No full-text available
To read the full-text of this research,
you can request a copy directly from the author.
Seedling establishment on a landslide site
... landslides triggered by intense rainfall often are smaller and have lower turnover rates than those associated with seismic activity (Dalling, 1994). In some regions, landslide scars may constitute an appreciable percentage of the landscape (Gar wood et a;., 1979; Brumbaugh et aI., 1982), and this type of mass wasting may be an important component of vegetation dynamics in such environments (Veblen and Ashton, 1978;Hupp, 1983;Veblen et aI., 1992; Hunter and Parker, 1993). ...
... Yanosky, 1982, in riparian environments). Some authors have concluded that late successional species from the surrounding forest often join pioneers in colonizing the dis turbed site (Flaccus, 1959; Veblen and Ashton, 1978;Hupp, 1983; Reddy and Singh, 1993;Joshi, 1993). Species diversity and basal area typically increase with time on landslides (Dalling, 1994), but even on relatively old, revegetated scars, these variables often are lower than in the surrounding forest ( Sakai and Ohsawa, 1993). ...
... These findings suggest that revegetated landslides may greatly affect the land scape-scale diversity of forested mountain environments. Most scholars tracking revegetation of scars over time have reported predictable successional changes in composition and structure (Johnson, 1976;Hupp, 1983;Mark et aI., 1989). Because of inherent variation among different scars (Flaccus, 1959; Miles and Swanson, 1986;Guariguata, .1990), ...
This paper reviews and synthesizes research about geomorphic influences on vegetation patterns apparent at the landscape scale. After an overview of the effects that landforms and geomorphic processes have on plant distributions, these relationships are discussed in more detail for each of four distinct physical settings: temperate riparian environments, slopes affected by landslides and other forms of mass movement, desert alluvial fans, and nonmountainous glaciated landscapes. These four landscapes were selected because they encompass a broad range of temporal and spatial scales at which the geomorphic processes most strongly linked with vegetation patterns operate; furthermore, they collectively illustrate some of the more prominent themes in recent research on this topic. Finally, we identify four topics that particularly merit future research on geomorphic-biogeographic interactions: (1) feedback between vegetation and landforms, (2) distinctions between landform characteristics and the associated geomorphic processes as controls of vegetation patterns, (3) the influence of scale on landform-vegetation relationships, and (4) geographic variation in those relationships. [Key words: plant geography, landscape ecology, vegetation patterns, alluvial fans, riparian environments, landslides, glaciated landscapes.]
... Efficient recruitment is critical for colonists to enhance their population persistence (Bond & Midgley, 2001;Weiher et al., 1999). However, this critical process on landslide scars has not been well studied (Chaudhry et al., 1996;Guariguata, 1990;Hupp, 1983;Mourya, Bargali, & Bargali, 2019;Myster, 2002). ...
... Accordingly, there appeared to be not too much survival limitation on the scars, which might be attributed to the large weight of seeds of most plant individuals on the scars (Hu et al., 2018) because this trait helps seedlings survive under stresses (Pérez-Harguindeguy et al., 2013). However, the steepness and infertility of the scars (Table S1) (Hupp, 1983). ...
In this study, we aimed to provide a comprehensive insight into seedling and ramet recruitment at the community level on recent landslide scars (i.e., the sliding surfaces regarded as the most difficult zones of landslides to restore), which may cast new light on landslide ecology and enhance theoretical support for interventions on landslide restoration. Through seedling and ramet monitoring and adult survey on 12 three‐year‐old landslide scars on the Chinese hilly‐gullied Loess Plateau, we characterized seedling and ramet recruitment in terms of their trade‐off, processes and amounts, and we also assessed compositional correspondence between the adult and young (all seedlings and ramets combined) layers. We found that seedling recruitment was employed in tandem with ramet recruitment, which might maximize colonists’ fitness. Moreover, seedlings and ramets emerged constantly and were followed by low mortality rates. However, there were problems of emergence limitation and constant death and, as a result, seedlings and ramets remained low densities. Therefore, there appeared to be a slow and limited recruitment process of plant colonists on the scars. In addition, there was a high degree of compositional uncoupling between the adult and young layers, implying future potential changes of plant communities driven by Poa sphondylodes Trin., Stipa bungeana Trin., Ixeridium sonchifolium (Maxim.) Shih, Astragalus discolor Bunge ex Maxim. and Artemisia scoparia Waldst. et Kit. on shady scars and I. sonchifolium (Maxim.) Shih on sunny scars. We also proposed that the first three species can be used to restore landslide scars in the study area.
... Repeated cycles of landslide activity and revegetation have the potential to introduce disturbance to ecosystems that may affect soil nutrient status, carbon stocks, and even plant biodiversity (Restrepo et al., 2009). Patches of bare rock left by landslides undergo "quasi-primary" succession (Restrepo et al., 2009) that promotes movement of organisms and ecosystem reorganisation (Walker et al., 2013;Hupp, 1983), while inhibiting ecosystem retrogression and nutrient depletion (Peltzer et al., 2010). On landslides in the Bolivian Andes, plant species richness increased from early to late succession and then declined in very mature or senescent forests (Kessler, 1999). ...
... Or the patterns may be simply coincidental, with biodiversity regulated by factors independent of landslide erosion, such as light and temperature, or the transition between lowland/submontane species and montane cloud forest species. We suggest that it may also be possible that the intermediate disturbance regime (Connell, 1978) associated with landslide activity at the lower catchment elevations influences ecosystem structure (Walker et al., 2013;Restrepo et al., 2009;Kessler, 1999;Hupp, 1983) and contributes to enhanced biodiversity observed below ∼ 1700 m. Such effects could be consistent with peaks in species richness at mid-elevations (around 1500 m) observed across Andean forest plots in Peru (Fig. 13), Bolivia, and Ecuador (Engemann et al., 2015;Salazar et al., 2015;Girardin et al., 2014b;Huaraca Huasco et al., 2014). ...
In this study, we assess the geomorphic role of a rare, large-magnitude
landslide-triggering event and consider its effect on mountain forest
ecosystems and the erosion of organic carbon in an Andean river catchment.
Proximal triggers such as large rain storms are known to cause large numbers
of landslides, but the relative effects of such low-frequency,
high-magnitude events are not well known in the context of more regular,
smaller events. We develop a 25-year duration, annual-resolution landslide
inventory by mapping landslide occurrence in the Kosñipata Valley, Peru,
from 1988 to 2012 using Landsat, QuickBird, and WorldView satellite images.
Catchment-wide landslide rates were high, averaging 0.076 % yr−1 by area. As
a result, landslides on average completely turn over hillslopes every
∼ 1320 years, although our data suggest that landslide
occurrence varies spatially and temporally, such that turnover times are likely to be
non-uniform. In total, landslides stripped 26 ± 4 tC km−2 yr−1 of organic carbon from soil (80 %) and vegetation (20 %)
during the study period. A single rain storm in March 2010 accounted for
27 % of all landslide area observed during the 25-year study and accounted
for 26 % of the landslide-associated organic carbon flux. An approximately
linear magnitude–frequency relationship for annual landslide areas suggests
that large storms contribute an equivalent landslide failure area to the sum
of lower-frequency landslide events occurring over the same period.
However, the spatial distribution of landslides associated with the 2010
storm is distinct. On the basis of precipitation statistics and landscape
morphology, we hypothesise that focusing of storm-triggered landslide
erosion at lower elevations in the Kosñipata catchment may be
characteristic of longer-term patterns. These patterns may have implications
for the source and composition of sediments and organic material supplied to
river systems of the Amazon Basin, and, through focusing of regular
ecological disturbance, for the species composition of forested ecosystems
in the region.
... Repeated cycles of landslide activity and revegetation have the potential to introduce disturbance to ecosystems that may affect soil nutrient status, carbon stocks, and even plant biodiversity (Restrepo et al., 2009). Patches of bare rock left by landslides undergo "quasi-primary" succession (Restrepo et al., 2009) that promotes movement of organisms and ecosystem reorganisation (Walker et al., 2013;Hupp, 1983), while inhibiting ecosystem retrogression and nutrient depletion (Peltzer et al., 2010). On landslides in the Bolivian Andes, plant species richness increased from early to late succession and then declined in very mature or senescent forests (Kessler, 1999). ...
... Or the patterns may be simply coincidental, with biodiversity regulated by factors independent of landslide erosion, such as light and temperature, or the transition between lowland/submontane species and montane cloud forest species. We suggest that it may also be possible that the intermediate disturbance regime (Connell, 1978) associated with landslide activity at the lower catchment elevations influences ecosystem structure (Walker et al., 2013;Restrepo et al., 2009;Kessler, 1999;Hupp, 1983) and contributes to enhanced biodiversity observed below ∼ 1700 m. Such effects could be consistent with peaks in species richness at mid-elevations (around 1500 m) observed across Andean forest plots in Peru (Fig. 13), Bolivia, and Ecuador (Engemann et al., 2015;Salazar et al., 2015;Girardin et al., 2014b;Huaraca Huasco et al., 2014). ...
In this study, we assess the geomorphic role of a rare, large-magnitude landslide event and consider the effect of this event on mountain forest ecosystems and the erosion of organic carbon in an Andean river catchment. Proximal triggers such as large rain storms are known to cause large numbers of landslides, but the relative effects of such low-frequency, high-magnitude events are not well known in the context of more regular, smaller events. We develop a 25 year duration, annual-resolution landslide inventory by mapping landslide occurrence in the Kosñipata Valley, Peru, from 1988 to 2012 using Landsat, Quickbird and Worldview satellite images. Catchment-wide landslide rates were high, at 0.076 % yr−1 by area, indicating landslides may completely turn over hillslopes every ~ 1320 years and strip 28 tC km−2 yr−1 of soil (73 %) and vegetation (27 %). A single rain storm in March 2010 accounted for 27 % of all landslide area observed during the 25 year study and removed 26 % of the organic carbon that was stripped from hillslopes by all landslides during the study. An approximately linear magnitude–frequency relationship for annual landslide areas suggests that large storms contribute an equivalent landslide failure area to the sum of smaller frequency landslides events occurring over the same period. However, the spatial distribution of landslides associated with the 2010 storm is distinct. On the basis of precipitation statistics and landscape morphology, we hypothesize that spatial focusing of storm-triggered landslide erosion at lower elevations in the Kosñipata catchment may be characteristic of longer-term patterns. These patterns may have implications for the source and composition of sediments and organic material supplied to river systems of the Amazon basin, and, through focusing of regular ecological disturbance, for the species composition of forested ecosystems in the region.
... influence the movement of organisms and ecosystem development (Hupp 1983), as has been documented for other disturbances (Paine and Levin 1981). Third, ecosystems reorganize on these quasi-primary substrates, and this entails the rejuvenation of soils and the colonization of landslides by an unknown array of organisms (Walker et al. 1996, Wilcke et al. 2003). ...
... Studies documenting changes in species composition and abundance over short timescales (< 5 years) show that species trajectories , and therefore some assemblage-level attributes, may vary widely, and sometimes in unpredictable ways (Dale et al. 2005, Velázquez and Gómez-Sal 2007). Additionally, in some temperate sites, tree species that are characteristic of nearby mature forests can potentially colonize and establish within months after landslide formation (Hupp 1983, Dale et al. 2005), and trees characteristic of early succession may persist for more than 70 years, albeit with no recruitment (Mark and Dickinson 1989). On the other hand, studies examining changes in species richness (Dale et al. 2005), plant abundance (Lundgren 1978, Mark and Dickinson 1989), or soil nutrients (Zarin and Johnson 1995) over long time scales (≥ 5 years) show nonlinear, often predictable trajectories (figure 4a, top). ...
Landsliding is a complex process that modifies mountainscapes worldwide. Its severe and sometimes long-lasting negative effects contrast with the less-documented positive effects on ecosystems, raising numerous questions about the dual role of landsliding the feedbacks between biotic and geomorphic processes, and, ultimately, the ecological and evolutionary responses of organisms. We present a conceptual model in which feedbacks between biotic and geomorphic processes, landslides, and ecosystem attributes are hypothesized to drive the dynamics of mountain ecosystems at multiple scales. This model is used to integrate and synthesize a rich, but fragmented, body of literature generated in different disciplines, and to highlight the need for profitable collaborations between biologists and geoscientists. Such efforts should help identify attributes that contribute to the resilience of mountain ecosystems, and also should help in conservation, restoration, and hazard assessment. Given the sensitivity of mountains to land-use and global climate change, these endeavors are both relevant and timely. © 2009 by American Institute of Biological Sciences. All rights reserved.
... The nature of rockfall talus deposits and the sudden transition from rockfall to debris slide are well-studied in the literature (Evans et al. 2009;Hauser 2002;Davies and Korup 2007;Hungr and Evans 2004;Baer et al. 2017;Walter et al. 2020 Debris slides constitute an enduring concern in the Appalachian region (Henderson 1997). These events are typically triggered by heavy rainfall, often associated with hurricanes and storms (Wieczorek et al. 2000;Eshner and Patric 1982;Hupp 1983). Bogucki (1970) investigated debris slides and flood-related damage resulting from a cloudburst in September 1951 within the Alum Cave Creek watershed, encompassing Mt. ...
Unfavorable orientations of geological discontinuities and their geometrical relationship with the topographic slopes play a crucial role in controlling slope instability. This study developed a GIS-based kinematic model based on the mutual relationship between topographic slope and geological discontinuities to delineate rockfall zones and understand their spatial association with debris slide head scars in the Anakeesta rock formation of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee, USA. We mapped the exposed debris slide head scars from aerial photographs, satellite imagery, and field surveys and orientations of geological discontinuities were measured from the field along with other geotechnical parameters. Findings revealed the presence of four distinct sets of discontinuities, resulting in 11 possible slope failure mechanisms that could predict 57% of the existing debris slide. Wedge failure was the most prominent mode of slope failure, with wedge forming between the bedding plane and a joint set predicted for 27% of all failures in the debris slide head scars. The final rock kinematical susceptibility model was developed using the cumulative prediction capacity of individual discontinuity-driven kinematical rockfall failures through a weighted sum analysis. The model classified 77.9% of the area as safe, 14.7% to be moderately, and 7.4% as highly prone to kinematical rockfall failure. The susceptibility model was validated using the receiver operating characteristic curve on test data, which yielded an area under the curve (AUC) value of 65%, indicating a discriminatory power of the model separating the debris slide and non-debris slide scars. Finally, the spatial association between the kinematical susceptibility model and existing debris slide was statistically confirmed through a spatial Kolmogorov–Smirnov test of complete spatial randomness, signifying the role of kinematic rockfalls in generating the debris slide scars in the study area.
... Furthermore, landslides could help ecosystems to reach a stable state or almost a stable condition as they destroy the most superficial soil layer exposing horizons that are more stable than those located on the top of the soil (Cruden and Varnes 1996). Finally, landslides can also increase the landscape's heterogeneity, favouring the survival of species and habitats (Hupp 1983;Šímová et al. 2019). ...
Regeneration after landslides is how an ecosystem recovers itself following a landslide event. Natural systems can recover and regenerate over time. The main objective of the current work is to identify and characterise the regeneration pattern after a great landslide event in 2013 in the Guerrero state (Mexico) using remote sensing, geographic information system (GIS), and machine learning techniques. Remarkably, the authors consider normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI) as a proxy of part of this “regeneration” in the present work. A first methodology attempt presented here was to monitor and characterise the “regeneration” after severe landslide events. First, the authors calculated and identified the (1) losses, (2) speed and (3) recovery time through a continuous change detection and classification algorithm (CCDC) in Google Earth Engine (GEE) from a NDVI-Landsat time series (from 1984 to 2021). Second, these three factors were introduced as variables in a not supervised machine-learning model to get 5 clusters that characterise the different regeneration patterns followed from 2013 to 2021 in the landslide zones. Finally, we studied 16 variables like elevation, slope, or soil pH. The authors included those variables in a supervised machine learning classification to find the most important main drivers related to the NDVI regeneration of the landslide areas. The results showed that the cluster called Group 0 had a low loss of NDVI value, speed and medium recovery time. Group 1 showed a medium–high loss, high speed and low recovery time. Group 2 reached a high loss, a low speed, and an increased recovery time. Group 3 with a medium loss, a medium speed, and a low recovery time. Finally, Group 4 with a high loss of NDVI, a medium speed, and a medium recovery time. Distance to the edge of the landslide, precipitation, land cover type and lithology are highlighted as the main drivers in landslide regeneration.
... Landslides are a significant cause of vegetation disturbance (Veblen and Ashton, 1978;Hupp, 1983). Based on Cruden and Varnes (1996), there were different vegetation characteristics for each landslide activity. ...
Remote sensing has been widely used for landslide inventory mapping and monitoring. Landslide activity is one of the important parameters for landslide inventory and it can be strongly related to vegetation anomalies. Previous studies have shown that remotely sensed data can be used to obtain detailed vegetation characteristics at various scales and condition. However, only few studies of utilizing vegetation characteristics anomalies as a bio-indicator for landslide activity in tropical area. This study introduces a method that utilizes vegetation anomalies extracted using remote sensing data as a bio-indicator for landslide activity analysis and mapping. A high-density airborne LiDAR, aerial photo and satellite imagery were captured over the landslide prone area along Mesilau River in Kundasang, Sabah. Remote sensing data used in characterizing vegetation into several classes of height, density, types and structure in a tectonically active region along with vegetation indices. About 13 vegetation anomalies were derived from remotely sensed data. There were about 14 scenarios were modeled by focusing in 2 landslide depth, 3 main landslide types with 3 landslide activities by using statistical approach. All scenarios show that more than 65% of the landslides are captured within 70% of the probability model indicating high model efficiency. The predictive model rate curve also shows that more than 45% of the independent landslides can be predicted within 30% of the probability model. This study provides a better understanding of remote sensing data in extracting and characterizing vegetation anomalies induced by hillslope geomorphology processes in a tectonically active region in Malaysia.
... Stand composition varies greatly with substrate, aspect, and slope position. (2000), Harrison et al. (1989), Hupp (1983a), Rawinski et al. (1994), Rawinski et al. (1996). ...
... At Hopewell, chestnut oak trees more often occupies isolated pockets of deeper soil separated by talus. In contrast, red maple, black birch, and yellow birch have become established as often among extremely rocky areas of the slope, an ability noted by others (Braun 1950;Hupp 1983;Russell and Schuyler 1988;Nowacki and Abrams 1992). Here as elsewhere, shade-tolerant red maple has been gaining importance by forming a dense understory which restricts development of oak advance regeneration (Davison 1980;Lorimer 1984). ...
This study investigated the community ecology of an old-growth Quercus prinus L. forest on a dry talus slope in southeastern Pennsylvania. Quercus prinus trees up to 367 years in age dominated the canopy layer. Acer rubrum L., Betula alleghaniensis Britton, Betula lenta L. and Nyssa sylvatica Marsh. occupied a small share of canopy space but dominated understory positions. Acer rubrum was the only canopy species present in significant numbers in the sapling layer. Presettlement forests of the region were dominated by Quercus velutina Lam., Quercus alba L., Castanea dentata (Marsh.) Borkh. and Carya spp. Following European settlement, frequent cutting and burning associated with the charcoal iron industry promoted oak coppice stands during the 19th century and prevented the development of a shade tolerant understory. Age determinations indicated that Q. prinus recruited continuously from 1625 until 1920. However, radial growth analysis indicated that peak recruitment of both the oak and mixed mesophytic tree species was associated with past disturbances. Cessation of frequent cutting, reduced occurrence of fire and the loss of C. dentata facilitated establishment of A. rubrum, B. lenta and B. alleghaniensis in the understory early this century. Results of this study indicate the potential for replacement of oak by more tolerant species on this and similar dry sites in the northern mid-Atlantic region which are traditionally considered to be physiographic or edaphic climaxes.
... The fact that restoration helped overcome these shortcomings by allowing the vegetation to recover faster than in the natural recovery sites indicates that the restoration project helped to recover damaged forests in Wolong. Previous studies from around the world documenting the effectiveness of seed sources in facilitating vegetation recovery in disturbed areas have shown mixed results, with some demonstrating its importance (Purata, 1986) and others not finding significant effects (Hupp, 1983). Our results suggest that restoration efforts such as planting and seeding may provide a measurable added benefit for damaged forests in Wolong. ...
... A similar pattern is observed with two long-lived pines, Pinus kesiya in the Philippines, and P. merkusii in Sumatra, both of which colonize landslides (Whitmore 1984, and references therein). Many old-growth temperate forests also show coexistence of long-lived, light-demanding tree species with shade-tolerant (presumably later colonists) ones in old landslide scars (Hack & Goodlet 1960;Stewart & Veblen 1982;Hupp 1983;Stewart 1986;Veblen 1989). The composition of the herbaceous stratum in recent landslides was dominated by light-demanding species such as Clibadium erosum, Isachne angustifolia, Phytolacca rivinoides and Scleria canescens. ...
Within a 44-km2 belt between 530-850 m a.s.l. (subtropical lower montane wet forest) examination of aerial photographs from 1936-1988, and field surveys, revealed 46 landslides; 40% of landslides had map areas (the horizontal projection of their actual areas) between 200-400 m2. Landslides >1800 m2 comprised <10% of the sample, but accounted for c40% of the total map area disturbed. On average, landslides disturb a minimum of 0.3% and 0.08% of the forest map area per century on slopes underlain by intrusive and volcaniclastic rocks, respectively. On 8 landslides <1 yr old, the soil in the lower zone generally had a higher concentration of organic carbon and nutrients than that in the upper zone. Germinable buried seeds of light-demanding species were found only in the lower zone (22 seeds m-2), c5% of the average buried seed density found in adjacent mature forest. Vegetation analyses on a 52-yr chronosequence of 20 landslides showed that regrowth was consistently more vigorous in the lower zone. Species composition is dominated on landslides up to 38 yr old by light-demanding, fast-growing pioneer trees. Revegetation of the upper zone seemed to be retarded by extensive mats of light-demanding ferns. Basal area and floristic composition start to resemble predisturbance conditions on 300-600-m2, 52-yr old landslides. -from Author
... In narrow zones, which were characterized by steep slopes and the presence of mineral and heavily weathered substrates, erosion probably impeded the establishment and germination of forest plants. That phenomenon was observed in other tropical (Garwood 1985, Scatena & Lugo 1995 and temperate landslides (Hull & Scott 1982, Hupp 1983, Francescato et al. 2001. Furthermore, the structure of the edge between disturbed areas and neighboring forest patches also influence vegetation recovery (Pickett et al. 1999). ...
We described the plant communities on a large landslide in a human-dominated area of tropical dry forest landscape (Casita Volcano, Nicaragua) and in the adjacent forest, 3 yr after landslide occurrence. At both sites, we determined the relationships between spatial changes in environmental factors and the spatial distribution of species and plant traits. Subsequently, we tested the hypothesis that the compositional similarity between the landslide and the forest increased with a decrease in the distance from the forest edge and the width of the landslide. In the forest, the spatial distribution of species and plant traits was determined mainly by an elevational gradient that was associated with the amount of bare soil, whereas, on the landslide, there was no such gradient but species distributions were influenced mostly by the presence of residual agricultural and forest soils and human disturbance. We did not find an increase in compositional similarity between the landslide and the forest at the edge or in the narrow zones of the landslide. Compared to other landslides, the recovery process was strongly influenced by the extreme abiotic heterogeneity, climate seasonality, and human use in the area. The study of succession in tropical dry landslides located in densely populated zones should focus on understanding the response of regional ecosystems to a complex disturbance regime in which human-induced disturbances play a major role.
... They (1) remove biomass and soil organic matter, exposing parent material (Garwood et al. 1979); (2) produce extreme and complex environmental and biotic spatial gradients (Sousa 1984;Myster & Fernández 1995); (3) contain regeneration sites for rare species (e.g., various ferns; Walker 1994); (4) have recurrent localized disturbance-within-landslide resliding and edge treefall (Hartshorn 1980)-that can slow the recovery process; and (5) influence material flow, redistribution, and nutrient cycling (Swanson et al. 1982;Guariguata 1990). In addition, because landslides of various ages often consist of patches of colonizing vegetation on a bare matrix (where light regime and mycorrhizal availability are key elements; Myster & Fernández 1995), they form a dynamic patch system (Hupp 1983;Pickett & White 1985). ...
To understand landslide regeneration and provide information necessary for restoration, we sampled seed rain, seed pool, and plant cover on two Ecuadorian landslides. We trapped 1304 seeds and found that, while most seeds were in the family Asteraceae, there was substantial variation in seed rain among plant families. Four hundred and seventy-five seedlings emerged from soil samples, including nonvascular and vascular families; again, species in Asteraceae dominated, with species in Piperaceae also very common. Plant cover, consisting of members of four fern families and 20 vascular plant families—with species in Asteraceae, Melastomataceae and Poaceae most common—was scored as a percentage of the total plot area. Principal components analysis (PCA) showed that, for all three of these plant life stages (seed rain, seed-propagule pool, plant cover), spatial variation was dominated by differences between the two landslides rather than within-landslide plot differences. PCA also showed that plots separated best on axes defined by the families Cecropiaceae, Urticaceae, Melastomataceae, Papilionaceae, Asteraceae, and Araceae with clumping of families in PCA space suggesting common successional strategies. Another multivariate technique, canonical correspondence analysis (CCA), showed that the combined seed rain and seed pool data could predict the percent cover of the family Verbenaceae and that the current plant cover families could predict Asteraceae seeds and seedlings. Finally, we use our past and present landslide data, along with multivariate modeling results, to suggest strategies for successful landslide restoration.
... Wind damage to forest stands in the Pacific Northwest is sometimes related to the patchwork landscape pattern created by clearcutting (Franklin and Forman 1987). The spatial and temporal distribution of both debris flows and wind damage are important components of natural and human-induced disturbance regimes (sensu White 1979) that affect vegetation dynamics, successional pathways, and biotic interactions (e.g., Hupp 1983, Schaetzl et al. 1989. Moreover, the configuration and distribution of clearcuts can potentially affect disturbance patterns and thereby the composition, structure and function of both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. ...
A physically-based model of the topographic influence on debris flow initiation and a rule-based model for wind damage were
used to assess the influence of forest clearcutting patterns (i.e., location, size, shape and distribution of cut units) on
the potential for landscape disturbance by these processes in Charley Creek watershed, Washington State, USA. Simulated clearcutting
patterns consisted of 7, 9 or 26 ha square or rectangular harvest units distributed in either an aggregated or dispersed pattern
under three stream-buffering scenarios. The slope-stability model predicted that potentially unstable ground is concentrated
along steep headwater streams and inner-gorge side-slopes. Areas susceptible to wind damage were determined from the combination
of slope, aspect, elevation, soil drainage and primary tree species. Among the variables examined here, the location of harvest
units constitutes the most important factor influencing the potential for shallow landsliding. In contrast, the location,
size, and shape of clear cuts and the interactions among these three factors significantly influenced the potential for wind
damage. Minimal correspondence between areas predicted to be potentially unstable and areas susceptible to wind damage implies
that harvest patterns designed to mitigate the potential for shallow landsliding may not necessarily reduce the potential
for wind damage. Our results demonstrate that: (1) the location of timber harvesting is more important than the geometry of
harvest activity in influencing shallow landsliding; (2) forest harvest patterns strongly influence the potential for disturbance
processes; and (3) a single cutting pattern will often fail to meet all landscape management goals.
... There is, however, less information about what to expect during early succession (del Moral 1999). In highly disturbed sites such as landslides, where the seed bank plays a minor role, the first few years after disturbance are crucial for the establishment and germination of external propagules (Hupp 1983), and the study of early successional pathways might be very important in forecasting future successional patterns (Lundgren 1978). Some authors affirm that succession is probably more dependent on environmental heterogeneity than on time (Lovett 2000) and landslides present a large abiotic heterogeneity (Walker et al. 1996). ...
Early succession on large landslides in highly humanized areas that have a tropical dry climate is not well studied. This
study documented vegetation recovery during the first 4years after disturbance at a landslide on Casita Volcano, Nicaragua.
We aimed to determine the main pathways and causes of change in community features, such as richness, biovolume, and species
composition and verify the role played by environmental heterogeneity. Data consisting on number, covers and mean height of
woody species and several abiotic factors related to fertility and stability of substrates were obtained from permanent plots
in previously defined zones. Pathways of early succession were highly contingent on abiotic heterogeneity and landscape context
and were mainly controlled by abiotic factors associated with fertility of substrates, and incidence of human disturbances.
Those results might form the basis of a model of early succession on landslides located in densely populated areas within
tropical dry ecosystems. Our results suggest that, rather than focusing research on large-scale disturbances, the study of
succession in landslides of the type that occurred on Casita Volcano must point towards the response of ecosystems to a much
more complex disturbance regime, in which human-induced disturbances play a major role.
... As confirmed in other parts of this investigation, therefore, it appears that although abundance of a species may change greatly following a storm or flood disturbance, the overall species composition remains relatively unchanged. Hupp (1983) obtained similar results when comparing species establishing on landslide scars with species in the adjacent old-growth forest in the Massanutten Mountain area, northern Virginia. ...
In possibly the first detailed study to relate geomorphology, vegetation, and hydrology at a watershed scale, Hack and Goodlett (1960) documented variation in the eastern forest with topograhic positions of cove, side slope, and nose. Runoff identified as convergent, parallel, or divergent, supported forest types, respectively, of northern hardwood, oak, and yellow pine. The study, conducted in the Little River Basin of northwestern Virginia, also described effects on landforms and vegetation of a catastrophic flood that occurred in June, 1949.Field investigations, conducted nearly 4 decades later, review selected parts of the study by Hack and Goodlett (1960). Replicate data provide a basis to evaluate interpretations of Hack and Goodlett, to document geomorphic change within the Little River Basin since the 1949 flood, and to identify vegetation change in uplands and bottomlands. Results suggest that change to hillslope landforms has been minor since 1949, but that changes have occurred to the Little River and its tributaries, seemingly during flow events of 1952, 1955, and 1985. Change in areal extent of forest types was not detected. Change in the relative abundances of dominant species may have resulted from 20th-century fire suppression.
Despite their often dangerous and unpredictable nature, landslides provide fascinating templates for studying how soil organisms, plants and animals respond to such destruction. The emerging field of landslide ecology helps us understand these responses, aiding slope stabilisation and restoration and contributing to the progress made in geological approaches to landslide prediction and mitigation. Summarising the growing body of literature on the ecological consequences of landslides, this book provides a framework for the promotion of ecological tools in predicting, stabilising, and restoring biodiversity to landslide scars at both local and landscape scales. It explores nutrient cycling; soil development; and how soil organisms disperse, colonise and interact in what is often an inhospitable environment. Recognising the role that these processes play in providing solutions to the problem of unstable slopes, the authors present ecological approaches as useful, economical and resilient supplements to landslide management.
Three debris flows in the western Oregon Cascades were sampled near the end of the first growing season following disturbance. Vegetative regrowth accounted for 77% of the initial re-establishment of cover, but 67% of the individuals were seedlings. Surface deposit characteristics and intensity of scour were the most important influences on debris flow revegetation. Total cover (15%) and vegetative regrowth (14% cover, 28 shoots/m2) were highest on light intensity scour. Seedling establishment was highest on gravel and fine deposits (2-3% cover, 37-46 seedlings/m2). In contrast to previous studies which high-lighted the role of seedlings, revegetation patterns in these debris flows were determined by the response of both vegetative sprouts and seedlings.
To evaluate the extent to which landslides affect community dynamics and consequent species diversity in a beech-dominated forest, differences in the composition and size structure of tree species were compared between landslide and adjacent stable (control) stands. Demography and changes in size were compared between the two stands over a 5-year period about 60 years after a landslide. In the control stand, replacement occurred even amongst late-successional species, with beech (Fagus crenata)—the most dominant species—increasing in relative abundance. In the landslide stand, very few large individuals of late-successional species occurred, whereas large individuals of early-successional species occurred only in the landslide stand. The traits indicate that the landslide strongly facilitated species diversity, not only by reducing the dominance of late-successional species, but also by promoting recruitment of early-successional species. However, new recruitment of early-successional species was inhibited in the landslide stand, although we observed succeeding regeneration and subsequent population growth of late-successional species there. As a result, the relative dominance of late-successional species increased with succession after the landslide, thus decreasing future species diversity. In beech-dominant forest landscapes in Japan that include communities with different developmental stages, the mosaic of serial stages may facilitate species diversity after a landslide.
We describe natural revegetation dynamics on landslides that occurred in 1948 and 1959 in Franconia Notch, New Hampshire, U.S.A. Analysis of aerial photographs from 1958, 1978, and 1996 indicate that the rate of revegetation of the landslide surface decreased over time, probably because of early saturation of easily colonized sites. In the 1948 landslide, we found that width and slope steepness within the landslide influenced the revegetation rate, while elevation did not. On the 1959 landslide, none of the tested factors were significantly correlated with vegetation recovery. Recolonization of narrow erosional zones tended to occur from the landslide edges inward; recolonization of wider erosional zones also occurred outward from islands of vegetation within the landslide. Floristic inventories were conducted in 1956 and 1996 using the point-centered quarter method and fixed plots of 1 m2 and were processed using cluster analysis, resulting in a grouping of the 1956 and 1996 plots into four and five clusters, respectively. The 1956 clusters consisted of exclusively herbaceous vegetation (zones with greater erosion) or prevalently shrub-arboreal vegetation, with Betula cordifolia Regel. dominant at high elevation and Betula papyrifera Marsh. and Betula alleghaniensis Britton dominant at low to middle elevation. The 1996 vegetation was characterized by prevalence of arboreal canopy made up of differing proportions of birch species, which varied with elevation.
We describe natural revegetation dynamics on landslides that occurred in 1948 and 1959 in Franconia Notch, New Hampshire, U.S.A. Analysis of aerial photographs from 1958, 1978, and 1996 indicate that the rate of revegetation of the landslide surface decreased over time, probably because of early saturation of easily colonized sites. In the 1948 landslide, we found that width and slope steepness within the landslide influenced the revegetation rate, while elevation did not. On the 1959 landslide, none of the tested factors were significantly correlated with vegetation recovery. Recolonization of narrow erosional zones tended to occur from the landslide edges inward; recolonization of wider erosional zones also occurred outward from islands of vegetation within the landslide. Floristic inventories were conducted in 1956 and 1996 using the point-centered quarter method and fixed plots of 1 m2 and were processed using cluster analysis, resulting in a grouping of the 1956 and 1996 plots into four and five clusters, respectively. The 1956 clusters consisted of exclusively herbaceous vegetation (zones with greater erosion) or prevalently shrub-arboreal vegetation, with Betula cordifolia Regel. dominant at high elevation and Betula papyrifera Marsh. and Betula alleghaniensis Britton dominant at low to middle elevation. The 1996 vegetation was characterized by prevalence of arboreal canopy made up of differing proportions of birch species, which varied with elevation.Key words: disturbance, floristic composition, regeneration, recolonization, succession, White Mountain National Forest.
To study regeneration on landslides, we counted the number of woody stems at least 1 m tall in 2 m × 5 m permanent plots on Puerto Rican landslides for 5 y and generated successional pathways for all plots in 16 different landslides using principal components analysis (PCA). PCA separated plots well, with early successional plant species (Cecropia schreberiana, Schefflera morolotoni, Alchornea latifolia, Gonzalagunia spicata) positively associated with axes I and II, and the negative portion of axis II associated with a mix of those species and mid-successional species (Inga vera, Piper glabrescens). Pathways generally showed (1) a positive association with axis I in early succession, (2) a negative association with both I and II later in succession, (3) little evidence of a decrease in the rate of succession, and (4) a lack of convergence of pathways over the 5 y of our study.
The micro-landform unit system offers an effective way of analyzing vegetation–geomorphology relationships at a 10-m scale in areas such as the hilly regions of Japan. We analyzed relationships between micro-landforms and tree population parameters over a 9-year interval to elucidate the influence of geomorphic processes on vegetation dynamics. A 2.16-ha permanent plot was established in a temperate mixed forest. Each 5 m × 5 m quadrat within this plot was classified according to six types of micro-landform units: (i) crest slope (CS); (ii) upper sideslope (US); (iii) head hollow (HH); (iv) lower sideslope (LS); (v) foot slope (FS); and (vi) river bed (RB). All living trees larger than 10 cm in diameter at breast height (d.b.h.) were identified, mapped and marked in 1989 and resurveyed in 1998. Almost all of the 23 common tree species persisted in their own core habitats (i.e. the micro-landforms) between the two surveys. The species distribution in both surveys showed that the six micro-landforms could be combined into two larger groups: upper and lower hillslope areas. The upper hillslope area had higher tree densities and larger basal areas than the lower hillslope area. It is possible that these differences result from the longer lifespans of trees on the upper hillslope area rather than from differences in mortality and recruitment rates. In addition, the different ways in which trees die in the different micro-landform units may affect the regeneration process in hilly regions through different gap formation. The effects of different geomorphic processes are reflected in the lifespans of the trees and may result in different forest structure and dynamics among micro-landform units.
We investigated the effect of topography-related environmental factors (i.e., ground-surface stability and soil moisture) on seedling establishment of 8 deciduous tree species. A field experiment was carried out using canopy species, which were classified into 3 groups based on the spatial distribution of adult trees (ridge, slope and valley). Demographic parameters were compared among species during the early stage of seedling establishment among 3 topographic positions in combination with gap and canopy conditions. The percentage of emerging seedlings tended to be lower on the ridge irrespective of the adult topographical distribution patterns. There was no clear trend in seedling emergence among the species groups classified by their spatial distribution. Seedling survival during 2 growing seasons was significantly different among species, topographic positions and light conditions. On the ridge, seedlings of the species dominating ridge tops had greater survival than those of other species, probably due to differences in demand for soil moisture. On the slope, frequent physical damage caused by surface material movement was observed and some species showed greater adaptability to the disturbed slope habitat. Survival of all seedlings was highest in the valley plots. Light conditions were the critical factor for seedling survival in some species. The results of this study suggest that topography creates diverse habitats for the establishment of tree seedlings. In addition to soil moisture, surface material movement may be a significant factor affecting seedling establishment.
The relationship between tree distribution and topography was examined in a small river basin (3.4 ha) comprising a complex
mosaic of topographical units at 102 to 103 m2 order, each of which had a shallow valley bordered by small ridges or breaks of slopes. Twenty-five major woody species were
divided into two groups (groups A and B) based on a cluster analysis using the distribution data in the basin. Group A, which
mainly consisted of early-successional species, was distributed around the valley sites of the topographical units, while
group B, which mainly consisted of late-successional species, was distributed around the ridge sites of the topographical
units. This vegetation pattern coincided with erosional condition in the basin. That is, the valley sites were eroded more
actively than the ridge sites, as soil depth tended to be thin in the valley sites and thick in the ridge sites, and because
large (canopy) trees were restricted in the ridge sites. There was no tendency that group B was replacing group A, and hence
it was suggested that repeated disturbance by slope failures or small-scale shallow landslides have prevented compositional
change from the early-successional (group A) to the late-successional (group B) species by preventing the invasion of the
latter into valley sites.
Landslides are common in mountainous regions of the Caribbean and are triggered by heavy rains and earthquakes, and often occur in association with human disturbances (e.g., roads). Spatially heterogeneous removal of both substrate and vegetation is responsible for a variety of patterns of ecosystem development and plant successional trajectories within Caribbean landslides. Soil nutrient pools in exposed mineral soils reach levels comparable to mature forest soils within 55 yr bur soil organic matter recovers more slowly. Plant colonization of landslides depends on the availability of propagules and suitable sites for germination, soil stability, and the presence of residual or newly deposited soil organic matter and associated nutrients. Once initial colonization occurs, the rate and trajectory of plane succession on landslides is strongly affected by plant/plane interactions. We present two conceptual models of landslide succession that summarize the major processes and pathways of ecosystem develop
ResearchGate has not been able to resolve any references for this publication.