South African geomorphology: current status and new challenges

Commemorating three decades of the Southern African association of geomorphologists

“…Broadly, this reflects on the erodibility of the southern African landscape but also on the applied nature of much of southern African geomorphological research. This is also apparent in other sub-fields, including rock weathering and fluvial studies (see Holmes et al, 2016) with the latter always providing a strong subfield contribution to SAAG conference presentations (15%) ( Table 1).…”

“…Southern African geomorphology, within the broader field of physical geography, has been systematically reviewed (see Moon, 1989;Moon & Partridge, 1993) and particularly over the past two decades (e.g., Beckedahl et al, 2002;Fox & Rowntree, 2000;P. J. Holmes & Meadows, 2012;Holmes et al, 2016;P.J Holmes & Boardman, 2018;Meadows, 2007). From the earlier reviews it is clear that a strong tectonic and macro-geomorphology theme dominated research in the first half of the last century with erosion, land degradation and applied research gaining prominence in the latter half (Beckedahl et al, 2002).…”

“…From the earlier reviews it is clear that a strong tectonic and macro-geomorphology theme dominated research in the first half of the last century with erosion, land degradation and applied research gaining prominence in the latter half (Beckedahl et al, 2002). Holmes et al (2016) summarize the more recent research into six dominant sub-themes, namely fluvial geomorphology, glacial and periglacial geomorphology, rock weathering, arid and semi-arid geomorphology, coastal and estuarine geomorphology and applied geomorphology. Landscape change and the role of geomorphology in the Quaternary and contemporary environmental settings remain as recurring themes (see e.g., Grab & Knight, 2015;Holmes, 2019).…”

“…Poster and oral presentation contributions at SAAG conferences since 2010. Subfields are broadly based on the categories used by Beckedahl et al (2002) and Holmes et al (2016). Applied aspects are subsumed into the respective subfields.…”

“…This is largely due to SAAG members being participants in the South African National Antarctic Programmes (Nel et al, 2021). Despite coastal and estuarine geomorphology enjoying some prominence locally (Holmes et al, 2016;P. J. Holmes & Meadows, 2012) there has been little presented on this theme at SAAG conferences over the past decade (Table 1), although a preconference fieldtrip in 2017 did include aspects of the coastal geomorphology north of the Thukela River.…”