Methodological approach to harmonise geomorphological nomenclature through the ISPRA geodatabase: a case study on Lombardy Region datasets (Italy).”

Abstract

In the last years, in Italy, the official guidelines for geomorphological mapping have been implemented and provided by the Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA) within a document called ‘Quaderno 13’ (Q13). The document provides national guidelines for the representation of geomorphological landforms and features, as well as the associated geodatabase. However, over time, different authorities have contributed to cartographic production, and geomorphological data still show a substantial lack of homogeneity, with differences, especially in the use of terminologies and associated symbology. In this framework, the paper aims to propose an operational methodology to harmonise the existing geomorphological data, aligning the prior terms with the Q13 legend, as well as the data structure. As a case study, geoenvironmental data from the Lombardy region are processed following the proposed methodology to test the effectiveness of the approach.