GEOMORPHOLGY

GLY 3171 Lecture 2006/2

Geomorphology of the United States

 

Instructor: Dr. Tony Barros

Miami Dade College

Wolfson Campus

Natural Sciences Department

Office: 1522

Phone: 305 237 3754

Email: tbarros@mdc.edu

Webpage: http://faculty.mdc.edu/jbarros and http://daac.gsfc.nasa.gov/geomorphology

Textbook: Global Geomorphology, Michael Summerfield, 1991, Prentice Hall, 560 pp

Prerequisites: GLY1010 Lecture and Lab

Introduction:

Geomorphology is the science that studies the landforms of planetary surfaces and the processes that create these landforms. This field of research has a long history that stretches back to the earliest speculation about the earth; humans are innately interested in the landscape around them. Actually most of us are attracted to it. In this course we will focus on four central themes: (1) a survey of geomorphic forms and the processes that originated them, (2) Application of Remote Sensing, GIS and GPS Technology to the Study Geomorphologic processes, (3) some basic analytical skills including some field experience, and (4) some practical applications, especially to geological hazards. The analytical skills we will develop in this course include: maps, air photos, satellite images interpretation, and landscape analysis, some field methods, natural hazards assessment, and the applications of some basic mathematical models. We will concentrate on the external agents of geomorphic change; water, ice, wind, and chemical change, but we must also study the tectonics and structure of the earth in order to understand the evolution of its surface. Throughout this course we will often use Google Earth to demonstrate and research the examples discussed on the lectures and labs.

 

Lecture Schedule:

1) Introduction: Regional Landforms Analysis

2) Tectonic Landforms

3) Volcanic Landforms

4) Fluvial Landforms

5) Deltaic Landforms

6) Coastal Landforms

7) Karst Landforms and Lakes

8) Eolian Landforms

9) Glaciers and Glacier Landforms

10) Planetary Landforms

11) Geomorphological Mapping

12) Global Geomorphology: Outlook for the Future

13) Student presentations

 

Attendance:

Students are required to attend all Lecture meetings. Due to the interactive and technological nature of this course, it will be very difficult for a student to make up missed work. Therefore a student who misses more than two meetings could be dropped from the course.

 

Grading:

Your final combined grade will consists of the following:

3 Essay exams, 100 points each                                               300

Class Research Project                                                             100

                                                                                     Total    400 points

Extra Credit: Create a virtual geomorphological tour of your Study Area 30 points.

Grading Scale: >360 = A; 359-320 = B; C319-280 = C; 279-240 =D; <240 = F

Points accrued on writing assignments will count toward exams grades

For the Class Research Project, each student is required to select an area of Geologic interest for example Grand Tetons National Park or Yosemite National Park. Once the study area is approved they must develop a report that must include, but not restricted to:

 

1) One page proposal

2) An abstract at least 250 words long

3) Research paper (Report) with illustrations at least 3500 words long

4) Maps and 3 D model of the study area

5) Graphic multimedia presentation at least 30 minutes long. Prepare accordingly for the allotted time period.

6) All work should be presented on electronic format in a CD. In addition all students must submit a printed copy of the paper.

 

Academic Integrity:

Cheating/Plagiarism is defined as the intentional misrepresentation of another person’s work as one’s own work as Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating, plagiarism, and fabrication of information.

 

A.     Cheating - The improper taking or tendering of any information or material which shall be used to determine academic credit. Taking of information includes, but is not limited to, copying graded homework assignments from another student; working together with another individual(s) on a take-home test or homework when not specifically permitted by the instructor; looking or attempting to look at another student’s paper during an examination and; looking or attempting to look at text or notes during an examination when not permitted.  Tendering of information includes, but is not limited to, giving your work to another student to be used or copied; giving someone answers to exam questions either when the exam is being given or after having taken an exam; giving or selling a term paper or other written materials to another student; sharing information on a graded assignment.

 

B.     Plagiarism - The attempt to represent the work of another as the product of one’s own thought, whether the other’s work is published or unpublished, or simply the work of a fellow student.  Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, quoting oral or written materials without citation on an exam, term paper, homework, or other written materials or oral presentations for an academic requirement; submitting a paper which was purchased from a term paper service as your own work; submitting anyone else’s paper as your own work.

 

COMPETENCIES

 

1

2

3

4

 

 

 

 

 

Competency 1: The student will demonstrate a knowledge of the historical development of geomorphology

 

 

X

X

X

The student will be able to

 

 

 

 

a. Outline the early development of geomorphology and the people involved with its development.

 

X

X

 

b. Analyze the problems confronting the development of geomorphic principles and concepts.

 

X

X

 

Competency 2:  The student will understand the fundamental concepts of modern geomorphology.

 

X

X

X

The student will be able to

 

 

 

 

a.       Explain the “principle of uniformitarianism” and give examples of its application.

 

X

X

X

           b. Explain how geologic structures are a dominant control in the evolution of various landforms

 

 

X

 

c. Evaluate how a geomorphic process controls the development of distinctive landforms.

 

X

X

X

           d. Differentiate between monocyclic landscape and multicycle landscape.

 

 

 

 

e. Indicate the age of most of the world’s features and the reason for the common age.

 

X

X

X

f.  Analyze how the development of present day land forms have been influenced by climatic changes and geological activity of the Pleistocene

 

X

X

X

g. Demonstrate how climate influences the development of various landforms.

 

X

X

X

Competency 3:  The student will gain knowledge of the geomorphic processes that lower and level the earth’s surface.

 

 

X

 

           The student will be able to

 

 

 

 

a.       Compare and contrast the processes of physical and chemical weathering, including examples of each process.

 

X

X

X

b.  Describe the processes of mass wasting and give examples of structures developed by mass wasting.

 

X

X

X

c.  Examine the erosional and depositional activities of streams, and give examples of stream-developed features.

 

X

X

X

d.  Classify the activities associated with ground water and give examples of ground water developed features.

 

X

X

X

e.  List coastal activities involved with erosion and deposition, giving several examples of features developed by waves, currents and tides.

 

X

X

X

f.   Discuss the erosional and depositional activities of wind, and give examples of the resulting erosional and depositional features.

 

 

X

 

g.  Explain the development and movement of glacial ice, and give examples of glacial erosional and depositional features.

 

X

X

X

h.  Analyze how man’s activities have influenced the leveling of the earth’s surface, and give examples of the activities.

 

X

X

 

Competency 4: The student will understand the processes that elevate the surface of the earth.

The student will be able to

 

X

X

X

a.       Summarize how stream activity produces an increase in relief of an area, and give examples of the common stream-produced features.

 

X

X

 

b.      Show how ground water can build up the earth’s surface and give examples of the features involved with the buildup

 

 

 

 

c.       Discuss how coastal regions may be built up by waves, tides and ocean currents, and list the common features found in the coastal area.

 

X

X

X

d.      Illustrate how wind can cause the build up of the earth’s surface, and give examples of the wind-produced features.  

 

 

X

 

e.       Analyze how folding of the earth’s crust elevates the earth’s surface.

 

X

X

X

f.        Illustrate how faulting of the earth’s crust elevates the earth’s surface.

 

X

X

X

g.       Discuss how volcanoes elevate the surface of the earth.

 

X

X

X

h.       Analyze the relationship between folding, faulting, volcanic activity, and plate tectonics.

 

X

X

X

i.         Explain how extraterrestrial objects can elevate the surface of the earth.

 

X

X

 

Competency 5:  The student will be familiar with the physiographic provinces of the United States.

The student will be able to

 

 

X

 

a.       Identify the physiographic provinces on a map of the United States.

 

 

X

 

b.      Identify the physiographic provinces on a map of the United States.

 

 

X

 

c.       Evaluate the geomorphic processes involved in the development of each physiographic province.

 

 

X

 

d.      List several of the common geomorphic features found in each physiographic province.

 

 

X

 

 

Note

1 FEAPS BY NUMBER

2 FLORIDA STANDARDS www.firn.edu/doe/sas/ftce/ftcecomp.htm

3 NATIONAL STANDARDS

4 SUBJECT MATTER STANDARDS