510877 - GEOMORPHOLOGY AND GIS APPLICATIONS

courses

ID:

510877

Duration (hours):

84

CFU:

SSD:

GEOGRAFIA FISICA E GEOMORFOLOGIA

Year:

2025

Date/time interval

Primo Semestre (01/10/2025 - 10/01/2026)

Course Objectives

Students are expected to recognize the main terrestrial landforms and understand the geomorphological processes responsible for their origin and possible evolution over time. Landform analysis skills using a GIS (QGIS) are also expected to be acquired. Students are expected to be able to develop skills in creating, using, analyzing and interpreting vector and raster dataset (orthophotos, digital terrain models and derived data), including their combination.

Course Prerequisites

Knowledge of physical geography and the functioning of the Earth system is required. In particular, it is necessary to know how the natural processes occurring in the atmosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere and the Earth's climate system work. It is also necessary to be able to read and interpret topographic maps of various scales.

Teaching Methods

The course includes lectures and computer lab exercises. Lectures are based on slide presentations, made available to students on the KIRO Moodle platform. Examples and case studies are also presented in the classroom with the help of maps and web-based tools (e.g. Google Earth). Some specific topics are carried out with in-depth seminars. GIS exercises will take place in the computer classrooms. Students will be provided with an individual PC equipped with all necessary software. Topics will be introduced by a short theoretical lecture based on the use of slides and will be developed through hands-on exercises on PC. All exercise materials will be made available on the KIRO Moodle platform. The exercises are also carried out with the help of tutors.

Assessment Methods

Learning is verified through a GIS test (1) and a written test (2). (1) The GIS test consists of performing a series of hands-on exercises on the topics covered in the course. Students will be required to perform simple analysis of vector and raster data and produce a print layout. (2) The written test consists of open or semi-open-ended questions, closed-ended questions, and true-false questions. The test aims to check (a) understanding of the concepts presented in class and (b) the ability to describe, from an evolutionary perspective, the landforms presented in the course, using the proper terminology. Students may be asked to support their answers with diagrams and drawings. The two tests must be taken in the same examination call.

Texts

Castiglioni G.B., 1989. Geomorfologia. Edizione 2. pp 436 UTET. ISBN: 8802040192 Ciccacci S., 2019. Le forme del rilievo. pp 576 Mondadori Università, Firenze. ISBN: 9788861843509 Panizza M., 2014. Geomorfologia. IV Ed., pp 408 Pitagora. Bologna. ISBN: 8837118902 Sauro U., Meneghel M., Bondesan A. e Castiglioni B., 2005. Dalla carta topografica al paesaggio. Atlante ragionato. pp 177 ZetaBeta Ed. srl, Vicenza. Noti, Valerio. 2021. GIS Open Source per geologia e ambiente-Analisi e gestione di dati territoriali e ambientali con QGIS-II EDIZIONE. Dario Flaccovio Editore. Additional resources, including movies, Google Earth placemarks and websites of interest, will be made available during the course. The slides shown and discussed during the lectures will be made available on the KIRO Moodle platform.

LECTURES Introduction to geomorphology: main definitions and general concepts. Structural geomorphology: landforms controlled or affected by geological structure (lithology and tectonics). Rock weathering: chemical and physical processes and main landforms. Hillslope processes and landforms: denudation and erosion of slopes; action of runoff water; action of gravity (mass movements); landslides. Fluvial processes and landforms: modes of action of channelled waters; river erosion, transport and deposition; erosional and depositional landforms; deltas; types of river beds (braided and meandering rivers); fluvial terraces. Processes and landforms due to continental and valley glaciers; processes and landforms due to glacial erosion and deposition; Pleistocene glaciations and geomorphological effects on lowlands. Frost action and periglacial processes and landforms. Alpine periglacial landforms and rock glaciers. Coastal geomorphology: action of waves and sea currents in shaping coastlines; morphology and evolution of low and high coasts; main types of coastlines. Karst processes and landforms: the karst phenomenon; epigean and hypogean landforms. Wind action: aeolian processes and landforms; main landforms of arid and semiarid landscapes. Schedule and content of GIS lab General review on creation, use and analysis of vector data. Retrieval and use of raster data at various scales and of various types (especially orthophotos and digital terrain models-DEM). Terrain analysis from DEM: meaning and use of hillshade, slope, exposure and their applications in geomorphology. Use of DEM and digital orthophotos for recognition, delineation and mapping of landforms. Morphometric analysis of landforms.