One explanation holds that terracettes are formed when saturated soil particles expand, then contract as they dry, causing them to move slowly downhill. An example of this is the manger near the Uffington White Horse. It may also be described as a small, irregular step-like formation on steep hillslopes, especially on those used for pasture which are formed by soil creep or erosion of surface soils exacerbated by the trampling of livestock such as sheep or cattle. Synonyms are: catstep[3][4] cattle terracing, sheep or cattle track.
Early investigators such as C. Darwin (1904) believed that animals grazing the hillsides caused terracettes,[1] but further examination revealed places where they abruptly end at steep rock faces or at soils of different composition. Other sites show livestock trails cutting across terracettes.[5] Geomorphologists Vincent and Clarke have also cast doubt about the ability of animals alone to create such regular steps or ridges.[1]
terracette, terracette, landform, consisting, hillside, ridge, arranged, part, parallel, step, like, sequences, such, ridges, better, source, needed, occur, step, hillsides, regularly, spaced, better, source, needed, various, causes, have, been, suggested, exp. A terracette is a landform consisting of a hillside ridge arranged as part of sub parallel step like sequences of such ridges 1 2 better source needed Terracette occur on step hillsides and are regularly spaced 2 better source needed Various causes have been suggested to explain their origin including animal trampling vegetation and regolith behaviour soil creep and solifluction including gelifluction 1 Terracettes in Wiltshire England One explanation holds that terracettes are formed when saturated soil particles expand then contract as they dry causing them to move slowly downhill An example of this is the manger near the Uffington White Horse It may also be described as a small irregular step like formation on steep hillslopes especially on those used for pasture which are formed by soil creep or erosion of surface soils exacerbated by the trampling of livestock such as sheep or cattle Synonyms are catstep 3 4 cattle terracing sheep or cattle track Early investigators such as C Darwin 1904 believed that animals grazing the hillsides caused terracettes 1 but further examination revealed places where they abruptly end at steep rock faces or at soils of different composition Other sites show livestock trails cutting across terracettes 5 Geomorphologists Vincent and Clarke have also cast doubt about the ability of animals alone to create such regular steps or ridges 1 See also EditDownlandReferences Edit a b c d Vincent Peter J Clarke Joan V 1976 The terracette enigma a review Biuletyn Peryglacjalny 25 65 77 a b Definition of terracette by Patricia Hampl Home Ground test ourhomeground com Archived from the original on 2016 04 19 Retrieved 2016 04 29 Geology and Ground Water of Yuma County Co U S Geological Survey 1964 p J49 Retrieved 14 December 2019 Glossary of Landform and Geologic Terms PDF U S Department of Agriculture pp 629 79 Retrieved 14 December 2019 Buckhouse John C What Caused Those Terracettes External links EditGeology and geomorphology This geology article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Terracette amp oldid 1109249552, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
