Research Article| January 01, 2007 Overview of the Effects of Mass Wasting on the Natural Environment ROBERT L. SCHUSTER; ROBERT L. SCHUSTER 1U.S. Geological Survey, Box 25046, Mail Stop 966, Denver, CO 80225 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar LYNN M. HIGHLAND LYNN M. HIGHLAND 1U.S. Geological Survey, Box 25046, Mail Stop 966, Denver, CO 80225 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information ROBERT L. SCHUSTER 1U.S. Geological Survey, Box 25046, Mail Stop 966, Denver, CO 80225 LYNN M. HIGHLAND 1U.S. Geological Survey, Box 25046, Mail Stop 966, Denver, CO 80225 Publisher: Association of Environmental & Engineering Geologists First Online: 09 Mar 2017 Online ISSN: 1558-9161 Print ISSN: 1078-7275 © 2007 Association of Engineering Geologists Environmental & Engineering Geoscience (2007) 13 (1): 25–44. https://doi.org/10.2113/gseegeosci.13.1.25 Article history First Online: 09 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation ROBERT L. SCHUSTER, LYNN M. HIGHLAND; Overview of the Effects of Mass Wasting on the Natural Environment. Environmental & Engineering Geoscience 2007;; 13 (1): 25–44. doi: https://doi.org/10.2113/gseegeosci.13.1.25 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyEnvironmental & Engineering Geoscience Search Advanced Search Abstract Mass movements affect the following elements of the environment: (1) the topography of the earth's surface, particularly the morphologies of mountain and valley systems, both on the continents and on the ocean floors; (2) the character/quality of rivers and streams and groundwater flow; (3) the forests that cover much of the earth's subaerial surface; and (4) the habitats of natural wildlife that exist on the earth's surface, including its rivers, lakes, and oceans. Large amounts of geologic materials enter streams as sediment as a result of this landslide and erosion activity, thus reducing the potability of the water and quality of habitat for fish and wildlife. Biotic destruction by landslides is also common; widespread stripping of forest cover by mass movements has been noted in many parts of the world. Although most kinds of wildlife are able to retreat fast enough to avoid direct injury from all but the fastest-moving landslides, they often are subject to habitat damage by landslides. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.