| Abstract: | By some measures, the role of humans in shaping the landscape is now greater than that of any other geomorphic agent. This effect varies spatially. In the United States, it is greatest in the east where population density is highest, and particularly in West Virginia and neighbouring states where coal mining is added to more general earth-moving activities. For comparison, rivers in the United States move less soil, and their influence is greatest in the western part of the country where steep, sparsely vegetated slopes contribute to high sediment loads. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. |
