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2023/2024

Geomorphology

Code: 104241 ECTS Credits: 6
Degree Type Year Semester
2503710 Geography, Environmental Management and Spatial Planning OB 2 2

Contact

Name:
Albert Pelachs Mañosa
Email:
albert.pelachs@uab.cat

Teaching groups languages

You can check it through this link. To consult the language you will need to enter the CODE of the subject. Please note that this information is provisional until 30 November 2023.


Prerequisites

Have been enroled and passed Introduction to Physical Geography in the first year. It will also be necessary to apply the knowledge provided by the Introduction to Cartography and Geographic Information Systems subjects.


Objectives and Contextualisation

- Recognize the forms and processes that give rise to the modeling of the earth's surface from deepening the knowledge of geology, topography and climate, through field and cabinet work.
										
											- Identify geoforms at different scales.
										
											- Know the structural and climatic components of the relief.
										
											- Recognize and analyze the relief from the topographic map, photo interpretation and geological information.
										
											- Get to know the geomorphology and genesis of the most relevant Catalan reliefs, both from a structural and climatic point of view.
										
											- Properly carry out geomorphological cartography, geological sections and diagrams, understood as ideal models of explanation in geomorphology.
										
											- Introduce the techniques of field and laboratory work in geomorphology.

 


Competences

  • Critically analyse the relationship between society and the region applying the conceptual and theoretical framework of geography.
  • Introduce theoretical and applied aspects of the main regional, environmental and urban policies in professional practice.
  • Students must be capable of applying their knowledge to their work or vocation in a professional way and they should have building arguments and problem resolution skills within their area of study.
  • Students must have and understand knowledge of an area of study built on the basis of general secondary education, and while it relies on some advanced textbooks it also includes some aspects coming from the forefront of its field of study.
  • Work cooperatively in multidisciplinary teams.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Describe and interpret changes in landscape.
  2. Students must be capable of applying their knowledge to their work or vocation in a professional way and they should have building arguments and problem resolution skills within their area of study.
  3. Students must have and understand knowledge of an area of study built on the basis of general secondary education, and while it relies on some advanced textbooks it also includes some aspects coming from the forefront of its field of study.
  4. Understand and interpret the main political direction in landscape management.
  5. Work cooperatively in multidisciplinary teams.

Content

Theoretical contents:

1. Structural geomorphology
										
											1.1. Little deformed sedimentary basin domain
										
											1.2. Dominion of chains and young mountain ranges
										
											1.3. Dominion of ancient mountain ranges
										
											1.4. Relief in crystalline rocks
										
											1.5. An interpretive framework. Models, morphostructural domains and types of structural reliefs
										
											1.6. Private reliefs. Faulty and volcanic reliefs
										
											1.7. Structural components of the relief in Catalonia

										
											2. Climate geomorphology
										
											2.1. From structure to climate, from relief to modeling
										
											2.2. The action of ice
										
											2.3. The action of water
										
											2.4. Morphogenetic systems and morphoclimatic domains
										
											2.5. The cold zone and the high mountain season
										
											2.6. The temperate zone
										
											2.7. The barren domains
										
											2.8. The warm non-arid zone
										
											2.9. Biostasis and Rexistasia
										
											2.10. The climatic components of the relief in Catalonia
										
											2.11. The relief under a system conception

Practical contents:
Field trips
										
											1.1. Field trip 1
										
											1.1.1. Failed reliefs of the Prelittoral depression
										
											1.1.2. The Littoral and Prelittoral mountain range
										
											1.1.3. Principles of observing the structural relief
										
											1.1.4. Identification of rocks and analysis of outcrops
										
											1.2. Field trip 2
										
											1.2.1. Tabular, slope and Jurassic reliefs around the plain of Vic
										
											1.2.2. Identification of the major forms: anticlinals, synclines, curves, cluses, etc.
										
											1.2.3. Sedimentology, stratigraphy and upward and differential erosion
										
											1.3. Field trip 3
										
											1.3.1. Montserratin molasses traffic reliefs
										
											1.3.2. Erosion as a construction of a relief: The formation of the needles, karstification and the action of rivers
										
											1.3.3. Deltas and paleochannels
										
											1.3.4. Natural risks and hazards related to geomorphology: Landslides, landslides and debris flow
										
											1.4. Field trip 4 (2 days)
										
											1.4.1. Volcanic reliefs, structural and modeling in the province of Girona
										
											1.4.2. Forms related to explosive and effusive volcanism
										
											1.4.3. The karst of the Banyoles lake
										
											1.4.4. Glacial, periglacial and snow modeling in the Eastern Pyrenees

										
											2. Laboratory and cabinet practices
										
											2.1. Identification of rocks
										
											2.2. Photointerpretation
										
											2.3. Geomorphological and geological cartography
										
											2.4. Geological cuts




Methodology

The methodology of this subject is fundamentally practical, so the learning of geomorphology will be based on the inductive field method, supported by the previous reading of the notes and the subsequent analysis and understanding of the data collected and observations made. It is for this reason that the use of the field notebook has a special meaning in this subject.
At the beginning of the course, the teacher will explain the protocol of measures and good practices for field trips.
										
											In a first phase, a couple of theoretical sessions will be held to set a framework for the discipline, subsequently, before each field trip, the main concepts that will be discussed on the ground will be exposed. On the other hand, practices will be carried out in the computer room and in the physical geography laboratory with the split group to give the necessary tools to make field reports, such as geomorphological cartography, photo interpretation and geological sections with digital resources.
										
											To support these main activities there is a set of notes and resources posted on the virtual campus that will serve to complete the theoretical corpus that will be worked on in the field.
										
											Finally, the laboratory practices and the reports of each field trip will be done individually. Instead, team work, group discussion and an integrated view of geomorphology in the context of the landscape will be encouraged during the field trips.

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.


Activities

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Theory and practice in the field 40 1.6 4, 1, 3, 2, 5
Theory and practice of Photointerpretation work, geomorphological cartography and geological sections 10 0.4 1, 3, 2, 5
Type: Supervised      
Field work and computer and lab work 40 1.6 4, 1, 3, 2, 5
Type: Autonomous      
Reports and examinations preparation 40 1.6 1, 3, 2, 5

Assessment

The assessment activities are divided into two large blocks: the reports + field notebook (80%) and the theoretical exam (20%). The final grade is made up of the weighted average of the assessment activities. To pass the subject you must obtain a grade equal to or higher than 5, both in the final grade and in each of the two blocks (reports + notebook and exam). It is also not possible to pass the subject with two grades lower than 3 in any of the assessment activities.
										
											In order to be evaluated, it is mandatory to have completed the trips, the corresponding reports, the field notebook and the theoretical exam. The grade of Not Assessable will be given when the student does not take the exam or any of the field trips, and/or less than 50% of the assessment activities. Students will obtain a Not assessed/Not submitted course grade unless they have submitted more than 1/3 of the assessment items.
										
											On carrying out each evaluation activity, lecturers will inform students (on Moodle) of the procedures to be followed for reviewing all grades awarded, and the date on which such a review will take place.
Field reports cannot be recovered by redoing them or making corrections, but they can be weighted averaged between them and the field book, being able to get a passing grade in the block total despite having some failed of the reports. The theoretical exam will be retaken in the time and manner indicated by the Faculty. Copying or plagiarizing material, both in the case of assignments and in the case of exams, constitutes a crime that will be sanctioned with a zero in the activity. In case of recidivism, the entire subject will be suspended.
Remember that work that reproduces all or a large part of another colleague's work is considered a "copy". "Plagiarism" is the act of presenting all or part of an author's text as one's own, without citing the sources, whether on paper or in digital format. See UAB documentation on "plagiarism" at: http://wuster.uab.es/web_argumenta_obert/unit_20/sot_2_01.html.
										
											
Note:This subject/module does not incorporate single assessment.

Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Field notebook 10% 2 0.08 1, 3
Report Field trip nº3 20% 4 0.16 1, 3, 2, 5
Report of Field trip nº1 10% 2 0.08 1, 3, 2, 5
Report of Field trip nº2 20% 4 0.16 1, 3, 2, 5
Report of Field trip nº4 20% 4 0.16 1, 3, 2, 5
Theoretical exam 20% 4 0.16 4, 1, 3, 2, 5

Bibliography

Notes of the subject (AMBRÓS, Sònia & DOMINGO, Montserrat)

Correig, Teresa Maria i Nogués, Joaquim M. (2020). Guia De Punts D'Interès Geològic De Catalunya. Cossetània Edicions.

Gutiérrez Elorza, Mateo (2001). Geomorfología climática, Barcelona: Omega.

Gutiérrez Elorza, Mateo (2008). Geomorfología, Madrid: Prentice Hall.

Miró, Manuel I Domingo, Montserrat (1985). Breviario de Geomorfologia, Barcelona: Oikos-Tau.

Sabat, Francesc (2022). Itineraris geològics per Catalunya. Textos docents Universitat de Barcelona.

Strahler, Arthur N. & Strahler, Alan H.  (2000) Geografia Física, Barcelona: Omega.

Tarbuck, Edward, Lutgens, Frederick (2005). Ciencias de la Tierra. Una introducción a la Geología Física, Madrid: Prentice Hall.

Vilaplana, Joan Manuel (1987). Guia dels paisatges granítics dels Països Catalans. Barcelona: Kapel.


Software

Reports and practices require the use of Geographical Information Systems, mainly for mapping.
										
											
										
											The examples will be shown in QGIS, but you can use ArcGIS or MIraMon.
										
											
										
											The use of digital graphic design tools such as Inkscape is recommended for making the geological cuts.
										
											
										
											The use of online mapping viewers will also be common.