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Bedrock bedding, landsliding and erosional budgets in the Central European Alps
Author(s) -
Cruz Nunes Fábio,
Delunel Romain,
Schlunegger Fritz,
Akçar Naki,
Kubik Peter W.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
terra nova
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.353
H-Index - 89
eISSN - 1365-3121
pISSN - 0954-4879
DOI - 10.1111/ter.12169
Subject(s) - geology , bedrock , denudation , landslide , geomorphology , bedding , structural basin , bed , tributary , tectonics , geochemistry , paleontology , physics , cartography , anisotropy , quantum mechanics , biology , geography , horticulture
We explore the controls of the litho‐tectonic architecture on the erosional flux in the 370‐km 2 Glogn basin (European Alps). In this basin, the bedding and schistosity of the bedrock dip parallel to the topographic slope on the NW valley flank, leading to a non‐dip slope situation on the opposite SE valley side. While the dip slope condition has promoted the occurrence of landslides (e.g. the c . 30‐km 2 deep‐seated Lumnezia landslide), the opposite non‐dip slope side of the valley hosts >100‐m‐deeply incised tributary streams. 10 Be concentrations of stream sediments yield catchment‐averaged denudation rates that vary between 0.27 ± 0.03 and 2.19 ± 0.37 mm a −1 , while the spatially averaged denudation rate of the entire basin is 1.99 ± 0.34 mm a −1 . Our 10 Be‐based approach reveals that the Lumnezia landslide front contributes c . 30–65% of the entire sediment budget, although it covers <5% of the Glogn basin. This suggests a primary control of the bedrock bedding on erosion rates and processes.