Benefits of Understanding Landforms 4

This century has marked a renewed interest in the impact humans are having on their environment. Much new knowledge has come to light, particularly the concept of climate change and global warming. This theory on future trends of the Earth’s climate has incensed much debate, particularly the possible outcomes and results this will have on the environment. They are quite bleak, predicting that biodiversity will shrink enormously, countless irreplaceable species will become extinct, weather patterns will become irrational and violent and that Earth will not recover from its countless ills for millions of years, if at all.

Such a chilling prospect has instigated newfound activity and effort in countries across the world. Public awareness has been raised, educational campaigns on what we can all do to help have been executed and research and innovation shown by our scientists. So where can ice-related landforms help?

A cause of many of the landforms explored here is the glacier. When exposed to warmer-than-usual conditions and disrupted weather patters, ice melts. For this reason glaciers have been studied as an indicator of past trends in the Earth’s climate history, garnered knowledge then used to make predictions about the future. Ice leaves behind clear evidence of where it has been with formations and signs such as moraine and the valleys they have carved out. Dating the minerals within can provide information on periods of activity, cessation and retreat. Cycles such as these can be then analysed to produce overall directions on where glaciers have headed.

Understanding glaciers and recognising the landforms that they produce will prove invaluable in the combined effort of humanity in understanding the disaster it is headed towards and taking steps to avert it, even rectify the damage done in ignorance.