Multi-strata geomorphological database (MorphDB): a methodological breakthrough in geomorphological mapping

Bosino A., La Licata M., Franceschi L., Hafiz A., Maggi V., Maerker M., Szatten D., De Amicis M., Multi-strata geomorphological database (MorphDB): a methodological breakthrough in geomorphological mapping approach. (IT ISSN 0391-9838, 2024). From the beginning of the past century geomorphological maps have been generated through detailed field surveys representing Earth surface landforms and deposits fixed on sheets of printed paper. The introduction of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in the last decades has allowed the addition of more information to each mapped landform through the construction of specific geodatabases. However, the prerequisite to compile a detailed map is the detection of the landforms with the highest degree of accuracy without losing information and respecting the geomorphological criteria and cartographic rules. In fact, arbitral hierarchy between landforms (i.e., order of overlapping landforms) as well as the derived topological issues can significantly affect the represented geomorphological information in the map. We propose here an innovative GIS-based methodology to overcome the above-mentioned issues, introducing a multi-strata geomorphological database (MorphDB). This approach offers the possibility to map each landform with high spatial and temporal detail by implementing geomorphological information, and other morphometric evidence into a structured and searchable geodatabase. The proposed methodology was tested in a portion of the upper Arda Valley (Northern Apennines, Italy) compiling the geodatabase and assembling a geomorphological map. Finally, the MorphDB was shared in a GeoPackage file (.gpkg) in order to allow its use in other in other morphogenetic contexts. This study will open a new perspective in geomorphological mapping, contributing to reduce cartographic errors, loss of information due to generalization processes and the production of derived maps exploitable for territorial planning.