Abstract

Slope deposits are common in any inclined relief. So-called cover beds may veil entire landscapes, in which case they are commonly overlooked or confused with soil horizons. This book focuses on these widespread deposits and discusses their properties, genesis, and age mainly in subdued mountains of Central Europe, where to date most research on the matter has been conducted. The ecological consequences of such slope deposits on soils, slope water dynamics, and slope failures are addressed. Finally, transfer of the cover-bed concept to other mid-latitude regions is attempted for the reconstruction of landscape evolution.

This unique compilation, covering several decades of a facies-oriented approach to slope-deposit research, delivers deep insight into the wide field of research on cover beds and encourages researchers all over the world to take an in-depth look at the critical zone as to its possible stratified nature.

• Unique compilation of several decades of slope-deposit research
• Facies-oriented approach
• Addresses ecological consequences on soils, slope water dynamics, and slope failures

"The book edited by Arno Kleber and Birgit Terhorst provides convincing evidence how interesting slope deposits and their depositional environments are; it can only be hoped that their book will play an important role in bringing this somewhat neglected topic back in focus…the book is a good reading and to include it into the series ‘Developments in Sedimentology’ was an appropriate decision."--Geologos, December 2013***