Desert Landscapes and Landforms of Iran

204 Pages·2021·36.894 MB·English

by  Mehran Maghsoudi

Geography of the Physical Environment
Mehran Maghsoudi
Desert
Landscapes
and Landforms
of Iran
Geography of the Physical
Environment
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Mehran Maghsoudi
Desert Landscapes
and Landforms of Iran
123
MehranMaghsoudi
Department ofPhysical Geography
University of Tehran
Tehran,Iran
ISSN 2366-8865 ISSN 2366-8873 (electronic)
Geographyof the Physical Environment
ISBN978-3-030-58911-0 ISBN978-3-030-58912-7 (eBook)
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-58912-7
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Acknowledgements
I am grateful to Farajollah Mahmoudi, Mojtaba Yamani, Seyed Mohammad
Zamanzadeh, and faculty members of the University of Tehran for scientific
adviceatallstagesinthepreparationofthisbook.Also,Iamthankfultothe
University of Tehran and to the Iranian Cultural Heritage and Tourism
Organization for allowingmetogototheinteriorpart oftheIranianDesert,
especially Lut Desert world heritage. I am also grateful to Amir Moradi,
Anvar Moradi, Mohammad Ali Nezammahalleh, Afsaneh Ehdaei and Omid
Rahimi for preparation of maps and editing of the text. I thank Vhaid
Mohammadnezhadforcourtesyofsomemapsaboutalluvialfanevolutionin
Iran.IamalsothankfultoHojatKamali,AlirezaAmrikazemi,SaharMaleki,
Mohammad Gaeini, Ebrahim Nikkhoo, Mehdi Yaghoubi, Nourollah Nik-
pour, Younes Sharyatmadari, Reza Safaeirad, Daryoush Mehrshahi,
Mohammad Reza Taherdin, Esmaeil Allahpour, Reza Khlili Varzaneh, and
Matin Setayeshforassistanceinprovidingsome photosofIran.Ialsothank
Springer,particularlyAmbroseBerkumans,MichaelLeuchner,DorisBleier,
andRobertDoefortheirsupporttopreparethisbook.Finally,IthankMoein
Afzali, Seyed Ahmad Rounaghi, and Hamed Shadravan for accompanying
me in field survey in Lut Desert.
v
Contents
1 Introduction to Landscapes and Landforms of Iran..... .... 1
1.1 Introduction ... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 1
1.2 Location of Iran ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 5
1.2.1 Administrative Divisions of Iran... .... ..... .... 6
1.3 Geology of Iran ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 7
1.3.1 Geological and Structural Unit of Iran .. ..... .... 8
1.3.2 Faults of Iran.. .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 14
1.3.3 Geology Evolution of Iran.... .... .... ..... .... 15
1.4 Climate... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 16
1.4.1 Air Masses Affecting Iran Climate . .... ..... .... 17
1.4.2 Factors Affecting Aridity of Iran... .... ..... .... 21
1.4.3 Wind Activities in Desert Areas of Iran . ..... .... 22
1.4.4 Paleoenvironment of Iran (in Quaternary)..... .... 22
1.5 Hydrology. .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 29
1.6 Human Settlements and Landscape... .... .... ..... .... 33
References. .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 40
2 Introduction to Desert Landscapes and Landforms
of Iran ... .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 45
2.1 Introduction to Desert Landscapes and Landforms
of Iran.... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 45
References. .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 48
3 Alluvial–Fluvial Landforms ... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 49
3.1 Introduction ... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 49
3.2 Playa Landforms..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 50
3.3 Pediment.. .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 54
3.4 Alluvial Fans .. ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 58
3.4.1 Role of Climate Changes and Active Tectonic
on Development of Alluvial Fans .. .... ..... .... 62
3.4.2 Human Settlements and Alluvial Fans... ..... .... 63
3.5 Desert Rivers .. ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 67
3.6 Badlands.. .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 74
3.7 Hoodoos (Fairy Chimney) and Other Similar
Landforms. .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 79
References. .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 85
vii
viii Contents
4 Hydro-aeolian Landforms. .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 87
4.1 Introduction ... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 87
4.2 Yardang (Kalut) ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 87
References. .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 98
5 Aeolian Landforms . ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 99
5.1 Introduction ... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 99
5.2 Sand Sea (Erg) and Dunefield... .... .... .... ..... .... 100
5.2.1 Classification of Erg and Dunefield in Iran.... .... 100
5.3 Nebkha... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 118
5.4 Lee Dunes or Shadow Dunes... .... .... .... ..... .... 121
5.5 Sand Ramp.... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 121
5.6 Desert Pavement..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 123
5.7 Ventifact.. .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 126
References. .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 131
6 Other Desert Landforms.. .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 133
6.1 Introduction ... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 133
6.2 Salt Domes (Diapirs) . .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 133
6.2.1 Classification of the Salt Domes in Iran . ..... .... 137
6.3 Metorites in Desert Areas of Iran.... .... .... ..... .... 142
References. .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 145
7 Geodiversity of Iran ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 147
7.1 Introduction ... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 147
7.1.1 Mountainous and Karstic Landforms.... ..... .... 148
7.1.2 Volcanic Landforms .... .... .... .... ..... .... 150
7.1.3 Desert Landforms .. .... .... .... .... ..... .... 151
7.1.4 Coastal Landforms . .... .... .... .... ..... .... 154
7.1.5 Miscellaneous Landforms .... .... .... ..... .... 157
References. .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 163
8 Geopark and Geotourism Potential in Desert Landforms .... 165
8.1 Introduction ... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 165
8.2 Maranjab Area . ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 165
8.3 Tabas Area.... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 167
8.4 Khour and Kala (Jandagh-Khour Area).... .... ..... .... 171
8.5 Fahraj-Bam Area..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 172
8.6 Minab-Jask Area..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 176
8.7 Chabahar.. .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 178
8.8 Lut Desert. .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 180
8.9 Varzaneh or Gavkhouni ... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 185
References. .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 196
Index ... .... .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 197
1
Introduction to Landscapes
and Landforms of Iran
Abstract
1.1 Introduction
IranasacountrylocatedinthesouthwestAsia
is mainly covered by arid, semiarid, and The landscapes and landforms of Iran are highly
hyper-arid climatic conditions. The country influenced by climate (morphoclimatic region),
has high geological, climatologic, biologic, geology (structure and stratigraphy), and also
andculturaldiversities.Forexample,thoughit topography. Combinations of these factors are
islocatedinthehotspotoftheworldintheLut generatingavarietyoflandformsandlandscapes
Desert,severalpartsofhighlandsinAlborzand around and inside Iran. In fact, endogenic and
ZagrosMountainsexperiencebelowzerotem- exogenic processes have formed different land-
peratureinthesummer.Sedimentary-structural scapes and landforms of Iran. More than 53.3%
units and climate conditions configured main of Iran is between 1000 and 2000 m above sea
landformsandlandscapesofIran.Twomoun- level and 15.7% is over 2000 m (National Car-
tainousareasofAlborzandZagrosareformed tographic Center of Iran 2004) (Table 1.1).
by the main topographic components of the Several mountainous areas are developed in all
country. These mountains have inevitable Iran (Fig. 1.5). Zagros Mountains are extended
effectsonclimate,hydrology,andevenhistory from northwest part of Iran, beyond the border
and cultural aspects. The six first-order and withTurkeyandIraq,tosoutheastandcontinued
thirty second-order watersheds with different tothePersianGulf.Inthisarea,insimplefolded
typesofriversandaquiferssupplysurfaceand structures,thesynclinescoincidewithvastplains
ground water for any human activities. Pale- in the southern part and the anticlines coincide
oenvironmental studies show the effects of withmountains(Fig. 1.1).Thiskindoflandform
complicated relationship between human evolution is similar to that in Jura Mountains. In
activities and environmental functions during southwest Iran, Khuzestan Coastal Plain is
thehistory. located at the southeastern fringe of Zagros
Mountains. In Northern part of Iran, Alborz
Keywords Mountains is stretched from west to east in
(cid:1) southern coast of the Caspian Sea. The Alborz
Administrative divisions of Iran Geology of
(cid:1) (cid:1) (cid:1) Mountain Range separates the northern forest
Iran StructuralunitofIran ClimateofIran
(cid:1) environmentofIranfromthesouthernaridlands
Morphoclimatic regions of Iran Hydrology
(cid:1) (cid:1) of the country. The highest summit of Iran,
of Iran Human settlements Alborz
(cid:1) Damavand, as a volcanic peak is located in
Mountains Zagros Mountains
central part of the Alborz Mountain Range
©SpringerNatureSwitzerlandAG2021 1
M.Maghsoudi,DesertLandscapesandLandformsofIran,GeographyofthePhysicalEnvironment,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-58912-7_1
2 1 IntroductiontoLandscapesandLandformsofIran
Table1.1 Areaand Elevation(m) Area(km2) Area(%)
percentofdifferentlevels
ofelevationinIran Over2000 260,000 15.7
1000–2000 879,000 53.3
500–1000 154,000 9.3
0–500 332,000 20
Interiorlakes 14,000 0.9
Lowerthanzero 11,000 0.7
Total 1,650,000 100
NationalCartographicCenterofIran(2004)
Fig.1.1 AnticlinalofZagrosMountainsnearthePersianGulf
(Fig. 1.2). The Damavand, an inactive volcano mountainous slopes in south to north (Alborz
with 5671 m high (Allenbach 1966), is the Mountains to Caspian Sea). Only Sefid Rud
highestmountainintheMiddleEastandEurope. River cuts the Alborz Mountains andflows from
TheonlyactivemountainousglacierinIranis the west part of Iran to the northern coastal
alsolocatedincentralpartoftheAlborzinAlam region. In the east part of the Caspian Sea, the
Kuh, about 4850 m high, in the west part of coastal plain is gradually connected to Turk-
Damavandpeak.Thereareanarrowcoastalplain menistan desert area. In thisarea, there aresome
like a strip between Caspian Sea and Alborz activemudvolcanosemittingmudflowsoutside.
Mountains.Severalsmallriversareflowingfrom In south part of Iran, we can observe different