o:9288 Assessment of soil erosion intensity using the erosion potential method: A case study of the Grdelica gorge, Serbia en Abstract: The South Morava River Basin was considered one of the most erosionprone and flash flood-affected areas in the Republic of Serbia. This paper aims to apply the Erosion Potential Method (EPM) within a GIS environment to determine the spatial and temporal changes in the soil erosion coefficient, sediment production and transport, and to identify the factors contributing most significantly to erosion risk in the Grdelica Gorge for two reference years: 1970 and 2025. The intensity of soil erosion was analysed using the Erosion Potential Method according to Gavrilović. The results indicate that most of the area (62.03%) fell into slope category IV (27–70%), with all erosion categories represented. Processes of very slight erosion were predominant, covering 71.31% of the surface area (306.94 km²). The total annual sediment production (Wyear) amounted to 110,233.97 m3year- 1, while the specific sediment production (Wsp) was 256.1 m3km-2year-1. The mean annual sediment transport was 81,573.14 m³/year, and the specific annual sediment transport was 189.51 m³/km²/year. A decline in population and the abandonment of arable land at higher elevations and steeper slopes, along with the implementation of extensive technical, biological, and biotechnical erosion control measures, contributed to erosion mitigation and enhanced vegetation recovery. Compared to the erosion intensity in 1970, the extent of severe erosion had notably decreased by 2025, while the proportions of slight and moderate erosion significantly increased. The mean erosion coefficient (Zmean) had decreased from 0.50 to 0.23. Izvod: U delove Republike Srbije koji su bili najugroženiji erozijom zemljišta i bujičnim poplavama svrstava se sliv Južne Morave. Cilj ovog rada je da se primenom Metode potencijala erozije u GIS okruženju utvrde prostorne i vremenske promene koeficijenta erozije zemljišta, produkcije i pronosa nanosa i identifikuju faktori koji najviše doprinose riziku od pojave erozije na području Grdeličke klisure za dva referentna perioda – 1970. i 2025. godinu. Intenzitet erozije zemlјišta analiziran je primenom Metode potencijala erozije (MPE), prema Gavriloviću. Rezultati rada pokazuju da najveći deo područja (62,03%) pripada IV kategoriji nagiba (27–70%) i zastupljene su sve kategorije erozije. Na području su dominantni procesi vrlo slabe erozije i zahvataju 71,31% površine (306,94 km2). Ukupna godišnja produkcija nanosa (Wyear) iznosi 110233,97 m3god-1, a specifična produkcija nanosa (Wsp) iznosi 256,1 m3km-2god-1. Srednjegodišnji transport nanosa na području je 81573,14 m3km-2god-1 i specifični godišnji transport nanosa je 189,51 m3km-2god-1. Opadanje broja stanovnika i napuštanje obradivih površina na većim nadmorskim visinama i nagibima, te veliki obim tehničkih, bioloških i biotehničkih protiverozionih radova, doveli su do ublažavanja erozije i pojačane obnove vegetacije. U odnosu na stanje intenziteta erozije u 1970.godini, stepen jake erozije je u opadanju, dok je procenat slabe i srednje erozije rapidno porastao. Srednja vrednost koeficijenta erozije (Zsr) smanjena je sa 0,50 na 0,23. Keywords: Grdelica Gorge, soil erosion, Erosion Potential Method (EPM), GIS Ključne reči: Grdelička klisura, erozija zemlјišta, metod potencijala erozije (MPE), GIS 1552101 1821-1046 1552099 10.5937/SustFor2591037B 2026-04-01T09:41:10.372Z 44 yes 46 Sonja Braunović 0000-0002-1387-6955 46 Jovana Cvetković 0000-0001-7828-1250 46 Filip Jovanović 0000-0002-4143-2497 46 Siniša Polovina 0000-0001-5134-0548 46 Nenad Šurjanac 0000-0002-1141-4001 46 Vanja Stojanović 0009-0007-3975-0027 46 Natalija Momirović 0000-0003-3366-5490 application/pdf 808957 https://unilib.phaidrabg.rs/o:9288 no yes 16 70 92000001 71A07 Assessment of soil erosion intensity using the erosion potential method: A case study of the Grdelica gorge, Serbia 91 37 53 Institut za šumarstvo, Beograd 2025