| In this doctoral project, the effect of recent human activity on sediment production on the hillslopes and its link with fluvial processes in the river system will be monitored, analysed and modelled. The results of this doctoral project will contribute to improve the overall scientific understanding of the impact of recent human activity on both sediment production on the hillslopes and its link with accelerated sediment transport in tropical mountain river systems. Besides, the data that will be obtained in this project will provide a scientific basis for (i) negotiations among several stakeholders in the catchment to discuss the sustainability of actual land use practices and (ii) the development of a sound catchment management plan for the Paute basin, in which adequate soil and water conservation measures will be promoted to reduce the accelerated sediment production and sediment transport in the river system back to natural levels. Aim: The overall objectives of this study can be summarized as: (i) to identify the relative and absolute contribution of various geomorphologic processes (landslides, soil erosion) on the hillslopes to sediment delivery in the river system at the catchment scale (ii) to quantify the effect of recent human activities and recent land use change on various geomorphic processes (landslides, soil erosion) on the hillslopes (iii) to assess and model the effect of human-induced accelerated geomorphic activity on the hillslopes on sediment transport and river morphology |
