Logo: Land geomorphology

Land geomorphology

Land geomorphology describes the structure of the land, such as mountains and valleys. Land geomorphology supports the provision of regulatory services, like erosion control.

Important for the following ecosystem services:

Buffering and attenuation of mass flows

Buffering and attenuation of mass flows allows the transport and storage of sediment by rivers, lakes and seas.

Soil quality

Soil quality is provided through weathering processes, which maintain bio-geochemical conditions of soils including fertility and soil structure, and decomposition and fixing processes, which enables nitrogen fixing, nitrification and mineralisation of dead organic material.

Mass stabilisation and erosion control

Mass stabilisation and erosion control is delivered through vegetation cover protected and stabilising terrestrial, coastal and marine ecosystems, coastal wetlands and dunes. Vegetation on slopes also prevents avalanches and landslides, and mangroves, sea grass and macroalgae provide erosion protection of coasts and sediments.

Influenced by the following drivers of environmental change:

Data needs

  • Change in land geomorphology

Global asset layer