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Assessment of the Visual Disaster of Land Degradation and Desertification Using TGSI, SAVI, and NDVI Techniques
Published in Shruti Kanga, Suraj Kumar Singh, Gowhar Meraj, Majid Farooq, Geospatial Modeling for Environmental Management, 2022
B. Pradeep Kumar, K. Raghu Babu, M. Rajasekhar, M. Ramachandra
Geomorphology, which is the study of landforms and related physical processes, is vital to environmental management. The improved methods of mapping of geomorphological characteristics have helped in assessing the potential of land for development both in the urban and rural environments. Geomorphological processes are part of a whole system of interacting phenomena, and their significance to environmental problems has to be assessed in the light of the social, economic, and cultural conditions of the people in that area. Landforms, with their naturally associated soil and vegetation, constitute the basic and fundamental elements in the planning for development in various sectors. In the study area, Aeolian plain or sand and sand dunes have been present in the side of the Hagari river, which flows through the center of the study area. These sand and sand dunes get migrated because of the southwest monsoon winds (Kumar et al. 2020b; Pandey et al. 2013; Singh and Pandey 2014; Bhatt et al. 2017; Kumar et al., 2021). Denudational origin of pediment and Pedi plain complex is dominant in the study area. Anthropogenic terrain is also seen in some places of the study region (Figure 14.3).
An Appraisal to Anthropogeomorphology of the Bhagirathi-Hooghly River System
Published in Balai Chandra Das, Sandipan Ghosh, Aznarul Islam, Suvendu Roy, Anthropogeomorphology of Bhagirathi-Hooghly River System in India, 2020
Balai Chandra Das, Sandipan Ghosh, Aznarul Islam, Suvendu Roy
Rivers are a much-cherished feature of the natural world, performing countless vital functions in both social and ecosystem terms. In many parts of the world, human-induced degradation has profoundly altered the natural functions of river systems (Graf, 2006; Meybeck and Vorosmarty, 2004; Brierley and Fryirs, 2005; Szabo, 2010; James et al., 2013; Jain et al., 2016; Tarolli et al., 2019). It is very true that humans have been bequeathed a legacy of ageing river engineering projects whose objectives were simply designed, whose effectiveness are uncertain and which were planned in ignorance of their long-term physical and environmental impacts on the river system (Williams, 2001). Human disturbance has introduced a source of change that is foreign to the geomorphic and biotic conditions of river systems. Human disturbance has modified the nature and rate of river adjustments, altering the spatial and temporal distribution of river forms and processes (Brierley and Fryirs, 2005). According to Tarolli et al. (2019), human societies have been reshaping the geomorphology of landscapes for thousands of years, producing anthropogenic geomorphic features ranging from earthworks and reservoirs to settlements, roads, canals, ditches and plough furrows that have distinct characteristics compared with landforms produced by natural processes.
Aims and overview - slopes, geology and materials
Published in Robin Chowdhury, Phil Flentje, Gautam Bhattacharya, Geotechnical Slope Analysis, 2009
Robin Chowdhury, Phil Flentje, Gautam Bhattacharya
Geomorphologists are concerned not only with types of processes but also with the rate and frequency of each process. For instance, in relation to slopes they are concerned with (i) transport-limited processes in which weathering rates are potentially more rapid than transport processes, resulting in development of thick soil cover and (ii) weathering-limited processes in which transport processes are potentially more rapid than weathering so that only a thin soil cover can develop. Traditionally, geomorphology has been theoretical in its aims. However, there is growing evidence of interest in 'applied' aspects of the subject among geomorphologists, engineering geologists and geotechnical experts. Applied geomorphology is concerned with contemporary processes and their influence on landforms and, as such, it also embraces the role of man in changing or altering the physical environment. An appreciation of geomorphology is useful in understanding the complex phenomena with many interacting factors which control landforms. It is also very useful in establishing a geological framework of sites for many aspects of geotechnical work.
Development of a watershed health assessment framework integrating ecological, social, cultural, economic and policy attributes
Published in International Journal of River Basin Management, 2023
Shella I. Talampas, Sangam Shrestha, S. Mohanasundaram, Ho Huu Loc
Geomorphology is integral to watershed health assessment, influencing factors like land use, soil erosion, biodiversity, vegetation cover, and water quality (Hazbavi, 2018). Considering the quantitative and qualitative descriptions of landscapes, landforms, and their shaping processes across temporal and spatial scales helps prioritize management areas and apply evidence-based strategies (Renschler and Harbor 2002, cited in Hazbavi, 2018). Natural stream geomorphology, in particular, has a significant impact on watershed health, affecting both terrestrial and aquatic habitats (Ahn & Kim, 2019). Understanding the geomorphological functioning of streams is essential for identifying biogeochemical hotspots and developing effective monitoring and remediation strategies (Namour et al., 2015).