18
Climatic Geomorphology
on experimental basins. Studies on fluvial transport were undertaken by Douglas, Spencer
and Walling. Mass movements are common in deep-weathered slopes of tropical zones as
can be inferred from the works of Brand, Lal, So and Tricart. Btidel (1957) carried out the
analysis of erosion surfaces and inselbergs in the tropics. This author developed his theory
of double planation differentiating an upper denudation surface and a lower weathering
front, in which the constant removal of the weathered horizon results in the exhumation
of the so-called etchsurfaces. The development of these ideas was mainly achieved by
Bremer, Ollier, Thomas, and Twidale. Carbonate outcrops are subject to intense
dissolution in tropical climates generating typical cone karst and tower karst landscapes
(i.e. Balazs, Lehmann, Sweeting). Books on tropical geomorphology are scarce in relation
to those dealing with other morphoclimatic zones. The works of Birot (1973) and Tricart
(1974b) offer important contributions, but it is the thematic volume edited by Thomas
(1994) that is the most relevant treatise on tropical processes and landforms, subsequent
to his earlier contribution in 1974. Another important paper is that of Faniran and Jeje
(1983) which offers a state of the art on this subject in the early 1980s. Finally, the
thematic volumes of Twidale (1982b), Gerrad (1988) and Vidal and Twidale (1998) also
consider problems on granite geomorphology closely related to tropical geomorphology.
2.7. Applications and future trends in climatic geomorphology
Despite the fact that climatic geomorphology has always played a relevant role in applied
studies, it was the decade of the 1960s when a relevant applied nature was begun as a
consequence of the increasing development of process research. One of the more
outstanding fields is the research on natural hazards derived from the dynamics of surface
processes, such as salt weathering, fluvial and aeolian erosion, flooding, mass movement
and karstic subsidence, among others. Another field with relevant development during the
last few decades is environmental geomorphology. In response to the constant population
increase and exploitation of natural resources, the physical environment is undergoing
related changes. Humans are now an important geomorphic agent, and some authors even
contemplate the term anthropic or anthropogenic geomorphology. It is necessary to live
according to nature, and it is also essential to gain a better understanding of the processes
operating in the global ecosystem. It is in this subject matter where climatic
geomorphology should play an outstanding role.
Today, geomorphology has become an encyclopaedic body of information and research
(Dury, 1978), as indicated in the Encyclopedia of Geomorphology edited by Fairbridge
(1968b). This same author opined that at the end of the 20th century, scientific production
in geomorphology would be close to 200,000 papers per year, which clearly indicates the
amazing, but expectable, development of this science.
It may be expected that research on climatic geomorphology will be focused in the
following years on: (1) constant progress in geomorphic process research; (2) increasing
interdisciplinary problem approaches; (3) more accurate advances in remote sensing data
management; (4) increasing research on paleogeomorphology in relation to global climate
prediction and (5) applied studies in environmental geomorphology (Guti6rrez, 1990).
As previously mentioned, the panorama of geomorphology has moved from the initial
genetic studies of denudational chronology to the current emphasis on surface processes
Climatic Geomorphology
on experimental basins. Studies on fluvial transport were undertaken by Douglas, Spencer
and Walling. Mass movements are common in deep-weathered slopes of tropical zones as
can be inferred from the works of Brand, Lal, So and Tricart. Btidel (1957) carried out the
analysis of erosion surfaces and inselbergs in the tropics. This author developed his theory
of double planation differentiating an upper denudation surface and a lower weathering
front, in which the constant removal of the weathered horizon results in the exhumation
of the so-called etchsurfaces. The development of these ideas was mainly achieved by
Bremer, Ollier, Thomas, and Twidale. Carbonate outcrops are subject to intense
dissolution in tropical climates generating typical cone karst and tower karst landscapes
(i.e. Balazs, Lehmann, Sweeting). Books on tropical geomorphology are scarce in relation
to those dealing with other morphoclimatic zones. The works of Birot (1973) and Tricart
(1974b) offer important contributions, but it is the thematic volume edited by Thomas
(1994) that is the most relevant treatise on tropical processes and landforms, subsequent
to his earlier contribution in 1974. Another important paper is that of Faniran and Jeje
(1983) which offers a state of the art on this subject in the early 1980s. Finally, the
thematic volumes of Twidale (1982b), Gerrad (1988) and Vidal and Twidale (1998) also
consider problems on granite geomorphology closely related to tropical geomorphology.
2.7. Applications and future trends in climatic geomorphology
Despite the fact that climatic geomorphology has always played a relevant role in applied
studies, it was the decade of the 1960s when a relevant applied nature was begun as a
consequence of the increasing development of process research. One of the more
outstanding fields is the research on natural hazards derived from the dynamics of surface
processes, such as salt weathering, fluvial and aeolian erosion, flooding, mass movement
and karstic subsidence, among others. Another field with relevant development during the
last few decades is environmental geomorphology. In response to the constant population
increase and exploitation of natural resources, the physical environment is undergoing
related changes. Humans are now an important geomorphic agent, and some authors even
contemplate the term anthropic or anthropogenic geomorphology. It is necessary to live
according to nature, and it is also essential to gain a better understanding of the processes
operating in the global ecosystem. It is in this subject matter where climatic
geomorphology should play an outstanding role.
Today, geomorphology has become an encyclopaedic body of information and research
(Dury, 1978), as indicated in the Encyclopedia of Geomorphology edited by Fairbridge
(1968b). This same author opined that at the end of the 20th century, scientific production
in geomorphology would be close to 200,000 papers per year, which clearly indicates the
amazing, but expectable, development of this science.
It may be expected that research on climatic geomorphology will be focused in the
following years on: (1) constant progress in geomorphic process research; (2) increasing
interdisciplinary problem approaches; (3) more accurate advances in remote sensing data
management; (4) increasing research on paleogeomorphology in relation to global climate
prediction and (5) applied studies in environmental geomorphology (Guti6rrez, 1990).
As previously mentioned, the panorama of geomorphology has moved from the initial
genetic studies of denudational chronology to the current emphasis on surface processes