ABSTRACT
Spatial variations of water erosion and sediment yield in mountains are predetermined by the hierarchical organisation of hydrological systems and their capacity for the selfregulation of erosion and sediment accumulation. The scale and individual character of erosion and sediment yields are determined by other site-specific factors. Among these, runoff variability plays a critical role in the time-dependent changes of processes under discussion. The processes are illustrated by examples from the Caucasus Mountains.
