Cycle of erosion
Article
The cycle of erosion is a geomorphological model describing the progressive development of landscapes after uplift. It was most strongly associated with the work of William Morris Davis in the late nineteenth century.
In the classic model, a newly uplifted landscape passes through stages called youth, maturity, and old age. Rivers first cut steep valleys, drainage networks expand, relief reaches a maximum, and prolonged erosion gradually lowers the land.
The final stage was described as a low-relief surface called a peneplain. Renewed uplift could restart the sequence and produce a rejuvenated landscape.
Modern geomorphology treats the model as historically important but overly simplified because uplift, climate, rock strength, erosion, sediment transport, and tectonic deformation often occur simultaneously and irregularly.
Source details and credits
- Source / publisher: Wikipedia
- URL type: WWW
- Credits: Wikipedia
- URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cycle_of_erosion