Authors: Bruno Henrique Abatti, Franciele Zanandrea, Leonardo Rodolfo Paul & Gean Paulo Michel
Published in: Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 2022
The study assesses sediment connectivity in a small catchment on the southern Brazilian plateau (0.89 km²), combining hydrological monitoring with three indices — the structural connectivity index (IC), the hydro-sedimentological connectivity index (IHC) and a field connectivity index (FIC). Natural sinks and deposition zones emerge as the main disconnecting elements in the catchment, while sediment availability and antecedent soil moisture have a greater influence on functional connectivity than other structural variables, highlighting the importance of coupling thresholds between different sediment sources.