The global transformation of geomorphology

Abstract

This chapter reviews the various developments in Geomorphology in terms of institutions, journals, textbooks, research stations, etc. Among the institutions discussed are: the Binghamton Geomorphology Symposium, the Geological Society of America Quaternary Geology and Geomorphology Division, the Association of American Geographers Geomorphology Specialty Group, the British Geomorphological Research Group, the IGU Commission on Measurements and Theory Application in Geomorphology (COMTAG), the International Association of Geomorphologists, the European Geosciences Union, the American Geophysical Union (AGU), the International Quaternary Association, and the International Conference on Aeolian Research. Many countries established their own national bodies. A number of new journals appeared, including Catena, Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, Géomorphologie, and Geomorphology. In addition, during the closing decades of the twentieth century there was a proliferation of textbooks in geomorphology. One development was that geomorphological research was promoted by the establishment of research stations. These permitted long-term monitoring and provided bases for sustained investigations. The study of fluvial processes was much encouraged in the United States at USDA Forest Service research basins (known as “watersheds” in the USA) such as the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest (New Hampshire), Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory (North Carolina) and the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest (Oregon). The Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers) organised ambitious research projects in collaboration with host nations. Various US government departments supported much geomorphological research in various parts of the world. Some European countries fostered overseas geomorphological research and created missions. Notable was the work of ORSTOM (Office de la Recherche Scientifique et Technique Outre-mer) in former francophone colonies. In the post-war years, and as independence approached and then occurred, new universities were established in Africa. These employed expatriate geomorphologists and also trained up a new generation of indigenous scholars. The decades since the 1960s have been a period of space exploration and the development of remote sensing. This has had important implications for Geomorphology. The period also saw the onset of the digital age and the beginning of the World Wide Web's influence on teaching and research. Applied research became increasingly important. A major cause for international and cross-disciplinary co-operation during the period was the emergence of Geoarchaeology. Finally, since the 1950s, an increasing number of women have made important contributions to the discipline.

Introduction to the Women in Geomorphology special issue

“…Goudie et al (2022) mention other pioneering women geomorphologists active starting before the 1980s; Maddrell (2009) provides a comprehensive overview of women in geography within the United Kingdom between 1850 and 1970; and Sawyer et al (2014) quantify the proportion of women organizing and presenting at Binghamton Geomorphology Symposia between 1970 and 2013. The trend apparent in these summaries is that the number of women actively publishing in geomorphic research has grown steadily with time.…”

Trajectoires et visées de l'hydrogéomorphologie au Québec

“…Une troisième visée repose sur le développement d'outils pour permettre la prise de décision en lien avec la gestion des cours d'eau. Notre analyse expose qu'à l'instar de la géomorphologie (Church, 2010; Goudie et al, 2022; Hooke, 2020) et plus spécifiquement de l'hydrogéomorphologie (Piégay et al, 2015; Wohl, 2014), l'hydrogéomophologie au Québec chemine vers une science de plus en plus appliquée tout en conservant des intérêts pour des questions de recherches fondamentales. En rappelant que la géomorphologie n'est pas une science exacte , Hooke (2020) souligne tout de même la nécessité de la discipline d'offrir des réponses aussi claires que nuancées à des questions faisant appel à la complexité et la variabilité des processus opérants en géomorphologie.…”

“…Plusieurs recensions font déjà état de l'évolution des contributions en géomorphologie (Clément, 1974; Church, 2010; Dubois et Provencher, 2010; Goudie et al, 2022; Hooke, 2020; Orme, 2013; Slaymaker, 2009). Church (2010) décrit en détail des changements majeurs survenus en géomorphologie au tournant du 21 e siècle et met en relief des questions fondamentales sur lesquelles devrait se pencher la géomorphologie.…”

“…Les constats de Dubois et Provencher (2010) soulignaient la diminution de certains champs de géomorphologie (régionale et quaternaire) au profit d'une géomorphologie davantage axée sur les processus actuels pour la gestion des risques naturels, par exemple, ou encore orientée vers des disciplines connexes (écologie, géologie, etc.). Ces constats rejoignent ceux de Hooke (2020) et Goudie et al (2022). À partir d'une analyse détaillée des études appliquées de la géomorphologie sur une période de 50 ans, Hooke (2020) constate ainsi l'énorme expansion du rôle de la géomorphologie dans les évaluations environnementales et dans les législations nationales pour le bénéfice du développement durable de nos sociétés et de leurs environnements.…”

An Overview of Geomorphological Mapping: A Case Study of Rimbi Chhu River Basin, Sikkim, India

“…Understanding the Earth's surface and the processes that shape it depends on geomorphological mapping [6,7]. Numerous scientific fields, such as geology, geography, hydrology, ecology, and archaeology, can benefit from the useful information it offers [8,9]. In order to control and reduce the risks associated with probable natural disasters such landslides, volcanic eruptions, and floods, geomorphological maps can be used [10,11].…”