Dynamic earth system and ecological controls of rainfall-initiated landslides

Rainfall-initiated landslides involve highly dynamic hydrologic, earth surface, and ecological processes that persist over a range of spatial and temporal scales; however, guidance for overcoming these challenges has been elusive. A conceptual framework is presented to shed light on these dynamic and interactive processes that should lend insights into why and when certain slopes fail during storms, while other seemingly similar slopes do not fail. Such advances will benefit landslide hazard assessments and disaster responsiveness protocols.