CLIMATE SEASONALITY AND ITS RELEVANCE FOR SOIL EROSION DURING SUMMER IN EXTRA-CARPATHIAN MOLDOVA

Abstract

Rainfall erosivity is one of the most important topics, linking geomorphological and climatological studies. Rainwater plays an important role in triggering soil erosion. Thus, the impact of raindrops during significant torrential episodes causes the destabilization of soil aggregates and leads to erosion. Romania is a country where dry periods alternate with the rainy ones and studying rainfall erosivity is essential due to its importance for agriculture. The highest intensity of erosion occurs during violent rainfall episodes in the summer months, this being triggered by the energy of the torrential rains, but also by the liquid runoff. The extra-Carpathian Moldova is located in the northeastern and eastern part of Romania. In this study, The Suceava Plateau, The Moldavian Plain, The Moldavian Subcarpathians and The Bârlad Plateau were considered as part of the extra-Carpathian Moldova. Four indices were used to assess the climate seasonality on a general level with focus on the summer climate conditions: De Martonne Aridity Index (IdM), Lang Factor (L), Precipitation Concentration Index (PCI) and Angot Index (K). Our results indicate moderate seasonality in precipitation concentration along the year which underlines that the region cannot be considered climaticaly prone to massive soil erosion induced by rainfall erosivity.

Keywords

• climate seasonality
• climatic indices
• extra-carpathian moldova
• rocada database
• rainfall erosivity