Geomorphology
During the period under consideration– 2004 to 2008, most of the research articles appearing in Indian journals devoted to geographical research on the theme, thistrend is well reflected. The following Indian journals have been referred to for a quick survey of this trend report on geomorphological researches. Indian Journal of Geomorphology - Allahabad Indian Journal of Landscape Systems and Ecological Studies – KolkataTransactions of the Institute of Indian Geographers – PuneGeographical Review – Kolkata Deccan Geographer – Pune. Although not quite exhaustive, research articles which have found their entry in these journals provide a fair idea as to the state of the art in this segment of study. Amongst these the Indian Journal of Geomorphology, Published by the Indian Institute ofGeomorphologists, Allahabad is the only journal fully devoted to geomorphology. Otherjournals include papers of different branches of geography and hence the number ofarticles on geomorphological research is quite limited. The only other journal wherein thenumber of articles is fairly high is the Indian Journal of Landscape Systems and Ecological studies from Kolkata. Some 60 plus articles, appearing in the above mentioned journals, have been referred for preparing this report.
The articles cover a wide range of topics from fluvial to coastal or from regional accounts to specific processes. Understandably the articles on fluvial landscape and processes outnumber other branches. Amongst the articles related to fluvial geomorphology explain the morphometry of drainage network and quantifying variousaspects of basin characteristics. There are some articles that deal with the processes andprovide some methodological components. In this context a mention may be made of the article dealing with high magnitude floods. Soil erosion, degradation of soil resources isanother area where geomorphologists are showing concern. About 8 per cent of thearticles are devoted to this aspect. Another area of research concern wherein the geomorphic enquires are more frequent pertain to hydro-geomorphic studies. Most of theauthors have made use of remote sensing data for demarcating the potential zones and through this they are also targeting the appraisal of water resources along with the land resources. Articles mainly devoted to land resource appraisal are dealing with the problems of resource management and various processes such as gully erosion, ravinedevelopment and slope wash processes etc. However, the quantification of the processesand exact nature of degradation that is taking place needs to be incorporated in such researches. The coastal landforms and processes is the next important group that emerges outof this review. The vulnerability of the coast to erosive action, threat to the fragilemangrove ecosystems and the place deposits along the beaches are some of the topicscovered in this section. The articles on mrophodynamics of tidal inlets, slumping of seacliff are largely devoted to coastal processes whereas articles on mud beach or lagoondescribe the morphological aspect of the given forms.
The aeolian landforms and processes are dealt with in the articles on dune formation and desertification. However there are relatively fewer articles in this section.In articles on geochrornological classification or river dynamics, the spatial scales are somewhat enhanced. These relate to larger regions. One wonders why regionalgeomorphic studies are relatively few. With the tools of remote sensing, regional studiesare becoming possible and it is precisely this area that appears to be getting neglected inIndian context.
There are some interesting studies like identification of seismic gap or ground tilt due to uplift. However these are not necessarily dealing with the geomorphology of theregion. Nonetheless they provide good information and interesting interpretation.
Climatology, Soil Geography and Bio-Geography
The sub discipline of Geomorphology continues to dominate in terms of thevolume of publications in Physical Geography. In comparison to preponderance of published works in this field, fewer works pertaining to the fields of Climatology, SoilGeography and Biogeography are noticeable. As these fields of geography have traditionally good links with disciplines like Meteorology, Soil Science and Life Sciences, the range of non-geographers’ contributions to the study of climate, soil and bioresources is considerable compared to that of the geographers. A perusal of Indian geographers’ works in the fields of Climatology, Soil Geography and Biogeographysuggests much more strengthening of research endeavour in these fields.
Climatology
Traditionally Climatology occupies an important position in Physical Geography. But, in proportion to its potential significance and relevance, the study of climate, in fact,finds no due weightage in the works of geographers (Bora, 2004). Geographers’ works on climatology have become generally limited and it is more so in the case of Indiangeographers.
Climate being a dynamic entity changes in time and over space. The changes inclimate have their resultant impact on global environment. Climatic changes and theirconsequences have become an important theme in climatological study.
The role of monsoon in Indian life has been a favourite topic for geographersworking on Climate. There are a few important contributions on behavior of monsoon in India. A hydro-meteorological study carried out on high intensityrainstorms in the Upper Tista basin provides adequate understanding of basin hydrologyand runoff characteristics. Working on a popular theme i.e. extreme events, that has
attracted international attention on the wake of the consequences of global warming and climate change, Starkel and Singh (2004) made a serious attempt to understand theintimate relationship between rainfall, runoff and soil erosion in the globally extremehumid Cherrapunji region of India. In another important study Singh (2007) studied therainfall– runoff conditions in Meghalaya Plateau of India. This study primarily deals with the analysis of geo-hydrological characteristics and runoff pattern in the plateau. Therainfall distribution pattern caused by orographic effects in North–East India has been discussed by Syiemlieh and Das (2004). This study analyses the distributional pattern ofrainfall on a SW-NE axis from Cherrapunjee at the edge of the Meghalaya Plateau to Majbat at the foothills of Arunachal Pradesh. It has been found that the influence oforography on rainfall variation is most visible in rain-shadow and hilly areas whererainfall variability is moderate to high.
Monsoon floods are common in Indian rivers, which are governed directly by theeffect of monsoon rhythm. Large monsoon floods bear substantial potentials for effectivegeomorphic work. Using quantitative techniques of measuring the total energy generated during the floods during the monsoon in the Narmada River, Kale (2008) demonstrated that large-magnitude floods are effective geomorphic agents in monsoon-dominated rivers. Besides, there are a few micro-climatic studies on regional climatic patterns. Forexample Sahariah and Bora (2005-06) using GIS technique studied the pattern of micro-climatic variations in and around the wetland system of the floodplain of DarrangDistrict, Assam and found that such micro-level variations in climatic parameters mayprovide significant insight into the management and conservation of the wetlands. In an analysis of the impact of topo-meteorological factors on industrial siting in Musi riverbasin of Andhra Pradesh, Padmaja et al. (2005-06) emphasized on the quality of air whileselecting a site for industrial expansion. In this study air pollution due to industrial sittingis highlighted, which is greatly influenced by tope-meteorological factors.
The coastal zone of India is subject to various cyclic and random natural processes and extreme events both natural and man-made, which continuously modify theregion. A study (Panda et al, 2007) using remote sensing and GIS techniques of tracking,
monitoring and forecasting of cyclones, assessed the damages and necessary protective measures. Dikshit (2006) also discussed the genesis, development impacts of a devastating cyclone along the Mississippi coast in 2005. Koul (2008) analyzed the impactof extreme climatic conditions leading to geomorphic hazards in the Himalayan domain.
Soil Geography
Studies on land resources with special focus on soil quality analysis and evaluation areattaining prominence in recent years in India, especially in view of the growing demand of food grain production. Needless to mention that soil geography has direct relationship with geomorphology and biogeography. However, apart from purely pedological studiescarried out in various soil research laboratories and institutes, contributions from geographers in these areas of study leaves much to be desired. The few studies reviewedhere are associated with geomorphological, biogeographical and land resource related studies.
Considering the soil characteristics as one of the criteria, the land capability of the Palar river basin has been evaluated by Thangamani et al. (2007). Shashikala and Padmaja (2005-06) using GIS techniques made an attempt at preparing a sustainable land resource development and management plan for Nampally Mandal in Nalgonda Districtin Andhra Pradesh.Some of the studies in soil geography lay emphasis on soil characteristics asessential ingredients for agricultural productivity, land management and landuse planning. In this context the study conducted by Ram et al. (2006) on evaluation of soil suitability for rabi crops in the semi - arid zone of Haryana using visual and monoscopic interpretation of Landsat TM-FCC data along with India topographical sheets is noteworthy. The impact of brick making on soil fertility and agricultural productivitywas carried out by Singh and Asgher (2004) based on field surveys and the study clearlybrings out the negative impact of brick manufacturing on land capability, loss of soilfertility and declining agricultural productivity. Panda (2007) examined the landuse
potential with special reference to soil analysis in different geomorphic divisions of theTaraphini–Bhairabbanki river basin. The study conducted by Bhattacharya and Dey(2007) concluded that there is a close relationship between soil and crop types and
suggested that crop rotation and mixed farming in the study area should be practiced to maintain the soil quality. Bora (2007) too discussed the soil characteristics of the SAARCcountries while examining their geo-physical bases and physiographic framework. Severesoil erosion leading to land degradation has been discussed by Patra and Thakur (2005) in the work relating to study on spatial pattern of land degradation in the northern highlandsof Orissa. Doi (2005) assessed intensification in spatial extent of ravine land with respectto sub-watershed areas.
Process studies in post-Davidson era have been largely responsible for major shift sin the subject matter and have provided methodological revolution in the subject and made the subject more applied than ever before. In recent past with a growing awareness towards the environmental problems and the imbalances leading to hazardous situations, the role of the geomorphology is being increasingly recognized as per-eminently necessary. Geomorphology of late is being considered as a science contributing towards the natural resource management mainly in terms of management of land, water and soil resources. Problems like stability of coastal structures, desertification, land resource appraisal etc. are emerging as major topics of research being handled or expected to be handled by the geomorphology. As a result micro studies are gaining importance allover the world and the same is slowly getting reflected in a number of research articles appearing in the journals.
In the Indian context the trend is not very different from what is seen on a global scale. “Use of remote sensing technique and GIS” appears as a favored suffix in many titles. The techniques and tools of research gain importance in such attempts and at timezone wonders if the original topic of research is getting camouflaged in the description of these tools and techniques. Nonetheless it appears that using this suffix is gaining more popularity.
In the Indian context the trend is not very different from what is seen on a global scale. “Use of remote sensing technique and GIS” appears as a favored suffix in many titles. The techniques and tools of research gain importance in such attempts and at timezone wonders if the original topic of research is getting camouflaged in the description of these tools and techniques. Nonetheless it appears that using this suffix is gaining more popularity.
During the period under consideration– 2004 to 2008, most of the research articles appearing in Indian journals devoted to geographical research on the theme, thistrend is well reflected. The following Indian journals have been referred to for a quick survey of this trend report on geomorphological researches. Indian Journal of Geomorphology - Allahabad Indian Journal of Landscape Systems and Ecological Studies – KolkataTransactions of the Institute of Indian Geographers – PuneGeographical Review – Kolkata Deccan Geographer – Pune. Although not quite exhaustive, research articles which have found their entry in these journals provide a fair idea as to the state of the art in this segment of study. Amongst these the Indian Journal of Geomorphology, Published by the Indian Institute ofGeomorphologists, Allahabad is the only journal fully devoted to geomorphology. Otherjournals include papers of different branches of geography and hence the number ofarticles on geomorphological research is quite limited. The only other journal wherein thenumber of articles is fairly high is the Indian Journal of Landscape Systems and Ecological studies from Kolkata. Some 60 plus articles, appearing in the above mentioned journals, have been referred for preparing this report.
The articles cover a wide range of topics from fluvial to coastal or from regional accounts to specific processes. Understandably the articles on fluvial landscape and processes outnumber other branches. Amongst the articles related to fluvial geomorphology explain the morphometry of drainage network and quantifying variousaspects of basin characteristics. There are some articles that deal with the processes andprovide some methodological components. In this context a mention may be made of the article dealing with high magnitude floods. Soil erosion, degradation of soil resources isanother area where geomorphologists are showing concern. About 8 per cent of thearticles are devoted to this aspect. Another area of research concern wherein the geomorphic enquires are more frequent pertain to hydro-geomorphic studies. Most of theauthors have made use of remote sensing data for demarcating the potential zones and through this they are also targeting the appraisal of water resources along with the land resources. Articles mainly devoted to land resource appraisal are dealing with the problems of resource management and various processes such as gully erosion, ravinedevelopment and slope wash processes etc. However, the quantification of the processesand exact nature of degradation that is taking place needs to be incorporated in such researches. The coastal landforms and processes is the next important group that emerges outof this review. The vulnerability of the coast to erosive action, threat to the fragilemangrove ecosystems and the place deposits along the beaches are some of the topicscovered in this section. The articles on mrophodynamics of tidal inlets, slumping of seacliff are largely devoted to coastal processes whereas articles on mud beach or lagoondescribe the morphological aspect of the given forms.
The aeolian landforms and processes are dealt with in the articles on dune formation and desertification. However there are relatively fewer articles in this section.In articles on geochrornological classification or river dynamics, the spatial scales are somewhat enhanced. These relate to larger regions. One wonders why regionalgeomorphic studies are relatively few. With the tools of remote sensing, regional studiesare becoming possible and it is precisely this area that appears to be getting neglected inIndian context.
There are some interesting studies like identification of seismic gap or ground tilt due to uplift. However these are not necessarily dealing with the geomorphology of theregion. Nonetheless they provide good information and interesting interpretation.
Climatology, Soil Geography and Bio-Geography
The sub discipline of Geomorphology continues to dominate in terms of thevolume of publications in Physical Geography. In comparison to preponderance of published works in this field, fewer works pertaining to the fields of Climatology, SoilGeography and Biogeography are noticeable. As these fields of geography have traditionally good links with disciplines like Meteorology, Soil Science and Life Sciences, the range of non-geographers’ contributions to the study of climate, soil and bioresources is considerable compared to that of the geographers. A perusal of Indian geographers’ works in the fields of Climatology, Soil Geography and Biogeographysuggests much more strengthening of research endeavour in these fields.
Climatology
Traditionally Climatology occupies an important position in Physical Geography. But, in proportion to its potential significance and relevance, the study of climate, in fact,finds no due weightage in the works of geographers (Bora, 2004). Geographers’ works on climatology have become generally limited and it is more so in the case of Indiangeographers.
Climate being a dynamic entity changes in time and over space. The changes inclimate have their resultant impact on global environment. Climatic changes and theirconsequences have become an important theme in climatological study.
The role of monsoon in Indian life has been a favourite topic for geographersworking on Climate. There are a few important contributions on behavior of monsoon in India. A hydro-meteorological study carried out on high intensityrainstorms in the Upper Tista basin provides adequate understanding of basin hydrologyand runoff characteristics. Working on a popular theme i.e. extreme events, that has
attracted international attention on the wake of the consequences of global warming and climate change, Starkel and Singh (2004) made a serious attempt to understand theintimate relationship between rainfall, runoff and soil erosion in the globally extremehumid Cherrapunji region of India. In another important study Singh (2007) studied therainfall– runoff conditions in Meghalaya Plateau of India. This study primarily deals with the analysis of geo-hydrological characteristics and runoff pattern in the plateau. Therainfall distribution pattern caused by orographic effects in North–East India has been discussed by Syiemlieh and Das (2004). This study analyses the distributional pattern ofrainfall on a SW-NE axis from Cherrapunjee at the edge of the Meghalaya Plateau to Majbat at the foothills of Arunachal Pradesh. It has been found that the influence oforography on rainfall variation is most visible in rain-shadow and hilly areas whererainfall variability is moderate to high.
Monsoon floods are common in Indian rivers, which are governed directly by theeffect of monsoon rhythm. Large monsoon floods bear substantial potentials for effectivegeomorphic work. Using quantitative techniques of measuring the total energy generated during the floods during the monsoon in the Narmada River, Kale (2008) demonstrated that large-magnitude floods are effective geomorphic agents in monsoon-dominated rivers. Besides, there are a few micro-climatic studies on regional climatic patterns. Forexample Sahariah and Bora (2005-06) using GIS technique studied the pattern of micro-climatic variations in and around the wetland system of the floodplain of DarrangDistrict, Assam and found that such micro-level variations in climatic parameters mayprovide significant insight into the management and conservation of the wetlands. In an analysis of the impact of topo-meteorological factors on industrial siting in Musi riverbasin of Andhra Pradesh, Padmaja et al. (2005-06) emphasized on the quality of air whileselecting a site for industrial expansion. In this study air pollution due to industrial sittingis highlighted, which is greatly influenced by tope-meteorological factors.
The coastal zone of India is subject to various cyclic and random natural processes and extreme events both natural and man-made, which continuously modify theregion. A study (Panda et al, 2007) using remote sensing and GIS techniques of tracking,
monitoring and forecasting of cyclones, assessed the damages and necessary protective measures. Dikshit (2006) also discussed the genesis, development impacts of a devastating cyclone along the Mississippi coast in 2005. Koul (2008) analyzed the impactof extreme climatic conditions leading to geomorphic hazards in the Himalayan domain.
Soil Geography
Studies on land resources with special focus on soil quality analysis and evaluation areattaining prominence in recent years in India, especially in view of the growing demand of food grain production. Needless to mention that soil geography has direct relationship with geomorphology and biogeography. However, apart from purely pedological studiescarried out in various soil research laboratories and institutes, contributions from geographers in these areas of study leaves much to be desired. The few studies reviewedhere are associated with geomorphological, biogeographical and land resource related studies.
Considering the soil characteristics as one of the criteria, the land capability of the Palar river basin has been evaluated by Thangamani et al. (2007). Shashikala and Padmaja (2005-06) using GIS techniques made an attempt at preparing a sustainable land resource development and management plan for Nampally Mandal in Nalgonda Districtin Andhra Pradesh.Some of the studies in soil geography lay emphasis on soil characteristics asessential ingredients for agricultural productivity, land management and landuse planning. In this context the study conducted by Ram et al. (2006) on evaluation of soil suitability for rabi crops in the semi - arid zone of Haryana using visual and monoscopic interpretation of Landsat TM-FCC data along with India topographical sheets is noteworthy. The impact of brick making on soil fertility and agricultural productivitywas carried out by Singh and Asgher (2004) based on field surveys and the study clearlybrings out the negative impact of brick manufacturing on land capability, loss of soilfertility and declining agricultural productivity. Panda (2007) examined the landuse
potential with special reference to soil analysis in different geomorphic divisions of theTaraphini–Bhairabbanki river basin. The study conducted by Bhattacharya and Dey(2007) concluded that there is a close relationship between soil and crop types and
suggested that crop rotation and mixed farming in the study area should be practiced to maintain the soil quality. Bora (2007) too discussed the soil characteristics of the SAARCcountries while examining their geo-physical bases and physiographic framework. Severesoil erosion leading to land degradation has been discussed by Patra and Thakur (2005) in the work relating to study on spatial pattern of land degradation in the northern highlandsof Orissa. Doi (2005) assessed intensification in spatial extent of ravine land with respectto sub-watershed areas.
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