Weathering Landforms

Abstract

Weathering refers to a large spectrum of processes that cause the breakdown and decomposition of materials at or near the surface. These alteration processes may involve fragmentation, chemical and mineralogical changes or even the incorporation of the main constituents of the material into meteoric waters as solutes. Most rocks have formed under different conditions to those found in the near-surface environments where they exist now. Weathering essentially represents changes in the rocks towards equilibrium conditions in the surface and near-surface environments. Weathering plays an instrumental role in numerous earth-surface processes, the development of specific landforms and the long-term evolution of landscapes. It prepares materials for subsequent erosion, produces regoliths and is an essential process in soil development (pedogenesis). In some settings, such as karst environments, weathering by dissolution is the dominant morphogenetic process. Weathering processes are typically classified into physical, chemical and biological, although there are frequently some overlaps and interrelationships. Moreover, a significant number of similar weathering landforms may be produced by different processes (morphological convergence or equifinality).