RISCURI ȘI CATASTROFE, AN XXII, VOL. 32, NR. 1/2023 108 THE CORRELATIONS BETWEEN LAND USE AND LANDSLIDES IN THE TERRITORIAL ADMINISTRATIVE UNIT OF MINTIU GHERLII GHEORGHE ROŞIAN 1 , HORVATH CSABA 2 *, LIVIU MUNTEAN 1 , VLAD MĂCICĂȘAN 1 , ROZALIA BENEDEK 2 Abstract. The correlations between land use and landslides in the Territorial Administrative Unit of Mintiu Gherlii. Landslides are among the most important geomorphological processes in the Transylvanian Basin, particularly affecting agricultural land and decreasing its value for producing specific agricultural products. The Someșan Plateau and the Transylvanian Plain are the morpho-structural units most affected by landslides, accounting for 3% to 10% or more of the territorial and administrative divisions in the Transylvanian Basin, including Mintiu Gherlii. In this context, where geology and landforms are relatively consistent, land use is the primary factor that can produce changes. Our analysis indicates that arable land and pastures have the largest areas affected by landslides, and this suggests that the agro-techniques used so far may not have been the most suitable. Therefore, preventive and control measures should be implemented to reduce the surface areas affected by landslides and minimize their impact on the local economy. Keywords: landslides, land use, distribution, spatial statistics 1. INTRODUCTION Landslides, as geomorphological processes are noticeable at various levels of the Transylvanian Basin. On the one hand, they are the result of the conditions presented by the substrate, and on the other hand, the effect of the human component land use. From a lithological perspective, the presence of friable rocks such as marl, clay and poorly cemented sands type etc. can be noticed, because of the sedimentation of eroded materials from the Carpathian Mountains. (Sanders 1999; Sanders et al., 2002; Krezsek and Filipescu 2005; Krezsek and Bally, 1 Babeș-Bolyai University, Faculty of Environmental Science and Engineering, 400294, Fântânele Street, No. 30, Cluj–Napoca, Romania; e-mail: georgerosian@yahoo.com; liviumuntean@yahoo.com, vlad.macicasan@ubbcluj.ro 2 Babeş-Bolyai University, Faculty of Geography, 400006, Clinicilor Street, No. 5-7, Cluj-Napoca, Romania; e-mail: csaba.horvath@ubbcluj.ro, rozalia.benedek@ubbcluj.ro * - corresponding author