Top Geomorphology Flashcards

Geomorphology is the study of forms (‘morph’) in the Earth (‘geo’). It covers all the features of the Earth’s surface and the complex processes that brought them into being. For example, a geomorphologist can look at the side of a mountain and tell you the whole story of how they were made – starting deep within the Earth’s core, where complex forces drive the movement of tectonic plates and force landmasses into each other, bending and buckling the surface to throw up huge mountain ranges. Then wind, rain, and glaciers sculpt the mountains into unique shapes.

Intrepid plants colonize the rocky slopes, slowly building up a layer of soil and adding to the forces of erosion. Perhaps a volcano has erupted across the landscape, destroying a whole ecosystem but laying down nutrients that will nourish the next generation of plants and animals. These are the kinds of stories that geomorphologists can tell. Using precise scientific measurements, they learn to read the landscape and understand its origins. 
Advertisement