Abstract
Abstract. Rockfall is a dangerous geomorphological process. The prediction of potentially threatened areas requires thorough reconstruction of spatial rockfall activity. Dendrogeomorphic methods allow precise determination of both temporal and spatial occurrences of rockfall without the necessity of long-term monitoring. At the case-study site of Taraktash, located among southern slopes of the Crimean Mountains, 114 Crimean pine trees (Pinus nigra ssp. pallasiana) were sampled on a talus slope located under a 150 m high rockwall. Based on their age, the trees were divided into two distinct groups (young and old trees). Considerable disturbance in the age structure of the trees on the talus was probably caused by a series of strong earthquakes. Major differences were identified in the ability of young and old trees to record a rockfall event. We found that in the first decades of their growth, the ability of the studied P. nigra to record rockfall events gradually increased. The trees showed the highest sensitivity at the age of 80 to 90 yr; after that age their sensitivity gradually decreases. Two indicators were selected for the spatial reconstruction of rockfall events (the number of rockfall events per tree and recurrence interval). The highest activity was identified on the talus using selected indicators.
Highlights
Rockfall represents one of the most hazardous geomorphic processes and causes annually significant economic losses and many fatalities (Gardner, 1983)
567 Fig. 75.6G8raphFiciagl urerleat7io:nGshriapsphbeictwaelernelsaetleioctnesdhpiaprsambeettewrseoefntrseeelseacntdedindpiacraatomrseotef rrsocokffatlrleaecstivaintyd. indicators of 569 rockfall activity. field visual analysis of sampled trees revealed that many trees were5u7n0der pressure from a high layer of rockfall clasts
Trees tend to react intensively by the formation of compression wood to the lateral pressure of material released during rockfall events (Migonet al., 2010)
Summary
Rockfall represents one of the most hazardous geomorphic processes and causes annually significant economic losses and many fatalities (Gardner, 1983). The understanding of rockfall mechanisms together with its spatiotemporal distribution is one of the prerequisites helping to reduce negative effects and introduce the most effective mitigap(Blioedllstcohwtheeilsepraettioa-lt.e, m20p0oE7ra; laPaernltfiahnlyisSainsydosfStadenetbmilrliis,-2fl0o0w8;aSctiilvhiatny and Panek, 2010; Stoffel, 2010), Ssncowieanvaclaencshes (Butler and Sawyer, 2008; Casteller et al, 2008), landslides (Fantucci and Sorriso-Valvo, 1999; Stefanini, 2004; Lopez-Saez et al, 2012a, b; Silhan et al, 2013) and gully erosion (Corona et al., 2011; Stoffel et al, 201O2).cTeheagnreaSt acdiveanntcagee of dendrogeomorphic methods is that they allow rapid acquisition of data, Published by Copernicus Publications on behalf of the European Geosciences Union. K. Silhan et al.: Implications of spatial distribution of rockfall which is otherwise accessible only by means of long-term field monitoring. It is possible to obtain information on the temporal and spatial distribution of rockfall, sometimes even with seasonal precision (Stoffel et al, 2005a). When using dendrogeomorphic techniques, it is necessary to bear in mind some limitations, especially those issuing from the limited age of sampled tress and different sensitivity of trees with various ages to geomorphic disturbances
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