Soil loss variation within a Colorado Alpine area |
| |
| Authors: | Michael J Bovis Colin E Thorn |
| |
| Institution: | 1. Department of Geography, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C. V6T 1W5 Canada;2. Department of Geography, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801, U.S.A. |
| |
| Abstract: | The areally weighted surface erosion for Niwot Ridge, an alpine interfluve in the Colorado Front Range, is 10?1 mm/y. This may be subdivided into rates for three generalized cover types: tundra meadow, 10?2 mm/y; dry tundra, 10?1 mm/y; late-lying snow patches, 10° mm/y. Tundra meadow (about 50 per cent of the interfluve area) yields about 5 per cent of the eroded material; dry tundra (35 per cent of the area) contributes slightly less than 50 per cent of the eroded material; while nivation hollows occupied by late-lying snow patches occupy only about 3 per cent of the area they contribute 50 per cent of the eroded material. The bulk of the surficial erosion is accomplished between June and September, primarily by rainsplash, except where snowmelt is important. The overall estimated surface lowering rate presented here is substantially higher than those reported previously. |
| |
| Keywords: | Surficial transport Sampling Stratification Alpine tundra |
|
|
