Charlotte Conner

s1136481

Geomorphic thresholds

The concept of thresholds is one which can be applied within a broad range of
fields. They have become an especially important concept in geography; this is
due to their relationship with the understanding of landform development and
evolution. Consequentially they have lead to the ideas of complex response and
episode erosion.
Geomorphic thresholds were first defined as the conditions required for a
significant landform change without the external controls (e.g. base land, climate
and land use) being altered. Today it has become a much broader term which
includes any sudden landform change, with or without changes to external
controls. It is developed within the geomorphic system by changes in the
morphology of the landform itself through time. The change in the landform is
what is important as unless it evolves to a critical situation it cant adjust or fail.
Thresholds which are the result of external variables are known as being
extrinsic. The external variable progressively changes until it eventually triggers
a sudden change or failure in the system. The level at which this happens, when
the system responds to the external changes, is known as the extrinsic threshold
level. Below this level and there is little to no change in the system.
The opposite of this, when system change occurs without changes to external
variables, is known as intrinsic. The example Schumm (1979) uses is the longterm weathering of a rock that reduces the strength of a slope material,
eventually the slope will fail. This is because the system is forced to readjust of
change its pathway to the threshold level which is now below due to the critical
shear strength of the slope. An example of something that could be either
intrinsic or extrinsic would be glacial surges, for although they can be the result
of external variances related to climate and tectonic processes. However they
more commonly reflect the periodic storage and release of ice, for the surge to
occur the intrinsic threshold of the glaciers stability would have to be exceeded.
Geomorphic thresholds despite having had the definition broadened to include
extrinsic variables, is centred on the idea of an abrupt landform change and
Schumm redefines the first definition to A geomorphic threshold is a threshold of
landform stability that is exceeded either by intrinsic change of the landform
itself, or by a progressive change of an external variable. Although the original
definition is broadened, the concept of abrupt landform change remains.
Some landscapes and components of a landscape have evolved to a condition of
geomorphic instability, these can be greatly modified by big and rare events
while others arent effected at all. This means that sometimes in the same region
there will be a variety of responses to the same conditions of stress. When these
variances occur it means that a local threshold has been met. And requires that
individual points of instability are located to shape understandings of local
morphology and also to allow preventative measures to counteract hazards to be
put in place to reinforce a potentially unstable landform. The instable landforms
where there is a chance or a Hazard occurring have also been deemed to be
critical zones.

It is important in geomorphology to be able to identify these zones as when risk

assessments occur for building projects and engineering works an understanding
of any potential events that could happen in the future need to be understood,
for example if a new road was being built near a slope, the slope stability would
determine whether the road could be built there and what support such as steel
rods would need to be put in place for safely measures.