Vegetation and Geomorphic Connectivity in Mountain Fluvial Systems

Rivers are complex biophysical systems, constantly adjusting to a suite of changing governing conditions, including vegetation cover within their basins. This review seeks to: (i) highlight the crucial role that vegetation’s influence on efficiency clastic material fluxes (geomorphic connectivity) plays in defining mountain fluvial landscape’s behavior; and (ii) identify key challenges which hinder progress understanding this subject. To end, selective literature is carried out illustrate pervasiveness plants’ effects geomorphic channel networks (longitudinal connectivity), as well between channels broader landscape (lateral connectivity). Taken together, reviewed evidence lends support thesis vegetation-connectivity linkages play central regulating behavior systems. The manuscript concluded by brief discussion need for integration mechanistic research into local feedbacks plants sediment with basin-scale considers emergent phenomena.