1.

Record Nr.

UNINA9910616388003321

Titolo

Landscapes and Landforms of the Horn of Africa : Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia / / edited by Paolo Billi

Pubbl/distr/stampa

Cham : , : Springer International Publishing : , : Imprint : Springer, , 2022

ISBN

9783031054877

9783031054860

Edizione

[1st ed. 2022.]

Descrizione fisica

1 online resource (407 pages)

Collana

World Geomorphological Landscapes, , 2213-2104

Disciplina

304.2

551.410963

Soggetti

Physical geography

Earth sciences

Soil science

Human ecology - Study and teaching

Physical Geography

Earth System Sciences

Earth Sciences

History of Sub-Saharan Africa

Soil Science

Environmental Studies

Africa, Sub-Saharan History

Lingua di pubblicazione

Inglese

Formato

Materiale a stampa

Livello bibliografico

Monografia

Nota di bibliografia

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Nota di contenuto

Climate variability in the Horn of Africa eastern countries -- Geology and geomorphological landscapes of Eritrea -- Geomorphology of Afar -- Geomorphology of Eritrean river systems -- Pleistocene landscape variability recorded in the Homo-bearing Dandero Basin (Eritrea) -- Landscape and landforms of the Samoti plain, Eritrean Danakil -- A review of the forest landscape evolution in Eritrea throughout the last century -- Landscape Change, Land Degradation, and Sustainable Land Management in the Central Highlands of Eritrea -- Land degradation in Eritrea and Djibouti -- Landscape and landforms of northern Somalia



-- Inselberg landscape of the Bur Area in southern Somalia -- Fluvial landscape of the Daban basin, northern Somalia -- River hydromorphology and flood hazard in Somalia -- Use of repeat photography to monitor landscape changes and development in Somalia.. Index.

Sommario/riassunto

This book focuses on regions for which until now the geomorphology was very poorly studied and relatively unknown. Nevertheless, the landforms and landscapes of the Horn of Africa are highly attractive, diverse and in a few cases unique, since they span very different environments, from highland plateaus and mountains to lowlands (even below sea level) and coastlines with a high degree of diversity and from monsoon to arid climate conditions. The main topics addressed in the book include the links between the geological evolution and the current large scale geomorphology of the Horn of Africa; the large differences between the highlands and lowlands climate, river hydrology and their variation through time within a climate change perspective. This part of the world was home of the very first hominids. The landscape in which they lived and evolved throughout the Pleistocene is described in comparison with the arid and inhospitable, though immensely scenic, environment of today. Perennial and ephemeral rivers with very different morphology, processes and hydrology drain the area and when they are able to reach the sea they substantially contribute to determine the main coast and beach landforms. Their changes trough time, induced by both natural and anthropogenic factors are addressed by a couple of case studies. Though the region has few inhabitants they had to struggle to find their livelihood in a land that offers poor resources. This resulted in landscape change and land degradation. Examples of human impact on the landscape are presented at different scales. This book provides readers interested in geography and geomorphology with essential scientific and educational information on the Landscapes and Landforms of Eritrea, Djibouti and Somalia through simple, though scientifically, rigorous texts illustrated with several color maps and photos. One main prerogative of this book is therefore to give an insight into a region of the world where, for geographical and historical constraints, geomorphological investigation was very limited, thus enriching its intrinsic informative value.