# Soil Erosion Assessment and Prediction in Urban Landscapes: A New G2 Model Approach
## 4 Discussion
According to Figure 8a,b, the spatial distribution is shown by the categories of soil erosion intensity. Areas with a loss of over 1 t\(\cdot\)ha\({}^{-1}\cdot\)y\({}^{-1}\) were identified for both periods in the southern areas of the area of hilly and mountainous regions with developed intermittent and permanent streams with torrential characteristics. The highest soil loss was identified on agricultural land located on steep slopes. The results of the G2 model indicate that the highest losses were recorded in places where grasslands and shrub vegetation change into agricultural areas. The categories of weak and very weak erosion with the soil loss of below 1 t\(\cdot\)ha\({}^{-1}\cdot\)y\({}^{-1}\) were identified in the northern part, mainly in the plains and under agricultural areas. According to the land use defined in the MPB, these soil losses occur in planned economic, agricultural and green areas. In relation to the spatial distribution of the category of erosion processes, soil loss was also analyzed for different land covers. Land use change as part of urban strategies and the consequent change in land cover are dynamic factors that change under the influence of political, social and bio-physical elements [92]. These changes were recognized as an essential group of driving forces that determine the in the quality of the environment of urban areas, of which the range of impacts reaches different spatial and temporal dimensions [93; 94]. Urbanization processes mainly develop on areas that do not have a clearly defined purpose or are part of a city's developmental strategy, such as land cover classes that belong to grasslands and partly to agricultural lands. As these classes of land cover show the largest soil losses during the analyzed period, their decrease in the average value of soil loss was recorded. A decrease of 0.63 t\(\cdot\)ha\({}^{-1}\cdot\)y\({}^{-1}\) was recorded for agricultural areas, while there was a decrease of 1.90 t\(\cdot\)ha\({}^{-1}\cdot\)y\({}^{-1}\) for grasslands. Considering that the current state of land cover and simulated climatic parameters according to scenario RCP8.5 were applied for the second period in the analysis (scenario of constant increase of greenhouse gas emissions), the reduction of average soil losses on agricultural areas and grasslands is justified. On the other hand, as a consequence of this process, the pressure on natural and semi-natural classes of land cover, i.e., on the remaining fragments of forest and shrub vegetation, increased. In these areas, there was an increase in the average values of soil loss according to climate scenario RCP 8.5. The average value of soil loss in forest areas increased by 0.54 \(\cdot\)ha\({}^{-1}\cdot\)y\({}^{-1}\), while in the area of shrub vegetation it increased by 0.67 \(\cdot\)ha\({}^{-1}\cdot\)y\({}^{-1}\). The obtained results indicate that in areas where urban functions are dominant natural and semi-natural elements as carriers of ecological characteristics are endangered by soil erosion processes. It is necessary to change the attitude towards these areas in urban plans, considering the fact that they represent a vital component of the urban landscape.