Victims Perception of Gully Erosion in Edo State

Academic Paper from the year 2017 in the subject Geography / Earth Science - Physical Geography, Geomorphology, Environmental Studies, grade: A, University Of Abuja, course: Goegraphy and Environmental Management, language: English, abstract: This research is on victims perception of gully erosion in Edo State, Nigeria. The primary objective was to evaluate how victims understand causes, effects of gully erosion and effectiveness of erosion control measures in the study area. The research used questionnaire as a tool to examine victims perception of gully erosion in the area. Out of 480 questionnaire administered, 454 were returned and they were used for the analyses. Based on the findings of this study, victims of gully erosion in the area attributed causes to poor construction of culverts, deforestation and termination of drainages in sloppy topography. They agree that gully erosion in the area has resulted to losses of human lives, losses of buildings, displacement of people and losses of productive land. Victims also confirmed damages of infrastructures such as roads, bridges, buildings and altering of transportation corridors. Their responses revealed that gully erosion has resulted to decreased species richness, slowed succession and declining agricultural productivity which means less vegetation cover to soil, less return of organic matter and less biological and nutrient activity.