Hillslopes are important elements of the terrestrial Earth surface. The characteristics, development and function of hillslopes as components of the geomorphological process-response system represent a central theme in geomorphology. Denudation, including both chemical and mechanical slope and fluvial denudational processes, is of high relevance for Earth surface and landscape development and the transfers of solutes, nutrients and sediments from slope and headwater systems through the main stem of drainage basin systems to the world`s ocean basins. Denudation is controlled by a range of environmental drivers and can be significantly affected by man-made activities. Only if we have an improved quantitative knowledge of drivers, mechanisms and rates of contemporary slope and denudation processes across a range of different selected climatic environments, is it possible that the effects of global environmental changes (e.g. higher frequencies of intensive rainfall events, increasing permafrost thawing, rapid glacier retreat), anthropogenic impacts and other disturbances (e.g. land use, fires, earthquakes) on denudation can be better assessed.

This session combines contributions on hillslope geomorphology, slope and fluvial denudation and landscape responses to environmental changes in different morphoclimatic zones. The presented studies apply a diverse set of tools and data analysis, including up to date field measurements and monitoring techniques, remotely sensed/GIS-based analyses, numerical modelling, geochemical measurements, dendrochronological approaches, and cosmogenic radionuclide dating.