Geomorphlogy

For further information on why geomorphlogy is so
important as a discipline, see our online resourse,
'10 reasons why Geomorphology is important' . A
downloadable PDF version is available here. A
Welsh language version is also available .
Geomorphology is the study of landforms, their
processes, form and sediments at the surface of
the Earth (and sometimes on other planets). Study
includes looking at landscapes to work out how the
earth surface processes, such as air, water and ice,
can mould the landscape. Landforms are produced
by erosion or deposition, as rock and sediment is
worn away by these earth-surface processes and
transported and deposited to different localities.
The different climatic environments produce
different suites of landforms. The landforms of
deserts, such as sand dunes and ergs, are a world
apart from the glacial and periglacial features
found in polar and sub-polar regions.
Geomorphologists map the distribution of these
landforms so as to understand better their
occurrence.
Earth-surface processes are forming landforms
today, changing the landscape, albeit often very
slowly. Most geomorphic processes operate at a
slow rate, but sometimes a large event, such as a
landslide or flood, occurs causing rapid change to
the environment, and sometimes threatening
humans. So geological hazards, such as volcanic
eruptions, earthquakes, tsunamis and landslides,
fall within the interests of geomorphologists.
Advancements in remote sensing from satellites
and GIS mapping has benefited geomorphologists
greatly over the past few decades, allowing them to
understand global distributions.
Geomorphologists are also “landscape-detectives”
working out the history of a landscape. Most
environments, such as Britain and Ireland, have in
the past been glaciated on numerous occasions,
tens and hundreds of thousands of years ago.
These glaciations have left their mark on the
landscape, such as the steep-sided valleys in the
Lake District and the drumlin fields of central
Ireland. Geomorphologists can piece together the
history of such places by studying the remaining
landforms and the sediments – often the particles
and the organic material, such as pollen, beetles,
diatoms and macrofossils preserved in lake
sediments and peat, can provide evidence on past
climate change and processes.
So geomorphology is a diverse discipline. Although
the basic geomorphological principles can be
applied to all environments, geomorphologists tend
to specialise in one or two areas, such aeolian
(desert) geomorphology, glacial and periglacial
geomorphology, volcanic and tectonic
geomorphology, and even planetary
geomorphology. Most research is multi-disciplinary,
combining the knowledge and perspectives from
two contrasting disciplines, combining with subjects
as diverse as ecology, geology, civil engineering,
hydrology and soil science.
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