Soil loss variation within a Colorado Alpine area

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 c...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Earth surface processes and landforms 1981-03, Vol.6 (2), p.151-163
Main Authors: Bovis, Michael J., Thorn, Colin E.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Alpine tundra
Sampling
Stratification
Surficial transport
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Summary: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.
ISSN:0197-9337
1096-9837
DOI:10.1002/esp.3290060208