Indicators of Soil Movement on Range Watersheds

Abstract

Three agents of soil movement are discussed: wind, water, animal hoofs. Eight indicators of soil movement are described and their reliability for indicating soil movement is interpreted. The indicators are: trampling, soil remnants, erosion pavement, lichen lines, wind-scoured depressions, aeolian deposits, alluvial deposits, and gullies and rills. A simple field procedure for measuring gully and rill erosion is presented. This quantitative approximation of soil movement due to erosion by water has proved to be reasonably reliable.