Abstract
Geomorphology is a core subject within physical geography and as such there is a large range of textbooks and guides available for students and researchers. Adrian Harvey’s Introducing Geomorphology is not, as the author points out, a textbook per se, but rather an introduction to the science of geomorphology. And a very fine introduction it is! The book is beautifully presented with many excellent diagrams and photographs (the many varied photos are a particular strength) and is written in a simple, engaging style with key terms (those found in the glossary) in bold for ease of reading and referencing. The author’s considerable expertise and enthusiasm is apparent throughout the book.
Following an introduction (Chapter 1) that outlines some of the key concepts in geomorphology (including landforms, spatio-temporal scale, thresholds, tectonics, climate and weathering), the content is organised broadly by spatial scale; from global to regional, then local to micro. At the global scale (Chapter 2) the book succinctly tackles plate tectonics and climate (including glaciation and sea level change), with some great figures showing global relief patterns, distributions of cold-climate phenomena and river sediment yields. Regional-scale foci (Chapter 3) include lithology and topographic expression, drainage networks and landscape evolution, with a case study on geomorphic regions of Europe. The chapter on local-scale geomorphology (Chapter 4) includes weathering (mechanical, chemical, influence of climate), slope and mass-movement/flow, and fluvial systems. There are some great images of different fluvial landforms and morphologies, and one thing I liked was that the figure captions are detailed and very explanatory, so it is clear what is being shown and why. The chapter concludes with an overview of aeolian, glacial and coastal systems. This is by far the longest and most satisfying chapter in the book (with 37 figures and many wonderful photos), and was a real pleasure to read.
Chapter 5 gets into more detail on landscape evolution and temporal change (including dating techniques) and draws on two case studies: upland NW England and the Sorbas basin in SE Spain. The book ends with a short reflective chapter on the interactions between geomorphology and society (Chapter 6). This includes human events and their geomorphological impacts during the Holocene, with a useful timeline, and then more detail on modern impacts such as forest clearance and hydropower dams, using the Three Gorges Dam as an example of the latter. The projected influences of climate change are then tackled, again with a really nice figure that shows the likely geomorphic effects of climate change in different latitudes and regions, before the applied aspects of the science of geomorphology are noted, along with a call for greater applied geomorphology research and education.
It is true that Introducing Geomorphology is not a textbook as such – there are no references, although there is a useful ‘further reading’ section at the end – and advanced students will not find much they do not already know. But as an introduction to the topic, particularly for undergraduates exploring the area for the first time, or the casual reader, it would be hard to find a more suitable text.