Anthropocene Geomorphic Change. Climate or Human Activities?

An analysis of the evolution of sedimentation rates and disasters caused by surface geologic processes during the last century, at a global scale, is presented. Results show that erosion/sedimentation processes and frequency of such disasters increased substantially, especially after midtwentieth century, coinciding with the period of intense change known as the ?Great Acceleration.? Increases for this type of disasters are significantly greater than for other disasters related to natural processes, and about 1 order of magnitude in little more than half a century. This implies an important ?global geomorphic change.? Comparisons and correlations between changes observed in those processes and potential natural (rainfall) and human (degree of land surface transformation) drivers showed a strong relationship with the latter, and not so clear with the former. This suggests that the intensification of surface geologic processes is most likely due to a greater extent to a land transformation/geomorphic processes coupling than a climate/geomorphic processes one.Funding was provided by projects: CAMGEO CGL2006–11341, Spain; PICT2011–1685, Argentina; MTM2014–56235‐C2–2 and CGL2017–82703‐R, Spain

Anthropogenic geomorphic change as a potential generator of renewable geologic resources in the humid Pampa of Argentina

The nature and amount of sediments in various lakes, intermittent swampy areas and river sectors in the humid Pampa (Buenos Aires Province, Argentina) were analysed. The aim was to determine whether recent sediments in such environments could serve as an alternative resource to the brick industry, for minimising the current, high environmental impact of soil mining. Sediment sequences were obtained, and the thicknesses of the upper sediment layers, corresponding to the suballuvial (approx. 1400-700 years BP) and alluvial (approx. 250 years BP to present) were determined. Sediment samples were collected and analysed for grain size and Atterberg limits. Suitable sediments were then selected to determine the optimal brick materials and their technical properties. Similarly, control bricks were prepared with ceramic pastes of local industries. The results show that the quality of the former is similar or superior to that of the latter. The initial estimates of the available resource indicate a long-term supply for the industry. Estimates of the current sedimentation rates indicate that resource renewal might occur at a rate comparable to current consumption. The sedimentation rates have increased significantly in the past two centuries - more so in the past few decades (the Anthropocene?) - with increasing human modification of geomorphic processes. If the results presented here are confirmed, a highly sustainable model can be implemented in the brick industry.Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse

The geomorphic dimension global change : risks and opportunities

Fil: Hurtado, Martín Adolfo. Instituto de Geomorfología y Suelos (IGS). Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Universidad Nacional de La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Forte, Luis M.. Instituto de Geomorfología y Suelos (IGS). Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Universidad Nacional de La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Bruschi, Viola María. Departamento de Ciencias de la Tierra y Física de la Materia Condensada. Universidad de Cantabria; EspañaFil: Bonachea, Jaime. Departamento de Ciencias de la Tierra y Física de la Materia Condensada. Universidad de Cantabria; EspañaFil: Rivas, Victoria. DGUOT. Universidad de Cantabria. Santander; EspañaFil: Gómez Arozamena, José. DCMQ. Universidad de Cantabria. Santander; EspañaFil: Dantas Ferreira, Marcilene. Departamento de Engenharia Civil. Universidade Federal de SÆo Carlos. SÆo Paulo; BrasilFil: Remondo, Juan. Departamento de Ciencias de la Tierra y Física de la Materia Condensada. Universidad de Cantabria; EspañaFil: González, A.. Departamento de Ciencias de la Tierra y Física de la Materia Condensada. Universidad de Cantabria; EspañaFil: Díaz de Terán, J.R.. Departamento de Ciencias de la Tierra y Física de la Materia Condensada. Universidad de Cantabria; EspañaFil: Salas, L.. Departamento de Ciencias de la Tierra y Física de la Materia Condensada. Universidad de Cantabria; EspañaFil: Cendrero, Antonio. Instituto de Geomorfología y Suelos (IGS). Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Universidad Nacional de La Plata; Argentin

Denudation and geomorphic change in the Anthropocene; a global overview

The effects of human activity on geomorphic processes, particularly those related to denudation/sedimentation, are investigated by reviewing case studies and global assessments covering the past few centuries. Evidence we have assembled from different parts of the world, as well as from the literature, show that certain geomorphic processes are experiencing an acceleration, especially since the mid-twentieth century. This suggests that a global geomorphic change is taking place, largely caused by anthropogenic landscape changes. Direct human-driven denudation (through activities involving excavation, transport, and accumulation of geological materials) has increased by a factor of 30 between 1950 and 2015, representing a ten-fold increase of per capita effect. Direct plus indirectly human-induced denudation (triggered by land surface alteration) is presently at least one order of magnitude greater than denudation due to purely natural processes. The activity of slope movements, which represent an important contribution to denudation, sediment generation and landscape evolution, also shows a clear intensification. Frequency of hazardous events and disasters related to slope movements (an indirect measure of process frequency) in specific regions, as well as at continental and global levels, has grown considerably, in particular after the mid-twentieth century. Intense rainstorm events are often related to slope movement occurrence, but the general increasing trend observed is not satisfactorily explained by climate. Sedimentation has augmented considerably in most regions and all kinds of sedimentation environments. Although the link between denudation and sedimentation is not direct and unequivocal, it is safe to assume that if sedimentation rates increase in different regions during a given period, denudation must have increased too, even though their magnitudes could be different. This augmentation, particularly marked from the second half of the last century onwards, appears to be determined mainly by land surface changes, in conjunction with climate change. The changes observed suggest: a) there is evidence at a global scale of a growing response of geomorphic systems to socio-economic drivers, being Gross Domestic Product density, a good indicator of the human potential to cause such impacts; b) Land use/cover changes enhance effects of climate change on global denudation/sedimentation and landslide/flood frequency, and appear to be a stronger controlling factor; c) Our findings point to the existence of a global geomorphic change. This manifestation of global change is especially evident since the ?great geomorphic acceleration? that began in the middle of the 20th century, and constitutes one of the characteristics of the proposed Anthropocene.This work was supported, at different stages, by projects: FEDER, AEI, CGL2017-82703-R (Ministerio de Ciencia e Investigacion, Spain) and PICT2011-1685; MTM2014-56235-C2-2215 (Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovacion, Argentina). We also thank Dr. Anthony R. Berger for critical review and writing assistance

Cambio global y usos del suelo : ¿Qué está ocurriendo con la epidermis de la tierra?

Se presentan una serie de hechos relativos a la influencia humana sobre los procesos que afectan a la superficie terrestre y se comentan algunos de los efectos de dicha influencia. Los datos presentados indican que en el momento actual el ser humano es, con gran diferencia, el principal agente modificador de la capa superficial del planeta, causando una movilización de suelo y de otros materiales geológicos uno o dos órdenes de magnitud superior a la denudación por procesos naturales. La influencia humana se ha traducido en una fuerte aceleración de las tasas de generación y acumulación de sedimentos, y también de los procesos de tipo “hidrogeomorfológico”, que se traduce en un incremento de los desastres debidos a deslizamientos o inundaciones. La discusión, en la que se introducen algunos conceptos novedosos tales como “huella geomorfológica humana” y “cambio geomorfológico global”, se ilustra con el análisis de casos relativos a zonas de estudio en Sudamérica y España, que muestran que la magnitud relativa de los cambios que estamos produciendo en los procesos que afectan a la epidermis de la Tierra es muy superior a la de los cambios que causamos sobre el clima.A series of facts about the human influence on earth surface processes are presented and some of its consequences discussed. Data provided indicate that human beings are presently, by far, the main agent behind the modification of the surface layer, causing a transfer of soil and other geologic materials one or two orders of magnitude greater than the one due to natural agents. Human influence has produced an important acceleration of sediment generation and deposition, as well as of hydrogeomorphic processes in general. This has resulted in a substantial increase of disasters due to those hazards. The discussion, in which novel concepts such as “human geomorphic footprint” or “global geomorphic change” are introduced, is illustrated with case studies from South America and Spain, showing that the relative magnitude of human-induced changes is much greater on geomorphic processes than on climate.Academia Nacional de Agronomía y Veterinari

Cambio global y usos del suelo : ¿Qué está ocurriendo con la epidermis de la tierra?

Se presentan una serie de hechos relativos a la influencia humana sobre los procesos que afectan a la superficie terrestre y se comentan algunos de los efectos de dicha influencia. Los datos presentados indican que en el momento actual el ser humano es, con gran diferencia, el principal agente modificador de la capa superficial del planeta, causando una movilización de suelo y de otros materiales geológicos uno o dos órdenes de magnitud superior a la denudación por procesos naturales. La influencia humana se ha traducido en una fuerte aceleración de las tasas de generación y acumulación de sedimentos, y también de los procesos de tipo “hidrogeomorfológico”, que se traduce en un incremento de los desastres debidos a deslizamientos o inundaciones. La discusión, en la que se introducen algunos conceptos novedosos tales como “huella geomorfológica humana” y “cambio geomorfológico global”, se ilustra con el análisis de casos relativos a zonas de estudio en Sudamérica y España, que muestran que la magnitud relativa de los cambios que estamos produciendo en los procesos que afectan a la epidermis de la Tierra es muy superior a la de los cambios que causamos sobre el clima.A series of facts about the human influence on earth surface processes are presented and some of its consequences discussed. Data provided indicate that human beings are presently, by far, the main agent behind the modification of the surface layer, causing a transfer of soil and other geologic materials one or two orders of magnitude greater than the one due to natural agents. Human influence has produced an important acceleration of sediment generation and deposition, as well as of hydrogeomorphic processes in general. This has resulted in a substantial increase of disasters due to those hazards. The discussion, in which novel concepts such as “human geomorphic footprint” or “global geomorphic change” are introduced, is illustrated with case studies from South America and Spain, showing that the relative magnitude of human-induced changes is much greater on geomorphic processes than on climate.Academia Nacional de Agronomía y Veterinari

Spain

This chapter presents a review of the situation concerning the various geomorphological hazards in the country, including some information about existing programmes for research, control and mitigation. With its great variety of climatic, geological and morphodynamic environments, Spain is subject to every kind of natural hazard: tsunamis, floods, volcanism, and mass movements. The whole of the territory is prone to some kind of geomorphological hazard but it is in the eastern and southern coastal strips that the risks are greatest. One of the main problems for the mitigation of geomorphological hazards in Spain is the lack of an appropriate regulatory framework for the incorporation of natural hazard assessments into land-use planning and management at the macro-, meso- and micro-planning levels. The coverage of hazard mapping is still far from complete or adequate, and much work remains to be done. There has been considerable diversity in the methods used for risk assessment and for the cartographic representation of natural hazards. An urgent need is to establish common, accepted methodologies and criteria, based on indicators defined as clearly as possible, and to standardize map legends and scales for different planning levels. Information programmes for the general public also need to be considerably expanded

Riesgos geológicos en España: estado de la cuestión

Trabajo presentado en el III Congreso geológico de España y VIII Congreso Latinoamericano de Geología, celebrado en Salamanca (España), en 1992Peer reviewe

100 años investigando el mar. El IEO en su centenario (1914-2014).

Se trata de un libro que pretende divulgar a la sociedad las principales investigaciones multidisciplinares llevadas a cabo por el Instituto Español de Oceanografía durante su primer siglo de vida, y dar a conocer la historia del organismo, de su Sede Central y de los nueve centros oceanográficos repartidos por los litorales mediterráneo y atlántico, en la península y archipiélagos.Kongsberg 20