Spatio-temporal activity of mass movements in the Krušné Hory Mountains (Czech Republic): dendrogeomorphological case study
Abstract
This article utilizes dendrogeomorphology to investigate the spatial and temporal variation of mass movement dynamics on south-eastfacing slopes of the Krušné Hory Mountains. It is based on 93 samples collected from 35 disturbed Fagus sylvatica trees.
These samples were taken in five model locations, representing the most problematic sections. The article focuses on growth disturbances such as eccentric growth of annual tree-rings and abrupt growth changes.
The strongest disturbances were most commonly found in trees located near the base of the mountains, where growth disturbances has occurred periodically, since 1900. To analyze past mass movement dynamics, we introduce a "creep rate", defined as the proportion of eccentric tree-rings per decade.
The results clearly demonstrate that "creep rates" culminated during the period from the 1940s to the 1970s, as a result of deep-seated slope failure the developed during the 1950s near the toe of the mountains.