) photogrammetry to create a high resolution orthomosaic and Digital Surface Model (DSM) to determine the position and spatial extent of erosional and depositional features within a large gully network in South Africa. Formation of such a large gully in relation to a relatively small drainage area is unusual but can be explained by the presence of dispersive soils and regional landscape incision. Longitudinal and cross-sectional profiles indicate that the gully network consists of three channel types (i.e. V-shaped, U-shaped and trapezoidal), each with a unique combination of erosional and depositional features. This study demonstrates the value of identifying and mapping of intra-gully features to better understand sediment transfer within the gully network to implement appropriate restoration strategies, which in this instance should focus on depositional zones to enhance channel decoupling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mauritius is a Small Island Developing State (SIDS) with a high population density and increasing agricultural, urban and infrastructural demands, superimposed over limited physical resources. Soil and coastal erosion are recognized as an important environmental challenge facing the island. Here we review the studies on soil erosion over the past two decades and more recent advances in understanding the coastal erosion dynamics. Soil erosion studies have focussed on catchment erosion rates using recognized modelling techniques that have also permitted the mapping of erosion risk for the island. Rainfall assessments using six-minute rainfall data have detailed erosivity conditions for a section of the island but these findings still need to be incorporated into island-scale models. On Round Island, an off-shore Nature Reserve, erosion forms and rates have been measured in support of conservation and restoration programmes. Along the coastline, erosion had been long-recognized as a concern, particularly where development encroaches on the shoreline, and ongoing monitoring is assisting in understanding coastal sediment changes. Further research opportunities are noted and these include a coastal vulnerability assessment and modelling catchment sediment source-sink attributes where there is an impact on lagoon and coral structures. Climate-change scenarios, notably the effects on rainfall erosivity and sea level, are still to be incorporated in studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]