The importance of sediment connectivity for watershed management needs accurate quantification tools, particularly in Mediterranean torrents, where soil erosion and sediment transport are often not tolerable. This study proposes a modified version (mCCI) of the Catchment Connectivity Index (CCI), theorized by Quiñonero‐Rubio, Boix‐Fayos, and de Vente (2013). The modified index improves the calculation procedure, providing a more efficient description of the hydrological and geomorphological factors of CCI and making easier its applicability for the operators with less field experience. The mCCI is applied to evaluate the sediment connectivity at the catchment scale in a torrent of Calabria (Southern Italy). This case study has shown how and by what extent the natural (climate changes) and human impacts (land‐use changes and check dam installation) have influenced the geomorphic processes influencing sediment circulation in the studied basin throughout six decades. From 1955 to 2012, a general decrease in sediment connectivity has been caught by mCCI. This was the combined effects of greening‐up processes of the catchment (due to both natural afforestation and human‐induced reforestation) and the installation of check dams, which have decreased the catchment potential to circulating sediments. Overall, the mCCI can be used as an analytical tool to evaluate the influence of past or future changes in natural and human‐induced changes in land use and climate actions by comparing scenarios of torrent connectivity.

中文翻译：

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修改后的集水区连通性指数，适用于地中海环境的半干旱洪流

沉积物连通性对流域管理的重要性需要精确的量化工具，尤其是在地中海洪流中，那里的土壤侵蚀和沉积物运输通常是不能容忍的。这项研究提出了集水区连通性指数（CCI）的修订版（mCCI），由Quiñonero-Rubio，Boix-Fayos和de Vente（2013）理论化。修改后的指数改善了计算程序，对CCI的水文和地貌因素提供了更有效的描述，并使其更易于应用于具有较少现场经验的操作员。该MCCI在卡拉布里亚（意大利南部）的洪流中用于评估流域尺度上的沉积物连通性。该案例研究表明，自然（气候变化）和人为影响（土地用途变化和水坝建设）在过去的六十年中如何影响了受沉积盆地中的泥沙循环的地貌过程。从1955年到2012年，mCCI发现了沉积物连通性普遍下降。这是流域绿化过程（由于自然造林和人为造林造成的）和安装拦河坝的综合影响，这降低了流域沉积物的流域潜力。总体而言，mCCI 可以用作分析工具，通过比较洪流连通性情景来评估过去或未来自然和人为因素对土地利用和气候变化的影响。