Inventory and chronology of mass movements in the Black Forest

As natural hazards, landslides cause significant economic and societal damage. In the context of climate change, both frequency and intensity of extreme rainfall events as key triggers of landslide are expected to increase. Due to its high local relief and the highest elevations within the German Central Uplands, the Black Forest is repeatedly affected by landslides. In order to a better assess the likelihood and impacts of future landslides, it is crucial to identify and analyze the triggers, spatial distribution and development of paleolandslides.

However, so far there is little knowledge about the occurrence and spatial extent, not to speak of age distributions of landslides in the Black Forest. Preliminary data suggest that the current geological and hazard maps provide an incomplete and imprecise representation of landslides in the Feldberg area. This implies that many more landslides may exist across the Black Forest than previously assumed, highlighting the need for improved mapping and analysis of past events.

The research project includes a GIS-based approach combined with detailed geomorphological field mapping for the development of a landslide inventory, as well as Terrestrial Cosmogenic Nuclide Dating and Schmidt-Hammer Exposure Dating for the age determination of paleolandslides. Two study areas are selected for cluster and trigger analysis, characterized by contrasting lithological settings and varying degrees of glacial influence.