Fluvial geomorphology: A perspective on current status and methods V.R. Thorndycraft a, ⁎ , G. Benito b , K.J. Gregory c a Department of Geography, Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham, Surrey, TW20 0EX, UK b Institute of Natural Resources, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Serrano 115 bis, 28006 Madrid, Spain c School of Geography, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK Received 28 November 2006; received in revised form 5 January 2007; accepted 19 February 2007 Available online 13 May 2007 Abstract Fluvial geomorphology seeks to study river landform history, understand formative processes, and predict changes using a combination of field observation, experimental studies and numerical models. A resurgence in fluvial geomorphology is taking place, fostered for example by its interaction with river engineering, and the availability of new analytical methods, instrumentation and techniques. These have enabled development of new applications in river management, landscape restoration, hazard studies, river history and geoarchaeology. This paper presents a perspective on recent advances in fluvial geomorphology, and introduces a selection of papers presented during the Fluvial Geomorphology and Palaeohydrology session within the Sixth International Conference on Geomorphology held in Zaragoza (Spain) in September 2005. © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. Keywords: Fluvial geomorphology; Palaeohydrology; Techniques; Applied geomorphology 1. Introduction Fluvial geomorphology is concerned with the role of rivers in shaping the morphology of the Earth and as such its subject matter was central to the timebound approach to geomorphology that was initiated by W.M. Davis and dominated the first half of the twentieth century (Gregory, 2000). However this branch of geomorphol- ogy may not have advanced as cohesively as some other branches because of a major shift that occurred in its approach and also because of parallel developments in other fields including hydrology, sedimentology, palaeo- hydrology and limnology. The shift in approach and new developments after 1964 were styled the new fluvialism by Tinkler (1985), and these developments were largely instigated by the influence of Fluvial Processes in Geomorphology (Leopold et al., 1964). Those authors contended that ‘Our emphasis on process is not intended to minimize the importance of the historical aspects of geomorphology. Unfortunately, because of the limited understanding of geomorphic processes and their associated landforms, we ourselves are unable at present to make a truly satisfactory translation from the dy- namics of process to historical interpretation. Better future understanding of the relation of process and form will hopefully contribute to, not detract from, historical geomorphology’ (Leopold et al., 1964, p. vii). This refocusing of fluvial geomorphology occurred when related disciplines were developing, especially hydrol- ogy, so that there was uncertainty about the precise role Available online at www.sciencedirect.com Geomorphology 98 (2008) 2 – 12 www.elsevier.com/locate/geomorph ⁎ Corresponding author. Tel.: +44 1784 276122; fax: +44 1784 472836. E-mail address: Varyl.Thorndycraft@rhul.ac.uk (V.R. Thorndycraft). 0169-555X/$ - see front matter © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.geomorph.2007.02.023