Geomorphodiversity index: Quantifying the diversity of landforms and physical landscape

Melelli, Laura; Vergari, Francesca; Liucci, Luisa; Monte, Maurizio Del

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.01.101

Cited by 61 publications

(74 citation statements)

References 38 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…This approach can contribute to the knowledge of coastal evolution from a novel perspective, and represents a new application in the growing field of geodiversity (Gray, , ; Serrano and Ruiz‐Flaño, ; Benito‐Calvo et al, ; Hjort and Luoto, ; Pellitero et al, ; Pereira et al, ; Melelli et al, ) and its relationship with the provisioning of habitats for biodiversity (Hjort et al, ; Tukiainen et al, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Insights of long‐term geomorphological evolution of coastal landscapes in hot‐spot oceanic islands

Ferrer-Valero

Hernández‐Calvento

Hernández‐Cordero

2018

Earth Surf Processes Landf

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The Canary Islands form a volcanic archipelago in which a west–east (W–E) chain of progressively older and less active islands can be observed. In the Canary Islands, unlike most hot‐spot archipelagos, certain geodynamic peculiarities have promoted longer periods of island survival, exceeding 20 Myr. This factor makes these islands a suitable context for this work, which aims to analyze extensively the coastal geomorphic structure on islands with different development states. For this, three islands in different volcanic phases were selected: La Palma (1.8 Myr), Gran Canaria (14.5 Myr) and Fuerteventura (22.6 Myr). An ad hoc landform‐based hierarchical taxonomy was designed to analyze the coastal geomorphic structure of the three islands. Based on a multi‐sourced analysis in geographic information system (GIS) and field recognition, a comprehensive cartographic database was collected using the coastline data‐storing (CDS) method as a feature abundance proxy. Three different aspects of the geomorphological structure were compared and related between the islands: (i) composition, (ii) abundance and (iii) diversity. Through their comparison, we attempt to explore geomorphological aspects of coastal evolution over geological spatiotemporal scales. Composition was explored analyzing the distribution of the feature's longshore frequencies (p). Abundance, by metrics of local abundance (N∩) and whole density (NU). Diversity, through four indices: normalized richness (S) and Margalef index (M) to estimate richness; Simpson index (D) and Shannon index (H’) to estimate evenness. We identified a systematic transformation in the dominant landform composition and a systematic trend in increasing geomorphological abundance and diversity from younger to older islands. The results show a long‐term structural pattern defined by the increase in coastal geomorphic complexity (abundance and diversity) over geological time, as the coasts evolve from predominantly rocky‐erosive to increasingly clastic‐depositional environments. This long‐term geomorphological pattern may be a general aspect of hot‐spot island archipelagos, which can bring a new perspective to the knowledge of their coastal evolution. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Insights of long‐term geomorphological evolution of coastal landscapes in hot‐spot oceanic islands

Ferrer-Valero

Hernández‐Calvento

Hernández‐Cordero

2018

Earth Surf Processes Landf

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Island ages are taken from Eckstut et al (2011) methods (Pellitero et al 2015), while the procedure recognizes qualitative, quantitative and combined qualitative-quantitative methods (Zwoliński et al 2017). Quantitative methods include geodiversity indices (GDIs), that calculate the variety in a predefined grid or unit (Serrano and Ruiz-Flaño 2007, Araujo and Pereira 2017, Melelli et al 2017, or use a weighting and ranking scoring system Stachowiak 2012, Pereira et al 2013) to assess a value of geodiversity. Pellitero et al (2015) and Zwoliński et al (2017) provide a more complete overview of geodiversity research and assessment methods.…”

Section: Fig 1 Location Map Of the Seven Hawaiian Islands (Lower Pamentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring Hawaiian long-term insular geodiversity dynamics

Seijmonsbergen¹,

Guldenaar²,

Rijsdijk³

2018

Landform Analysis

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract:The role of time is underrepresented in assessments of geodiversity. Hot spot islands are unique systems to explore long-term geodiversity dynamics. The geodiversity dynamics of seven Hawaiian Islands are analysed by a qualitative-quantitative assessment using a geodiversity index. As input, freely available geological, soil and hydrological datasets are used, along with topographic diversity variables calculated from a digital elevation model. Long-term geodiversity dynamics were evaluated through correlation of island age to geodiversity class and assessment of the role of each contributing variable to the geodiversity class. The results indicate that high geodiversity is positively correlated with increasing island age, while younger islands generally correlate with low geodiversity classes. This is explained by the high contribution of topographic variables, and to a lesser extent by hydrological development and soil formation over time. These findings suggest that geodiversity dynamics play an important role in the life cycle of hot spot islands.

show abstract

“…The geomorphic behaviour depends on differences in ground surface characteristics such as roughness, slope, vegetation cover, and soil characteristics (Uzun et al 2017). The landscape is the manifestation of the interaction between exogenous and endogenous processes shaping the earth's surface (Huggett 2007, Melelli et al 2017). Therefore, topography is also influenced by geology and elevation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The geological substrate and the geomorphological processes create the basis for the weathering activity and the soil formation that create unique abiotic settings (Musila et al 2005). Consequently, the geomorphodiversity assessment of the landscape is a crucial step in the study of ecosystems and ecosystem services (Melelli et al 2017) provided by the Soutpansberg range.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the field of Geomorphology, geodiversity may be interchanged with the term geomorphodiversity (Panizza 2009). Geomorphodiversity is the range, or diversity, of the landscape components of a defined area (Melelli et al 2017). For the purposes of clarity, we use the term geomorphodiversity as the range and complexity of form or surface features of a defined landscape (Panizza 2009, Demek et al 2011, Melelli et al 2017.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

A geomorphodiversity map of the Soutpansberg Range, South Africa

Kori¹,

Odhiambo²,

Chikoore³

2019

Landform Analysis

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Within the emerging broad science of geodiversity, geomorphological diversity (geomorphodiversity) assesses the form of surface features of a place or region. This paper uses SRTM data and GIS techniques to assess geomorphological diversity of the Soutpansberg range, in Limpopo Province, South Africa. Suitable factors to assess geomorphological diversity were identified as geology, slope position, soil erodibility, landform position, relative heights, insolation, hydrography and ruggedness. Each factor was normalised to five classes by applying natural breaks. All the eight factors were weighted before overlaying. The weighting reveal that respectively, geology, slope and soils carry more weight. Ruggedness, relative height and insolation carry the least weight, in that order. The final geomorphodiversity map reveals that almost half of the Soutpansberg range has high to very high geomorphological diversity. We conclude that factor specific research can add more information to geomorphodiversity research and education.

show abstract

Geomorphodiversity index: Quantifying the diversity of landforms and physical landscape

Cited by 61 publications

References 38 publications

Insights of long‐term geomorphological evolution of coastal landscapes in hot‐spot oceanic islands

Insights of long‐term geomorphological evolution of coastal landscapes in hot‐spot oceanic islands

Exploring Hawaiian long-term insular geodiversity dynamics

A geomorphodiversity map of the Soutpansberg Range, South Africa

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About