ON THE MULTISTAGE DEVELOPMENT OF ETCH FORMS

Although the two stage concept is useful in the interpretation of many landforms and landscapes, it is an oversimplification of reality. The subsurface weathering that results in the development of the weatheri ng front, and is thus critical to the evolution of etch forms, exploit s magmatic, thermal, tectonic and sedimentary bedrock features at vari ous scales, and of greater or lesser antiquity. Exposure of the weathe ring front leads to the development, diversification or destruction of bedrock forms. For these reasons it is more accurate and appropriate to view etch forms as complex and multistage features, some of which h ave their origins in the distant past, as well as in more recent weath ering and erosion.