Bedrock bedding, landsliding and erosional budgets in the Central European Alps

Abstract

AbstractWe explore the controls of the litho‐tectonic architecture on the erosional flux in the 370‐km2 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‐km2 deep‐seated Lumnezia landslide), the opposite non‐dip slope side of the valley hosts >100‐m‐deeply incised tributary streams. 10Be 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 10Be‐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.