Evaluation of the relationship between environmental and climatic dynamics of fairy chimney-like structures formed by gully erosion through UAV-based Modelling: The case of Salihli-Bozdağ

Yusuf Selim Adıyaman; Raşit Enes Akgün; Eren Zeybek; Musa Çoban; Duygu Arıkan İspir; Osman Salih Yılmaz; Yusuf Furkan Özkan

doi:10.51489/tuzal.1723012

Evaluation of the relationship between environmental and climatic dynamics of fairy chimney-like structures formed by gully erosion through UAV-based Modelling: The case of Salihli-Bozdağ

Abstract

In this study, to determine the spatial distribution of the main factors affecting erosion, fairy chimney-like structures in the badlands topography were modelled in 3D using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). Subsequently, a digital surface model (DSM) and an orthomosaic map were produced. Trend analysis and spatial analysis techniques were employed to examine temporal patterns in climatic data and spatial relationships between environmental factors. The effects of climate variables, such as temperature, precipitation, and wind, as well as anthropogenic factors, topographic, and geological features on these structures were examined in detail. Quantitative analysis revealed that annual precipitation averaged 760 mm over the 37-year study period (1985-2022), with temperatures showing an increasing trend from 10.92°C (1992) to 14.25°C (2020). Based on the findings, it was determined that the size of the fairy chimney-like natural structures ranges from 24 to 31 meters. Additionally, cracks with depths ranging from 30 to 70 centimeters were identified in the north-south direction. This study addresses a critical gap in the literature by providing the first comprehensive documentation and quantitative analysis of these previously unstudied geological formations within the Kula-Salihli UNESCO Global Geopark boundaries. The research contributes novel insights into the relationship between climatic variables and erosional landform development in Mediterranean badland environments, establishing baseline data for future monitoring and conservation efforts.

Keywords

References

Achten, W. M. J., Dondeyne, S., Mugogo, S., Kafiriti, E., Poesen, J., Deckers, J., & Muys, B. (2008). Gully erosion in South Eastern Tanzania: spatial distribution and topographic thresholds. Zeitschrift Fur Geomorphologie, 52(2), 225–236. https://doi.org/10.1127/0372-8854/2008/0052-0225
Akgün, A., & Türk, N. (2010). İki ve çok degişkenli istatistik ve sezgisel tabanlı heyelan duyarlılık modellerinin karşılaştırılması: Ayvalık (Balıkesir, Kuzeybatı Türkiye) örneği. Jeoloji Mühendisliği Dergisi, 34(2), 85–112.
Akgün, A., & Türk, N. (2011). Mapping erosion susceptibility by a multivariate statistical method: A case study from the Ayvalık region, NW Turkey. Computers & Geosciences, 37(9), 1515–1524. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cageo.2010.09.006
Albergel, C., Munier, S., Bocher, A., Bonan, B., Zheng, Y., Draper, C., Leroux, D. J., & Calvet, J.-C. (2018). LDAS-Monde sequential assimilation of satellite derived observations applied to the contiguous US: An ERA-5 driven reanalysis of the land surface variables. Remote Sensing, 10(10), 1627. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs10101627
Amiri, M., Pourghasemi, H. R., Ghanbarian, G. A., & Afzali, S. F. (2019). Assessment of the importance of gully erosion effective factors using Boruta algorithm and its spatial modeling and mapping using three machine learning algorithms. Geoderma, 340, 55–69. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2018.12.042
Atalay, İ., & Altunbaş, S. (2019). Main Reasons and Results of the Land Degradation in Turkey. MV Akça. Proceedings Book of 10th International Soil Congres. Succesfull Transformation toward Land Degradation Neutrality, Ankara, Türkiye, 75–81.
Atalay, İ., Siler, M., & Altunbaş, S. (2022). Relations between gully formation and parent material in Turkey. Turkish Journal of Geographical Sciences, 20(1), 84–120. https://doi.org/10.33688/aucbd.982732
Borrelli, P., Robinson, D. A., Fleischer, L. R., Lugato, E., Ballabio, C., Alewell, C., Meusburger, K., Modugno, S., Schütt, B., & Ferro, V. (2017). An assessment of the global impact of 21st century land use change on soil erosion. Nature Communications, 8(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-017-02142-7

Bouamrane, A., Bouamrane, A., & Abida, H. (2021). Water erosion hazard distribution under a Semi-arid climate Condition: Case of Mellah Watershed, North-eastern Algeria. Geoderma, 403, 115381. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2021.115381
Castillo, C., & Gómez, J. A. (2016). A century of gully erosion research: Urgency, complexity and study approaches. Earth-Science Reviews, 160, 300–319. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2016.07.009
Chen, J., Zhou, M., Lin, J., Jiang, F., Huang, B., Xu, T., Wang, M.-K., Ge, H., & Huang, Y. (2018). Comparison of soil physicochemical properties and mineralogical compositions between noncollapsible soils and collapsed gullies. Geoderma, 317, 56–66. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2017.12.006
Cox, R., Zentner, D. B., Rakotondrazafy, A. F. M., & Rasoazanamparany, C. F. (2010). Shakedown in Madagascar: Occurrence of lavakas (erosional gullies) associated with seismic activity. Geology, 38(2), 179–182. https://doi.org/10.1130/G30670.1
de Ap Bacellar, L., Netto, A. L. C., & Lacerda, W. A. (2005). Controlling factors of gullying in the Maracujá Catchment, Southeastern Brazil. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms: The Journal of the British Geomorphological Research Group, 30(11), 1369–1385. https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.1193
Deng, Y., Dong, X. I. A., Cai, C., & Ding, S. (2016). Effects of land uses on soil physic-chemical properties and erodibility in collapsing-gully alluvial fan of Anxi County, China. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 15(8), 1863–1873. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2095-3119(15)61223-0
GDMRE. (2024). General Directorate of Mineral Research and Exploration (GDMRE). Retrieved June 15, 2025, from https://www.mta.gov.tr/v3.0/hizmetler/jeoloji-haritalari
Güney, Y. (2020). The Geomorphosite potential of the badlands around Küpyar, Manisa, Turkey. Geoheritage, 12(1), 21. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12371-020-00433-y
Huang, Y., & Zhao, L. (2018). Review on landslide susceptibility mapping using support vector machines. Catena, 165, 520–529. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2018.03.003
Kırkan, E., Akyüz, H. S., Basmenji, M., Dikbaş, A., Zabcı, C., Yazıcı, M., & Erturaç, M. K. (2023). Earthquake history of the Milas Fault: an active dextral fault in an extensional province (SW Anatolia, Türkiye). Natural Hazards, 116(2), 1639–1662. https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-1131503/v1
Koca, C., & Kaymaz, Ç. K. (2024). Site selection of ecotourism areas with GIS-Based MCDM-AHP method: A case study of Çamlıhemşin district. Journal of Geomatics, 9(2), 185–206. https://doi.org/10.29128/GEOMATIK.1419623
Kuşcu, İ. (2024). Settlement suitability analysis: The case of Bursa city. Bilge International Journal of Science and Technology Research, 8(2), 72–80. https://doi.org/10.30516/BILGESCI.1527354
Kuşcu, İ., & Ozdemir, H. (2025). Flood susceptibility analysis of settlement basins on a provincial scale using inventory flood data. Environmental Earth Sciences, 84(1), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1007/S12665-024-11988-2
Lin, J., Huang, Y., Wang, M., Jiang, F., Zhang, X., & Ge, H. (2015). Assessing the sources of sediment transported in gully systems using a fingerprinting approach: an example from South-east China. Catena, 129, 9–17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2015.02.012
Majumdar, S., Kose, M., & Chatterjee, U. (2022). Gully erosion mapping by multi-criteria decision analysis techniques and geoinformatics in Adana Province, Turkey. Earth Systems and Environment, 6(3), 759–770. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41748-020-00198-y
Moretti, S., & Rodolfi, G. (2000). A typical “calanchi” landscape on the Eastern Apennine margin (Atri, Central Italy): geomorphological features and evolution. Catena, 40(2), 217–228. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0341-8162(99)00086-7
Poesen, J., Nachtergaele, J., Verstraeten, G., & Valentin, C. (2003). Gully erosion and environmental change: importance and research needs. Catena, 50(2–4), 91–133. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0341-8162(02)00143-1
Shen, H., Zheng, F., Wen, L., Han, Y., & Hu, W. (2016). Impacts of rainfall intensity and slope gradient on rill erosion processes at loessial hillslope. Soil and Tillage Research, 155, 429–436. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2015.09.011
Tao, Y., He, Y., Duan, X., Zou, Z., Lin, L., & Chen, J. (2017). Preferential flows and soil moistures on a Benggang slope: Determined by the water and temperature co-monitoring. Journal of Hydrology, 553, 678–690. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2017.08.029
TSI. (2024). Turkish Statistical Institute (TSI). Retrieved June 15, 2025, from https://www.tuik.gov.tr/
Vardar, S. (2018). Lidya’nın Tmolos (Bozdağlar) yaylalarında jeomorfoloji, paleocoğrafya ve jeoarkeoloji araştırmaları. Lidya’nın Tmolos (Bozdağlar) Yaylalarında Jeomorfoloji. Kriter Publisher.
Wei, Y., Liu, Z., Wu, X., Zhang, Y., Cui, T., Cai, C., Guo, Z., Wang, J., & Cheng, D. (2021). Can Benggang be regarded as gully erosion? Catena, 207, 105648. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2021.105648
Wei, Y., Liu, Z., Zhang, Y., Cui, T., Guo, Z., Cai, C., & Li, Z. (2022). Analysis of gully erosion susceptibility and spatial modelling using a GIS-based approach. Geoderma, 420, 115869. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2022.115869
Wei, Y., Wu, X., Zeng, R., Cai, C., & Guo, Z. (2020). Spatial variations of aggregate-associated humic substance in heavy-textured soils along a climatic gradient. Soil and Tillage Research, 197, 104497. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2019.104497
Zhang, S., Han, X., Cruse, R. M., Zhang, X., Hu, W., Yan, Y., & Guo, M. (2022). Morphological characteristics and influencing factors of permanent gully and its contribution to regional soil loss based on a field investigation of 393 km2 in Mollisols region of northeast China. Catena, 217, 106467. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2022.106467
Zorlu, K., Celal Tunusluoglu, M., Gorum, T., Nefeslioglu, H. A., Yalcin, A., Turer, D., & Gokceoglu, C. (2011). Landform effect on rockfall and hazard mapping in Cappadocia (Turkey). Environmental Earth Sciences, 62, 1685–1693. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-010-0653-9

Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Photogrametry

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Yusuf Selim Adıyaman
0009-0001-6011-8209
Türkiye

Raşit Enes Akgün
0009-0001-7464-4621
Türkiye

Eren Zeybek
0009-0000-3959-6233
Türkiye

Musa Çoban
0009-0000-5326-9212
Türkiye

Duygu Arıkan İspir
0000-0001-9976-7479
Türkiye

Osman Salih Yılmaz ^*
0000-0003-4632-9349
Türkiye

Yusuf Furkan Özkan
0009-0001-1776-1960
Türkiye

Publication Date

March 25, 2026

Submission Date

June 19, 2025

Acceptance Date

October 14, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 8

DOI

https://doi.org/10.51489/tuzal.1723012

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA94NF66YJ

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Adıyaman, Y. S., Akgün, R. E., Zeybek, E., Çoban, M., Arıkan İspir, D., Yılmaz, O. S., & Özkan, Y. F. (2026). Evaluation of the relationship between environmental and climatic dynamics of fairy chimney-like structures formed by gully erosion through UAV-based Modelling: The case of Salihli-Bozdağ. Turkish Journal of Remote Sensing, 8, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.51489/tuzal.1723012

AMA

1.Adıyaman YS, Akgün RE, Zeybek E, et al. Evaluation of the relationship between environmental and climatic dynamics of fairy chimney-like structures formed by gully erosion through UAV-based Modelling: The case of Salihli-Bozdağ. TJRS. 2026;8:1-14. doi:10.51489/tuzal.1723012

Chicago

Adıyaman, Yusuf Selim, Raşit Enes Akgün, Eren Zeybek, et al. 2026. “Evaluation of the Relationship Between Environmental and Climatic Dynamics of Fairy Chimney-Like Structures Formed by Gully Erosion through UAV-Based Modelling: The Case of Salihli-Bozdağ”. Turkish Journal of Remote Sensing 8 (March): 1-14. https://doi.org/10.51489/tuzal.1723012.

EndNote

Adıyaman YS, Akgün RE, Zeybek E, Çoban M, Arıkan İspir D, Yılmaz OS, Özkan YF (March 1, 2026) Evaluation of the relationship between environmental and climatic dynamics of fairy chimney-like structures formed by gully erosion through UAV-based Modelling: The case of Salihli-Bozdağ. Turkish Journal of Remote Sensing 8 1–14.

IEEE

[1]Y. S. Adıyaman et al., “Evaluation of the relationship between environmental and climatic dynamics of fairy chimney-like structures formed by gully erosion through UAV-based Modelling: The case of Salihli-Bozdağ”, TJRS, vol. 8, pp. 1–14, Mar. 2026, doi: 10.51489/tuzal.1723012.

ISNAD

Adıyaman, Yusuf Selim - Akgün, Raşit Enes - Zeybek, Eren - Çoban, Musa - Arıkan İspir, Duygu - Yılmaz, Osman Salih - Özkan, Yusuf Furkan. “Evaluation of the Relationship Between Environmental and Climatic Dynamics of Fairy Chimney-Like Structures Formed by Gully Erosion through UAV-Based Modelling: The Case of Salihli-Bozdağ”. Turkish Journal of Remote Sensing 8 (March 1, 2026): 1-14. https://doi.org/10.51489/tuzal.1723012.

JAMA

1.Adıyaman YS, Akgün RE, Zeybek E, Çoban M, Arıkan İspir D, Yılmaz OS, Özkan YF. Evaluation of the relationship between environmental and climatic dynamics of fairy chimney-like structures formed by gully erosion through UAV-based Modelling: The case of Salihli-Bozdağ. TJRS. 2026;8:1–14.

MLA

Adıyaman, Yusuf Selim, et al. “Evaluation of the Relationship Between Environmental and Climatic Dynamics of Fairy Chimney-Like Structures Formed by Gully Erosion through UAV-Based Modelling: The Case of Salihli-Bozdağ”. Turkish Journal of Remote Sensing, vol. 8, Mar. 2026, pp. 1-14, doi:10.51489/tuzal.1723012.

Vancouver

1.Yusuf Selim Adıyaman, Raşit Enes Akgün, Eren Zeybek, Musa Çoban, Duygu Arıkan İspir, Osman Salih Yılmaz, Yusuf Furkan Özkan. Evaluation of the relationship between environmental and climatic dynamics of fairy chimney-like structures formed by gully erosion through UAV-based Modelling: The case of Salihli-Bozdağ. TJRS. 2026 Mar. 1;8:1-14. doi:10.51489/tuzal.1723012