THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG
DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
(2010 – 2011)
GRMD 2201
GEOMORPHOLOGY
1. Course Description
Geomorphology is the scientific study of landforms and the processes that create them. The
course covers basic concepts and methods of geomorphology, plate tectonics and global
geomorphology, weathering and associated landforms, slope processes and landforms, fluvial
geomorphology, coastal geomorphology, and some minor landforms over the world.
2. Personnel
Instructor:
Tutors:
Dr. Ng Sai Leung (伍世良)
Office:
FYB Room 208
Phone:
2609-6527
Email:
slng@cuhk.edu.hk
Mr. Tsang Kai Ho (曾啟浩)
Office:
FYB Room 221A
Phone:
2696-1025
Email:
leotsang@cuhk.edu.hk
Consultation time: TBA
Ms. Luk Wai Yin Nicola (陸蕙賢)
Office:
FYB Room 232
Phone:
2609-6537
Email:
luk_waiyin@cuhk.edu.hk
Consultation time: TBA
3. Course Format
One lecture session of 2 hours is conducted every week. No tutorials will be arranged but 4
half-day field trips will be arranged for the course.
 Lecture:
every Thursday (except 1/10 and 29/10), 8:30 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. (CKB LT3)
 Field trip :
4 half-days
4. Course Learning Outcome
After completion of this course, students should:
 acquire a basic knowledge of earth materials, their origin and weathering characteristics;
 know the structure, origin, and time relationship of landforms;
 understand the mechanisms by which geomorphic processes create landforms; and
 develop skills of landform description
5. Course Assessment Scheme
 Field trip report (7.5% x 4 = 30%): Field trip is an integral part of the teaching and learning process
and all students have to take part. Although no mark is allocated for the attendance, the field trip
report is not accepted if the student is absent from the trip. Late assignment will be penalized at
the rate of 10 % per day. Furthermore, be punctual, the coach will depart sharply.
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 CUHK Campus
(Oct 2, Saturday)
 Ma On Shan Rock Forest
(Oct 17, Sunday)
 Yuen Long
(Nov 07, Sunday)
 Cape D’Aguilar
(Nov 28, Sunday)
 Final examination (60%): All materials of the course will be covered. Both short and long
questions will be included. The question paper will be printed in both English and Chinese.
 Quiz (2.5% x 4 = 10 %): Four quizzes (5 M.C. questions, dates: Oct 7, Oct 21, Nov 11 and Dec 2)
will be conducted during the lecture. The objective of quiz is to encourage students to attend the
lectures and review the taught subjects.
6. Syllabus
Week
9/9
16/9
23/9
Topic
1. Introduction: what is geomorphology?
2. Plate tectonics
Public Holiday: Mid-autumn Festival
30/9
3. Tectonic landforms
7/10
4. Weathering
14/10
5. Mass movement and landslide
21/10
6. Particulate movement and soil erosion
28/10
Field trip 1 (High Island
Reservoir)
Field trip 2 (CUHK
campus)
Conference Leave
4/11
7. Slope evolution and management
11/11
8. Fluvial processes and landforms
18/11
9. River management
25/11
10. Coastal processes and landforms
2/12
11. Coastal management
6/12 (make-up)
Field Trip
Field trip 3 (Tai Tong)
Field trip 4 (Cape D
Aguilar)
12. Karst, aeolian and glacial landforms
7. Feedback for Evaluation
 An early course evaluation survey will be conducted in the 3rd week and a final one will be
considered in the last lecture respectively
 A WebCT will be set up for this course. Not only it will include all important information related
to the course, but it will have a discussion group that serves as a platform for communication.
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8. Reference
 Required Readings
A set of required readings will be reserved in the Reference Room (Rm 220, WFY Bldg.) of the
Department of Geography and Resource Management.
L1 What is geomorphology?
Bloom, A.L. (1998) Chapter 1, The Scope of Geomorphology. Geomorphology. (3rd ed.) Pp.3-18.
New Jersey: Prentice-Hall.
L2 Plate Tectonics
Marshak, S. (2001) Chapter 4. The ways the Earth works: plate tectonics. Earth, Portrait of a
Planet. Pp.77-108. New York: W.W. Norton.
L3 Tectonic Landforms
Bloom, A.L. (1998) Chapter 5, Tectonic Landforms. Geomorphology. (3rd ed.) Pp.67-91. New
Jersey: Prentice-Hall.
L4 Weathering
Bloom, A.L. (1998) Chapter 7, Rock Weathering. Geomorphology. (3rd ed.) Pp.119-146. New
Jersey: Prentice-Hall.
L5 Mass Movement and Landslide
Bloom, A.L. (1998) Chapter 9, Mass Wasting and Hillslopes Weathering. Geomorphology. (3rd ed.)
Pp.119-146. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall.
L6 Particulate Movement and Soil Erosion
伍世良 (2001) 香港水土流失及其防治研究。水土保持研究，第8卷第4期：86-90頁。
L7 Slope Evolution and Management
蘇澤霖 (1993) 香港坡地問題，在: 蘇澤霖、陳金永 (編) 地理研究與發展，香港大學出版
社，205-220頁。
L8 Fluvial Processes and Landforms
Bloom, A.L. (1998) Chapter 10, The Fluvial Geomorphic System. Geomorphology. (3rd ed.)
Pp.198-232. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall.
Bloom, A.L. (1998) Chapter 11, Evolution of the Fluvial System. Geomorphology. (3rd ed.) Pp.231256. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall.
L9 River Management
Brookes, A. & K. Gregory (1988) Channelization, River Engineering and Geomorphology. In:
Hooke, J.M. (ed.) Geomorphology in Environmental Planning. John Wiley & Sons, pp.145-167.
L10 Coastal Processes and Landforms
Bloom, A.L. (1998) Chapter 20, Explanatory Description of Coasts. Geomorphology. (3rd ed.)
Pp.445-457. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall.
L11 Coastal Management
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Yim, W.W.S. (1996) Towards Sustainable Coastal Development in Hong Kong. In: A. Page &
S.J. Reels (eds.), The Urban Geology of Hong Kong. Geological Society of Hong Kong Bulletin
Number 6, Geology Society of Hong Kong, pp.203-219.
L12 Karst, Aeolian and Glacial Landforms
Bloom, A.L. (1998) Chapter 7, Karst and Speleology. Geomorphology. (3rd ed.) Pp.147-168. New
Jersey: Prentice-Hall.
Bloom, A.L. (1998) Chapter 13, Arid and Savanna Landscape; Eolian Processes and Landforms.
Geomorphology. (3rd ed.) Pp.445-457. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall.
Bloom, A.L. (1998) Chapter 17, Glacial Geomorphology. Geomorphology. (3rd ed.) Pp.373-394.
New Jersey: Prentice-Hall.
 Recommended Readings
For further references, students are encouraged to read the correspondent chapters of the following
references:
 Ahnert, F. (1996) Introduction to Geomorphology. London: Arnold.
 Marshak, s. (2001) Earth, portrait of a planet. New York: W.W. Norton.
 Tarbuck, E.J. & F.K. Lutgens (1993) The Earth, an introduction to physical geology. New York:
Macmillan.
 Trenhaile, A.S. (1998). Geomorphology: a Canadian perspective. Toronto: Oxford.
9. Academic Honesty
Attention is drawn to University policy and regulations on honesty in academic work, and to
the disciplinary guidelines and procedures applicable to breaches of such policy and regulations.
Details may be found at http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/policy/academichonesty/ . With each assignment,
students will be required to submit the following statement that they are aware of these policies,
regulations, guidelines and procedures.
I declare that the assignment here submitted is original except for source material explicitly
acknowledged, and that the same or related material has not been previously submitted for another
course. I also acknowledge that I am aware of University policy and regulations on honesty in academic
work, and of the disciplinary guidelines and procedures applicable to breaches of such policy and
regulations, as contained in the website http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/policy/academichonesty/
Signature
Date
Name
Student ID
Course code
GRMD 2201
Course title
4
GEOMORPHOLOGY