Scope of the TAROKO project

Landscapes are formed through the complex interactions of a multitude of physical, biological and chemical processes. To understand how these processes interact and thus how a landscape works in its entirety, we need accurate, long-term observations across an entire landscape. The Taroko National Park in Taiwan is one of the most active landscapes in the world. The data raised in this observatory will be used to address broad research questions.

A landscape can be divided in different process domains, such as hillslopes and river channels. How do these different process domains interact?

How do physical, chemical and biological processes interact to sculpt a landscape?

Landscapes are sculpted by the motion of matter, and the route sediment takes from the hillslopes through the channel network to its final destination in a sedimentary basin is described by the sediment cascade. How does matter move within an active landscape, especially between different process domains?

Landscapes experience long, uneventful periods, but occasionally hell breaks loose for a brief moment in a large flood or during an earthquake. What is the relative importance of extreme and regular events in setting landscape form?