Official Journal of the Asia Oceania Geosciences Society (AOGS)
Scale | Attributes | Significance (respect diversity) | Importance for other Truths |
---|---|---|---|
Ecoregion | Catchment styles (archetypes) | Biodiversity links to geodiversity Platform for planning and policy Appraise catchment-scale similarity/differences | Evolutionary traits (Truth 4) |
Catchment | Hydrologically and geomorphologically constrained unit (veins on a leaf) Pattern of process zones Drainage network: Tributary-trunk stream and connectivity relationships | Fundamental geomorphic unit—holistic basis for land and water management | Proactive planning that incorporates knowledge of off-site impacts and legacy effects (Truth 4) |
Reach (River Style) | Relatively uniform assemblage and pattern of geomorphic units Planform scale—channel–floodplain linkage | Geomorphic process zone (source, transfer, accumulation) Balance of flow/sediment flux (regime principles) | Magnitude–frequency relations (range of behaviour) (Truth 2) Form/capacity for adjustment (sensitivity) (Truth 2) Key scale for process-based analysis of river condition (Truth 3) |
Geomorphic unit | Channel and floodplain landforms Channel geometry | Dynamic physical habitat mosaic | Morphodynamics—process–form linkage (bed before banks) (Truth 2) Magnitude–frequency relations (Truth 2) |
Bed material size | Bedrock (forced) versus alluvial (freely adjusting) Flow–sediment interactions—Hydraulic units | Impelling-resisting forces - Biotopes | Ease of adjustment (rivers love sand) and bank strength (Truth 2) |