Rainfall variability and soil erosion

Erosion by Water (Scotland), photo by Anne Burgess.

Rainfall characteristics such as intensity, duration, frequency, and spatial distribution are key determinants of the hydro-geomorphological response of a catchment. The presence of non-linear and threshold effects makes the relationship between rainfall variability and geomorphological dynamics difficult to quantify. This is particularly relevant under predicted exacerbated erosion induced by an intensification of hydroclimatic extremes. Here, we quantify the effects of changes in rainfall temporal variability on catchment morphology and sediment erosion, transport, and deposition across a broad spectrum of grain size distributions, catchment shapes, and climatic conditions.

Soil erosion dynamics over a 300-year period in a synthetic catchment (image credit: T. Lian, CHANGE).

Quantification of the effects of predicted changes in rainfall patterns on catchment hydro-geomorphic response, as mediated by local soil properties, is crucial to forecasting modifications in sediment dynamics due to climate change.

People: Taiqi Lian

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