The complex environmental process of soil erosion is crucial to sustainable land management and conservation. This study uses the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) model to understand the intricate interactions that cause soil erosion in Cluj County, Romania, a region susceptible to complex erosion and landslide phenomenon. The established analysis depicts erosion patterns from localised hotspots to regions of relative stability, providing valuable insights into this critical issue. Spatial distribution maps with color-coded gradients show soil erosion risk and identify vulnerable regions, with temporal investigations depicting how environmental changes affect soil erosion, making it relevant to soil conservation and land management. A careful analysis of the USLE model's parameters (Ls, Cs, C, S, K) shows their soil erosion contributions. The erosion rates were graded in five classes in accordance to general practices of USLE modelling, which range from very-low, low, moderate, high and very-high susceptibility to soil erosion. While a significant majority of the county’s surface is represented by very-low and low erosion risk, several hotspots were identified with intense erosion processes that highlights the critical need to implement soil conservation measures in the area. Identifying erosion hotspots and conservation solutions encourages stakeholders to protect soils, and can provide policymakers with useful information for developing improved guidelines for soil and water conservation.

As the fertile topsoil is constantly washed away and agricultural production is decreased, soil erosion is a serious environmental issue that affects the entire planet. All river basins experience changes in land use that affect sediment dynamics, soil erodibility, and hydrologic response. The main reason for the faster erosion rates is frequently attributed to those alterations. In the current study, the Intensity of Erosion and Outflow (IntErO) model was used to estimate the sediment yield and maximum outflow from three river basins in Cluj County, Transylvania, Romania. Because the county is hilly and has significant erosion issues, it is essential to have a solid understanding of how soil erosion occurs in river basins. This will allow for more precise planning of soil conservation projects and will allow for more effective management of the severity of the erosion processes. The IntErO model offers quick, efficient, and feasible insight into how changing land use affects soil erosion processes. The testing of the procedures that have been put into place is an essential component of the ongoing development of watershed management strategies at the regional level. The relief characteristics and predominant land use of the three selected prototype river basins significantly influenced the resulting real soil losses. The application of the IntErO model in assessing soil erosion rates in the Transylvanian hills represents a novel approach. The findings of this study hold potential for informing policymakers in the formulation of more robust regulations pertaining to soil and water conservation. Consequently, the implementation of such measures is expected to contribute to the safeguarding of river basin soils.

Loess is a highly porous and easily erosive aeolian sediment covering approximately 10% of the Earth’s surface. The weak vegetation cover and high wind speeds in many of these regions make loess sediment the main source of dust in the atmosphere. Dust particles deteriorate air quality and affect soils, crops, water systems, and animal and human health. The commonly used method for combating desertification is revegetation. However, planting various vascular plant species in loess landscapes did not show any long-lasting positive effects. This study aims to assess the potential of cyanobacterial strains for the restoration of exposed loess surfaces through the assisted development of biological loess crusts (BLCs). Isolated cyanobacterial loess strains were screened for the traits (toxicity, biomass and polysaccharide production) desirable for their use in restoration purposes. By simulating semi-arid environmental conditions in specially designed chambers, the potential of cyanobacterial loess strains for assisted development of BLCs and the mechanisms of loess stabilization have been evaluated by chlorophyll a accumulation and microscopic examination. It was confirmed that cyanobacteria have the ability to interact with loess particles resulting in BLC formation, which keeps the particles immobilized and the sediment below the particles stabilized.