Environmental variables (EV)

Environmental variable

Abbreviation

Proxy for

Digital elevation model

DEM

Temperature, topographic variation

Slope

Slope

Soil moisture, soil nutrients, soil characteristics

Aspect

Aspect

Slope direction, sun exposure

Solar radiation

Solar_rad

Insolation

Curvature

Curvature

Exposure to wind, water and soil nutrient runoff direction

Relative relief 3 × 3

Rel_3

Large scale topographic differences, 30 × 30 meters

Relative relief 6 × 6

Rel_6

Large scale topographic differences, 60 × 60 meters

Relative relief 9 × 9

Rel_9

Large scale topographic differences, 90 × 90 meters

Wetness index

Wet_ind

Groundwater

Profile curvature

Prof_curv

Affects the acceleration or deceleration of flow across the surface

Planform curvature

Plan_curv

Relates to the convergence and divergence of flow across a surface