A geoscience perspective on the gully erosion problem across the interior of southern Africa

Significance: Across southern Africa, gullies are highly visible forms of soil erosion. Gullies provide exposure of hillslope and river sediments, some of which contain fossils and archaeological ar tefacts. The causes of gully erosion have long been debated, with some researchers favouring human land-use changes, and others favouring natural factors (e.g. soil types, climate variations, base-level changes). This Invited Commentary outlines how geochronology can help determine the timing of gully formation and thus suppor t inferences regarding causes of erosion. A geoscience perspective on the gully erosion problem advances our understanding of human–landscape interactions, with practical benefits for improved erosion control.