The clast fabrics of certain types of terrestrial slope deposits are r
eviewed and compared, including the deposits of rockfalls, solifluctio
n, debris flows, dry grain flows, frost-coated clast flows and run-off
. The analysis is based on modern deposits in active environments. The
study shows that fabric characteristics allow discrimination between
'collective' and individual movement of rock particles. The individual
particle movement generally results in a random clast orientation, wh
ereas the processes of 'collective' movement typically create distinct
preferred orientations. The highest fabric strengths together with lo
w values of spherical variance are found in solifluction deposits. A s
urvey of Pleistocene slope deposits indicates, however, that clast fab
ric has to be used with caution in the identification of past slope dy
namics, because significant post-depositional changes may occur during
ageing and burial of deposits. The diagnostic significance of fabric
characteristics may also be low due to the overlap of the statistical
values that typify different processes.