Settling the riverscape of Erbil (Kurdistan Region of Iraq): long-term human overprint on landforms and present-day geomorphological hazard

Excessive urbanization in Erbil, Kurdistan Region of Iraq, has significantly altered the city's landscape and increased its susceptibility to geomorphological hazards, particularly floods. The study reveals that human activities, including road construction and the development of residential and industrial areas since the 1950s, have obliterated the pristine fluvial network, leading to a shift from agricultural to urban land use. This transformation has reached a tipping point during the Anthropocene, where unchecked urban growth exacerbates natural processes, posing risks to the city's stability. The research combines satellite and historical aerial images with field data to reconstruct changes in land use over time, highlighting the profound impact of human agency on the region's geomorphology.

Forti, L., Pelfini, M., Sissakian, V. K., & Zerboni, A. (2023). Settling the riverscape of Erbil (Kurdistan Region of Iraq): long-term human overprint on landforms and present-day geomorphological hazard. Anthropocene, 44, 100413. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ancene.2023.100413