On dialogue about earth processes and sustainable environment in a changing world: a tribute to the legacy of the landscape traveller Augusto Pérez-Alberti

Abstract

Understanding the external and internal geodynamical processes shaping the Earth is challenging. Physical, chemical, and biological processes form the ground surface over time. Erosion, weathering, transporting, and sedimentation are the natural processes that shape landscapes. However, the continuous interactions of external geodynamic drivers, such as water, wind, and biota, play vital roles in shaping the Earth’s surface. These complex and interconnected processes impact the landscape and environment, making it essential to comprehend them to predict evolution, variability, and changes. This Topical Collection (TC) is a comprehensive set of over 54 articles (to date, it has over 16,500 accesses and 119 citations) focused on Earth’s processes and environment in a changing world. It was grounded in paying tribute to the legacy of the outstanding Spanish geomorphologist, geographer, and honorific Professor Augusto Pérez-Alberti, whose thoughtful contributions have significantly advanced the understanding of earth processes, particularly glacial and periglacial processes, sedimentary dynamics, hydromorphology, and coastal geomorphology. Understanding the geodynamics of the processes that shape Earth systems is critical to protecting and preserving ecosystems, landscapes, natural resources, and communities’ well-being.