Wood as a driver of past landscape change along river corridors

Abstract

The role of wood as a driver of landform development appears to have been overlooked in the interpretation of palaeo-landscape change along river corridors. Deforested river corridors and wood-free rivers characterize modern, managed landscapes, but along natural river corridors both driftwood dynamics and tree reproductive strategies can have a dramatic impact on the style and rate of channel and floodplain development. Therefore, we believe that interpretations of the post-glacial history of river valleys across the northern temperate climatic zone could be usefully reassessed, incorporating the roles of riparian trees.