Nature and Aims of Geomorphological Mapping

Geomorphological maps are amongst the best tools for understanding the physical context of the Earth’s surface. They provide a full objective description of landforms (morphography) identified with specific names and depicted with their correct shape or, where not allowed by the map scale, by appropriate symbols. Geomorphological maps should include (dimensions, slope, curvature, relief) of landforms (morphometry); their origin and evolution in relation to endogenous/exogenous genetic agents and processes (morphogenesis), also considering the effects of bedrock lithology/structure control; their relative or absolute age (morphochronology); their activity status and rate of genetic processes (morphodynamics) and the type of bedrock and near-surface deposits. These data, collected at different scales in relation to the purposes of an investigation, from systematic field survey and the interpretation of aerial photographs and/or satellite imagery, are commonly reported on topographic sheets or on enlarged remotely sensed images (ortho-photomaps, ortho-photoplans, photo-mosaics and so on) in order to highlight their spatial distribution and mutual relationships. Since the first published geomorphological map (Passarge, 1914), the importance of these documents has increased progressively, as testified to by the large number of scientific programmes of systematic survey and mapping promoted in different countries, even at a national level (Klimaszewski, 1956; Macar et al., 1961; Galon, 1962; Pecsi, 1963; Savigear, 1965; Tricart, 1965, 1972; Verstappen, 1970; Maarleveld et al., 1974; Barsch and Liedtke, 1980; Ten Cate, 1983; Barsch et al., 1987; Evans, 1990; Brancaccio et al., 1994; Buza, 1997; Kneisel et al., 1998; Wakamatsu et al., 2002; Baker, 2009; Gustavsson and Kolstrup, 2009). Today, geomorphological mapping is present as a preliminary investigation method in practically all land management projects and geological risk assessment and zoning. Moreover, geomorphological baseline data are increasingly required by other sectors of environmental research such as land ecology, forestry and soil science (Tricart, 1969; Cooke and Doornkamp, 1974; Panizza, 1978; Guida et al., 1996; Brunsden, 2003). The following sections are dedicated to ‘traditional’ symbol-oriented geomorphological maps distinguished in terms of purpose and scale. After a short description of the modern tools available for the acquisition, storage and display of geomorphic data, the efforts currently performed by geomorphologists in the transition process from traditional symbol-based mapping systems to full-coverage, multiscale, object-oriented geomor- phological models will be discussed. The last part of the chapter will present the geographical information system (GIS)-based, object-oriented method of geomorphological mapping presently applied to landslide hazard assessment at Salerno University (Italy)