Influence of Bedrock Landslides in the Northern Chilean Patagonia's Landscape Evolution

In the Patagonia of Chile, the mountainous relief has been modeled in response to tectonic and climatic processes. Landslides have played an essential role in the evolution of this segment of the Andes. Bedrock landslides are the primary source of sediment in mountain ranges. Various investigations have shown that the sediment generated by bedrock landslides remains available for thousands of years and can be transported by rivers; however, this is a factor that has very little consideration in landscape evolution models. Rivers transport and evacuate these sediments derived from landslides, controlling the rate of evolution of the landscape that is generated in response to the interaction between tectonics and climate. This dynamic in northern Patagonia has not been quantified due to a lack of data. Consequently, we developed a database of bedrock landslides generated during the Pleistocene-Holocene. Subsequently, to understand the dynamics of these processes at different temporal and spatial scales, we implemented the Stream Power with Alluvium Conservation and Entrainment (SPACE) numerical evolution landscape model. Space is integrated with a hybrid landscape evolution model (HyLands 1.0) that can model the fluvial incision and the contribution of sediments by landslides. The model was implemented in an experimental context to test how landslides influence the geomorphological evolution of this region of the Andes. Our work aims to contribute to the understanding of the long-term interaction between landslides, incision, and sediment transport that will shape the landscape of Patagonia in Chile in the future.