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Geography, urban geomorphology and sustainability

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DOI: 10.1111/area.12218

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Area, 2015, 47.4, 350–353, doi: 10.1111/area.12218

Geography, urban geomorphology


and sustainability
Mary Thornbush
Department of Geography, Brock University, St Catharines, Ontario, Canada L2S 3A1
Email: mthornbush@brocku.ca

Revised manuscript received 18 July 2015

This introduction to the special section of Area ‘Geography, Urban Geomorphology and Sustainability’
provides an overview of the key landscapes and common themes in urban geomorphology (centred
upon urban rivers, karst landscapes and the weathering of buildings) within the six papers comprising the
special section. First, urban geomorphology is defined geographically confined to areas of concentrated
urbanisation, where the natural environment is anthropogenically modified and where natural processes
modify anthropogenic structures. A novel approach to sustainable urban geomorphology is developed
through the case studies comprising the special section. These clearly illustrate key contemporary issues
within the field and a long-term perspective, considering future as well as historic human–environment
associations and modifications.

Key words: Anthropocene, human impacts, environmental change, urbanisation, case studies

effect of vegetation cover removal from urban streams


Introduction and the combined effect on land drainage and flood risk
Human impacts on the environment can result in distur- (Skilodimou et al. 2003). Increasing recognition of
bance and increasing vulnerability in the landscape (e.g. the interconnected nature of many anthropogenic-
Pikelj and Juračić 2013), affecting ecosystem services, environmental issues is encouraging natural scientists
environmental health and ultimately sustainability. (such as hydrologists and geomorphologists, and physical
Anthropogenic impacts have been considered ecological- geographers more widely) to work with social scientists
environmental pressures that can be linked with popula- (such as economists and human geographers) and prac-
tion growth, as in southwest China (Huang et al. 2008). titioners (such as environmental regulators, town planners
Such pressures may affect the economy, particularly in and policymakers) to develop integrated interdisciplinary
relation to the ecosystem services provided by the natural frameworks to address contemporary research needs.
environment (Bohnet and Pert 2010). The interconnected The process of urbanisation has had a profound effect
nature of natural and anthropogenic systems calls for on the environment and has significant implications for
multivariate analysis that recognises their equal impor- the rate and nature of physical processes (Steele et al.
tance and integrates the environmental, ecological, eco- 2014). Urbanisation has resulted in major changes to
nomic and social components (Martínez et al. land-use patterns and has modified the nature of the envi-
2007). Questions regarding landscape change, resilience ronment, for example through the increase in tempera-
and sustainability are clearly relevant and appropriate to tures within cities associated with the phenomena of
study using innovative holistic approaches that may urban heat islands (e.g. Wilby 2003). Landscapes that
provide novel solutions to natural and societal problems. have not been influenced by society are increasingly dif-
Such holistic approaches are widely integrated within ficult to discern, and ‘cultural landscapes’ are recognised
geological and geomorphological studies (e.g. Glasser as reflecting human–nature interactions (e.g. Käyhkö and
2001; Skilodimou et al. 2003). This allows multiple ele- Skånes 2008; Thornbush 2013). Softer, more sustainable
ments of the landscape to be addressed and approaches to management and the conservation of land-
considered simultaneously (cf. Price 2011), such as scape features are becoming more common. These
streamflow characteristics, channel morphology, the include bioengineering techniques replacing traditional

The information, practices and views in this article are those of the author(s) and do not
necessarily reflect the opinion of the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG).
© 2015 Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers)
Geography, urban geomorphology and sustainability 351

hard-engineered structures, which enable natural sedi- effects of a traffic abatement strategy within central Oxford,
ment transport processes for replenishment, in the design UK, 16 years after its implementation. The results indicate
of stable channels, rather than relying on rock armour that the Oxford Transport Strategy (OTS) improved local
layers, gabions or the use of concrete (Byars and Kelly urban environmental health, measured using limestone
2001); similarly, developments are taking place in a range weathering as an assessment tool (indicator) of historical
of different geomorphological settings (Martínez et al. buildings located in the city centre. The second paper
2007; Price 2011; Pueyo Anchuela et al. 2015). outlines the use of a tool for the assessment and quantifi-
Urban geomorphology is a rapidly developing interdis- cation of urban sprawl (Randall and Baetz 2015). The
ciplinary area of research that examines the effects (posi- land-use diversity index (LDI) model is used to measure
tive and negative; direct and indirect) of urbanisation on urban sprawl within different districts in Ontario, Canada.
natural landforms (geomorphology) and anthropogenic The results provide a much finer spatial resolution than
structures (urban morphology), the processes controlling currently available measures of urban sprawl, and may
their development in a given area, and how natural pro- help city planners in their quest for smart urban growth.The
cesses, such as weathering, may modify anthropogenic third paper (Martín-Díaz et al. 2015) highlights how rapid
structures (buildings and other urban infrastructure). The post-war urban development in Sarajevo (Bosnia and Her-
papers contained within this special section examine a zegovina) is unsustainable. The paper focuses on the
range of aspects of urban geomorphology and sustainabil- geomorphological risks associated with construction as a
ity from an interdisciplinary geographical perspective. It is post-Socialist urban process. The authors contend that the
increasingly recognised that such an approach is required unsustainable urban development recorded is a direct
within the field of geomorphology to ensures that its consequence of the inappropriate placement of vulnerable
methods and results are more appropriately applied in social groups as well as neoliberal urban development
management (cf. Gregory et al. 2008) and able to generate policy.
research that is relevant, as has occurred with the study of The remaining three papers in the special section
human impacts on the environment, such as karst land- outline the results of detailed investigations of urban
scapes (Poulos et al. 2000; Andriani and Walsh 2009; rivers. Two of the papers specifically address how urban
Arnous and Green 2011; Beckers et al. 2013). Similar rivers may be physically restored, with the first presenting
interdisciplinary approaches have been successfully the results of a unique community-led stream naturalisa-
applied in many areas, particularly ecological studies tion project of peripheral greenfield streams in Mel-
centred on river systems (Biron et al. 2014), agriculture bourne, Australia (Sammonds and Vietz 2015). The
(Rhoads et al. 1999) and the effects of natural hazards (cf. second study demonstrates the utility of the Urban River
Bathrellos et al. 2012; Armas 2012; Arnous and Green Survey (URS) method for monitoring hydromorphological
2011). Such an integrated and interdisciplinary approach responses to river restoration in England, and how this
is critical for research within the time-frame of the may be used to help fulfil requirements of the EU Water
Anthropocene (time since notable urban impacts Framework Directive (Shuker et al. 2015). The final paper
were evident, and linked with the onset of industrialisation highlights the naturally dynamic nature of riverine systems
in most countries), such as fluvial geomorphological and the wide range of factors that influence their devel-
responses (Downs et al. 2013), and provides an intra- opment, and how this may be influenced by urbanisation.
disciplinary bridge to physical and human geographical This knowledge is used to develop channel evolution
research. It is also possible to undertake research at a range models that do not require regular anthropogenic main-
of spatial scales through the application of GIS techniques tenance as a way to underpin the sustainable restoration
(e.g. Lamelas et al. 2009; Vijay et al. 2011; Berhane and of urban streams (Booth and Fischenich 2015).
Walraevens 2013), remote sensing and satellite imagery The papers included in this special section illustrate
(e.g. Xu and Ji 2014) as well as model-based approaches, interest in sustainable urban geomorphology (also as con-
such as digital elevation models – DEMs (e.g. Wang et al. veyed in a special issue by Hudson et al. 2015) that oper-
2015). ates at a range of spatial and temporal scales and has
Urban geomorphology is relevant to a wide range of international relevance across Europe, North America and
geographical topics across a range of landscapes, includ- Australasia. These papers illustrate that more socially
ing natural features that have been affected by urbanisation aware and informed perspectives can be achieved within
that appear as studies in this special section, including karst physical geography. This cross-/interdisciplinary approach
landscapes (Martín-Díaz et al. 2015) and urban rivers (e.g. allows fundamental concepts, such as landscape and
Shuker et al. 2015). A number of these papers specifically particularly urban landscapes, to be conceptualised
address problems associated with urban expansion and from diverse perspectives. It is increasingly recognised
development (Martín-Díaz et al. 2015; Randall and Baetz that physical geography needs to be more effectively con-
2015). In the first paper, Thornbush (2015) revisits the sidered and integrated in relation to anthropogenic modi-

Area 2015 47.4, 350–353 doi: 10.1111/area.12218


© 2015 Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers)
352 Geography, urban geomorphology and sustainability

fications to the natural environment, with humans Byars M S and Kelly M 2001 Sediment transport in urban stream
deliberately and inadvertently modifying the environ- restoration Bridging the gap World Water Congress, American
ment. This will provide stronger connections with human Society of Civil Engineers/ASCE 1–10
Downs P W, Dusterhoff S R and Sears W A 2013 Reach-scale
geographers and provide cross-disciplinary and interdis-
channel sensitivity to multiple human activities and natural
ciplinary opportunities to further research in both the
events: lower Clara River, California, USA Geomorphology 189
physical and social sciences. By 2007, half of humanity 121–34
occupied urban areas, and the process of urbanisation Glasser N F 2001 Conservation and management of the Earth
continues at such a pace that it is anticipated that approxi- heritage resource in Great Britain Journal of Environmental
mately 70 per cent of the global population will be Planning and Management 44 889–906
located in cities by 2050 (Population Reference Bureau Gregory K J, Benito G and Downs P W 2008 Applying fluvial
2015). This trend is likely to continue and place increasing geomorphology to river channel management: background for
pressure on both natural and urban landscapes. It is, progress towards a palaeohydrology protocol Geomorphology
therefore, vitally important that exciting areas of research, 98 153–72
Huang Q, Cai Y and Xing X 2008 Rocky desertification,
such as urban geomorphology, continue to grow, flourish
antidesertification, and sustainable development in the karst
and reach out to other researchers within and beyond
mountain region of Southwest China Ambio 37 390–2
physical geography in recognition that the future of the Hudson P, Goudie A and Asrat A 2015 Human impacts on
environment is inextricably linked with humans and that landscapes: sustainability and the role of geomorphology
the urban environment represents an ever-growing part of Zeitschrift für Geomorphologie 59 1–5
that domain. Käyhkö N and Skånes H 2008 Retrospective land cover/land use
change trajectories as drivers behind the local distribution and
abundance patterns of oaks in south-western Finland Land-
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Area 2015 47.4, 350–353 doi: 10.1111/area.12218


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Area 2015 47.4, 350–353 doi: 10.1111/area.12218


© 2015 Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers)

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