Department of

Geological science

Geomorphology
Geomorphology Jumbaqtas, Aqmola region

Lecture № 1 Charyn canyon, Almaty region

Introduction to
geomorphology

Medet
Junussov
 Geomorphology
Geomorphology

Geomorphology is the study of landforms, i.e. the shape of the Earth’s surface.

This lecture covers:

• The nature of geomorphology
• Historical geomorphology
• Process geomorphology
• Other geomorphology
• Summary
The word geomorphology derives from three Greek words: Geo (the Earth), Morph (form),
and Logos (study). Geomorphology is therefore ‘a study of Earth forms’.

-1870s the term was coined

-1880s to describe the morphology of the Earth’s surface,
-1896s was used in popular name, as the genetic study of topographic forms’

Today, geomorphology is the study of Earth’s physical land-surface features, its land forms –
rivers, hills, plains, beaches, sand dunes, submarine landforms and landforms of other
terrestrial-type planets Mars, the Moon, Venus, and so on.
 Geomorphology
Geomorphology • Other geomorphology
Anthropogeomorphology is the study of human interactions with geomorphic
forms and processes, especially weathering, erosion, transport, and deposition. An important
recent development partly falling under the umbrella of anthropogeomorphology concerns
geodiversity and its allied concepts – geoheritage, geosites, geoconservation,
geomorphosites, and geoethics.
Geodiversity (geological diversity) is used it to describe the diversity of minerals,
rocks, fossils, soils, landforms, and such associated processes as erosion and landsliding that
constitute Earth’s topography, landscapes, and underlying geological structures.
Geoheritage is concentrated on ‘geological monuments’ and ‘significant
geological features’.
Geoconservation deals with the conservation of non-living parts of the natural
environment – geological features, landforms, and soils (geodiversity) – for heritage, science,
or education.
Geosites are places identified as worthy of geoheritage and geoconservation. They
include classic outcrops or a landscape.
Geomorphosites is a geosite of a geomorphological nature; that is, a landform to
which some value is attributable.
Geoparks are areas with outstanding geoheritage that are set up primarily to
Geoethics encourages geotourism and to support local economic development.
considers the ethics of human interactions with the physical world.