Earth Surface Dynamics
Earth Surface Dynamics
ESurf
Articles | Volume 14, issue 2
Articles | Volume 14, issue 2
https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-14-247-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-14-247-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Articles | Volume 14, issue 2
Research article
 | Highlight paper
 | 
23 Mar 2026
Research article | Highlight paper |  | 23 Mar 2026

Limited influence of bedrock strength on river profiles: the dominant role of sediment dynamics

Nanako Yamanishi and Hajime Naruse

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Editorial statement
A common perception is that changes in rock type (lithology) directly alter the long profile (or longtitudinal shape) of a river bed. However, this study finds that changes in lithology cannot be directly detected by looking at the long profile of a river, and the reason why it cannot be detected, is of broad interest to students of bedrock rivers and landscapes.
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Short summary
Bedrock strength in bedrock river is often seen as controlling incision rates and river profiles, natural changes in rock type do not always match slope changes. In the Abukuma River basin, Japan, we measured bedrock strength and despite large strength differences, slopes were nearly uniform. Numerical tests showed that the model, which includes sediment cover and erosion effects, best explained river profiles. Thus, sediment plays a greater role than bedrock strength in shaping river profiles.
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