Comparing landslide patterns and failure mechanisms in restored and native forest ecosystems: Insights from geomorphology, lithology and vegetation

Abstract

Climate change has led to an increasing frequency of extreme rainfall events, intensifying the group-occurring landslides on a global scale. However, the role of forest management measures, particularly the combined effects of geomorphology, lithology and vegetation conditions, in controlling the occurrence and characteristics of these landslides remains poorly understood. A detailed field investigation and statistical analyses based on an event with around 1,673 landslides in southeastern China are conducted herein. The results reveal distinct failure patterns and mechanisms associated with different lithology-vegetation systems. Restored forest ecosystems, typically established on thick residual soil, predominantly experience short and wide landslides. However, native forest ecosystems, where landslides are controlled by soil–bedrock discontinuities, exhibit elongated and slender failure patterns that may evolve into debris flows under favorable conditions. This work provides new insights into the failure mechanisms of group-occurring landslides in restored and native forest ecosystems, offering region-specific insights into the development of ecosystem-specific ecological management strategies in the geo-hazard prevention with broader implications for subtropical monsoon areas.