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Landslides Linked to Plate Tectonics Create the Steepest Mountain Terrain

By Guest PostJune 3, 2012Environmentangle of slope, bay of bengal, bedrock, brahmaputra river, catastrophic breach, david montgomery, delta, downstream, eastern himalaya, Ganges River, isaac larsen, landslide, landslide erosion, mountain slopes, mountain terrain, plate tectonics, po tsangpo river, river, southeast tibet, southern asia, spy satellite photography, terrain uplift, tsangpo gorge, university of washington, vince stricherz, yarlung tsangpo river

Some of the steepest mountain slopes in the world got that way because of the interplay between terrain uplift associated with plate tectonics and powerful streams cutting into hillsides, leading to erosion in the form of large landslides, new research shows.

The work, presented online May 27 in Nature Geoscience, shows that once the angle of a slope exceeds 30 degrees – whether from uplift, a rushing stream carving away the bottom of the slope or a combination of the two – landslide erosion increases significantly until the hillside stabilizes.

“I think the formation of these landscapes could apply to any steep mountain terrain in the world,” said lead author Isaac Larsen, a University of Washington doctoral student in Earth and space sciences. (more…)

Construction of New Rock Spawning Reefs Will Help Great Lakes Native Fish

By Guest PostMay 13, 2012Environment, Naturebelle isle, boat traffic, boulder, bruce manny, center of excellence, connecting channel, crevices, delta, detroit, detroit river, erie, fighting island, great lakes, huron erie, huron erie corridor, jennifer read, lake sturgeon, lake whitefish, lakes huron, michigan, michigan sea grant, middle channel, middle channel reefs, mooneye, native fish, northern madtom catfish, physical characteristics, reef project, river bottom, river redhorse sucker, rock spawning reefs, rock structure, sport fish, st clair river, U.S. Geological Survey, walleye

ANN ARBOR, Mich.—The first of nine rock reefs is under construction in the St. Clair River delta northeast of Detroit. The goal of the project, which is led by Michigan Sea Grant, is to boost populations of lake sturgeon and other rare native fish by providing river-bottom rock structures where they can spawn.

The rock reefs are designed to assist several native species that are considered threatened or endangered in Michigan, including lake sturgeon, mooneye, the northern madtom catfish and the river redhorse sucker. Walleye, a popular sport fish, and commercially important lake whitefish should also benefit. (more…)

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Landslides Linked to Plate Tectonics Create the Steepest Mountain Terrain

Construction of New Rock Spawning Reefs Will Help Great Lakes Native Fish