2. Current research frontiers, issues and challenges ahead

## 2.1 Contemporary research questions in Fluvial Geomorphology

At the very beginning of the twenty-first century, fluvial geomorphology has emerged as a new arena of research in multiple dimensions. In this direction, the National Research Council (NRC) [8] has addressed nine obvious confronts in Earth surface process discourse:


Introductory Chapter: Current Practice in Fluvial Geomorphology: Research Frontiers, Issues… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.89687


These key research questions may be taken effectively by the Earth scientists for further research.

#### 2.2 Current research frontiers in Fluvial Geomorphology

In view of the aforementioned challenges in contemporary Earth surface process discourse, NRC [8] has focused on four major research frontiers, relevant for fluvial geomorphology:


#### 2.3 Reading a fluvial landscape: issues and concerns

Reading of a fluvial landscape could proceed through four consequent steps [9, 10]:


Indeed, comprehensive appraisal of a fluvial landscape requires understanding of the landscape form, function and evolution [11]. However, instead of viewing the regional landscape (area/polygonal approach) as a whole, reference site (i.e. place/ location) based studies (location/point approach) are in practice these days [12]. This often results misleading outcomes [13]. Another threat in contemporary

but did not inevitably come within fluvial geomorphology largely due to the opening out of techniques and wider interest of the contemporary practitioners of other fields toward riverine landscape. Therefore, although fluvial research, including the cross-cutting fields, comprised 34% of the current geomorphological research, in the upcoming days via technical advances (modeling and GIS) and data acquisition (e.g. remote sensing), the discipline will serve to initiate new arena of research which will be more interdisciplinary. Optimistically, the discipline fluvial geomorphology is going through renaissance in quest of elucidating the genesis, dynamicity

Number of research articles pertaining to 10 broad themes derived from examining 24 volumes of the journal Geomorphology in 2018. Note: Th 1,Th2 … indicates the broad themes as mentioned in Table 1.

Current Practice in Fluvial Geomorphology - Dynamics and Diversity

At the very beginning of the twenty-first century, fluvial geomorphology has emerged as a new arena of research in multiple dimensions. In this direction, the National Research Council (NRC) [8] has addressed nine obvious confronts in Earth

• How do geopatterns on Earth's surface arise and what do they tell us about

2. Current research frontiers, issues and challenges ahead

2.1 Contemporary research questions in Fluvial Geomorphology

• What does our planet's past tell us about its future?

and diversity of fluvial landscape [7].

surface process discourse:

processes?

4

Figure 1.

#### Current Practice in Fluvial Geomorphology - Dynamics and Diversity

research direction is that high-resolution, real-time large remote sensing datasets pertaining to riverine landscape emphasize mastery over techniques and draftsmanship rather than enriching critical interpretation skills. This leads to the question—'What is it we are training geomorphologists to do?' [14] 'Should we value quantitative applications over and above anything else in landscape analysis?' [15, 16]. Therefore, in view of the multidisciplinary roots of fluvial geomorphology [17], there is a need to understand the conjectural principles of the geomorphological dynamics of river systems apart from skill development to process and contextualize remotely sensed observation.

## 3. Epilogue

The current advances in the arena of fluvial geomorphology in association with other Earth system science disciplines are broadly as a result of the contemporary advances in data acquisition and modeling techniques particularly due to the progress in geophysical data acquisition tools, computer programming, geoinformatics, numerical modeling, computational fluid dynamics, numerical dating, laboratory experimentation, etc. With these aids obviously the future prospect of fluvial geomorphology is very promising. However, there is a need to refocus on the fundamental scientific issues concerning landscape dynamicity and diversity over time and space. Amid the global challenges like climate change and anthropogenic intervention to the natural systems, the emphasis could be laid upon understanding the consequent changes in fluvial systems. Moreover, there is a need to address management and restoration issues with the aim to manage the decaying fluvial environment.

#### Acknowledgements

For the book as a whole, we express our sincere thanks to each of the contributors for their patience during the review process. We are also indebted to Ms. Ivana Barac—the author service manager—for her assistance during the entire process. The work embodies an overwhelming support from our colleagues and dozens of well-wishers. Special thanks to all of them. Lastly, we would like to express our sincere thanks to IntechOpen for providing us the academic editor role and publish the book under open-access platform.

Author details

7

Krishna Gopal Ghosh<sup>1</sup>

Presidency University, West Bengal, India

provided the original work is properly cited.

\*Address all correspondence to: k.g.ghosh@mail.com

Santiniketan, West Bengal, India

\* and Sutapa Mukhopadhyay<sup>2</sup>

Introductory Chapter: Current Practice in Fluvial Geomorphology: Research Frontiers, Issues…

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.89687

1 Faculty of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, Department of Geography,

© 2020 The Author(s). Licensee IntechOpen. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/ by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium,

2 Department of Geography, Vidya-Bhavana, Visva-Bharati University,

Introductory Chapter: Current Practice in Fluvial Geomorphology: Research Frontiers, Issues… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.89687
