Abstract: Land degradation caused by urban expansion and related mining activities in the humid Pampa (province of Buenos Aires) is analysed. Direct and indirect effects on landform modification and erosion/sedimentation rates are assessed. Implications for reduction of soil productivity and hazards related to the appearance of new landforms are discussed. A numerical index for assessing hazards caused by mining excavations is proposed, and tested using independent data. Changes observed in landforms and erosion/sedimentation processes suggest that human-driven geomorphic change could be one of the characteristicsof the Anthropocene.

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