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Andrej Kranjc was one of the leading geographers of his generation at the national and international level. His research covers a wide range of topics related to karst geomorphology, speleology, and hydrology, as well as the history of karstology and karst terminology. This article presents his fruitful and active research activities, his contribution to geography, and his role and importance to karstology. His research and publications were honoured by his appointment as a member of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts. Through his scientific, professional, and educational work, Kranjc has had a lasting impact on Slovenian geography and has contributed significantly to the establishment of karstology in the professional community and among the general public. In addition, his work led to many important initiatives, such as the International Karstological School and the Doctoral study programme Karstology. It is also thanks to him that Slovenia is recognised as a karst country and is among the world leaders in karstology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article deals with the use of electronic games as a tool for teaching physical geography, as subjects of Geomorphology. Thus, the objectives were: 1) To discuss the use of commercial games in the teaching-learning process and its importance in teaching Geography and Physical Geography; 2) Characterize the potential of Minecraft as a methodological resource; 3) Elaborate a didactic proposal associating the use of Minecraft with concepts of Geomorphology, from the sixth year of Elementary school linked to the skills and abilities of the BNCC. Therefore, the methodology consisted of a survey and literature review on the topics of School Geography, games Geography and Physical Geography Teaching, the use of the SWOT matrix to characterize the strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities of Minecraft as an educational tool. As a result, it is highlighted that games are tools that can develop student-players and student-protagonists in teaching, in addition to providing playfulness to themes that are harder. Another issue observed is the possible difficulty of students and professors regarding the use of technologies. And the teacher is part of the process, being both the idealizer and who contextualize the proposal to the school, as well as a mediator in the teaching-learning process. Minecraft as a resource focused on Geography is a precious tool, with possibilities that are not limited to the content of the sixth year, or themes focused on geomorphology, however it must be associated with the theoretical part of the class and with everyday life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brenner considers the impacts of this paper, in light of subsequent Maya paleoclimate/paleoenvironmental studies published in the last four decades. This special issue considers physical geography in the Maya Lowlands, a tropical, mostly low-lying carbonate platform in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, and parts of Honduras and El Salvador. Indeed, much of what we know about this region's environments (i.e., its physical geography and paleoenvironment) derives from work sponsored by archaeology projects funded by the National Geographic Society, the National Science Foundation, the UK Overseas Development Agency, and many other entities, including early support from the Carnegie Institution. Garrison and colleagues overview the use of lidar survey methods in the Maya region, highlighting how Maya archaeology has aided progress in physical geography. [Extracted from the article]

In this editorial, we highlight the ongoing role of Scottish landscapes and landforms in pushing the frontiers of physical geography research, with particular to the contributions in the Scottish Geographical Journal (previously Scottish Geographical Magazine) since its inception in the 1880s. We outline some important avenues of research during the journal's lifetime and place them in the context of future challenges that Scotland and the world face, environmentally, economically and societally. Attention is also particularly paid to the Scottish Landform Examples (SLaX) series and to its continuation under the new editorial team. We invite new physical geography research contributions to the journal 'in, of or from Scotland' and its globally important landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sound is produced by many geomorphic and hydrological processes, such as rockfalls and landslides, ocean waves, fluvial flood flows and collisions among moving bedload clasts. In these and other areas of study, acoustic methods have found useful application to detect and quantify the operation of important landscape processes. In some, such as the recording of river discharge, the occurrence of rare events such as exfoliation or the presence and movement of dust devils (willy-willies), the use of acoustic methods is still in a relatively early stage of development and testing. The use of acoustic methods in the recording of rainfall occurrence and intensity is also developing and has the capacity to yield data with higher temporal resolution than can be achieved using conventional rain gauges. Novel acoustic methods include the analysis of the sound recorded by security cameras, which potentially form a vast network of observing stations. The frequencies of sound generated by land-surface processes include audible sound, ultrasound and infrasound at frequencies below the human hearing range. All appear to provide opportunities for further development of useful research tools and methodologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geomorphology generally aims to describe and investigate the processes that lead to the formation of landscapes, while geochronology is needed to detect their timing and duration. Due to restrictions on exporting geological samples from Egypt, modern geoscientific studies in the Nile Delta lack the possibility of dating the investigated sediments and geological features by standard techniques such as OSL or AMS 14C; therefore, this study aims to validate a new approach using machine‐learning algorithms on portable X‐ray fluorescence (pXRF) data. Archaeologically dated sediments from the archaeological excavations of Buto (Tell el‐Fara'in; on‐site) that pXRF analyses have geochemically characterized serve as training data for running and comparing Neural Nets, Random Forests, and single‐decision trees. The established pXRF fingerprints are transferred via machine‐learning algorithms to set up a chronology for undated sediments from sediment cores (i.e., the test data) of the nearby surroundings (off‐site). Neural Nets and Random Forests work fine in dating sediments and deliver the best classification results compared with single‐decision trees, which struggle with outliers and tend to overfit the training data. Furthermore, Random Forests can be modeled faster and are easier to understand than the complex, less transparent Neural Nets. Therefore, Random Forests provide the best algorithm for studies like this. Furthermore, river features east of Kom el‐Gir are dated to pre‐Ptolemaic times (before 332 B.C.) when Kom el‐Gir had possibly not yet been settled. The research in this paper shows the success of close interactions from various scientific disciplines (Geoinformatics, Physical Geography, Archaeology, Ancient History) to decipher landscape evolution in the long‐term‐settled Nile Delta's environs using machine learning. With the approach's design and the possibility of integrating many other geographical/sedimentological methods, this study demonstrates the potential of the methodological approach to be applied in other geoscientific fields. Highlights: Neural Nets and Random Forest yield excellent results in classifying sedimentsC5.0 single‐decision trees showed substantial deficits in this context [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this article is to show how the use of the sandbox, aided by cartographic products, can contribute to the teaching of physical geography as a pedagogical tool. In order to do this, It easy considered the representation of landforms as a starting point for understanding the phenomena and geological, geomorphological and climatobotanical processes at different scales, confirming the importance of spatial analysis from the morphoclimatic domains proposed by Ab'Saber (1967, 2003). The methodology used follows the relief classification proposed by Ross (2008), which presents six taxonomic levels based on the planialtimetry of the relief and which was represented by means of different cartographic languages, such as thematic maps, topographic profiles, MDTs, photographs, and, finally, the use of the sandbox to represent these forms, contextualized at different scales. The results were satisfactory, so that it was possible to represent five of the six taxonomic levels in the sandbox, by high school students. The research concluded that students showed greater ease and interest in the taught contents, when they were presented from the sandbox, in relation to the thematic mappings previously presented. On the other hand, they stressed that without the introduction / presentation of maps, topographic profiles and photographs, it would not be possible to understand all forms of relief and their relationship with socio-environmental issues related to the domain of seas of hills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to Araujo (2021), the concepts and conceptions about geological-geomorphological dynamics are often presented in textbooks superficially, without deepening and without a critical analysis. This research aims to propose unconventional methodologies to fill the gaps related to the contents of Geomorphology and Geology found in the textbook "Geography Contexts and Networks" by Silva, Olic and Lozano (2016) corresponding to the 1st grade of high. The methodology used is qualitative/descriptive, case study and content analysis. The study was motivated by the complexity, misconceptions and high degree of abstraction that the physical contents of Geography usually present in didactic works. It justifies the choice of theme due to the need to evaluate the natural physical contents present in textbooks, and to propose unconventional methodologies to fill the gaps present in these materials, being an important work for teachers, serving as a suggestion to address issues related to physical geography, notably Geomorphology and Geology in a meaningful, integrated and applied way in order to achieve teaching-learning and geographic reasoning of the students. It is confirmed that the insertion of digital software (games and the GIS Google Earth), models, cinema and comic books (HQs), are beautiful examples of how the teacher may be working with some concepts that present gaps or inconsistencies in the textbook "Geography Contexts and Networks". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to analyze the state of the art on the theme of urban environment and health in scientific events in Brazilian Geography between 2008 and 2019. In this sense, the scientific production of the National Meeting of ANPEGE, the Brazilian Symposium on Geographic Climatology, the Brazilian Symposium on Applied Physical Geography, the National Symposium on Urban Geography and the National Symposium on Geomorphology was selected. The methodology consisted of surveying and analyzing the annals of scientific events based on the method of content analysis. Among the results of this analysis, the following stand out: (i) it is observed that the approach to the health-disease process is incipient in the context of the scientific events analyzed; (ii) a diversity is attested regarding the academic training of researchers dedicated to the aforementioned theme; (iii) a heterogeneity of the health problems researched is identified; (iv) it appears that the approach to the socio-environmental conditions of the health-disease process is operationalized from multiple scales of analysis; (v) there is a predominance of studies in cities with medium and large populations; (vi) it is verified that the Southeast and Northeast regions concentrate the largest portion of research (52.4%) on the theme of urban environment and health, considering the current stage of knowledge produced in the context of scientific events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For holistic accounts of past and present genocides to exist, the production of critical geographies of genocide, produced at the interface of human and physical geography, is vital. The emergent area of critical physical geography (CPG) scholarship stands to provide such holistic accounts in addition to providing genocide studies with a much‐needed geographic perspective, one that is grounded in the lived material realities and social relations produced by the material interactions humans have with their environments. With the land, water, and people of Democratic Kampuchea and contemporary Cambodia as subjects, this work demonstrates how a grounded, empirical CPG approach enhances our understanding of genocide and its aftermath. By examining processes of landscape transformation we suggest that violence, agriculture, and water in the context of Cambodia cannot be considered separate "social" or "natural" components of systems that are either exclusively geopolitical or physiographic. Rather, we emphasise the importance of understanding genocide and violence as internally related to the wider geomorphology—and resulting hydrology and agricultural landscape—produced under the Khmer Rouge. Our approach here has two important consequences. First, the resultant empirical knowledge serves to reinterpret how the Cambodian genocide happened, upending normative myths by demonstrating that the Khmer Rouge consistently acted with intentionality in devaluing human life to the point of mass death while transforming physical landscapes to modernise and enter the global capitalist economy. This reinterpretation serves as a framework for reinterpreting how other genocides may also be stories of continuity and acceleration, rather than aberrant rupture. Second, our CPG approach communicates to genocide studies the need to better situate genocides within their material‐geographic contexts. Specifically, that paying close attention to how humans live and die socio‐politically, relative to the changing physical landscapes around them, can yield significant insights into how and why genocides continue to happen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

U.S. geomorphologists and biogeographers often cite early theoretical roots dating back to late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century exemplars such as Powell, Gilbert, Cowles, and Clements, or earlier European contributors like Hutton, Lyell, von Humboldt, and, of course, Darwin. Yet reviews of our intellectual roots often overlook an early and important U.S. contributor: George Perkins Marsh. Marsh's work on Man and Nature is more often cited in the field of environmental history, where it is appropriately noted as a prescient review of human impacts on the landscape. We suggest, however, that his significance extends beyond early environmental activism and that in fact Marsh describes many concepts and analytical approaches that continue to underlie modern geomorphology and biogeography. Moreover, Marsh's ideas and approach presaged fundamental concepts central to our current study of the Anthropocene and coupled human–environment systems, as he emphasized interconnections among biotic, geomorphic and human elements, perhaps most notably with regard to impacts of deforestation on flood regimes. There is, therefore, much to learn from Marsh—both about early thinking in physical geography and about the depth of scientific analysis underlying our discipline's early interest in human impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thus, an accurate representation of landform in a given area plays an essential role in revealing the formation mechanisms and indicating the landform evolution process. It presents the most recent and updated global set of landscape variables, describing the spatial properties (dimensions, slope, curvature, relief) of landforms (morphometry) for the whole globe. The dataset comprises 26 layers, organized into three categories of metrics, able to describe the rate of change (Figure 1(a), (d)), the heterogeneity (Figure 1(b), (d)) and geomorphology (Figure 1(c), (e)) of the landscape globally, for a variety of environments. [Extracted from the article]

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., [1]). Targeting the imminent inauguration of the International Association of Geomorphology (IAG) planned for I The Second International Geomorphology Conference i in 1992 in Canada, the 1988 local geomorphology symposium in Mthata provided the platform to launch the Southern African Association of Geomorphologists (SAAG). Holmes et al. ([9]) 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. Studies on the geomorphology of southern African have a long history extending back to the pioneering work in the early parts of the 20 SP th sp Century by Dixey, Wellington and King, amongst others (see Beckedahl et al., [1]). [Extracted from the article]

Works that deal with the teaching of the physical and natural components of the landscape are still not very expressive on the national scene, if compared to the demand produced in other subfields of Geography. Thus, aiming to contribute to the discussion, more precisely with the teaching of Geomorphology in the textbook, this research seeks to i) analyze the clarity and adequacy of the language of the geomorphological content in the textbook by Sene and Moreira (2018) component curriculum of the 6th year of elementary school and ii) reflect on the concept of Geomorphology present in that book. It is, therefore, theoretical research of qualitative nature of the descriptive type, the research was divided into three stages: i) choice of the textbook to be analyzed; ii) survey of the contents that deal with Geomorphology and iii) writing of the work. The results reveal that the language and clarity used in Sene and Moreira's book (2018) is adequate for the year it is intended to attend, but that small adjustments are necessary in the images and in the correlation of the geomorphological contents with the place of students' lives. From the analysis made on the conception of Geomorphology, it is concluded that the author sometimes treats it as articulated to society, sometimes discusses it as an externality to it, that is, without connection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on Vicente M. Rosselló, professor and chair in the Department of Geography at the University of Valencia to explore the Valencia region in the coming days. Topics include examines being privileged to visit Karl choice of prehistoric archaeological sites and the places of my interest in the cultural hinterland where Muslim communities persisted, and new ones were founded after the Christian Reconquest in 1238.

This paper presents the result of my research in Sweden and my view on the relationships between physical geography (here mainly geomorphology) and geology. I developed a method for identification and mapping denudation surfaces formed in the Precambrian basement. South Sweden turned out to be a key area with cover rocks of different age directly on the basement. The relief differences in the basement are connected to the different sedimentary covers with a flat and inclined sub-Cambrian surface and a hilly and inclined sub-Cretaceous surface. The crosscutting horizontal South Småland Plain was classified as a peneplain, as it is a surface graded to a distinct base level. Besides the basement forms and remnant cover rocks, saprolite remnants are important for the identification of denudation surfaces. The mapping method was ultimately labeled Stratigraphic Landscape Analysis (SLA) and used for conclusion on tectonics (uplift/subsidence and faulting). I obtained, as a physical geographer, a broad holistic knowledge on the relief differentiation of the basement rocks of Fennoscandia and on Swedish regional geology. This gave me the tool to identify denudation surfaces with the aid of the new digital elevation data and new geological knowledge of the surrounding continental shelf. The Swedish knowledge on the relationships between relief in the basement and its cover rocks is unique in the world. Maybe the relationship between denudation surfaces, cover rocks and tectonics ought to be a part of geology. Results of measurements, by different new techniques, are nowadays often analyzed based on hypotheses/theories. Observations of field conditions have become difficult to perform both within geology and geomorphology and seem to be considered as unscientific. Further, regional analysis, typical for geography, does not exist anymore. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physical geography is a process, conducted by people, of integration and synthesis of ideas and observations to advance scientific understanding of Earth's surface and atmosphere and to apply this knowledge to the greater good of the planet and its people. Therefore, physical geography matters; that is, physical geography makes a difference to people and contributes to environmental decision making at various scales. Based upon presentations and discussion at the 2019 AAG Annual Meeting (see editorial above in this issue), we provide here a historical perspective and distillation of how and why, in our opinions, physical geography matters. Although we provide several specific examples, these represent only a small portion of the large body of excellent and relevant physical geography research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physical geography focuses on the Earth surface system and is dedicated to revealing how people affect the environment and how the environment reacts to people. Based on its characteristic spatial cognitive perspective, the inductive–deductive combined approach, and the comprehensive research paradigm that integrates multiple elements, processes, and scales, physical geography always provides an important scientific basis for understanding human–nature interactions and solving sustainable development issues in different eras. Putting theory into practice, physical geography plays a pivotal role in realizing the UN Sustainable Development Goals and China's goal of ecological civilization. At present, China is in a stage of rapid socio-economic development and global conditions are changing more quickly than ever. Based on its disciplinary characteristics and traditional advantages, physical geography in China should always develop around social needs and play an increasing role in resource- and environment-related policies and outreach. Future development of physical geography as a discipline in China is expected, taking spatial cognition as the basic perspective and human–nature interaction as the core content, along with the combination of deductive and inductive approaches and the strengthening of interregional integration, all under the goal of sustainability. Considering the shared environmental challenges and the complexity of interconnections between countries in the context of globalization, the academic exploration and practice of physical geography in China have been providing scientific support for the sustainable development of China and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through decreasing hardware costs and novel areas of application, three-dimensional (3D) printing has become exceedingly popular in recent years. Starting with a project focused on public education about urban hydrology, we explored the use of 3D-printed landscape models in a number of regional applications. We also experimented with the use of 3D-printed city models to engage users through urban visualization. Our goal was to examine the role of GIS in processing geospatial data for 3D printing and to explore novel applications in physical and urban geography education and outreach. Following a brief review of related literature, this article outlines data sources for digital elevation models, boundary datasets, and building footprints with height information and the processes used to transform these into 3D-printable data files. We then describe applications focused on urban watersheds and landforms in the area of Toronto, Canada, and illustrate city models for neighbourhoods of Toronto. We found that the 3D models were favourably received by diverse types of users, from hydrology experts to environmental studies students to the general public. The overwhelmingly positive feedback generated by this project suggests that 3D-printed landscape and city models are a worthwhile strategy for improving physical and urban geography education and outreach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The natural environment provides material essentials for human survival and development. The characteristics, processes, regional differentiation and forcing mechanisms of the elements of the natural environment (e.g. geomorphology, climate, hydrology, soil, etc.) are the main objects of research in physical geography. China has a complex natural environment and huge regional differentiation and therefore it provides outstanding reserach opportunities in physical geography. This review summarizes the most important developments and the main contributions of research in the physical geography and human living environment in China during the past 70 years. The major topics addressed are the uplift of the Tibetan Plateau and the evolution of its cryosphere, the development of fluvial systems, the acidification of the vast arid region of the Asian interior, variations in the monsoon and westerly climate systems on multiple timescales, the development of lakes and wetlands, the watershed system model, soil erosion, past human-environment interactions, biogeography, and physical geographic zonality. After briefly introducing international research developments, we review the history of research in physical geography in China, focusing on the major achievements and major academic debates, and finally we summarize the status of current research and the future prospects. We propose that in the context of the national demand for the construction of an ecological civilization, we should make full use of the research findings of physical geography, and determine the patterns and mechanisms of natural environmental processes in order to continue to promote the continued contribution of physical geography to national development strategies, and to further contribute to the theory of physical geography from a global perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent publication of several books on the history and ecology of beavers (Castor canadensis and Castor fiber) illustrates a renewed interest in the construction activities of beavers and their impacts on landscapes. Over one hundred years ago, two popular books on these same topics were published, In Beaver World and The Romance of the Beaver. These books, their authors, and their legacies can still inform today's readers interested in beavers, ecosystem engineering, and zoogeomorphology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relationships between humans and environments are deeply challenged by recognition of the Anthropocene, which implicates humans as major drivers of planetary-scale environmental changes. Responding to these challenges requires technical expertise, but also creativity in dealing with complex social, cultural and political relationships of place. This paper introduces Relief as an art project that repurposes historical aerial photographs for the creation of affective, low-tech 3D experiences of landscapes and their histories. The creation of these works, and the experience of viewing them, offer a process for witnessing change in the Anthropocene. Content and aesthetics bring viewers into different ways of seeing landscapes, with implications for outreach and communication, as well as approaches to situating science and scientist in relation to society, politics and place. This art project leads into discussion of human agents and non-human agents as co-producers of landscapes, and the opportunities for art and science to respond to environmental concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This Special Issue of the Journal of Maps is devoted to highlighting contemporary examples of interdisciplinary collaborations between the arts and the geosciences (e.g. geomorphology, geology, Quaternary studies), with a specific focus upon the exploration of locations using, at least in part, some form of mapping. Art-geoscience need not even involve collaboration across the art-science divide I sensu stricto i , for single individuals or small teams from predominantly science backgrounds may work with artistic matter to achieve scientific insights ([20]) or re-purpose scientific material to create images with aesthetic appeal ([31]; [32]); Art-science collaborations are "good for the scientist" topped the responses in the artists' list of options and art-science collaborations are "good for the artist" topped the responses in the scientists' list. The representation in Figure 1, and the case studies outlined in this Special Issue, suggest that there is no single art-geoscience collaborative model: no one blueprint, and no "right" or "wrong" way to approach art-geoscience collaborations. [Extracted from the article]

Prehistoric peoples chose farming locations based on environmental conditions, such as soil moisture, which plays a crucial role in crop production. Ancestral Pueblo communities of the central Mesa Verde region became increasingly reliant on maize agriculture for their subsistence needs by AD 900. Prehistoric agriculturalists (e.g., Ancestral Pueblo farmers) were dependent on having sufficient soil moisture for successful plant growth. To better understand the quality of farmland in terms of soil moisture, this study develops a static geospatial soil moisture model, the Soil Moisture Proxy Model, which uses soil and topographic variables to estimate soil moisture potential across a watershed. The model is applied to the semi-arid region of the Goodman watershed in the central Mesa Verde region of southwestern Colorado. We evaluate the model by comparing the Goodman watershed output to two other watersheds and to soil moisture sensor values. The simple framework can be used in other regions of the world, where water is also an important limiting factor for farming. The general outcome of this research is an improved understanding of potential farmland and human-environmental relationships across the local landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wetlands are recognized as one of the most important natural environments for humans. At the same time, heavy metal pollution has an important impact on wetlands. China's Raoyanghe Wetland is one of the most important natural wild species gene banks in China. Eight heavy metal elements (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, and Zn) in surface layer and deep layer soils were analyzed using statistical-, pollution index-, and Nemerow index-based methods, the Hakanson potential ecological risk index method, and principal component and cluster analyses. The results showed that the maximum concentrations of heavy metals exceeded the background values in the core area and buffer zone of the wetland, but the heavy metal content of the soils was generally low and did not exceed 30%. With the exception of Hg, heavy metal concentrations showed strong spatial differentiation. The differences between the surface layer and deep layer soils of the core area were smaller than in the buffer zone. With the exception of Cd, a clear vertical zonation in the buffer zone soils was observed, showing greater evidence of external influences in this zone than the core. With the exception of partial surface soils, which indicated a safe level of pollution in the core area, all other soils were classified as having a ‘mild’ level of pollution. Thus, the wetland is moderately polluted, with both the core area and the buffer zone presenting a low level of potential ecological risk. According to the results of the present study, heavy metal contaminants in the wetland soils were found to be derived mainly from the natural sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peri-urban lakes increasingly experience intensified anthropogenic impacts as watershed uses and developments increase. Cultus Lake is an oligo-mesotrophic, peri-urban lake near Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada that experiences significant seasonal tourism, anthropogenic nutrient loadings, and associated cultural eutrophication. Left unabated, these cumulative stresses threaten the critical habitat and persistence of two endemic species at risk (Coastrange Sculpin, Cultus population; Cultus Lake sockeye salmon) and diverse lake-derived ecosystem services. We constructed water and nutrient budgets for the Cultus Lake watershed to identify and quantify major sources and loadings of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P). A steady-state water quality model, calibrated against current loadings and limnological data, was used to reconstruct the historic lake trophic status and explore limnological changes in response to realistic development and mitigation scenarios. Significant local P loadings to Cultus Lake arise from septic leaching (19%) and migratory gull guano deposition (22%). Watershed runoff contributes the majority of total P (53%) and N (73%) loads to Cultus Lake, with substantial local N contributions arising from the agricultural Columbia Valley (41% of total N load). However, we estimate that up to 66% of N and 70% of P in watershed runoff is ultimately sourced via deposition from the nutrient-contaminated regional airshed, with direct atmospheric deposition on the lake surface contributing an additional 17% of N and 5% of P. Thus, atmospheric deposition is the largest single source of nutrient loading to Cultus Lake, cumulatively responsible for 63% and 42% of total N and P loadings, respectively. Modeled future loading scenarios suggest Cultus Lake could become mesotrophic within the next 25 years, highlighting a heightened need for near-term abatement of P loads. Although mitigating P loads from local watershed sources will slow the rate of eutrophication, management efforts targeting reductions in atmospheric-P within the regional airshed are necessary to halt or reverse lake eutrophication, and conserve both critical habitat for imperiled species at risk and lake-derived ecosystem services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Past studies of archaeological bog finds, such as bog bodies, wooden trackways and a wide variety of other materials, are characterized by a strong focus on material culture. Their original environmental and cultural context has received far less attention. This paper centres on the original landscape setting of bog bodies. Interdisciplinary reconstructions of the physical and cultural landscape at the time of deposition can lead to significant new and more detailed insights into the context and meaning of this remarkable phenomenon. We aim to show the value of such interdisciplinary research by reconstructing the original physical and cultural landscape setting of the most iconic bog body of The Netherlands: Yde Girl. This approximately 16-year-old girl was killed about 2000 years ago and deposited in a bog south of the modern-day village of Yde (province of Drenthe). Our interdisciplinary research team used a combination of research methods from physical geography, geomorphology, palynology and archaeology to analyse both the site itself and its wider environment. This kind of integrated, detailed landscape research on bog bodies has hardly been done yet. We expect that our research design, methodology and results may also be applied in future research of other bog bodies. Furthermore, they may inspire research on other types of archaeological find categories from peatlands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physical geography is the cornerstone of geography. In this article, the starting points of disciplines in physical geography in recent years in China are discussed. With the coupling of systems set as the research object, and sustainable development as the ultimate goal, the upgrade of physical geography can be deconstructed into three steps: deepen physical geography from the perspective of pattern-process coupling, improve the focus of physical geography from ecosystem processes to ecosystem services, and increase the understanding of the physical geography 'pattern, process, service, sustainability' research cascade. The incorporation of human activities into physical geographic processes is essential to conduct integrated analysis on physical and human factors at different scales. The development of ecosystem service models that couple supply-demand and sustainable development are of great importance to bridge the role of ecosystem services between the natural environment and human well-being. Moreover, human-land systems and sustainable development have become the core areas and frontiers of integrated physical geography and even geography in general. China faces the great strategic demand of constructing an ecological civilization in a new era, and the development of the disciplines of physical geography should give full access to the advantages of intersecting and comprehensive disciplines, focus on the human-land system patterns, processes, and services in key research areas, and provide disciplinary support for regional, national, and global sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Albania has experienced one of the Europe's highest population migration rates in recent decades. At the same time, the landscape of this country has very dynamic geomorphological behaviour (erosion and ground subsidence), as an effect of various drivers. This paper examines the correlation between the population migrations and geomorphological dynamics in the wider Vlora area in Southern Albania between 1979 and 2016. In social studies and the humanities this interplay is largely unrepresented, whereas in the environmental sciences these two issues have been conceptualized as having a causal relationship. The article develops a tripartite analytic-synthetic model consisting of (A) remote sensing analysis based on automated land/water detection from satellite data; (B) demographic analysis focusing on population changes using the methods of statistical analysis; and (C) extensive anthropological fieldwork grounded on participant observation, archival work and gathering previously inaccessible statistical and other relevant data. The results of this study show that the coastal erosion or water inundation along with other geomorphological (site-specific relief, place-bound ground subsidence and water bodies distribution) and geotectonic characteristics of the wider Vlora area are inextricably bound up with the population migrations. The paper foregrounds new methodological approaches that correlate coastal or peri-coastal erosion with geomorphological, geotectonic and population movements, and provides a holistic framework that can be applied to examine this issue in similar areas elsewhere. Highlights • Novel insights into the interrelation between land cover change and population movements. • Links (peri)coastal erosion, geomorphological, geotectonic with population dynamics • Develops a tripartite analytic-synthetic model. • Provides a holistic framework for understanding the landscape changes. • Geodynamics embodied in population movements and the latter spatialized in landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The role of deformation on the equilibration of Ti concentrations in quartz was investigated by running experiments on out-of-equilibrium quartz crystals embedded as porphyroclasts within quartz aggregates. Quartz crystals were first grown from a hydrostatic fluid to set the initial Ti content; crystals grown at temperatures above (925 °C) and below (875 °C) the deformation temperature (900 °C) contain Ti contents ∼ 60 ppm higher or lower than the equilibrium solubility. These out-of-equilibrium quartz crystals were then deformed as porphyroclasts by embedding them in a matrix composed of either dry or wet quartz to induce two end-member deformation regimes, high-stress or low-stress, respectively. In high-stress experiments, quartz porphyroclasts contain deformation bands and undulose extinction, with some grains showing evidence for grain boundary bulging (BLG) recrystallization. In low-stress experiments, some grains deformed to high strains with minimal evidence for dynamic recrystallization, resulting in ribbon grains, whereas others recrystallized by dislocation creep processes, showing microstructural evidence for subgrain rotation (SGR) and grain boundary migration (GBM) recrystallization. By comparing quartz microstructures with patterns of Ti re-distribution in variably deformed and recrystallized porphyroclasts, we find that grains deformed to high strain with minimal recrystallization show little to no evidence for re-equilibration, whereas grains that recrystallized via grain boundary processes have equilibrated Ti contents that reflect the pressure-temperature conditions of deformation. Highlights • Dynamic recrystallization resets the TitaniQ thermobarometer. • Re-equilibration occurs along migrating grain boundaries. • Grains deformed without recrystallization retain original Ti contents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this introduction to the special issue on necrogeography and physical geography, a focus on landforms and landscapes is presented and applied to subdisciplinary areas, including geomorphology, climatology, biogeography, and soil science. The primary aim is to present past directions taken in the field by physical geographers and provide further areas for their potential engagement. The seven papers contained in this special issue are lastly conveyed in terms of their contribution to necrogeography as an applied physical geography in cemeteries, although not exclusively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gravitational processes are the most substantial mechanisms of continental sediment transport. Sedimentary deposits produced by these processes record evidence of the sediment transport mechanism and flow regime, as well as rheologic characteristics. This study aims to analyze sedimentary deposits at the Andean Precordillera in order to interpret the sediment transport mechanism and understand the rheologic behavior of the mass flows. The studied area, situated in Neuquén Province, Argentina, comprises a small-scale drainage basin and an alluvial fan. The study approach includes the description and analysis of fractures, landslide head scarps, texture, and geometry of sedimentary deposits. In the drainage basin, we identified planar landslide head scarps associated with deposits of talus and marginal levees. Sedimentary deposits record rockfall, non-cohesive debris flow, and catastrophic and normal stream flow mechanisms of sediment transport. The triggered mechanism is highly controlled by the high slope and climate conditions. A turbulent flow regime with Newtonian rheologic behavior was interpreted for the stream flow events, whereas a laminar flow regime with plastic (non-Newtonian) rheologic characteristics was related to the non-cohesive debris flows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: New technologies enable high‐resolution monitoring techniques and the generation of big data and have been heralded as increasing the depth of our understanding of geomorphic phenomena. These technologies, however, also provide us with a convenient entry point into the increasingly constraining political economy of geomorphology. Building on the work of Stuart Lane and of critical physical geographers, this paper traces and examines the multiple roles that new technologies have played in constraining research questions and directing resources. Using the activity sphere framework outlined by David Harvey, the influence of new technologies can be traced around the spheres and their constraining of existing relations within academia and explanation identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Waiapu River catchment (drainage area of 1734-km 2 ) is one of the most prolific conveyors of sediment in the world, annually delivering roughly 35 Mt of fine material to the ocean from eroding gullies, hillslopes, and reworked sediment on valley floors. Tectonic and geologic influences, in combination with a dynamic climate influenced by tropical cyclones and clearance of vegetation from steep hillslopes, predisposes this region to high rates of erosion. The bedload sediment regime of the river is strongly influenced by several exceptionally large gullies and gully complexes that produce a coarse-grained, poorly sorted sediment mixture. Rapid abrasion and breakdown leads to high rates of suspended sediment yield. A wave of bedload material, manifesting as elevated bed levels and significant widening of active alluvial fills, has been triggered by large inputs of hillslope material from a few key tributary catchments following Cyclone Bola in 1988. We review the evidence for the relaxation process of the sedimentary system in the subsequent 29 years, appraising some of the legacy effects that may endure, as associated with reworking of the considerable alluvial stores within the Waiapu system. We use Structure-from-Motion (SfM) techniques and archival aerial photos to quantify changes in sediment storage at the base of two major gully systems in recent decades. A record of over 850 cross section surveys at 62 sites on 10 rivers throughout the catchment (1958–2017) indicates recent transition from a trend of continuous accumulation to downcutting and remobilisation of valley-bottom deposits. The channel cross sections provide a minimum estimate of sediment flux from source areas to the lower reaches of the river, giving a rudimentary but spatially extensive picture of the wave of material cascading through the drainage network. The largest impacts occur in the upper steepland rivers, closest to the landslide-derived sediment supply. Transport rates here, as inferred from cross section change, are at a maximum during an aggradational phase following Cyclone Bola then taper off, despite the large sediment accumulations remaining in the system. As of 2017, the river is in the process of incising the upper extents of this deposit on a trajectory of recovery toward pre-Bola conditions. The compilation of cross section data provides us with new insights into the sensitivity of particular sites in the landscape, as well as the changing relationship between reach sediment storage and transport rates during the response and relaxation phase of a major disturbance in a large catchment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we outline how geomorphological understanding has underpinned forest management in New Zealand's erodible steeplands, where it contributes to current forest management, and suggest where it will be of value in the future. We focus on the highly erodible soft-rock hill country of the East Coast region of North Island, but cover other parts of New Zealand where appropriate. We conclude that forestry will continue to make a significant contribution to New Zealand's economy, but several issues need to be addressed. The most pressing concerns are the incidence of post-harvest, storm-initiated landslides and debris flows arising from steepland forests following timber harvesting. There are three areas where geomorphological information and understanding are required to support the forest industry — development of an improved national erosion susceptibility classification to support a new national standard for plantation forestry; terrain analysis to support improved hazard and risk assessment at detailed operational scales; and understanding of post-harvest shallow landslide-debris flows, including their prediction and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Loess deposits in Xiashu are representative of such deposits in Southeastern China that are mainly distributed in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River valley. These loess-paleosol sequences provide a key archive of past climate change in humid, subtropical regions. However, the ages of the sequences are not well constrained. In this study, the standard quartz single-aliquot regenerative (SAR) dose optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) and K-feldspar post-infrared infrared stimulated luminescence (post-IR IRSL; pIRIR 290 ) methods are used to date two loess sequences in Nanjing region. Our results show that quartz SAR OSL and K-feldspar pIRIR 290 ages are more or less indistinguishable from one another up to ∼50 ka. Beyond this age, the K-feldspar pIRIR ages increased systematically with deposition depth, agreeing well with the expected ages as far as ∼200 ka. On the basis of a fully independently-dated timescale, we are therefore able to propose, for the first time, a new age model for the Xiashu Loess deposits accumulated since the penultimate interglacial period. Using our newly obtained luminescence dating ages, we observe a marked difference between the loess accumulation rates in the two sequences, potentially forced by regional depositional processes and loess preservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liu Tungsheng (1917–2008) resumed his scientific career and became actively involved on the international stage in the field of Quaternary Sciences after 1982, at the age of 65, following Deng Xiaoping’s ‘Reform and Open Up’ policy, after his first international publication of China loess research published in 1950s. Though his best known contribution to Quaternary research is his pioneering study of the extensive loess deposits of China, several other important scientific contributions are less widely known, as they were published in Chinese. By studying about 400 well-preserved fieldwork notebooks left by Liu Tungsheng, as well as many biographical and personal photographic collections, we have mapped his remarkable life during his 91-year journey and the contributions to geoscience. From a historical point of view, Liu Tungsheng created a unique chapter in the history of modern geological science in China in his role as a geologist emerging from a traditional Chinese cultural background who became a star on the international scientific stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Loess is widely distributed over Asia and North America and constitutes one of the most important surficial deposits that serve as terrestrial records of the Quaternary. The oldest Pleistocene loess in China is likely ∼2.6 Ma, thus spanning much or all of the Pleistocene. In North America, most loess is no older than the penultimate glacial period, with the exception of Alaska, where the record may go back to ∼3.0 Ma. On both continents, loess deposits date primarily to glacial periods, and interglacial or interstadial periods are represented by paleosols. Both glacial and non-glacial sources of silts that comprise the bulk of loess deposits are found on both continents. Although loess has been considered to be representative of the average upper continental crust, there are regionally distinctive compositions of loess in both Asia and North America. Loess deposits in Asia from Yakutia, Tajikistan, and China have compositionally distinct major element compositions, due to varying abundances of silicate minerals, carbonate minerals, and clay minerals. In North America, loess in the Mississippi River valley, the Great Plains, and Alaska are also distinguishable with regard to major element composition that reflects highly diverse source sediments. Trace element geochemistry (Sc-Th-Zr and the rare earth elements) also shows regional diversity of loess bodies, in both Asia and North America. On both continents, most loess bodies show significant contributions from later-cycle, altered sedimentary rocks, as opposed to direct derivation from igneous rocks. Further, some loess bodies have detectable contributions from mafic igneous rocks as well as major contributions from average, upper-crustal, felsic rocks. Intercalated paleosols in loess sections show geochemical compositions that differ significantly from the underlying loess parent materials. Ratios of soluble-to-insoluble elements show depletions in paleosols due to chemical weathering losses of calcite, dolomite, plagioclase, mica, apatite, and smectite. In Asia and North America, the last interglacial paleosol is more weathered than equivalent modern soils, which could be due either to a climate that was warmer and more humid, a longer period of pedogenesis, or both. In Asia, early Pleistocene loess and paleosols are both more weathered than those from the middle and late Pleistocene, forming prior to a mid-Pleistocene aridification of Asia from uplift of the Tibetan Plateau. Understanding the geochemistry of loess and paleosols can tell us much about past atmospheric circulation, past temperature and moisture regimes, and even tectonic processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fluids found in sulfide-producing hydrothermal vents are rich in ore-forming elements. These elements usually precipitate as solid particles that are dispersed by the plumes and deposited as sediments around the hydrothermal field. To assess how the geochemical features of such sediments may be used in seafloor sulfide exploration, this study analyzed the surface sediment geochemistry in the Dragon Horn area on the Southwest Indian Ridge. The results indicate that the sediments are mainly composed of pelagic material, basalt and ultramafic debris, (Mn,Fe) oxyhydroxides and Mn oxides, hydrothermal components. The debris content in this area is lower than that in sediments found at fast- and medium-spreading mid-ocean ridges, with relatively high amounts of ultramafic components, indicating that ultramafic rock outcrops are present in the study area. Precipitated hydrothermal elements in the sediments exhibit zonation in the spatial distributions of Zn, Cu, Fe, and Mn. The sediments proximal to the hydrothermal field display high Cu, Zn, and Fe contents and low Mn contents. Hydrothermal Cu and Zn phases occurred within a limited range of the hydrothermal field, and Zn was found to precipitate earlier than Cu during dispersal from the plume. Hydrothermal Fe distributed similarly with Cu spatially but with a larger dispersion distance. Hydrothermal Mn was able to migrate beyond the ridge valley to precipitate in the ridge flank sediments. Two hydrothermal Cu and Zn anomalies were identified on the south ridge flanks, which suggest the presence of undiscovered hydrothermal field. The sediments in the study area are additionally characterized by relatively low Mn contents and high Fe/Mn molar ratios. The relatively reducing environment of the plume may facilitate the migration of hydrothermal Mn over large distances, which probably accounts for the lower Mn contents in the sediments. The Cu-Cu/Fe molar ratio model was proposed to identify mafic- and ultramafic-related hydrothermal field. The low Cu/Fe molar ratios and REE characteristics of the sediments suggest that ultramafic rocks are likely not the only source of the ore-forming element for hydrothermal mineralization. Low-temperature diffuse flow on the ridge flanks of the study area probably results from serpentinization of ultramafic rocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Cooloola sand dunes are part of a series of aeolian parabolic dunes that stretch along the east coast of Australia. They form a chronosequence showing increasing weathering, soil formation and water erosion across six geomorphically recognized soil landscapes. These landscapes were recognized from air photographs and further refined on the basis of some 150 auger holes across the dunes. Data about the structure and floristics of the vegetation were collected at the same time. There is a significant body of literature about the Cooloola dunes but there are two areas that have not been satisfactorily considered. First the previous dating which gave inconsistent results has been superseded by single grain OSL dates and second Cooloola has not been considered in a regional context. Here we report the results of single grain optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) analyses for 31 samples for 21 sites across the geomorphic landscapes. The sites were selected near the apex of each dune as this represents the last depositional date and the least disturbed by sand movement. We recognized 10 units across the dunes on the basis of the dates available. The dune ages ranged from recent to 725 ka. The largest dunes at some 320 m high were dated at around 140 ka and these dunes carry the maximum vegetation biomass of this dunefield. Beyond this vegetation maximum the dunes had lost their parabolic shape due to prolonged weathering and erosion and the vegetation is greatly reduced in height and biomass. The depth to the soil B horizon gradually deepens with age to form giant podzols in the older dunes. The depth to the B horizon was remarkably consistent within the geomorphic landscapes across the length and breadth of the dunes. These studies place the Cooloola dunes in a unique position as the chronosequence is intact. The possible processes that lead to the formation of the dunes and the regional implications are discussed. Secondly, it shows the buildup and decline of the dune ecosystems and acts as a model for all ecosystems. Forest succession models which place less emphasis on soil development miss this important process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The origin of recent mud deposits as well as the coastal turbidity maximum in the French-Belgian-Dutch nearshore area of the southern North Sea is still under debate in the literature. Some models favor the erosion of the Cretaceous chalk cliffs along the English Channel and subsequent NE ward directed transport, other models focus on the erosion of Eocene to earliest Oligocene, and Pleistocene to Holocene clays outcropping on the seafloor off the Belgian coast. In order to validate these hypotheses, the detailed qualitative and quantitative clay mineral composition of these sediments was used as a provenance indicator. By comparing the clay mineral composition of the mud deposits and the associated suspended particulate matter (SPM) with the composition of potential nearby and more remote sources such as the present day marine environment, estuaries and rivers, coastal erosion areas and the geological substratum, the origin of the mud deposits and the SPM could be traced. Results showed that only the clay composition of the Scheldt estuary coincides with those of the mud deposits and the coastal turbidity maximum and that all other potential sources could be excluded. Our data suggest that the clay mineral composition of the mud deposits has a similar composition since at least about 100.000 years, indicating that these deposits originate from a paleo-Scheldt river rather than from the recent river system, as the present-day Scheldt estuary is not source of fine-grained sediments. The present-day SPM in the Belgian-Dutch nearshore area originates mainly from the erosion and resuspension of the existing mud deposits situated in the Belgian nearshore. This study demonstrates the value and suitability of quantitative bulk and clay mineralogy techniques in sediment provenance studies and highlights the importance of incorporating the recent geological history in hydrodynamic studies of sedimentary basins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zagros mountain range (ZMR) contains the most karstic carbonate formations in Iran. Because of the broad expansion of folded and fractured carbonate rocks, welldeveloped karstic features occur in the southwest of ZMR. The study area, which occupied 794 km2, is located in the ZMR of Khuzestan province and mostly is covered with Asmari Formation. In the study area, the most important karstic formations are the Asmari and the Ilam-Sarvak Formations and the two examples of karst plains (Polje) were created through tectonic activities and dissolution process of water in the Asmari Formation. Geological setting and climate condition are the most important factors of karst development in the study area. The region has a wide variety of developed karstic features. Accordingly, the purpose of this paper is to identify and introduce karst features of the study area including polje, karst valley, doline, waterfall, ponor, lapiez, rain pit, cave and karst spring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through their dam-building activities and subsequent water storage, beaver have the potential to restore riparian ecosystems and offset some of the predicted effects of climate change by modulating streamflow. Thus, it is not surprising that reintroducing beaver to watersheds from which they have been extirpated is an often-used restoration and climate-adaptation strategy. Identifying sites for reintroduction, however, requires detailed information about habitat factors—information that is not often available at broad spatial scales. Here we explore the potential for beaver relocation throughout the Snohomish River Basin in Washington, USA with a model that identifies some of the basic building blocks of beaver habitat suitability and does so by relying solely on remotely sensed data. More specifically, we developed a generalized intrinsic potential model that draws on remotely sensed measures of stream gradient, stream width, and valley width to identify where beaver could become established if suitable vegetation were to be present. Thus, the model serves as a preliminary screening tool that can be applied over relatively large extents. We applied the model to 5,019 stream km and assessed the ability of the model to correctly predict beaver habitat by surveying for beavers in 352 stream reaches. To further assess the potential for relocation, we assessed land ownership, use, and land cover in the landscape surrounding stream reaches with varying levels of intrinsic potential. Model results showed that 33% of streams had moderate or high intrinsic potential for beaver habitat. We found that no site that was classified as having low intrinsic potential had any sign of beavers and that beaver were absent from nearly three quarters of potentially suitable sites, indicating that there are factors preventing the local population from occupying these areas. Of the riparian areas around streams with high intrinsic potential for beaver, 38% are on public lands and 17% are on large tracts of privately-owned timber land. Thus, although there are a large number of areas that could be suitable for relocation and restoration using beavers, current land use patterns may substantially limit feasibility in these areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The choice of areas for nature conservation involves the attempt to maximize the benefits, whether by carrying out an economic activity or by the provision of Ecosystem Services. Studies are needed to improve the understanding of the effect of the extent and position along the watershed of restored areas on soil and water conservation. This study aimed to understand how different restoration strategies might reflect in soil conservation and sediment retention. Using InVEST tool, sediment transport was simulated in a small 12 km2 watershed (Posses River, in Southeast Brazil), where one of first Brazilian Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) projects is being carried out, comparing different hypothetical restoration strategies. With 25% of restoration, sediment export decreased by 78% for riparian restoration, and 27% for the steepest slopes restoration. On the other hand, the decrease in soil loss was lower for riparian restoration, with a 16% decrease, while the steepest slopes restoration reduced it by 21%. This mismatch between the reduction of sediment export and soil loss was explained by the fact that forest not only reduces soil loss locally but also traps sediment arriving from the upper parts of the watershed. While the first mechanism is important to provide soil stability, decreasing the risk of landslip, and to maintain agricultural productivity, the second can improve water quality and decrease the risk of silting, with positive effects on the water reservoirs at the outlet of the watershed. This suggests that Riparian and the Steepest Slopes restoration strategies are complementary in the sense of preventing sediments from reaching the water bodies as well as protecting them at their origin (with the reduction of erosion), so it will be advisable to consider the two types of restoration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates two bedrock-controlled palaeo-coastal embayments on the Barbate Platform off Cape Trafalgar near the Strait of Gibraltar (Gulf of Cadiz shelf, SW Iberian Peninsula), aiming to reveal their infilling dynamics and the influence of rocky outcrops on shallow-water hydrodynamics and sediment transport. The approach relies on detailed multibeam bathymetric data, high-resolution seismic profiles and tidal current simulations. Elongated rocky outcrops formed a palaeo-coast when sea level was approximately 35 to 20 m below that of the present day, and bound a relatively flat area. However, the seismic profiles enabled to distinguish two main troughs (A and B) that were infilled following a distinctive evolution during the last transgression. Five seismic units were identified (I to V, from base to top). Deposit A is composed of seismic units II to V and is interpreted as a marine embayment infill, here termed the Barbate palaeo-embayment (BPE). Deposit B is composed of seismic units I to IV and is interpreted as a palaeo-valley infill, here termed the Barbate palaeo-valley (BPV). The complex internal stratigraphic architecture depicts an overall evolution from tidal/fluvial deposits to shallow-water marine deposits. Most significant is the occurrence of coupled tidal flats/estuarine sand bars constituting the infilling of the BPE; this suggests the persistence of a high-energy current in a shallow, confined embayment, which was amplified by the rocky outcrop constrictions and possibly facilitated by the episodic movement of a normal fault. In contrast to this active setting, the nearby straight and narrow BPV was subjected to lower-energy infilling dynamics during its initial flooding phases. There, tidal activity was possibly reduced by the straight morphology of the valley and the occurrence of a topographic constriction (i.e. the Barbate Passage) at the mouth of the valley. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]