How vegetation influences the evolution of meandering rivers

A recent study published in Nature Communications analyzed 54 meandering rivers found in distinct climatic and geological contexts worldwide. The study revealed that vegetation effectively modifies the velocity at which meanders move laterally, driven by river curvature.
These findings provide new insights into the morphodynamics of meandering rivers on Earth. They are also important for reconstructing their evolution on extraterrestrial landscapes where records of ancient vegetation are absent.
Alvise Finotello, Assistant Professor of the Department of Geosciences of the University of Padua, is the main author of the study and he tells more in this interview.
Shooting and editing by Barbara Paknazar