Resumen de Fluvial geomorphology: where do we go from here?
The evolution of geomorphology and in particular, fluvial geomorphology, is at a crossroads. Currently, the discipline is dismally organized, without focus or direction, and is practised by individualists who rarely collaborate in numbers significant enough to generate major research initiatives. If the discipline is to mature and to prosper, we must make some very difficult decisions that will require major changes in our ways of thinking and operating. Either the field stays in its current operational mode and becomes a backwater science, or it moves forward and adopts the ways of the more competitive sectors of the earth and biosciences.
For the discipline to evolve, fluvial geomorphologists must first organize an association within North America or at the international level. The 3rd International Geomorphology Conference may be a start, but within that organization we must develop our own divisional and/or regional organizations. Within the Quaternary geology/geomorphology divisions of the Geological Socieity of America (GSA), Association of American Geographers (AAG), American Geophysical Union (AGU) and British Geomorphology Research Group (BGRG) the voice of fluvial geomorphology is lost in a sea of diverse and competitive interests, though there is reason for hope resulting from some recent initiatives. In Canada, we have no national geomorphology organization per se; our closest organization is Canqua (Canadian Quaternary Association). Next, fluvial researchers must collaborate, by whatever means, to develop “scientific critical mass” in order to generate ideas and long-range goals of modest and major scientific importance. These projects will help secure major research funding without which, research opportunities will diminish and initiating major new research will become nearly impossible. Currently, we are being surpassed by the glaciologists, remote sensors, ecologists, oceanographers, climatologists-atmospheric researchers and some Quaternary scientists, because they are organized and successfully promote and sell a variety of global change research and other large-scale projects for major funding. Moreover, I see no end to their current success and future prospects as research councils and the public perceives continued deterioration of climate and ecosystems. Next, senior fluvial researchers must work more closely with junior researchers to instill collaborative attitudues, generate group synergism and to provide the inspiration to help “kick start” their careers so they can quickly reach critical momentum. Finally, we must embrace the model of success used by our colleagues in associated, more successful parts of the sciences. An issue we must debate now is whether our only hope is to climb onto the global change and sustainable development bandwagons or to evolve our own mega-projects and scientific agendas.
Governments are financially constrained and future lean and competitive times are a certainty. The good old days are over; we are at a historical break point. University and government budget cuts are eliminating ever increasing numbers of geomorphology faculty and research positions. The discipline must take action or suffer the consequences. If we do nothing, the decision-making powers may reclassify the field as scientifically irrelevant.
Our current situation will require more than repackaging of existing concepts, suggesting “band-aid” paradigms, and proposing “quick-fix” gimmicks. We must make some fundamental changes in the way we think and operate in order to develop a survival plan before it is too late. We must get together and talk about what kind of future we want and how to achieve it before geomorphology falls into a state of irreversible decay.
This article is not about how wonderful the future will be. Its aim is to awaken fluvial geomorphologists from complacency so that they can take action and prepare for tough competitive times ahead. In the following paragraphs I outline some of my deep concerns about the future of our field and suggest some survival remedies.
