PEDESTRIAN- AND BICYCLE-INDUCED PATH EROSION ON A UNIVERSITY CAMPUS

Soil denudation studies in urban environments are infrequent in the geomorphic literature. Here we describe the amount of soil erosion associated with pedestrian and bicycle pathways on an American university campus. The amount of soil denudation from thirty pedestrian/bicycle paths on the campus of the University of North Carolina was determined by morphometric measurements. Volumes denuded ranged from nearly 20 m³ to <0.2 m³ per site. Highest amounts were located at sites adjacent to a football stadium. Three types of paths were recognized, based on their utilization: paths running adjacent to existing sidewalks; paths cutting across lawns and through shrubbery from one sidewalk to another; and those formed by bicycles in order to avoid going up or down steps.