Landforms are used as analytical tools to separate inherited features from
the glacial impact on Precambrian basement rocks in southwest Sweden. The s
tudy covers three different palaeosurfaces, the sub-Cambrian peneplain (rel
ative relief (r.r.) 0-20 m) with the character of a pediplain, an uplifted
and dissected part of the sub-Cambrian peneplain (r.r. 5-40 m) and an etch-
surface (r.r. 20-135 m), presumably sub-Mesozoic. The surfaces were recentl
y re-exposed, probably due to a Neogene upheaval with some pre-glacial resh
aping. Strong structural control and no alignment with glacial erosional di
rections other than those coinciding with structures,are arguments for etch
processes as a most important agent for relief differentiation. This is st
rengthened by the occurrence of saprolite residues and etchforms in protect
ed positions.
The glacial reshaping of the sub-Cambrian flat bedrock surfaces is negligib
le. The glacial impact becomes more evident in the uplifted and dissected p
arts of the peneplain and within the hilly sub-Mesozoic surface. The higher
the initial relief the more effect of glacial erosion on individual hills,
both on the abrading side, with formation of roches moutonnees, and on the
plucking side. Detailed etchforms are preserved in protected positions in
spite of erosion by a clearly wet-based ice. The magnitude of the Pleistoce
ne glacial erosion is considerably less than the amplitude of the palaeorel
ief in the entire area.
Landscapes of areal glacial scouring have been described as comprising irre
gular depressions with intervening bosses scraped by ice and labelled 'knoc
k and lochan' topography, but we suggest that an etched bedrock surface is
a prerequisite for this type of landscape to develop.