Rainfall-induced hydrological and geomorphological processes such as different types of landslides are common phenomena in hilly and mountainous catchments, where the effects of intense precipitation are enhanced by peculiar morphological features. In the last years, these phenomena have gained broad attention in the international scientific community as they concur to deliver large volumes of sediment to the stream network and are often associated with the occurrence of channelized debris flows, which represent an important source of hazard for the economic activities, the infrastructures and the population in adjacent lowland areas. In the past, many hilly and mountainous catchments have been modified by human action (e.g., deforestation practices, cultivation systems, road construction) sometimes producing landscape features which currently are declared cultural heritage (e.g. terraced slopes) and in turn are threatened by the impact of landslides triggered by intense rainstorms, and associated process chains.
The purpose of this session is to gather contributions aimed at understanding the influence of environmental and anthropic factors on the hydro-geomorphological response of human-modified hilly and mountainous catchments. It provides a platform for interdisciplinary approaches and case studies, with contributions from different fields, such as engineering geology, hydrology and geomorphology. Contributions addressing the analysis of the effects of rainfall-induced landslides at different scales in space (e.g. from experimental slopes to small and medium-sized basins) and time (e.g. from single events to several decades), with different methodologies (e.g., geotechnical monitoring, remote sensing techniques and modelling approaches) are particularly welcome.
The session wishes to represent an opportunity for sharing and exchanging knowledge, approaches and achievements between experts and young scientists that may be useful in scheduling proper landslide risk prevention and mitigation strategies in human-modified catchments.