Geology Reference
In-Depth Information
1
WHAT IS GEOMORPHOLOGY?
Geomorphology is the study of landforms and the processes that create them. This chapter covers:
historical, process, applied, and other geomorphologies
the form of the land
land-forming processes and geomorphic systems
the history of landforms
methodological isms
INTRODUCING GEOMORPHOLOGY
to major tectonic plates, and their 'lifespans' range from
days to millennia to aeons (Figure 1.1).
Geomorphology was first used as a term to describe the
morphology of the Earth's surface in the 1870s and 1880s
(e.g. de Margerie 1886, 315). It was originally defined as
'the genetic study of topographic forms' (McGee 1888,
547), and was used in popular parlance by 1896. Despite
the modern acquisition of its name, geomorphology is a
venerable discipline (Box 1.1). It investigates landforms
and the processes that fashion them. A large corpus of
geomorphologists expends much sweat in researching
relationships between landforms and the processes act-
ing on them now. These are the
process
or
functional
geomorphologists
. Many geomorphic processes affect,
The word geomorphology derives from three Greek
words:
V
(discourse). Geomorphology is therefore 'a discourse on
Earth forms'. It is the study of Earth's physical land-
surface features, its landforms - rivers, hills, plains,
beaches, sand dunes, and myriad others. Some work-
ers include submarine landforms within the scope of
geomorphology. And some would add the landforms of
other terrestrial-type planets and satellites in the Solar
System - Mars, the Moon, Venus, and so on. Landforms
are conspicuous features of the Earth and occur every-
where. They range in size from molehills to mountains
gew
(the Earth),
m
o
rfh
(form), and
l
o
g
o
