Dynamic Landscapes

Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcomes

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Understand the importance of spatial characteristics of landforms in different environments
• Undertake research on different landforms and landscapes and produce an assignment to a high standard
• Understand the spatial and temporal scales of landscape dynamics
• Pursue knowledge of geomorphic processes in an in-depth, ordered and motivated way
• Retrieve data on different landscapes and landforms from Google Earth and a virtual fieldcourse
• Understand the nature of changing landscapes
• Gain knowledge of the relationships between how humans can shape landscapes
• Collect, analyse and understand data on landforms and landscapes using virtual-field and computer techniques
• Use geomorphological principles, theories and methods to undertake research of landforms and landscapes
• Synthesise information from journal sources relevant to dynamic landscapes
• Gain knowledge of the various approaches to represent different landscapes
• Utilise the concept of space and spatial variation to demonstrate landscape dynamics

Over the last few decades the study of landscape dynamics (or geomorphological processes) has become increasingly important. Scientists (or geomorphologists) have wanted to understand how particular landforms and landscapes were created, and engineers and environmental managers have needed to understand landscape dynamics in order to better manage coastal, glacial, desert and fluvial environments. Most recently, geomorphologists have been concerned with how past and future environmental changes affect landforms and landscapes. Landforms and, at the larger scale, landscapes, are fashioned by many processes operating on different materials: they also reflect the history of processes operating over days to millions of years. The module provides an introduction to these dynamic landscapes, focusing on aeolian, coastal, fluvial and glacial processes, with the aim of understanding the nature and causes of changes in landform and landscape both on Earth and other planetary bodies. The module will also address the topic of how life on Earth helps to shape the physical landscape, and vice versa, with the most obvious example being the influence of human activity on our planet.

Lectures, virtual field course and assignments, alongside student-led reading and reflection

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.