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Soil loss variation within a Colorado Alpine area
Author(s) -
Bovis Michael J.,
Thorn Colin E.
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
earth surface processes and landforms
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.294
H-Index - 127
eISSN - 1096-9837
pISSN - 0197-9337
DOI - 10.1002/esp.3290060208
Subject(s) - tundra , erosion , ridge , snow , physical geography , snowmelt , geology , range (aeronautics) , hydrology (agriculture) , environmental science , geomorphology , arctic , geography , paleontology , oceanography , materials science , geotechnical engineering , composite material
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.