Geomorphology最新文献

{"title":"How did the Hukou Waterfall of the Yellow River form?","authors":"Hao Liang ,&nbsp;Ke Zhang ,&nbsp;Jianguo Xiong ,&nbsp;Zhongyun Li ,&nbsp;Xiu Hu ,&nbsp;Ying Xu ,&nbsp;Ping Huang ,&nbsp;Zhigang Li ,&nbsp;Yipeng Zhang ,&nbsp;Gege Hui ,&nbsp;Kang Liu ,&nbsp;Weitao Wang ,&nbsp;Peizhen Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.geomorph.2025.109812","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.geomorph.2025.109812","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Waterfalls are steep steps in river sections that longitudinally break river channels, typically found in drainage systems with tectonically active conditions. However, large waterfalls can also form in tectonically inactive areas, creating a phenomenon that is not yet fully understood. The Hukou Waterfall, located in the Jinshaan Gorge of the Yellow River, an area generally considered tectonically stable, preserves datable landforms and provides an opportunity to study the formation and propagation processes of waterfalls. In this study, we reconstruct the paleochannel associated with the recession of the Hukou Waterfall by correlating fluvial terraces and paleo-outlets. Our results suggest that the waterfall once existed at a paleo base level approximately 65 m higher than its current position. The migration rates of the waterfall varied between 16.9 and 30.3 cm/a during its recession, with faster recession during inter-glacial periods. Based on these findings, we estimate that the Hukou Waterfall entered the Jinshaan Gorge between 233.5 and 260.0 ka, and propose that the Hukou Waterfall originated from a sudden drop in base level due to drainage integration between the Fenwei Basin and the Sanmen Gorge. Our analysis also shows that migration rates, as well as overburden on waterfall-related terraces, correlate with cyclic climate patterns, highlighting the role of climate variability in driving waterfall migration over time. These findings may help refine models of river incision, base-level change, and knickpoint migration, contributing to the broader understanding of waterfall migration patterns in response to both climate and tectonic changes and offering a template for studying landform evolution in other river systems worldwide.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55115,"journal":{"name":"Geomorphology","volume":"482 ","pages":"Article 109812"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143895701","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Contourite distribution on the continental slope off NW Ireland, Rockall Trough (NE Atlantic Ocean): genesis and evolution","authors":"Ling Wang ,&nbsp;Alice Lefebvre ,&nbsp;Tilmann Schwenk ,&nbsp;Brit Kockisch ,&nbsp;Andrew Wheeler ,&nbsp;Morten Iversen ,&nbsp;Elda Miramontes","doi":"10.1016/j.geomorph.2025.109788","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.geomorph.2025.109788","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Continental slopes are commonly shaped by ocean currents, forming contourite systems, especially in areas where submarine canyons are not very abundant. Although contourites have been identified in different environments, it is still unclear how near bottom circulation controls the deposition and erosion of sediment in contourite systems and shapes the slope due to the limited direct oceanographic observations. The continental slope located on the eastern Rockall Trough offshore NW Ireland is dominated by numerous plastered drifts, which are genetically linked with contourite terraces. Terraces and plastered drifts generally grow synchronously to form terrace-plastered drift systems (T-D system). This research focuses on the development of T-D systems and the effects of oceanographic processes through a multidisciplinary approach that combines geophysical, sedimentological and oceanographic observations. T-D systems develop on the upper and middle slopes at 500–1500 m water depths under the influence of the Eastern North Atlantic Water (ENAW). They started to form during the Late Oligocene. Direct measurements show that strong along-slope bottom currents (up to 50 cm/s) and breaking internal waves control the development of T-D systems. Internal wave activity causes the formation of high-turbidity nepheloid layers above the T-D systems. The extension of the observed contourite systems is confined by downslope gravitational processes, with submarine canyons limiting their lateral extension and mass-wasting processes dominating the lower slope. This study provides a better understanding of the conditions under which bottom currents control the morphology of continental slopes worldwide.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55115,"journal":{"name":"Geomorphology","volume":"482 ","pages":"Article 109788"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143906706","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Quantifying coastal cliff retreat, sediment volume, and dynamics using photogrammetry and geospatial analysis in the Pénestin Peninsula, France","authors":"David Menier ,&nbsp;Romain Le Gall ,&nbsp;Manoj Joseph Mathew ,&nbsp;Benjamin Sautter ,&nbsp;Mu. Ramkumar ,&nbsp;Effi Helmy Ariffin ,&nbsp;Glen Bulot ,&nbsp;Franto Novico ,&nbsp;Guilhem Estournès ,&nbsp;Céline Le Mignant","doi":"10.1016/j.geomorph.2025.109792","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.geomorph.2025.109792","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Recently, rocky cliffs globally have garnered immense attention due to their susceptibility to erosion, collapse, and instability, similar to the frequent monitoring of low-lying coastal zones for risks associated with climate change-related sea-level rise and flooding. Historically, sediment volumes have been extensively studied and constrained; however, recent advancements in remote sensing and UAV technology now facilitate more precise quantitative assessments of the volumes of sediment loads involved in these transfers. In this study, we analyse erosion and sediment transport in two sectors of the Pénestin Peninsula in South Brittany using high-resolution and high-frequency drone imagery. We integrate an array of geospatial datasets to perform a detailed photogrammetric analysis of approximately 900 m of the Mine d'Or cliff. The resulting topographic and morphological differentials at the land-sea interface reveal significant erosional asymmetry between the southern and northern sectors of the beach, primarily influenced by gravitational forces and urban development at beach access points. Quantitatively, since 1952, the southern sector has experienced a higher average annual retreat compared to the northern slope. Our mapping of the dynamics of coarse and medium sand stocks along the northern coast of the peninsula, spanning the period from 2010 to 2020, indicates that approximately 32,000 m³ of material from cliff erosion has contributed to the sediment accumulation on the shore, particularly within the Branzais Marsh. Furthermore, while 10,000 m³ were removed from the beach due to littoral drift transport, approximately 12,000 m³ of sand and gravel were revealed to be in transit to the northern coast. This quantitative analysis underscores the substantial impact of rocky coastal cliff erosion as a major sedimentary source in a context of limited external sediment supply. The sediment stock, made available for transit and deposition due to local hydrodynamic factors, is notably influenced by a northward longshore drift.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55115,"journal":{"name":"Geomorphology","volume":"482 ","pages":"Article 109792"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143916275","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"“Fault dynamics and paleoseismic evidence in the Darjeeling-Sikkim Himalayan foothills: A study of fault-controlled landscapes”","authors":"Chandreyee Chakrabarti Goswami ,&nbsp;Petra Štěpančíková ,&nbsp;Atul Singh ,&nbsp;Manoj K. Jaiswal ,&nbsp;Prasun Jana","doi":"10.1016/j.geomorph.2025.109802","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.geomorph.2025.109802","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Darjeeling-Sikkim Himalayan foothills exhibit a dynamic interaction of regional thrusts, back thrusts, and transverse faults, facilitating strain adjustments. The back-thrust system is characterized by the hinterland-sloping Thaljhora, Nagrakata, and Baradighi scarps, while the transverse faults are controlling river courses, including the Neora, Murti, Jaldhaka, Gathia, and Jiti. This region, known as the Jaldhaka recess, shows evidence of active deformation.</div><div>Analyses of slope and longitudinal profiles of rivers and fan surfaces suggest folding in Thaljhora and Baradighi surfaces, with major rivers forming prominent knickpoints as they cross scarps related to back thrusts. A parallel river network further indicates transverse fault-controlled drainage. A trench excavation perpendicular to the Thaljhora scarp, supplemented by natural outcrops, revealed sediment deformations linked to a southerly dipping back thrust fault. Soft Sediment Deformation Structures, which we consider as seismites, indicate moderate-magnitude earthquakes intermittently activated by Thaljhora back thrust.</div><div>The radiocarbon age of deformed carbonaceous clays suggests a significant uplift along the Thaljhora thrust between ∼31,000 and ∼ 28,000 CalBP. Another activation phase occurred around ∼21,000 CalBP, forming the Baradighi scarp, with reactivation at ∼9000 CalBP. The Nagrakata scarp likely resulted from rotational movement and strain adjustments among the Thaljhora backthrust and the transverse Jaldhaka and Gathia faults. Thus, evidence from river profiles, trench excavations, and dating techniques (radiocarbon and OSL) confirms late Pleistocene seismic activity, with at least two significant earthquakes (Mw 6–7) influencing fault movements and landscape evolution.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55115,"journal":{"name":"Geomorphology","volume":"482 ","pages":"Article 109802"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143881299","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Glacial and periglacial dynamics during the last deglaciation in the Bonabé Valley (Marimanha Massif), central southern Pyrenees","authors":"Josep Ventura ,&nbsp;Marc Oliva ,&nbsp;José M. Fernández-Fernández ,&nbsp;Marcelo Fernandes ,&nbsp;David Palacios ,&nbsp;Tancrède Leger ,&nbsp;Vincent Jomelli ,&nbsp;Oriol Grau ,&nbsp;A.S.T.E.R. TEAM","doi":"10.1016/j.geomorph.2025.109801","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.geomorph.2025.109801","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this study we reconstruct the deglaciation of the Bonabé valley in the Marimanha massif (upper Noguera Pallaresa valley, central southern Pyrenees) by combining geomorphological mapping and cosmic-ray exposure dating methods applied to a set of 17 samples from moraines, rock glacier boulders and glacially-polished surfaces. This valley includes eight moraine systems and two rock glaciers, and the geochronological results reveal one of the most complete sequences of glacial and periglacial phases documented in the Pyrenees, from the Heinrich Stadial 1, Bølling-Allerød and Younger Dryas events to the onset of the Holocene. The cooling recorded during the Heinrich Stadial 1 generated three phases of glacier advance/still stands between 17.3 and 15.3 ka, with the development of 2-4 km long alpine glaciers. The Bølling-Allerød interstadial entailed a rapid process of valley and cirque deglaciation around 15-13 ka, and the replacement of glacial processes by periglacial dynamics characterised by the formation of polygenetic rock glaciers. The Younger Dryas favoured both the development of the upper ridges of a rock glacier that stabilised around 12.3 ka, and the formation of new small cirque glaciers that built moraines which stabilised around 11 ka.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55115,"journal":{"name":"Geomorphology","volume":"482 ","pages":"Article 109801"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143912844","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Decoding surface processes from escarpment to watershed: Insights from karst landscapes using cosmogenic nuclides and geochemical data","authors":"Rogerio Uagoda ,&nbsp;Lionel L. Siame ,&nbsp;Jérémie Garnier ,&nbsp;Laëtitia Leanni ,&nbsp;Dandara Caldeira ,&nbsp;Régis Braucher ,&nbsp;Rémi Freydier ,&nbsp;Patrick Seyler ,&nbsp;ASTER Team","doi":"10.1016/j.geomorph.2025.109794","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.geomorph.2025.109794","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Tropical karst landscapes are marked by complex sediment dynamics resulting from the interplay between geomorphic processes and sediment transport. In the Vermelho Watershed (Brazilian savanna), we use paired cosmogenic nuclides (¹⁰Be and ²⁶Al) to quantify denudation rates, burial durations, and sediment mixing. The spatial distribution of Al<img>Be ratios reveals rapid erosion and prolonged burial on escarpments, in contrast to the more stable conditions of flatter areas, where erosion is subdued, and sediment residence time is longer.</div><div>Comparisons with Iraquara and Serra das Mesas emphasize the influence of topography and sediment sources on nuclide inventories. Downstream increases in freshly eroded material point to fluvial mixing, while discrepancies between cosmogenic burial and OSL ages (Tarimba Cave) suggest partial burial and pre-depositional histories.</div><div>The integration of cosmogenic, geochemical, and geomorphic data underscores the complexity of tropical karst systems, where vertical mixing and uneven erosion are key processes. These results contribute to a broader understanding of landscape evolution and offer a comparative basis for interpreting cosmogenic signals in fluvio-karst environments worldwide.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55115,"journal":{"name":"Geomorphology","volume":"482 ","pages":"Article 109794"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143881298","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Climate patterns derived from piedmont glaciation during the LGM in the Central Himalaya","authors":"Yanmin Yang ,&nbsp;Weilin Yang ,&nbsp;Jinfeng Xu ,&nbsp;Gengnian Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.geomorph.2025.109798","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.geomorph.2025.109798","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Quaternary glaciers serve as vital proxies for reconstructing the palaeoenvironment and palaeoclimate on the Tibetan Plateau (TP). However, the scarcity and unevenly distributed observations impede our understanding of the interactions between glacier and climate changes at a regional scale. In this study, we explored the advance and retreat of the piedmont glaciers during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) in Central Himalaya, using a combination of field investigation and glacier modelling. The thirty ¹⁰Be exposure ages from six moraines shows the piedmont glaciers in the north slope of the Central Himalaya occurred extensive advance during 17.4 ± 2.6 ka to 19.6 ± 1.2 ka. Then, glacier extents, ice thickness, and equilibrium line altitude (ELA) were reconstructed using a 2D coupled ice-flow and mass balance model. The modelling results were well-matched with our dated moraines and previously published observations, confirming that the glacier area in the Central Himalaya during the LGM was approximately 11.6 times larger than that of modern glaciers, with the area and volume of 9985 km² and 1885 km³. The regional average ELAs during the LGM was 5293 ± 218 m, about 347 ± 110 m lower than the present. The palaeo-ELAs were lower on the southern side (5190 ± 220 m) but higher on the northern side (5348 ± 195 m) of Central Himalaya influenced by regional topography, geology, and atmospheric circulations. The ELAs in the central region (4850 ± 268 m) were 85 ± 66 m lower than at the western Gurla Mandhata (4935 ± 334 m) and 185 ± 13 m lower than at the eastern Mansell Snow Mountains (5008 ± 255 m) due to differences in mountain range orientation and orographic effects. This study provides a framework for large-scale regional palaeoenvironment and palaeoglacier reconstructions and contributes to understanding the heterogeneity in glacier fluctuations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55115,"journal":{"name":"Geomorphology","volume":"482 ","pages":"Article 109798"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143890594","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Relative sea-level changes and reef development in the northern Coral Triangle during the late Quaternary","authors":"Kathrine Maxwell ,&nbsp;Alessio Rovere ,&nbsp;Hildegard Westphal ,&nbsp;Kevin Garas ,&nbsp;Mirasol Guinto ,&nbsp;Denovan Chauveau ,&nbsp;Hsun-Ming Hu ,&nbsp;Chuan-Chou Shen","doi":"10.1016/j.geomorph.2025.109796","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.geomorph.2025.109796","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Philippines, situated at the apex of the Coral Triangle, is fringed by both modern and fossil coral reefs that preserve valuable records of Quaternary relative sea-level changes and tectonic deformation. This study presents a new interpretation of the formation of the Late Pleistocene coral reef terraces at Cape Bolinao in western Luzon, offering insights into sea-level history, reef development, and tectonic uplift within the northern Coral Triangle. Integrating high-resolution morphological analysis, new geochronological data, and reef stratigraphic numerical models, we delineate nine distinct reef terraces. The lowest terrace (∼4 m above mean sea level) dates to the mid-Holocene, while reef simulations replicating present-day terrace morphology constrain the highest terrace (∼155 m amsl) to Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 5e, indicating a long-term uplift rate of 1.17 ± 0.03 mm/yr for Cape Bolinao. We propose a morpho-chronologic framework wherein a Late Pleistocene table reef developed on a gently sloping substrate and was progressively uplifted, leading to successive fringing reef terraces. This high uplift, coupled with observed tilting and deformation patterns, provides compelling evidence that subduction of the Scarborough Seamount Chain beneath Luzon Island exerts a primary control on localized forearc deformation along the Manila Subduction Zone. This work offers a key dataset for understanding Quaternary CRT development in the northern Coral Triangle and sheds light on how subduction-related processes have shaped the region's sea-level and coral reef records.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55115,"journal":{"name":"Geomorphology","volume":"483 ","pages":"Article 109796"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143948139","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Monitoring debris flow dynamics: insights from 4D-LiDAR observations in Ohya landslide, Central Japan","authors":"Tatsuki Kaneko ,&nbsp;Fumitoshi Imaizumi ,&nbsp;Tomoya Osada ,&nbsp;Saleh Yousefi ,&nbsp;Shoki Takayama","doi":"10.1016/j.geomorph.2025.109800","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.geomorph.2025.109800","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Debris flows, characterized by their destructive potential, rapid velocities, and extensive runout distances, pose significant hazards. Recent technological advancements have enabled the monitoring of debris flows using 4D (3D + time)-LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) from automotive-grade LiDAR for serial production, which is essential given the rapid temporal and spatial changes associated with debris flows. However, the data acquisition remains insufficient, particularly regarding the runout and deposition characteristics of debris flows traversing natural channels, which have yet to be fully elucidated. In this study, we installed 4D-LiDAR alongside video cameras at two locations; upstream and downstream, in the Ohya landslide scar in central Japan. This setup aimed to capture the three-dimensional surface morphology of the debris flows during its runouts, development, and deposition phases. As a result, we observed differences in longitudinal and cross-sectional profiles, surface morphology, and sediment deposition between fully and partly saturated debris flows. The cross-sectional profile showed a convex shape at the front of partly saturated debris flow. The surface morphology of debris flow, as indicated by the mean and standard deviation value of slope gradient and roughness, revealed that the front and middle sections of the surges exhibited similar tendencies, while the tail section displayed a different trend. This difference suggests that the standard deviation of slope gradient and roughness of flow surface were influenced by flow turbulence, particularly in saturated debris flows. Additionally, particle size also affects the standard deviation of slope gradient in partly saturated debris flows that are fully covered by boulders. However, the movements of boulders during the 0.1 s analysis interval of the LiDAR data may have resulted in poor correlations between the particle size determined from video images. The deposition of the surge front formed inverse slope topography relative to the original channel bed. These reverse gradients were consistently present during debris flow deposition, indicating that the topography decreased the mobility of subsequent flows, leading to the backfilling of sediments in the debris flow channel. We conclude that 4D-LiDAR monitoring is effective in enhancing our understanding of the runout characteristics of debris flows.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55115,"journal":{"name":"Geomorphology","volume":"482 ","pages":"Article 109800"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143887355","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Soil dynamics along an escarpment of a quartz sandstone tableland","authors":"Simon Amrein ,&nbsp;Markus Egli ,&nbsp;Filip Duszyński ,&nbsp;Piotr Migoń ,&nbsp;Kacper Jancewicz ,&nbsp;Dmitry Tikhomirov ,&nbsp;Jarosław Waroszewski","doi":"10.1016/j.geomorph.2025.109793","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.geomorph.2025.109793","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Long-term geomorphic evolution of tablelands involves various mechanisms and processes. The retreat of peripheral escarpments is assumed to be of key significance. How soils evolve on escarpments undergoing retreat and what they tell about the pace of this retreat is poorly understood. To address this knowledge gap, the following research questions were set: (a) How do the composition and the properties of soils change with distance from a sandstone caprock escarpment? (b) What is the weathering state of the soil material? (c) How do erosion and deposition rates compare within an escarpment cliff?</div><div>The Stołowe Mountains in Poland provide a spectacular tableland landscape where a sandstone caprock overlies mudstones and marls, resulting in morphologically bipartite slopes, with a cliff line at the top and planar to concave slopes below. Eight profiles along a toposequence within the escarpment of Urwisko Batorowskie were investigated. By using the fallout radionuclides ^239+240Pu as a tracer, soil erosion and deposition rates along the sequence were assessed. For a comprehensive understanding of soil characteristics in relation to erosion processes, weathering severity was characterised by using weathering indices. Soil dynamics were further investigated using a portable optically stimulated luminescence reader. The soils exhibited complex characteristics and varied from Podzols to Stagnosols, Gleysols and possibly polygenetic soils. Soil erosion and deposition rates showed a high variability along the slope, with erosion rates of 0.5–6.4 t ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ and deposition rates of 0.2–6.9 t ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹, and thus an almost equal mass balance. Weathering indices and luminescence measurements revealed the high dynamics of these soils. Some abrupt changes along the profiles and within the sequence indicated (lithological) discontinuities in the soils. Consequently, soils along such slopes often exhibit a polygenetic character. Although the area is forested, soil redistribution rates appeared comparable to agricultural land. The soil dynamics showed that the entire escarpment is an active morphodynamic domain, notwithstanding the paucity of clear landform record of this activity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55115,"journal":{"name":"Geomorphology","volume":"481 ","pages":"Article 109793"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143873277","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}