Tree-ring record of hillslope erosion and valley floor dynamics: Landscape responses to climate variation during the last 400 yr in the Colorado Plateau, northeastern Arizona

Dendrogeomorphologic approaches were used to study hillslope erosion and valley floor dynamics in a small drainage basin in the Colorado Plateau of northeastern Arizona, U.S.A. Root exposure in pinyon pines indicated hillslope erosion averaged 1.9 mm/yr over the last 400 yr, but erosion has been highly episodic. Negative increment growth anomalies in hillslope trees are interpreted as the consequence of rapid aerial exposure of roots by erosion. During the last 300 yr, two of three major episodes of these growth anomalies occurred after abrupt transitions from prolonged, multi-year droughts to sustained, lengthy periods of above-average precipitation. The most recent episode of these growth anomalies began within a few years after 1905 and was associated with the largest precipitation shift (drought to wet interval) in the last 400 yr. In contrast to trees on eroding hillslopes, increment growth of trees in more geomorphically stable landscape positions closely tracked the regional precipitation signal. Two major alluvial fills on the adjacent valley floor are also linked to the abrupt changes in precipitation regimes and the associated increases in delivery of runoff and sediments from slopes. The clay-cemented sandstones weather rapidly; rapid weathering and sediment production make slopes highly responsive to decadal precipitation changes. Significant vegetation declines on slopes during extreme drought make hillslope soils more prone to erosion if heavy precipitation follows soon thereafter.