Lithological control on relief and hypsometry in the Herault drainage basin (France)

Relief and hypsometry have been calculated for three drainage basins along the Herault river, all of them in the same tectonic context but with differ ent rock types. Basin hypsometry clearly depends an lithology, whereas lith ological effect is minor on relief amplitude at various spatial scales. In addition, relief amplitude is a specific characteristic of a drainage basin , and consequently could be a relevant morphometric indicator of differenti al vertical surface motions. ((C) Academie des sciences / Elsevier, Paris.) .