Origin of biancane and calanchi in East Aliano, southern Italy

The results of the analyses of the soil/bedrock samples show no significant differences in their properties between biancane and calanchi. Field observations do not support the idea that biancane are the final product of calanchi development, but support the hypothesis that biancane and calanchi are formed under different terrain conditions related to structural patterns and denudation processes of highly erodible materials. The origin of biancane is associated with highly dissected surfaces along a reticular system of small joints. In contrast, calanchi are formed on steep wall-like slopes along larger lineaments where the rate of incision into the slopes surpasses the denudation of the densely vegetated back-slope.