Landscape Morphology Research Articles

Evaluation Strategies on the Thermal Environmental Effectiveness of Street Canyon Clusters: A Case Study of Harbin, China

Urban overheating significantly affects people’s physical and mental health. The addition of street trees is an essential, economical, and effective means by which to mitigate urban heat and optimize the overall thermal environment. Focusing on typical street canyon clusters in Harbin, China, landscape morphology was quantified by streetscape interface measurements (sky view factor, tree view factor, and building view factor). Through ENVI-met simulations, the correlation mechanism between streetscape interface measurements and thermal environment was evaluated, and optimization methods for assessing the thermal environment of urban streets were proposed. The results revealed: (1) The thermal environment optimization efficiency of general street canyon types was greatest when street tree spacing was 12 m. At present, the smaller spacing has not been simulated and may yield better thermal environment results. The average decrease in temperature (Ta), relative humidity (RH) and mean radiant temperature (MRT) was 0.78%, 2.23%, and 30.20%, respectively. (2) Specific street canyon types should adopt precise control strategies of streetscape interface according to their types to achieve the optimal balance between thermal environment optimization and cost. (3) Streetscape interface measurements and thermal environment indexes show quadratic correlation characteristics, and are critical points for further investigation. The conclusions are more specific than previous research findings, which are of great significance for decreasing the urban heat island effect at the block scale, improving residents’ physical and mental health, and improving the urban environment quality.

Toeslope ferricretes in the tropical rainforest of southern Cameroon: Internal properties, mechanisms and conditions of genesis

The formation of toeslope ferricretes under humid tropical rainforest is common. However, no specific work has been devoted to the toeslope ferricretes to determine the mechanism of formation and the exact time. The study pointed out the internal properties (petrology, mineralogy and geochemistry) of southern Cameroon toeslope ferricretes, their spatial distribution in relation to the landscape morphology, and the mechanisms and conditions of their genesis. Fieldwork included the study of the soil properties and patterns, as well as of their geometric relationships. Laboratory analysis included X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectrometry (SEM-EDS), X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF) and inductively coupled plasma (ICP-AES). The main results revealed that, at the bottom of the studied toeslope soil profiles, iron oxides (Al-goethite and hematite) accumulate in situ, starting from domains in which the parental granodiorite rock structure is still preserved. This relative accumulation is relayed towards the top of the profiles by an absolute accumulation of Fe from the upslope ferricrete dismantling. New ferruginous accumulation patterns occur in varying degrees of rubification and show various degree of hardness from soft soil patterns to carapace, as precursor of two types of toeslope ferricrete genesis: spotted massive carapace (with a continuous framework) on the moderate slope and variegated vesicular carapace (ferruginous network with vacuoles) on the gentle slope. Ferricretes on the moderate slope are thick, with limited lateral extension and light induration, while those on gentle slope are thinner, but more hardened and more extended on the slope. Such processes are clearly linked to the present-day humid climate with flattening of landscapes and rising of groundwater table.

Assessment of Geosite and Geomorphosite at South Solok Aspiring Geopark Area

South Solok is one of the five districts designated as the aspiring of the Ranah Minang Geopark. Various reliefs and geological structures cause the diversity of landscapes to be an attraction for tourists and ecosystems with biodiversity. The study intends to identify geosite and geomorphosite in the South Solok area with field observations to describe the state of geology, geomorphology of geosite sites, and geomorphosite. Site assessment is carried out quantitatively with five assessment parameters; scientific, educational, functional, tourist, and posting activities on tourist sites on social media. Field observation found 17 sites classified into four groups, specifically waterfalls, manifestations of hot springs, geomorphological landscapes, and caves. Based on the results of the highest value representation obtained by the Batukapal Cave sites with a value of 44.86% and the lowest at Timbulun Waterfall at 0.1%. Of the 17 sites, four sites are considered the main sites in the research area: Suliti Waterfall, Sapan Maluluang Hot Spring Manifestation, Batukapal Cave, and Camintoran.

Russian-Ukrainian war impacts the total environment.

The Russian-Ukrainian war triggered a tsunami that dramatically impacted the world economy, geopolitics, and food security. Due to the extreme humanitarian situation, the effects on the environment have been overlooked. However, due to the intense fighting, the impacts will be dramatic and produce an environmental disaster. The war is already affecting areas beyond Ukraine (explosions in Russia and Moldova territory). This discussion paper aims to shed light on the potential effect of this vast conflict on the ecosystems and their services. Although the war is still ongoing, there is evidence of severe air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the intense fights. Also, warfare activities were conducted in the vicinity of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant (the biggest in Europe) and Chernobyl, increasing the fear of radiation leaks. The biodiversity is being drastically affected due to intense deforestation and habitat destruction with potential implications for wildlife. Bombing, trench and tunnel excavations will likely negatively impact soil degradation and landscape morphology. This assumes particular importance since Ukraine has some of the most fertile soils globally (Chernozem), affecting food production. Water availability and quality are likely to be affected due to infrastructure destruction and the transport of pollutants to water reserves. The ecosystem services supplied will likely be strongly damaged since deforestation will decrease the capacity of the ecosystems to regulate air pollution or climate. Soil degradation will hamper food production, and landscape aesthetics, cultural heritage and social cohesion destruction drastically affects cultural services. Finally, the impacts on human health are already tremendous. However, it can be even higher due to exposure to high levels of contamination and sanitary conditions degradation. The war is still ongoing, and there is considerable uncertainty regarding the impacts. However, we may expect a dramatic effect on the total environment.

Urban Heat Island Mitigation Strategy based on Local Climate Zone Classification using Landsat 8 satellite imagery

Appropriate strategies on urban climate mitigation should be formulated by considering the physical morphology of the urban landscape. This study aimed to investigate, analyze, and promote possible strategies to mitigate Jakarta’s urban heat island (UHI) phenomena. Jakarta’s local climate zone (LCZ) was classified into 17 classes using Landsat 8 data and the random forest method. Land surface temperature (LST) characteristic in each LCZ class was analyzed from 2018, 2019 and 2020. The result revealed that most of the local climate zone in Jakarta is dominated by LCZ 6 (open low-rise) and LCZ 3 (compact low-rise), which is the typical residential area in Jakarta. However, the mean LST in 2018, 2019 and 2020 showed that LCZ 3 (compact low-rise) and LCZ 7 (lightweight low-rise) are the areas that were most likely causing high surface temperature with the highest UHI intensity. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, LST in Jakarta decreased drastically in some parts of the area, especially in public facility such as airport. However, the LST value in low-rise areas (LCZ 3 and LCZ 7) remains higher than the other LCZ classes. Materials of the building and land cover play a significant role in raising the land surface temperature. Therefore, mitigation strategies for urban heat islands in Jakarta should be focused on such particular areas mentioned.

PENILAIAN GEOSITE DAN GEOMORFOSITE DI KAWASAN PERCEPATAN GEOPARK SOLOK SELATAN

South Solok is one of the five districts designated as the aspiring of the Ranah Minang Geopark. Various reliefs and geological structures cause the diversity of landscapes to be an attraction for tourists and ecosystems with biodiversity. The study intends to identify geosite and geomorphosite in the South Solok area with field observations to describe the state of geology, geomorphology of geosite sites, and geomorphosite. Site assessment is carried out quantitatively with five assessment parameters; scientific, educational, functional, tourist, and posting activities on tourist sites on social media. Field observation found 17 sites classified into four groups, specifically waterfalls, manifestations of hot springs, geomorphological landscapes, and caves. Based on the results of the highest value representation obtained by the Batukapal Cave sites with a value of 44.86% and the lowest at Timbulun Waterfall at 0.1%. Of the 17 sites, four sites are considered the main sites in the research area: Suliti Waterfall, Sapan Maluluang Hot Spring Manifestation, Batukapal Cave, and Camintoran.

Bacterial Communities Along Environmental Gradients in Tropical Soda Lakes.

Soda lake environments are known to be variable and can have distinct differences according to geographical location. In this study, we investigated the effects of different environmental conditions of six adjacent soda lakes in the Pantanal biome (Mato Grosso do Sul state, Brazil) on bacterial communities and their functioning using a metagenomic approach combined with flow cytometry and chemical analyses. Ordination analysis using flow cytometry and water chemistry data from two sampling periods (wet and dry) clustered soda lakes into three different profiles: eutrophic turbid (ET), oligotrophic turbid (OT), and clear vegetated oligotrophic (CVO). Analysis of bacterial community composition and functioning corroborated this ordination; the exception was one ET lake, which was similar to one OT lake during the wet season, indicating drastic shifts between seasons. Microbial abundance and diversity increased during the dry period, along with a considerable number of limnological variables, all indicative of a strong effect of the precipitation-evaporation balance in these systems. Cyanobacteria were associated with high electric conductivity, pH, and nutrient availability, whereas Actinobacteria, Alphaproteobacteria, and Betaproteobacteria were correlated with landscape morphology variability (surface water, surface perimeter, and lake volume) and with lower salinity and pH levels. Stress response metabolism was enhanced in OT and ET lakes and underrepresented in CVO lakes. The microbiome dataset of this study can serve as a baseline for restoring impacted soda lakes. Altogether, the results of this study demonstrate the sensitivity of tropical soda lakes to climate change, as slight changes in hydrological regimes might produce drastic shifts in community diversity.

Contrasting late Miocene to present weathering regimes across the Khangay Mountains, Mongolia

Our understanding of climate change impacts on the geomorphology of terrestrial landscapes is often derived from proxy sedimentary records preserved in depositional fluvial and lacustrine basins that integrate landscape responses. At million-year time scales, most mountainous regions are characterized by net erosion and the export of chemically and physically weathered bedrock. For example, in the Khangay Mountains of central Mongolia, late Cenozoic valley-conforming lava flows preserve “snapshots” of hillslope weathering regimes in the headwaters of the Selenga-Baikal depositional system during the consequential climate transition from the late Miocene (ca. 12 Ma) into the Quaternary.This research aims to characterize the relative importance of chemical and physical weathering to landscape development in this upland intracontinental setting through an investigation of geochemical major and minor trace elemental composition of well-developed paleosols formed in metasediments (middle Orkhon), granite (upper Orkhon), and Miocene fluvial deposits (upper Chuluut) preserved beneath basaltic lavas at 11.9, 7.5 and 3.1 Ma, respectively.We used the Chemical Index of alteration (CIA), Plagioclase Index of Alteration (PIA), and Chemical Index of Weathering (CIW) to derive an integrated paleoclimate regime from the three lava flow-buried paleosol locations. Results reveal that from the late Miocene into the Pliocene, the climate was warmer and slightly more humid than today in the upland continental interior of west-central Mongolia. This result matches the long-term paleo records from Lake Baikal and late Cenozoic global cooling trends from other proxies.

A repository of measured soil freezing characteristic curves: 1921 to 2021

Abstract. Soil freeze–thaw processes play a fundamental role in the hydrology, geomorphology, ecology, thermodynamics, and soil chemistry of cold regions' landscapes. In understanding these processes, the temperature of the soil is used as a proxy to represent the partitioning of soil ice and water content via a soil freezing characteristic curve (SFCC). This mathematical construct relates the soil ice content to a specific temperature for a particular soil. SFCCs depend on many factors, including soil properties (e.g., porosity and composition), soil pore water pressure, dissolved salts, (hysteresis in) freezing/thawing point depression, and the degree of saturation, all of which can be site-specific and time-varying characteristics. SFCCs have been measured using various methods for diverse soils since 1921, but, to date, these data have not been broadly compared. This is in part because they had not previously been compiled in a single dataset. The dataset presented in this publication includes SFCC data digitized or received from authors, and it includes both historic and modern studies. The data are stored in an open-source repository, and an R package is available to facilitate their use. Aggregating the data has pointed out some data gaps, namely that there are few studies on coarse soils and comparably few in situ measurements of SFCCs in mountainous environments. It is hoped that this dataset (https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5592825; Devoie et al., 2022a) will aid in the development of SFCC theory and improve SFCC approximations in soil freeze–thaw modelling activities.

Heritage Value and Stakeholders’ Perception of Four Geomorphological Landscapes in Southern Iceland

This paper has two main objectives: (1) to assess the heritage value of four geomorphological landscapes in Southern Iceland from a geomorphological perspective and (2) to see to what extent the heritage values assigned by different local stakeholders overlap with this assessment. The concept of “geomorphological landscape”, that we define as a landscape whose geomorphological component is of heritage interest, is a scale of analysis that can be understood by different groups of people and that reflects subjective perceptions of the landscape. The evaluation of the heritage value of four geomorphological landscapes has shown that their geoscientific, aesthetic and cultural values are particularly high. Indeed, thanks to their rarity, representativeness, integrity and paleogeographic interest, all four sites have a geoscientific value ranging from 0.81 to 0.94 (the maximum possible score is 1). They also constitute spectacular and beautiful landscapes and have acquired a relevant cultural value because of the major impacts that volcanic eruptions and glaciers advances have had on the local population. Not surprisingly, the heritage awareness of managers of protected areas is high. The interviews also show that other types of stakeholders, such as tourism services providers, tourism promoters and representatives of local authorities, are also aware, to some extent, of the high geoscientific value. The societal and institutional recognition of the heritage value of these geomorphological landscapes is closely linked to their use as territorial resources for tourism.

Prolonged landscape stability sustained the continuous development of ancient civilizations in the Shuangji River valley of China's Central Plains

The continuous development of the Neolithic to Bronze-Age cultures on China's Central Plains is well contested by archaeological and historical research. Environmental factors that sustained such an exceptionally long cultural continuity are, however, poorly understood. The evolution of fluvial landscapes and its relationship with cultural developments are key to disentangle the close interaction between the environment and civilizational discourse on the Central Plains. Here, we present OSL and AMS 14C ages and other environmental data collected from a range of typical geomorphological locations in the Shuangji River valley, which is situated at the heartland of the Central Plains and long considered to be one of the most important regions for the rise of the Chinese civilization. Combining the OSL and 14C dates, results of particle size and soil/sediment micromorphological analyses, and geoarchaeological field observations, we reconstructed the evolution of Holocene geomorphological landscape in the Shuangji River valley. The results show that the Neogene alluvial fan was incised into a wide valley during the early Pleistocene. Subsequent alluvial processes were constrained within this general framework of regional landform. The period of 20 ka BP and 10–8 ka BP saw two episodes of basin-scale alluvial incision, which created two alluvial terraces (i.e., T4 and T3), respectively. Despite the occurrence of episodic floods and some large-scale alluvial siltation during 8–3 ka BP, the alluvial surfaces remained stable for a prolonged period of time and thus provided optimal living conditions for prehistoric inhabitation. We argue that the geomorphological foundation and prolonged landscape stability were instrumental to the continuous cultural developments on the Central Plains as seen in the Shuangji River valley as a representative of such long-term human-environment interactions. Our geoarchaeological survey for the first time reveals basin-scale evidence on the mechanism responsible for this distinctive relationship between alluvial landscape and cultural development, in which the terrace-surface stability, alongside many other cultural factors, profoundly shaped the celebrated cultural continuity on prehistoric Central Plains.

Volumetric change analysis of the Cauvery delta topography using radar remote sensing

Geomorphology refers to the study of the Earth’s physical land surface features. Digital Elevation Model (DEM) is a digital imagery where each pixel represents elevation value above or below mean sea level. The availability of DEM allows analysis of landscape morphology and related processes in terms of geomorphometry. DEM of Difference (DoD) techniques are used to estimate the elevation variations and volumetric changes over time. The volumetric change of terrain in the Cauvery delta (CD) for the past two decades is estimated using DoD algorithm by utilizing freely available moderate spatial resolution SRTM, PALSAR and Sentinel 1A DEMs which are derived by radar remote sensing technique. A detailed assessment of individual DEM’s errors and propagating errors into the DoD are estimated using the field elevation points measured by Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) Global Positioning System (GPS). The default errors in the SRTM, PALSAR and Sentinel 1A DEMs are observed with Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of 3.33, 3.11 and 3.04 m respectively. The erosion and accretion rates determined are 25 and 30 million m3 / decade correspondingly. The total volume of sediment load due to erosion and accretion is 50 and 60 million m3 respectively during 2000–2020. Further the net area affected due to deposition (69 %) is higher than the total area affected due to erosion (30%). This study presents decadal sediment budget and rate of annual change due to erosion/accretion in the CD.

Summit typology and detailed geomorphological landscape units mapping through the application of direct and indirect methods. A case study in the Sierra de Guadarrama National Park, Spain

This paper analyzes the topography and the geomorphological characteristics of the central sector of the Sierra de Guadarrama (Spanish Central Range) from the point of view of the geomorphological landscape. Using Digital Elevation Models (DEM) and topographic maps, the aim is to supplement conventional geomorphological analysis by applying indirect morphometric methods for the detailed study of landforms through topographic analysis in order to obtain maps of diverse morphometric parameters, resulting in an exhaustive study, which is useful and revealing both in terms of geomorphology and of landscape. The morphometric maps obtained for each variable, such as the density of the dissection, the depth of the dissection and the energy of the relief, are overlaid on the derived maps from the DEM using Geographical Information System (GIS). Their analysis, using both indirect and direct methods during several field studies, in combination with the geology and the geomorphology of the study area, allows a more accurate study of the unit delimitation of the geomorphological landscape at a detailed scale. In a mountainous environment with smooth and apparently homogeneous summits, this detailed study of the geomorphological landscape shows the existence of different types of summits. The results are presented as a typology of summits and a map synthesizing the detailed units of geomorphological landscape that can be found in the Sierra de Guadarrama National Park (Central Spain).

Quantitative Morphology of Polder Landscape Based on SOM Identification Model: Case Study of Typical Polders in the South of Yangtze River.

Landscape morphology is a significant area of landscape architecture research. One of the scientific and technological issues in recent landscape morphology research is the use of quantitative analysis technology driven by morphology indexes and computational models to describe, compare, and analyze form features. This article focuses on the form features of the polder landscape, based on existing theoretical and practical achievements in landscape morphology. First, we choose five landscape morphology indexes based on the morphological constituent units of the landscape (elongation, rectangular compactness, concavity, ellipse compactness, and fractal dimension). Then, using the self-organizing map (SOM), we create an identification model for clustering the types of constituent units. The experimental results show that the identification model can classify polder morphology and analyze the distribution of units using typical polders in the Yangtze River's south bank as study cases. This article presents a technical approach to polder landscape morphology classification as well as a reference and developable quantitative analysis method for landscape morphology research.

Holocene and historic rates of rock coast erosion – A discussion focussed on Southeast England

Cliff erosion is of concern along inhabited coastlines especially under a scenario of increasing sea level rise. Extrapolation of past erosion rates are often used as a first approximation of future rates, which are or form part of the input into numerical models. However, cliff erosion rates in the Holocene are poorly understood. This is due to the generally short record based on historical maps, which can mask or accentuate erosion rates based on different event frequencies, and, for the more recent cosmogenic exposure dating method, it reflects the large number of variables influencing the concentration of cosmogenic nuclides in rocks at the surface of intertidal shore platforms. The study uses historic maps that go back 400 years, updated (to 2020) recent erosion rates, evidence from mid-Holocene terrestrial habitats in front of present-day cliffs, and a geomorphological landscape type interpretation to provide a better understanding of cliff evolution and erosion history for the cliffs in East Sussex (Southeast England). The paper demonstrates that cliff erosion can only have started in the last few centuries with remnants of Eemian cliffs still present in places. This is supported by published 10Be data. The coastline investigated also shows a persistent decrease in erosion rates to less than half the maximum rate observed in the late 19th to early 20th century despite sea level rise. As a consequence, it appears imperative to understand the local drivers of coastal cliff erosion to assess the future consequences of climate change rather than applying general concepts for example in relation to erosion changes with increasing sea level rise.

Research on Digital Design of Urban Public Landscape Based on Morphogenesis

With the development of digital technology, it is possible to organize the deep relationship of public landscape elements. Design inspiration is no longer static and manual imitation of natural representations but can be dynamically self-organized. The design under the digital design theory shows obvious characteristics: multiparameter action, bottom-up, dynamic iteration, and optimal result orientation. The design chain, or meta-design, has since formed the basic digital design chain. Based on morphogenesis and combined with the existing landscape design creation methods, this study summarizes an operable logic system of digital design based on morphogenesis. It is hoped that through digital technology, it is possible to establish the relationship between various spatial organizations in the public landscape system. It uses the theory of morphogenesis and digital research to expand the cognition of landscape morphology and stimulate the innovation of design methods and build a landscape design logic system based on program algorithms. This study uses the subsystem design and completes the generation process from the design concept to the space formation from the graphic concept, which proves that this design logic system is feasible and has obvious advantages to a certain extent.

Ecological indices and factors influencing communities of ectoparasitic laelapid mites (Acari, Mesostigmata, Laelapidae) of small mammals in Lithuania.

Family Laelapidae is an ecologically diverse group that includes free-living species and parasites of vertebrates and invertebrates. At least seven genera in this family are associated with small mammals. In this study, ectoparasitic laelapid mites of rodents and shrews were investigated in Lithuania. In total, 2,274 small mammal specimens of 12 species were trapped and 6,089 laelapid mites were collected. The updated list of ectoparasitic mites in Lithuania included 21 mite species. Seven mite species were identified as highly specific for a host species or genus, one species was moderately specific, and four mite species were assigned to generalist parasites. All host species had one or two superdominant mite species. The prevalence and mean intensity varied significantly depending on host species and habitat. We analyzed the influence of the host (species, sex, age) and environmental factors (landscape morphology type, habitat, anthropogenic effect) on the abundance of the mite community and most numerous mite species, as well as the impact of the host community (Shannon's diversity index, species richness, host abundance) on mean abundance of the mite community. Only particular host species (Apodemus flavicollis, Microtus agrestis, and Microtus arvalis) and habitats (pastures, mixed forests) influenced the abundance of mites.

Dunefield transgression and the lost fishing settlement of La Barrosa de Do\xf1ana

Considering its etymological meaning, the aim of this work was to identify the location of La Barrosa, a lost fishing settlement located on the dynamic coast of Doñana, and to relate the origin of the name (barrosa = muddy), and the causes of its disappearance to its geomorphological landscape context, tracing its recent evolution over time. Historical documentation and cartography about the coast of Doñana have been analysed to find records on La Barrosa and contrasted with the geomorphological information available for the area. The results have shown that La Barrosa went from being a shallow pond on the coast during the fifteenth century, which mud was used in pottery, to a fishing settlement on the coastline (first quarter of the seventeenth century), to finally disappear in the second half of the seventeenth century. Due to its location, close to the anchorage of the Doñana coastal spit barrier, its origin could be related to the mouth of an old marsh channel that drained the ancient marshland, or to an outflow to the sea from the ancient Santa Olalla lagoon. Its disappearance under transgressive dunes seems to be related to two pulses of dune building that took place around 1560 and 1661. This study shows that the use of toponymy, historical sources, and geomorphological knowledge must be considered in the interpretation of recent geomorphological landscape changes to broaden our understanding of the dynamic of coastal environments.

Warscape biography: from historical air-photos to Lidar data. The revealing of the Great War’s permanences on the contemporary landscapes.

Abstract One hundred years ago, the European landscape was radically transformed by a complex and articulated set of fortified works built in anticipation of the Great War and the “signs of destruction” inflicted on the territories by the conflict itself. These vestiges, recognized as “material goods having a value of civilization”, today are characterized by different degrees of permanence that make it very difficult to read and recognize them. In response to the awareness of the “risk of loss” of this tangible heritage, and consequently of our “possibility of memory”, this essay proposes a methodological path useful to face, at different scales, the theme of the recognition of what remains of the tangible impact that the Great War had on the European landscape, in order to understand better how to “take care of it” in the future. Inserting itself in the wake of the line of research already known as “Archaeology of the Great War”, the research carried out recognizes the heritage of vestiges, visible but also “submerged”, as a wide and “deep” information basin to be investigated and known through the diachronic comparison of different documentary sources and current territorial datasets. This method is based on the wide potential offered by GIS software. It aims to reconstruct the biography of the different warscapes by integrating the study of vintage military aerial photographs, properly geo-referenced, with the different uses and land cover, past and present, to precisely map the different degrees of impact the conflict has had on different territorial areas. Finally, in the areas with a higher Impact Factor, through the contribution of some specific visualizations of LIDAR (Sky-view Factor and Multihillshading Visualization), it was possible to reveal the actual permanence of the imprint of war still imprinted on the morphology of the contemporary landscape.

Landscape geomorphology and local‐riverine features influence Broad Whitefish ( Coregonus nasus ) spawning habitat suitability in Arctic Alaska

Landscape-level geomorphic processes influence the spatial and temporal arrangement of fish habitats in freshwater ecosystems and fishes move across riverscapes, selecting a suite of habitats to maximise fitness. Here, we explore the influence of geomorphology on stream channel attributes and assess Broad Whitefish (Coregonus nasus) spawning habitat potential in the Colville River in Arctic Alaska. Using high-resolution digital surface models (5 m2), we quantified the stream network extent and summarised channel habitat attributes continuously across the drainage network. Next, we developed an intrinsic potential (IP) model for Broad Whitefish by using geomorphic channel parameters previously understood to be associated with spawning habitats (channel width, median substrate size and channel braiding) to estimate the potential of streams across the Colville River watershed to provide spawning habitat. Our model results show the majority of habitat with high IP (≥0.6) was located within the braided sections of the main channel, which encompass >1548 km, but only 2% of the total channel network. The IP model was tested by tracking radio-tagged Broad Whitefish using aerial surveys. Prespawn fish moved into the watershed starting mid-July and mostly used habitat with moderate to very high IP in the middle and lower watershed. Several individuals were relocated in smaller multichannels with vegetated bars that contained very low IP (≤0.2), suggesting that other factors, such as hyporheic flow, may also influence spawning habitat selection. Our study demonstrates that IP modelling offers a useful method to quantify spawning habitat potential in data-poor riverscapes, providing useful information for managers to assess potential anthropogenic impacts and develop conservation plans to protect essential Broad Whitefish habitat.