GEOMORPHOLOGY
, MEANING AND CONCEPT
With scientific growth and technological development since 1750 in general and
after Second World War in particular man has emerged as a significant
geomorphological agent/process and is capable of changing the earth’s surface at
the rate many times faster than natural geomorphological processes.
Thus now geomorphological processes fall in two broad categories via (i) natural
geomorphological or physical environmental processes, (ii) anthropogenous
geomorphological processes.
The modified natural processes by human activities and the mechanism
through which natural geomorphological processes and physical landscapes are
changed and modified may be termed as anthropogenous geomorphological
processes. This aspect of geomorphology comes under broader branch of applied
geomorphology .Wherein the main focus of study rests on man as a geomorphic
agent and inadvertent and planned effects of his economic activities on
geomorphic processes and forms (landforms).Man has a very important
geomorphic agent and is capable of changing the earth's surface at a much faster
rate than many of the natural processes.
MAN’S IMPACTS ON ENVIRONMENTAL PROCESSES
The external or exogenetic environmental processes originate from the
atmosphere and are basically related to solar energy which affects the basic
elements of atmospheric processes. Fluvial, glacial, periglacial, and Aeolian
processes are controlled by solar energy. Man, by affecting solar radiation and
thus the heat energy, may affect the processes of precipitation and air circulation
which in turn would affect the environmental processes.
Weather modifications and climatic changes effected by many change and
transform the very nature of environmental processes.
MAN AND HYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES