Connectivity and mass movements: An underestimated relationship?

The concept of connectivity has gained prominence in environmental sciences because it underpins how sediment, nutrient, and contaminant transport affects the landscape. Although geomorphic processes are essential for linking landform compartments, literature reviews frequently neglect high-magnitude events such as mass movements. This paper presents a bibliometric review of 166 articles (2005-2026) on the relationship between mass movements and landscape connectivity, aiming to map the state of the art, identify applications, methodological and spatial gaps, and indicate future research directions. The results indicate that hillslope processes are analyzed from a lateral connectivity perspective. In contrast, flow-type processes act as propagators of longitudinal connectivity, both of which are predominantly triggered by climatic factors. Geographically, the study areas are concentrated in five countries (Italy, China, New Zealand, Switzerland, and the USA), which account for 65% of all publications. Methodologically, visual analysis (geomorphological mapping, image use and field data) and the Index of Connectivity (IC) predominate. The data revealed that, although mass movements significantly alter the sediment cascade, investigations evaluating how their physical properties affect connectivity remain scarce. This methodological and spatial concentration exposes a limitation, resulting in an underrepresentation of geomorphic environments outside the Europe - Asia (European Alps - Himalayan) axis. In conclusion, the direct analysis of these dynamics enhances the understanding of landscape evolution and supports disaster risk management.