Chemical weathering and landscape development in mid-latitude alpine environments

Assessment of the role of chemical processes in denudation is complicated by the differing, sometimes conflicting, definitions of the term. It is important to view chemical processes primarily as a component of geomorphic work, rather than as an important land-forming agent, in periglacial environments. Given the intrinsic attribute of long distance transport out of a drainage basin implicit to denudation, chemical solute loads in periglacial river systems must be ranked highly in comparison to the, often dramatic, but nearly always highly localized contribution from alpine mass wasting.