Went to a lecture at the Stroud Water Research Center given by Melinda Daniels, their new fluvial geomorphologist. There was wine, cheese and coffee (but I opted for a couple Guinnesses at dinner instead).
Fluvial geomorphology is a term coined by Luna Leopold to describe science concerned specifically with the influence of flowing surface water on the physical shape of the earth, primarily through the mechanisms of erosion and deposition. It differs from hydrology and limnology in that it focuses on the landscape, although it also involves the study of precipitation and the flow of water as dynamic primary processes shaping the land.
The talk was pretty good; Dr. Daniels spoke directly to the needs and concerns of local landholders trying to improve the quality of streams and rivers on their properties, as well as providing an interesting and informative talk for the room at large. We enjoyed it.
Man, despite his artistic pretensions, his sophistication and many accomplishments, owes the fact of his existence to a six-inch layer of topsoil and the fact that it rains. –John Jeavons