Gully erosion in central Italy: denudation rate estimation and morphoevolution of Calanchi and Biancane badlands

Long lasting geomorphological researches (Ciccaci et al., 1981, 1986, 2003; Del Monte et al., 2006) allowed the evaluation of denudation rates in some of the major catchments of Central Italy. It was observed a noticeable spatial variability of the denudation index (Tu) values (Ciccaci et al., 1981, 1986) and field monitoring suggested that gully erosion at badlands is likely to afford the major contribution to overall denudation at catchments scale. This paper summarizes the original results of the last three years of researches, performed on Tevere, Paglia and Ombrone basins. By thickening field monitoring, it was evidenced as well a variability of denudation rates among sharp- and rounded-edged badlands (calanchi and biancane), according to their different morphoevolution.