Name - sonali

Roll no-57059
PENCK' Cycle of erosion-
Walther penck propounded the model of' morphological system' on morphological analysis for
the explanation of landscape development.
The main goal of penck model of morphological system was to find out the mode of
development and causes of crustal movement on the basis of exogenetic processes and
morphological characteristics.
Geomorphic forms are an expression of phase and rate of upliftment in relation to rate of
Degradation.
Landforms are determined by the rate of a upliftment and the rate of erosion.
Merits-
1.Penck focussed deductive approach and did not follow any particular approach.

2. Penck's cycle was forward looking as compared to the Davis cycle.

3. Penck also focussed on relation between uplift and the Denudation. This shows that penck
focused on gelogical evidence also.
Demerits-
1. penck gave large importance to the role of endogenetic forces.

2. the orderliness in landform changes, as assumed by penck, may be difficult to achieve.

3.less knowledge about the initial landscape cannot be checked.
Davis Cycle of erosion-
W.M .Davis (American geomorphologist) postulated his concept of 'geographical cycle' or
'geomorphic cycle' or 'cycle of erosion' in 1899 to present a genetic classification and systematic
description of landforms.
Description-
1. This cycle was postulated in 1899 and is valid in humid and rainy climate Definition-
1. Geographical cycle is a period of time during which an uplifted land mass undergoes its
transformation by the process of land sculpture into a feature less plain.
2.Landscape is a function of structure( which includes nature of rock like its hardness,
permeability, folds,fault), process(factors or agents responsible for weathering and erosion) and
time( it is the stage at which the cycle is) called' trio of Davis'.
Merits-
1. Useful to interpret the landform of tropical and sub - humid area.
2. It is very lucid, simple and easy to understand.
3. Provides framework to explain sequential arrangement of landform according to time.
Demerits-
. According to Davis the erosion starts only after the upliftment of the land mass but will the
erosion wait for the completion of upliftment?
2. According to davis there is Rapid rate of upliftment of short duration but according to plate
tectonic the upliftment of land is very slow and long continued process.
3. According to Davis when the landform is eroded the size of the landform will become smaller
and smaller but if the erosion is carried out the weight of the Mountain reduces and it rises.
Difference between Davis cycle of erosion and Penck's morphological system-
1. Penck called the eventual landform (low featureless plain )of his cycle as the endurumpf
which is called as the peneplain in Davis cycle of erosion.
2. Davis called the remaining convex concavo hills in the old stage as monardnocks
whereas Penck called the remaining convex concavo hills as inselbergs.
3. According to Davis erosion starts only after the upliftment of the landform but according
to Penck the upliftment and erosion go hand in hand, as erosion cannot wait for land to
uplift.
4. According to Penck the upliftment of the landform is not sudden but according to Davis
the upliftment of the landform is sudden.
5. Davis Cycle of erosion is valid only in sub humid and tropical climate but PENCK' Cycle
of erosion is valid in every climate including semi arid and tropical climate.
6. According to Davis landform is a result of structure, process and time but according to
Penck landform is a result of competition between lanform upliftment and Denudation.
7. Davis focussed on the concept of slope declining whereas Penck used the concept of
slope replacing or slope retreating which could not be ascertained because of his
incomplete work due to his untimely death.