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Updated: Jul 3, 2026

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Earth is mostly diffusive: A global analysis of landscape evolution.

Harrison K Martin1, Michael P Lamb1

  • 1Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA.

Science Advances
|July 1, 2026
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Most of Earth's land surface (~75%) is shaped by diffusive soil creep, but other geomorphic processes transport the majority of continental sediment. This mapping improves landscape evolution models.

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Area of Science:

  • Geomorphology
  • Earth Surface Processes
  • Landscape Evolution

Background:

  • Landscape evolution models often simplify geomorphic processes.
  • Diffusive soil creep and bedrock river incision are commonly modeled.
  • The global representation of other key geomorphic processes is poorly understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To map the global distribution of eight major geomorphic process domains.
  • To quantify the land area dominated by each process.
  • To assess the contribution of different domains to global sediment transport.

Main Methods:

  • Global mapping of geomorphic process domains.
  • Analysis of topographic, climatic, and tectonic data.
  • Quantification of land area and sediment transport pathways.

Main Results:

  • ~75% of Earth's land area is soil-mantled hillslopes and flatlands (diffusive soil creep).
  • Bedrock river corridors cover only 0.5% of land.
  • ~24% of land area comprises glaciers, lakes, alluvial rivers, aeolian deserts, and bedrock hillslopes.
  • These smaller domains transport the majority of continental sediment to oceans.

Conclusions:

  • Diffusive topography is spatially dominant globally.
  • Geomorphic process domains correlate with specific environmental conditions.
  • Findings provide a basis for improving coupled landscape, climate, and tectonic models.