Question

Why can the removal of vegetation trigger mass movements

Answer 1

Answer: Mass movement also called slope movement or mass wasting is a process in which sand, soil, rock, and other materials move down the slope as a solid, continuous, or discontinuous mass ( under the force of gravity).

Vegetation stabilizes a slope as it prevents soil erosion. Its removal from an area can trigger mass movement because it will increase the rate of soil erosion and also increase the rate of absorption of water by soil, thereby destabilizing the slopes and causing mass movements.

Answer 2

The removal of vegetation can trigger mass movements because the plant roots bind the soil and regolith together.