The Glacial Waterscape: Glaciers and Their Unique Geomorphological Connection to Society

Glaciers are both dynamic agents of landscape modification and frozen reservoirs of water that manifest complex geomorphological couplings to society spanning multiple scales of space and time, as conceptualized by the glacial waterscape. This article provides an overview of key threads in glacial geomorphology research that explores how the expansion and retreat of glaciers have societal relevance, including the implicit climate fluctuations determining where, when and why glaciers reworked landscapes, as well as studies tracing how glacier melt water flows through proglacial landscapes, with implications for hazards and resources for society.