Geomorphology
Geomorphology is the formal study of landforms and the processes that shape them. Geomorphology forms a core for the whole of physical geography, because it is within the framework of the landscape that soils, plants, and indeed ecosystems develop and function.
The study of geomorphology consequently is an essential component of the training of any physical geographer or natural scientist. It is also a field of study that can be very enriching personally. A knowledge of geomorphology deepens the experience of travel, and the relationship between an individual and their surroundings. The study of landforms has a long history, dating back to ancient times, running through the work of great observers like Leonardo da Vinci, and into modern times in the work of outstanding thinkers like the American G.K. Gilbert. It has broadened its focus by moving beyond the earth, forming one branch of modern planetary science. Here, geomorphology has been applied to resolving the nature of the supposed landforms created by flowing water on other planets of the solar system (e.g. the Martian rilles).
Geomorphology is carried out as both a pure academic pursuit, and as an intensely relevant applied discipline. It is employed in managing the effects of agriculture, pastoralism, mining, river improvement and flood control, and many other areas of concern in modern society.
Within the span of geomorphology, there are many recognised areas of specialisation that include
- fluvial geomorphology(running water and its role)
- aeolian geomorphology (wind and wind erosion)
- glacial and periglacial geomorphology (ice and other cold-climate landforms and processes)
- coastal geomorphology
- desert geomorphology
- tropical geomorphology
- karst geomorphology (caves and other landforms of soluble rocks)
- tectonic geomorphology
- historical geomorphology (focussing on the development of landforms through substantial periods of time)
- applied geomorphology
A number of these are represented among the course offerings of the School of Geography and Environmental Science.
Modern geomorphology, encompassing all of the above specialisations, is a discipline that has evolved very rapidly in recent years. It now takes an holistic view of the landscape, one that is often summarised under the name 'landscape ecology'. In this view of the landscape, emphasis is not placed exclusively on landforms and erosion processes in isolation. Rather, links with biota, with nutrient cycling, and with other components of the physical environment, are identified and their importance unravelled. Plant litter on the ground surface, for example, or root binding of soils, have significance for erosion processes; but likewise, the rate of stripping of the landscape by running water or other agencies partly determines the kinds of plant communities that can develop. Many such interactions among water, landscape, and biota turn out to pose quite difficult issues for research evaluation. In working on research problems that involve interactions of this kind, physical geographers typically engage in research that bridges the boundaries of traditional academic disciplines. In such work, the skills and expertise of the physical geographer and geomorphologist are essential. However, some training in disciplines such as biology, chemistry, mathematics, computing, or other earth sciences is of great assistance, and should be pursued by serious students of geomorphology.
Related course subjects offered at Monash.
- ES1020 Physical systems & the environment
- GES2130 Soils, land use and the environment
- GES2160 Coastal Geomorphology and Management
- GES2210 Environmental Hydrology
- GES3360 Soils, landscapes and their management
- GES3530 Landscape Processes