Page "Physical geography" Paragraph 35

Another major event in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century will give a major boost to development of geography and will take place in United States.

It is the work of the famous geographer William Morris Davis who not only made important contributions to the establishment of discipline in his country, but revolutionized the field to develop geographical cycle theory which he proposed as a paradigm for Geography in general, although in actually served as a paradigm for Physical Geography.

His theory explained that mountains and other landforms are shaped by the influence of a number of factors that are manifested in the geographical cycle.

He explained that the cycle begins with the lifting of the relief by geological processes ( faults, volcanism, tectonic upheaval, etc .)..

Geographical factors such as rivers and runoff begins to create the V-shaped valleys between the mountains ( the stage called " youth ").

During this first stage, the terrain is steeper and more irregular.

Over time, the currents can carve wider valleys ( " maturity ") and then start to wind, towering hills only ( " senescence ").

Finally, everything comes to what is a plain flat plain at the lowest elevation possible ( called " baseline ") This plain was called by Davis ' " peneplain " meaning " almost plain " Then the rejuvenation occurs and there is another mountain lift and the cycle continues.

Although Davis's theory is not entirely accurate, it was absolutely revolutionary and unique in its time and helped to modernize and create Geography subfield of Geomorphology.

Its implications prompted a myriad of research in various branches of Physical Geography.

In the case of the Paleogeography this theory provided a model for understanding the evolution of the landscape.

For Hydrology, Glaciology and Climatology as a boost investigated as studying geographic factors shape the landscape and affect the cycle.

The bulk of the work of William Morris Davis led to the development of a new branch of Physical Geography: Geomorphology whose contents until then did not differ from the rest of Geography.

Shortly after this branch would present a major development.

Some of his disciples made significant contributions to various branches of physical geography such as Curtis Marbut and his invaluable legacy for Pedology, Mark Jefferson, Isaiah Bowman, among others.