Impact of climate on landscape form,sediment transfer and the sedimentary record

The relationship between climate, landscape connectivity and sediment export from mountain ranges is key to understanding the propagation of erosion signals downstream into sedimentary basins. We explore the role of connectivity in modulating the composition of sediment exported from the Frontal Cordillera of the south-central Argentine Andes by comparing three adjacent and apparently similar semi-glaciated catchment-fan systems within the context of an along-strike precipitation gradient. We first identify that the bedrock exposed in the upper, previously glaciated reaches of the cordillera is under-represented in the lithological composition of gravels on each of three alluvial fans. There is little evidence for abrasion or preferential weathering of sediment sourced from the upper cordillera, suggesting that the observed bias can only be explained by sediment storage in these glacially widened and flattened valleys of the upper cordillera (as revealed by channel steepness mapping). A detailed analysis of the morphology of sedimentary deposits within the catchments reveals catchment-wide trends in either main valley incision or aggradation, linked to differences in hillslope–channel connectivity and precipitation. We observe that drier catchments have poor hillslope–channel connectivity and that gravels exported from dry catchments have a lithological composition depleted in clasts sourced from the upper cordillera. Conversely, the catchment with the highest maximum precipitation rate exhibits a high degree of connectivity between its sediment sources and the main river network, leading to the export of a greater proportion of upper cordillera gravel as well as a greater volume of sand. Finally, given a clear spatial correlation between the resistance of bedrock to erosion, mountain range elevation and its covariant, precipitation, we highlight how connectivity in these semi-glaciated landscapes can be preconditioned by the spatial distribution of bedrock lithology. These findings give insight into the extent to which sedimentary archives record source erosion patterns through time.     

Vegetation and topographic controls on sediment deposition and storage on gully beds in a degraded mountain area

Active gully systems developed on highly weathered or loose parent material are an important source of runoff and sediment production in degraded areas. However, a decrease of land pressure may lead to a return of a partial vegetation cover, whereby gully beds are preferred recolonization spots. Although the current knowledge on the role of vegetation on reducing sediment production on slopes is well developed, few studies exist on the significance of restoring sediment transport pathways on the total sediment budget of degraded mountainous catchments. This study in the Ecuadorian Andes evaluates the potential of vegetation to stabilize active gully systems by trapping and retaining eroded sediment in the gully bed, and analyses the significance of vegetation restoration in the gully bed in reducing sediment export from degraded catchments. Field measurements on 138 gully segments located in 13 ephemeral steep gullies with different ground vegetation cover indicate that gully bed vegetation is the most important factor in promoting short‐term (1–15 years) sediment deposition and gully stabilization. In well‐vegetated gully systems ( ≥ 30% of ground vegetation cover), 0.035 m³ m^–1 of sediment is deposited yearly in the gully bed. Almost 50 per cent of the observed variance in sediment deposition volumes can be explained by the mean ground vegetation cover of the gully bed. The presence of vegetation in gully beds gives rise to the formation of vegetated buffer zones, which enhance short‐term sediment trapping even in active gully systems in mountainous environments. Vegetation buffer zones are shown to modify the connectivity of sediment fluxes, as they reduce the transport efficiency of gully systems. First calculations on data on sediment deposition patterns in our study area show that gully bed deposition in response to gully bed revegetation can represent more than 25 per cent of the volume of sediment generated within the catchment. Our findings indicate that relatively small changes in landscape connectivity have the potential to create strong (positive) feedback loops between erosion and vegetation dynamics. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Peatland restoration: controls on sediment production and reductions in carbon and pollutant export

Peatlands are an important store of soil carbon, and play a vital role in global carbon cycling, and when located in close proximity to urban and industrial areas, can also act as sinks of atmospherically deposited heavy metals. Large areas of the UK's blanket peat are significantly degraded and actively eroding which negatively impacts carbon and pollutant storage. The restoration of eroding UK peatlands is a major conservation concern, and over the last decade measures have been taken to try to control erosion and restore large areas of degraded peat. This study utilizes a sediment source fingerprinting approach to assess the effect of restoration practices on sediment production, and carbon and pollutant export in the Peak District National Park, southern Pennines (UK). Suspended sediment was collected using time integrated mass flux samplers (TIMS), deployed across three field areas which represent the surface conditions exhibited through an erosion–restoration cycle: (i) intact; (ii) actively eroding; and (iii) recently re‐vegetated. Anthropogenic pollutants stored near the peat's surface have allowed material mobilized by sheet erosion to be distinguished from sediment eroded from gully walls. Re‐vegetation of eroding gully systems is most effective at stabilizing interfluve surfaces, switching the locus of sediment production from contaminated surface peat to relatively ‘clean’ gully walls. The stabilization of eroding surfaces reduces particulate organic carbon (POC) and lead (Pb) fluxes by two orders of magnitude, to levels comparable with those of an intact peatland, thus maintaining this important carbon and pollutant store. The re‐vegetation of gully floors also plays a key role in decoupling eroding surfaces from the fluvial system, and further reducing the flux of material. These findings indicate that the restoration practices have been effective over a relatively short timescale, and will help target and refine future restoration initiatives. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Spatial and temporal patterns of sediment storage over 45 years in Carnation Creek,BC, a previously glaciated mountain catchment

The movement of sediment through mountain river networks remains difficult to predict, as processes beyond streamflow and particle size are responsible for the entrainment and transport of bedload sediment. In deglaciated catchments, additional complexity arises from glacial impacts on landscape organization. Research to date indicates that the quantity of sediment stored in the channel is an important component of sediment transport in systems which alternate between supply and transport limited states, but limited long-term field data exist which can capture storage-transfer dynamics over a timescale encompassing episodic supply typical of mountain streams. We use a 45-year dataset with annual and decadal-scale data on sediment storage, channel morphology, and wood loading to investigate the spatial and temporal organization of storage in Carnation Creek, a previously glaciated 11 km² catchment on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Sediment is supplied episodically to the channel, including additions from debris flows in the early 1980s just upstream of the studied channel region. Analyzing the spatial and temporal organization of sediment storage along 3.0 km of channel mainstem reveals a characteristic storage wavelength similar to the annual bedload particle travel distance. Over time, two scales of variation in storage are observed: small-scale fluctuation of 3–10 years corresponding to local erosional and depositional processes, and larger scale response over 25–35 years related to supply of sediment from hillslopes. Complex relationships between storage and sediment transfer (i.e., annual change in storage) are identified, with decadal-scale hysteresis present in storage-transfer relations in sites influenced by hillslope sediment and logjams. We propose a conceptual model linking landscape organization to temporal variability in storage and to storage–export cycles. Collectively, our results reaffirm the importance of storage to sediment transport and channel morphology, and highlight the complexity of storage–transport interactions. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Gully erosion reduces carbon and nitrogen storage and mineralization fluxes in a headwater catchment of south‐eastern Queensland,Australia

Increased erosion associated with land use change often alters the flux of sediments and nutrients, but few studies have looked at the interaction between these disrupted cycles. We studied the effects of gully erosion on carbon and nitrogen storage in surface soil/sediment and herbaceous vegetation and on C and N mineralization in a headwater catchment used for cattle grazing. We found significantly lower C and N stored in an incising gully compared with an intact valley. This storage was significantly higher in an adjacent stabilizing gully, although not to the levels found in the intact valley. The intact valley had two to four times higher soil/sediment concentrations of total organic C, total N and Colwell extractable P than the incising gully. Lower storage was not explained by differences in vegetation biomass density or silt and clay content. Vegetation accounted for only 8% of C and 2% of N storage. Although not a significant store in itself, vegetation has an important indirect role in restoring and maintaining soil/sediment C and N stocks in eroding areas. We found significant linear relationships between C and N mineralization rates and soil/sediment C and N content, with lower rates occurring in the eroded sediment. These findings support our initial hypothesis that gully erosion reduces C and N storage and mineralization rates in eroding catchments. The implications of this study include a change to the quality of eroded sediments in headwater catchments, causing C‐poorer and N‐poorer sediments to be exported but overall loads to increase. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Holocene valley aggradation and gully erosion in headwater catchments,south-eastern highlands of Australia

Late Quaternary stratigraphy of a 50 km² catchment on the south-eastern highlands of Australia reveals processes and history of denudation, and helps resolve a long-standing debate about factors controlling episodic valley aggradation and degradation during Holocene times. Valley sedimentation occurred when swampy vegetation fully colonized valley floors and obliterated all channels, promoting aggradation for periods of several thousand years, with most incoming sediment being trapped in swampy meadows. Much of the sediment was reworked from late Pleistocene alluvial fan and valley fill deposits, and primary hillslope erosion was minor during the Holocene. Differing sedimentation patterns between the Late Pleistocene, Holocene and Post-European settlement periods reflect regional changes in sediment supply and transport capacity as a result of major environmental change. Within the Holocene, however, valley fill stratigraphy is controlled by massive, episodic gully erosion terminating aggradation. Gully initiation appears to be controlled more by thresholds of incision into vegetated valley floors than by changes to sediment supply. Whether the thresholds are exceeded because of climatic change, autonomous change or extreme events cannot yet be determined. Overall, the Holocene history represents continuing complex response to events of the Late Pleistocene, and does not support the K-cycle concept, which has strongly influenced late Quaternary geomorphology in Australia.     

A suburban sediment budget: Coarse-grained sediment flux through hillslopes,stormwater systems and streams

Sediment in urban stormwater systems creates a significant maintenance burden, while a lack of coarse-grained bed sediment in streams limits their ecological value and geomorphic resilience. Gravel substrates, for example, provide benthic habitat yet are often scoured from the channel bed only to end up in a detention basin or treatment wetland. This dual problem of both ‘too much’ and ‘too little’ coarse-grained sediment reflects a watershed sediment budget that is profoundly altered. We developed a conceptual urban coarse-grained (>0.5 mm) sediment budget across three domains: hillslopes (urban land surfaces), the built stormwater network and stream channels. We then quantified key sources, sinks and storages for a suburban case study, using a combination of hillslope and in-channel monitoring, and interrogation of local government records. Around 36% of the sediment supplied to the stormwater network reached the catchment outlet, a level of sediment delivery much higher than observed in similar-sized natural catchments. The remainder was deposited in the sediment cascade and either stored, or extracted and removed from the catchment (e.g. material deposited in sediment ponds and gross pollutant traps). Conventional urban drainage networks are characterized by high hillslope sediment supply and low storage, resulting in efficient sediment delivery. Channel erosion, deposition in (and extraction from) pipes and channels, and floodplain deposition are small compared to sediment transport through the cascade. An understanding of the sediment budget of urban headwater catchments can provide stormwater and waterway managers with the information they need to address specific sediment problems such as sedimentation in stormwater assets and geomorphic recovery of urban streams. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Gully erosion in the Siwalik Hills,Nepal: estimation of sediment production from active ephemeral gullies

A simple field‐based monitoring programme was established in a small catchment (area 4·6 km²) to find the rates of gully erosion in the Siwalik Hills, Nepal. The rates are used to estimate the amount of sediment produced by gully erosion in the catchment. Three large and active gullies were selected with areas ranging from 0·44 to 0·78 ha. Aerial photographs taken in 1964, 1978 and 1992 were ortho‐rectified and used to study the dynamics of gully heads. The same gullies were also monitored manually using an orthogonal reference system fixed by erosion pins around the gully heads. Results from the aerial photos indicated that the gullies expanded remarkably over the period from 1964 to 1992, by 34 to 58 per cent. Head‐retreat rates during that period were 0·48, 0·55 and 0·73 m a^?1 and average annual sediment evacuation was estimated as 2534 ± 171, 959 ± 60 and 2783 ± 118 m³ a^?1 for the three gullies respectively. From the field measurement, estimated volumes were found to vary from 731 ± 57 to 2793 ± 201 m³ a^?1 over the monitoring period of two years. It was also found that the gullies produce sediment which accounts for up to 59 per cent of the sediment produced from surface erosion in the headwater catchment. The findings are useful for planning and executing appropriate control measures and constructing a sediment hazard map at the catchment scale. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Badass gully morphodynamics and sediment generation in Waipaoa Catchment,New Zealand

Large (>0.1 km²) gully–mass movement complexes (badass gullies) are significant contributors to the sediment cascade in New Zealand's steepland East Coast Region catchments. The scale of change taking place in these gully systems allows significant evolution in morphology and sediment dynamics to be tracked at annual to decadal timescales. Here we document changes in two adjacent badass gullies in Waipaoa catchment (Tarndale and Mangatu) to infer sediment generation processes and connectivity using a morphological budgeting approach. A baseline dataset for this study is provided by a LiDAR-derived digital elevation model (DEM) in 2005. We produced new DEMs and orthophoto mosaics using photogrammetry in 2017, 2018, and 2019 to quantify gully morphodynamics and associated volumes of sediment erosion and deposition in both systems as they co-evolved. Results indicate ongoing rapid development of both gully complexes. Severe erosion took place at the gully heads with lowering and migration (up to 25 m vertically and laterally) of the topographic divide separating the two gullies between 2005 and 2019. Over the same period, net lowering of each gully system was ~250 mm year⁻¹. Key sediment-generating processes included surface erosion, deep-seated landslides, and debris flows. Longer term, the overall contribution of sediment from both badass gullies to the Waipaoa catchment has been declining. In the mid-20th century, both gullies yielded in excess of 300 kt year⁻¹. From 2005 to 2019, 80 kt year⁻¹ was yielded from Tarndale and 110 kt year⁻¹ from Mangatu. Our most recent surveys demonstrated considerable variability in sediment yield, ranging from 76 kt year⁻¹ (2017–2018) to 291 kt year⁻¹ (2018–2019). The annual variability observed reflects the complex morphodynamics of discrete hillslopes and tributary fans in these badass gully systems and underlines the importance of integrating decadal and annual surveys when assessing system trajectory. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Variability in sediment supply,transfer and deposition in an upland torrent system: Iron Crag,northern England

Research into torrent erosion has focused on bedload transport dynamics, debris flow propagation during flood events, and fan sedimentation. Studies have frequently been biased towards specific events and have not considered sediment delivery in the catchment as a whole. The aim of this study is to examine spatial variations and process controls on sediment transfer in an upland torrent system (hillslopes, channel and fan). The study site is Iron Crag, a small torrent system (catchment area 2·4 ha) situated in the northern Lake District, UK. Particle size analysis of hillslope sediments trapped during transport suggests sediment calibre is controlled primarily by sediment source. Freeze–thaw and rainfall processes impart a weak but recognizable size sorting signature on the trapped sediments. However, these variations are less significant in determining sediment supply to the basal fan, than those operating in the channel system. Channel sediment movement is strongly influenced by storm events, the type of flow process (debris flow or fluvial flow), the sediment characteristics, and the local channel topography. The importance of the channel–fan coupling is clearly demonstrated in that more than 90 per cent of fan sedimentation is derived from channel sediment sources. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Changes to sediment sources following wildfire in a forested upland catchment,southeastern Australia

Few investigations link post‐fire changes to sediment sources and erosion processes with sediment yield response at the catchment scale. This linkage is essential if downstream impacts on sediment transport after fire are to be understood in the context of fire effects across different forest environments. In this study, we quantify changing source contributions to fine sediment (<63 µm) exported from a eucalypt forest catchment (136 ha) burnt by wildfire. The study catchment is one of a pair of research catchments located in the East Kiewa River valley in southeastern Australia that have been the subject of a research program investigating wildfire effects on runoff, erosion, and catchment sediment/nutrient exports. This previous research provided the opportunity to couple insights gained from a range of measurement techniques with the application of fallout radionuclides ¹³⁷Cs and ²¹⁰Pb_ex to trace sediment sources. It was found that hillslope surface erosion dominated exports throughout the 3·5‐year post‐fire measurement period. During this time there was a pronounced decline in the proportional surface contribution from close to 100% in the first six months to 58% in the fourth year after fire. Over the study period, hillslope surface sources accounted for 93% of the fine sediment yield from the burnt catchment. The largest decline in the hillslope contribution occurred between the first and second years after fire, which corresponded with the previously reported large decline in sediment yield, breakdown of water repellency in burnt soils, substantial reduction in hillslope erodibility, and rapid surface vegetation recovery. Coupling the information on sediment sources with hillslope process measurements indicated that only a small proportion of slopes contributed sediment to the catchment outlet, with material derived from near‐channel areas dominating the post‐fire catchment sediment yield response. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Lithological controls on hillslope sediment supply: insights from landslide activity and grain size distributions

The volumes, rates and grain size distributions of sediment supplied from hillslopes represent the initial input of sediment delivered from upland areas and propagated through sediment routing systems. Moreover, hillslope sediment supply has a significant impact on landscape response time to tectonic and climatic perturbations. However, there are very few detailed field studies characterizing hillslope sediment supply as a function of lithology and delivery process. Here, we present new empirical data from tectonically‐active areas in southern Italy that quantifies how lithology and rock strength control the landslide fluxes and grain size distributions supplied from hillslopes. Landslides are the major source of hillslope sediment supply in this area, and our inventory of ~2800 landslides reveals that landslide sediment flux is dominated by small, shallow landslides. We find that lithology and rock strength modulate the abundance of steep slopes and landslides, and the distribution of landslide sizes. Outcrop‐scale rock strength also controls the grain sizes supplied by bedrock weathering, and influences the degree of coarsening of landslide supply with respect to weathering supply. Finally, we show that hillslope sediment supply largely determines the grain sizes of fluvial export, from catchments and that catchments with greater long‐term landslide rates deliver coarser material. Therefore, our results demonstrate a dual control of lithology on hillslope sediment supply, by modulating both the sediment fluxes from landslides and the grain sizes supplied by hillslopes to the fluvial system. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Model study of the relationship between sediment yield and river basin area

The SHETRAN physically based, spatially distributed model is used to investigate the scaling relationship linking specific sediment yield to river basin area, for two contrasting topographies of upland and more homogeneous terrain and as a function of sediment source, land use and rainfall distribution. Modelling enables the effects of the controls to be examined on a systematic basis, while avoiding the difficulties associated with the use of field data (which include limited data, lack of measurements for nested basins and inability to isolate the effects of individual controls). Conventionally sediment yield is held to decrease as basin area increases, as the river network becomes more remote from the headwater sediment sources (an inverse relationship). However, recent studies have reported the opposite variation, depending on the river basin characteristics. The simulation results are consistent with these studies. If the sediment is supplied solely from hillslope erosion (no channel bank erosion) then, with uniform land use, sediment yield either decreases or is constant as area increases. The downstream decrease is accentuated if rainfall (and thence erosion) is higher in the headwaters than at lower elevations. Introducing a non‐uniform land use (e.g. forest at higher elevations, wheat at lower elevations) can reverse the trend, so that sediment yield increases downstream. If the sediment is supplied solely from bank erosion (no hillslope erosion), the sediment yield increases downstream for all conditions. The sediment yield/basin area relationship can thus be inverse or direct, depending on basin characteristics. There still remains, therefore, considerable scope for defining a universal scaling law for sediment yield. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Grazing impacts on gully dynamics indicate approaches for gully erosion control in northeast Australia

Drainage network extension in semi‐arid rangelands has contributed to a large increase in the amount of fine sediment delivered to the coastal lagoon of the Great Barrier Reef, but gully erosion rates and dynamics are poorly understood. This study monitored annual erosion, deposition and vegetation cover in six gullies for 13 years, in granite‐derived soils of the tropical Burdekin River basin. We also monitored a further 11 gullies in three nearby catchments for 4 years to investigate the effects of grazing intensity. Under livestock grazing, the long‐term fine sediment yield from the planform area of gullies was 6.1 t ha^‐1 yr^‐1. This was 7.3 times the catchment sediment yield, indicating that gullies were erosion hotspots within the catchment. It was estimated that gully erosion supplied between 29 and 44% of catchment sediment yield from 4.5% of catchment area, of which 85% was derived from gully wall erosion. Under long‐term livestock exclusion gully sediment yields were 77% lower than those of grazed gullies due to smaller gully extent, and lower erosion rates especially on gully walls. Gully wall erosion will continue to be a major landscape sediment source that is sensitive to grazing pressure, long after gully length and depth have stabilised. Wall erosion was generally lower at higher levels of wall vegetation cover, suggesting that yield could be reduced by increasing cover. Annual variations in gully head erosion and net sediment yield were strongly dependent on annual rainfall and runoff, suggesting that sediment yield would also be reduced if surface runoff could be reduced. Deposition occurred in the downstream valley segments of most gullies. This study concludes that reducing livestock grazing pressure within and around gullies in hillslope drainage lines is a primary method of gully erosion control, which could deliver substantial reductions in sediment yield. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Sediment transport,redistribution and storage on logged forest hillslopes in south‐eastern Australia

Post‐logging changes in catchment sediment yield have traditionally been attributed to increases in hillslope erosion and delivery rates as a result of forest harvesting activities. Linking hillslope erosion to catchment yield in forestry environments remains difficult, however, primarily because of the scarcity of data on the nature of hillslope sediment storage and delivery processes. A large rainfall simulator (350 m²) was used to apply rainstorms to a logged hillslope containing a snig track (skid trail) and a general logging or harvesting area (GHA) on 10 forest compartments in south‐eastern Australia. The experiments confirmed that the compacted, disturbed surfaces, such as roads and tracks, are the dominant sources of sediment in forestry areas. Sediment transport rates were limited by available sediment supply on both the snig track and the GHA, introducing important implications for the modelling of these surfaces using sediment transport capacity theories. Sediment delivery from the snig track to the adjacent GHA, via a cross‐bank (drainage diversion), was strongly influenced by the percentage fine fraction in the eroded sediment. Preferential deposition of coarse aggregates was measured at erosion control structures and on the adjacent GHA. Over 50% of fine‐grained material were deposited on the hillslope over a relatively short, flow path length of <5 m, highlighting the effectiveness of runoff diversion as a practice in reducing sediment flux. The transfer of water and sediment from disturbed to less disturbed parts of the landscape, and the associated potential for sediment storage, needs to be considered as part of any catchment impact assessment. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Reconstructing the development of a gully in the Upper Kalaus basin,Stavropol region (southern Russia)

The Stavropol region of southern Russia is severely affected by human‐induced gully erosion. A lack of detailed information on the different stages of gully formation resulting from major agricultural expansion c. 100 years ago, is an obstacle for management and containment of these systems. In this study we combine measurements of particle‐bound radionuclides (¹³⁷Cs, ²¹⁰Pb_ex, ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K) and classical geomorphology to investigate and reconstruct the different phases of development of a gully during the last c. 100 years. We believe the ?rst phase (1) involved an initial incision into the bottom of a small valley (catchment area c. 1 km²) about 100 years ago. A short period of rapid growth was followed by a longer stage of gully stabilization. Subsequent phases were: (2) the period 1954–1960 – re‐incision in the lower gully reach was initiated by a high‐magnitude rainfall event, and a substantial amount of sediment was delivered to the gully fan; (3) c. 1960–1986 – the knickpoint retreated slowly, sediment was redeposited nearby, and the fan surface became stable; (4) 1986–1987 – a dam was built in the gully mouth and breached shortly after construction following 2 days of high rainfall, and substantial sediment accumulated in the gully above the dam and below the spillway channel on the fan surface; (5) 1987–1993 – the knickpoint retreat continued and the lower fan surface was stable until 1993 when the last signi?cant runoff event overlayed it with c. 10 cm of fresh sediment. These detailed reconstructions of gully development stages allow the contribution of high‐magnitude events to gully growth and regional sediment delivery to be assessed. They further guide management actions to prevent such dam failures in the future. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Hillslope sediment fence catch efficiencies and particle sorting for post-fire rain storms

Sediment fences are often used to monitor hillslope erosion, but these can underestimate sediment yields due to overtopping of runoff and associated sediment. We modified four sediment fences to collect and measure the runoff and sediment that overtopped the fence in addition to the sediment deposited behind the fence. Specific objectives were to: (1) determine the catch efficiency of sediment fences measuring post-fire hillslope erosion; (2) assess particle sorting of sand, silt/clay, and organic matter from each hillslope through the sediment fence and subsequent runoff collection barrels; (3) evaluate how catch efficiency and particle size sorting relate to site and rainfall-runoff event characteristics; and (4) use runoff simulations to estimate sediment fence volumes for future post-fire monitoring. Catch efficiency ranged from 28 to 100% for events and 38 to 94% per site for the entire sampling season, indicating a relatively large underestimation of sediment yields by sediment fences. Most of the eroded sediment had similar proportions of sand and silt/clay as the hillslope soils, but the sediment behind the fence was significantly enriched in sand while the sediment that overtopped the fence was more strongly enriched in silt/clay. The sediment fences had capacities of 3 m³ for hillslopes of 0.19–0.43 ha, but simulations of runoff for 2- to 100-year storms indicate that the sediment fences would need a capacity of up to 240 m³ to store all of the runoff and associated sediment. More accurate measurements of sediment yields with sediment fences require either increasing the storage capacity of the sediment fence(s) to accommodate the expected volume of runoff and sediment, reducing the size of the contributing area, or directly measuring the runoff and sediment that overtop the fence. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effect of ENSO events on sediment production in a large coastal basin in northern Peru

Although the importance of ENSO on hydrological anomalies has been recognized, variations in sediment fluxes caused by these extreme events are poorly documented. The effect of ENSO is not limited to changes in sediment mobilization. Since ENSO events can affect terrestrial ecosystems, they may have important effects on sediment production and transport in river basins over time spans that are longer than the duration of the event itself. The Catamayo‐Chira basin is an interesting casestudy for investigating these geomorphic implications. The objectives were: (i) to study the effect of ENSO on stream flow and sediment yields in the basin, (ii) to investigate if ENSO events affect sediment yields in the post‐ENSO period and (iii) to understand which factors control the ENSO and post‐ENSO basin response. During strong negative ENSO periods, mean annual stream flow discharge at the inlet of the Poechos reservoir in the lower basin was 5.4 times higher than normal annual discharges, while average sediment fluxes exceeded those of normal years by a factor of about 11. In two heavily affected periods, 45.9% of the total sediment yield in the 29 years observation period was generated. Sediment fluxes in the post‐ENSO period are lower than expected, which proves post‐ENSO event dynamics are significantly different from pre‐event dynamics. Our analysis indicates the increase of vegetation growth in the lower basin is not the main reason explaining considerable sediment flux decrease in post‐ENSO periods. During strong ENSO events, sediment in alluvial stores in the lower part of the basin is removed due to enlarging and deepening of channels. In post‐ENSO periods, normal discharges and persisting sediment supplies from the middle/upper basin lead to river aggradation and storage of large amounts of sediment in alluvial plains. The decrease in sediment export will last for several years until the equilibrium is re‐established. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The effect of landform variation on vegetation patterning and related sediment dynamics

Semi‐arid ecosystems are often spatially self‐organized in typical patterns of vegetation bands with high plant cover interspersed with bare soil areas, also known as ‘tiger bush’. In modelling studies, most often, straight planar slopes were used to analyse vegetation patterning. The effect of slope steepness has been investigated widely, and some studies investigated the effects of microtopography and hillslope orientation. However, at the larger catchment scale, the overall form of the landscape may affect vegetation patterning and these more complex landscapes are much more prevalent than straight slopes. Hence, our objective was to determine the effect of landform variation on vegetation patterning and sediment dynamics. We linked two well‐established models that simulate (a) plant growth, death and dispersal of vegetation, and (b) erosion and sedimentation dynamics. The model was tested on a straight planar hillslope and then applied to (i) a set of simple synthetic topographies with varying curvature and (ii) three more complex, real‐world landscapes of distinct morphology. Results show banded vegetation patterning on all synthetic topographies, always perpendicular to the slope gradient. Interestingly, we also found that movement of bands – a debated phenomenon – seems to be dependent on curvature. Vegetation banding was simulated on the slopes of the alluvial fan and along the valley slopes of the dissected and rolling landscapes. In all landscapes, local valleys developed a full vegetation cover induced by water concentration, which is consistent with observations worldwide. Finally, banded vegetation patterns were found to reduce erosion significantly as compared to other vegetation configurations. © 2018 The Authors. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.