Society and Geomorphology: Addressing the (Mis-)Use of Aggregate Resources

Abstract

Society and geomorphology are mutually dependent. The scientific gaze on society's and geomorphology's common fields of interest was for a long time, however, clearly dominated and continuously refined by geomorphologists. A corresponding involvement on the part of social scientists was unusual. This paper addresses interlinked fields of major importance for both society and geomorphology, but mainly from an intradisciplinary social science/human geography perspective. After an introductory section on the evolution of the subfield of anthropogenic geomorphology, the main focus is on an emerging topic of arguably worldwide influence for both bio-physical and socio-political systems: the rapidly increasing extraction and (mis-)use of aggregates (sand and gravel) and the ways of addressing related issues from a variety of geographical perspectives. The discussion directs the attention to problematic developments, apparent knowledge gaps and ensuing potential pitfalls as regards both scientific conclusions and sociopolitical decision-making. A concluding appraisal shows what could be gained through a closer cooperation of physical and human geography and a consistent search for a geomorphological turn in this latter, not least by integrating this issue in emerging ICSU/ISSC Future Earth endeavours.