Visando elucidar questoes referentes a genese, evolucao e dinamica atual das vertentes na area da escarpa compreendida entre taquara e sao francisco de paula, no rio grande do sul, realizaram-se estudos geomorfologicos especificos, relacionando os movimentos coletivos de solo e de rocha intemperizada, a remocao da cobertura vegetal e a instabilidade das vertentes. O processo investigatorio englobando aspectos da morfogenese e da morfodinamica da area foi sistematizado em duas escalas espacio-temporais, a regional e a de detalhe. A reconstituicao da historia da area de estudo, desde o inicio do mezosoico, possibilitou identificar os principais processos morfogeneticos responsaveis pela genese e evolucao da escarpa. A avaliacao da morfodinamica das vertentes, atraves do estudo experimental sobre o deslocamento dos materiais por rastejo, revelou a fragilidade da area, diante da remocao da cobertura vegetal que tem sido praticada pela acao antropica, o que possibilitou identificar diferentes situacoes de instabilidade ambiental.

In order to clear up questions regarding genesis, development and present dynamics of the slopes in the escarpment area within Taquara and São Francisco de Paula districts, in Rio Grande do Sul State, specific geomorphologic studies were made relating collective movements of soil and weathered rocks to the removal of the plant cover, and to the instability of slopes. The process of investigation inserts aspects of the area's morphogenesis and morphodynamics. It was interpreted in two space-time scales - regional and detailed. Due to historical reconstitution of the research area - from the beginning of the Mesozoic - the main morphogenetic processes in the escarpment's genesis and development were identified. Through an experiment on materiais' displacement caused by creep, the valuation of the slopes' morphodynamics revealed the fragility of the area, facing the removal of the plant cover carried out by human action. Furthermore, the present study made possible displaying different situations of environmental instability.