ABSTRACT
This chapter provides new data on the effects of slope position on soil formation in an arid Mediterranean climate in southern California and shows how processes active in that region are active in other areas with Mediterranean climates. Investigators have shown similar patterns in the spatial variation of soils due to topography in Mediterranean climates elsewhere. Interestingly, similar patterns occur regardless of the amount of precipitation or the type of parent material. This suggests similar processes in all areas, with the amount of water movement passing through the profiles probably being the most important. Soil development on hillslopes in Mediterranean climates appears to take a similar direction, regardless of the amount of precipitation or the nature of the parent material. Catenas in Mediterranean climates appear to be good examples of the concept of ‘thresholds’ in geomorphology. Dynamic metastable equilibrium, as discussed by Chorley and Kennedy and Schumm represents variations about changing average condition, with episodic change as thresholds are exceeded.
