Introduction to geomorphology

Geomorphology is the study of landforms on the surface of the earth - mountains, valleys, slopes and dunes, as well as submarine forms on the sea floor - coastal mud flats, coral reefs, and submarine canyons. In describing existing landforms, geomorphology investigates the past processes that have created them, and anticipates the future developments that will change them. Created by the movements of the earth's crust, by volcanoes and weathering, and eroded by streams, glacier ice, winds, coastal waves and currents, landforms are the product of the complex interaction between form, material and process. Using as its central theme the functional interdependence of form, material and process, 'Introduction to Geomorphology' is an essential tool for all first-year students seeking a comprehensive understanding of the subject. It presents and explains the science of landforms, linking empirical results with theoretical models of landform development. The book includes a wide range of examples from around the world, together with a superb collection of photographs, maps and diagrams.