One of the most important natural processes, with significant environmental impacts, is soil erosion. The aim of this paper is to evaluate and assess the erosion vulnerability of the geological formations constituting Sperchios River basin, in Eastern Central Greece, as well as to distinguish and locate the areas of such risk and estimate it. The developed methodology in this paper is based on Multi-Criteria Evaluation (MCE), with the implementation of Weighted Cartographic Overlay (WCO) technique in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) environment. By applying this method, an attempt was made to combine a set of factors, such as geological-hydrogeological characteristics, morphological slopes and hydrographic texture (causative factors of the phenomenon) along with rainfall (triggering factor) and land cover/use (competitive factor). The weighted combination of these factors defines the vulnerability of the formations in the area of interest. The main results of the methodology are two thematic maps of erosion vulnerability of Sperchios basin’s formations, one that does not include land use/cover factor and one with current existing conditions of the basin (co-evaluating land use/cover). In the first case, 36% of the basin surface undergoes high erosion vulnerability, while 53% present medium vulnerability. These percentages reduced significantly in the second case (3% is the high erosion vulnerability category and 38% the medium one), fact that proves the importance of vegetation in erosion restriction and protection of the geological formations consisting the Sperchios River basin.
KeywordsErosion VulnerabilitySperchios River BasinGeographical Information SystemsMulti-Criteria Evaluation
Beskow, S., Mello, C.R., Norton, L.D., Curi, N., Viola, M.R. and Avanzi, J.C. (2009) Soil Erosion Prediction in the Grande River Basin, Brazil, Using Distributed Modeling. Catena, 79, 49-59.
Zhang, Z.-H., Gang, H.U. and Jian, N.I. (2013) Effects of Topographical and Edaphic Factors on the Distribution of Plant Communities in Two Subtropical Karst Forests, Southwestern China. Journal of Mountain Science, 10, 95-104. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11629-013-2429-7
Voogd, H. (1983) Multicriteria Evaluation for Urban and Regional Planning. Pion, London.
Pereira, J.M.C. and Duckstein, L. (1993) A Multiple Criteria Decision-Making Approach to GIS-Based Land Suitability Evaluation. International Journal of Geographical Information Systems, 7, 407-424. https://doi.org/10.1080/02693799308901971
Heywood, I., Oliver, J. and Tomlinson, S. (1995) Building an Exploratory Multi-Criteria Modeling Environment for Spatial Decision Support. In: Fisher, P., Ed., Innovations in GIS 2, Taylor & Francis, Bristol, 127-136.
Malczewski, J. (1996) A GIS-Based Approach to Multiple Criteria Group Decision-Making. International Journal of Geographical Information Systems, 10, 955-971. https://doi.org/10.1080/02693799608902119
Tecle, A. and Yitayew, M. (1990) Preference Ranking of Alternative Irrigation Technologies Via a Multicriterion Decision Making Procedure. Transactions of the ASAE, 33, 1509-1517. https://doi.org/10.13031/2013.31502
Ceballos-Silva, A. and López-Blanco, J. (2003) Evaluating Biophysical Variables to Identify Suitable Areas for Oat in Central Mexico: A Multi-Criteria and GIS Approach. Agriculture Ecosystem and Environment Journal, 95, 371-377.
Ceballos-Silva, A. and Lopez-Blanco, J. (2003) Delineation of Suitable Areas for Crops Using a Multi-Criteria Evaluation Approach and Land Use/Cover Mapping: A Case Study in Central Mexico. Agricultural Systems, 77, 117-136.
Leskinena, P. and Kangas, J. (2005) Multi-Criteria Natural Resource Management with Preferentially Dependent Decision Criteria. Journal of Environmental Management, 77, 244-251.
Bello-Pineda, J., Ponce-Hernández, R. and Liceaga-Correa, M.A. (2006) Incorporating GIS and MCE for Suitability Assessment Modelling of Coral Reef Resources. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 114, 225-256. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-006-4628-y
Hajkowicz, S. and Higgins, A. (2006) A Comparison of Multiple Criteria Analysis Techniques for Water Resource Management. European Journal of Operational Research, 184, 255-265.
Marinos, P., Plessas, S. and Valadaki-Plessa, K. (1998) Thematic Maps Concerning Erosion Vulnerability Estimation and Sediment Production in Attica Prefecture. Proceedings of 4th Greek Geographical Conference, Athens, 584-616.
Alexouli Livaditi, A. (1999) Quantitative Geomorphological Study of Eurotas River Drainage Network (Greece). 5th Hellenic Geographical Conference, Athens.
Maroukian, H., Gaki-Papanastassiou, K., Pavlopoulos, K. and Zamani, A. (1995) Comparative Geomorphological Observations in the Kalamas Delta in Western Greece and the Sperkhios Delta in Eastern Greece. Rapport Commission International Mer Méditerranée, 34, 110.
Psomiadis, E. (2010) Research of Geomorphological and Environmental Changes in Sperchios River Hydrological Basin Using New Technologies. PhD Thesis, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens.
Kallergis, G., Koch, K.E. and Nicolaus, H.J. (1970) Geological Map of Greece, Sheet “Karpenision”, Scale 1:50.000. IGME Publications.
Kallergis, G., Koch, K.E. and Nicolaus, H.J. (1970) Geological Maps of Greece, Sheet “Sperchias”, Scale 1:50.000. IGME Publications.
Marinos, G., Anastopoulos, I., Maratos, G., Melidonis, N. and Andronopoulos, V. (1957) Geological Maps of Greece, Sheet “Anavra”, Scale 1:50.000. IGME Publications.
Marinos, G., Anastopoulos, I., Maratos, G., Melidonis, N. and Andronopoulos, V. (1963) Geological Maps of Greece, Sheet “Stylis”, Scale 1:50.000. IGME Publications.
Marinos, G., Anastopoulos, I., Maratos, G., Melidonis, N. and Andronopoulos, V. (1962) Geological Maps of Greece, Sheet “Leontarion”, Scale 1:50.000. IGME Publications.
Marinos, G., Anastopoulos, I., Maratos, G., Melidonis, N., Andronopoulos, V. and Papastamatiou, I. (1967) Geological Maps of Greece, Sheet “Lamia”, Scale 1:50.000. IGME Publications.
Papastamatiou, I., Tataris, A., Vetoulis, D., Katsikatsos, G., Lalexos, N. and Eleutheriou, A. (1962) Geological Maps of Greece, Sheet “Amfikleia”, Scale 1:50.000. IGME Publications.
Papastamatiou, I., Tataris, A., Vetoulis, D., Mpornovas, I. and Xristodoulou, G. (1960) Geological Maps of Greece, Sheet “Amfissa”, Scale 1:50.000. IGME Publications.
Livaditi-Alexouli, A., Livaditis, G. and Likouki, E. (2002) Evaluation of Erosion Vulnerability of Geological Formations and Sediment Production in Lesvos Island, Greece. 6th Greek Geographical Conference, Thessaloniki.
Horton, R.E. (1932) Drainage Basin Characteristics. American Geophysical Union Transactions, 13, 348-352. https://doi.org/10.1029/TR013i001p00350
Horton, R.E. (1945) Erosional Development of Streams and Their Drainage Basins; Hydrophysical Approach to Quantitative Morphology. Geological Society of America Bulletin, 56, 275-370. https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1945)56[275:EDOSAT]2.0.CO;2
Strahler, A.N. (1964) Quantitative Geomorphology of Drainage Basins and Channel Networks. In: Handbook of Applied Hydrology, Section 4 II, McGraw Hill Book Company, New York.
Papanastasis, V.P. (2000) Land Degradation Caused by Overgrazing and Wildfires and Management Strategies to Prevent and Mitigate Their Effects. In: Enne, G., Zanolla, Ch. and Peter, D., Eds., Desertification in Europe: Mitigations Strategies, Land-Use Planning, European Commission, EUR 19390, Luxembourg, 187-198.
Sigalos, G., Loukaidi, V., Dasaklis, S. and Alexouli-Livaditi, A. (2010) Assessment of the Quantity of the Material Transported Downstream of Sperchios River, Central Greece. Bulletin of the Geological Society of Greece, 42, 737-745.