naturalfeature

Naturalfeature, also written as natural feature, is a term used to denote landscape elements formed by natural processes without deliberate human construction. It covers a wide array of features, from mountains and canyons to lakes, rivers, dunes, caves, and mineral outcrops. The term is commonly used in geography, ecology, cartography, and planning to distinguish natural formations from artificial structures.

Classification of natural features is not fixed; it commonly follows geomorphology and hydrology. Major categories include landforms (mountains, plateaus, valleys, hills, dunes), bodies of water (rivers, lakes, wetlands, coastal features), cosmic or atmospheric features (glacial features, weathering surfaces), and biotic features (forests, savannas, mangroves) when considered as natural landscapes. Some features are dynamic, continually shaped by erosion, deposition, and climate; others persist for long geological timescales.

Formation processes: natural features arise through tectonic activity, volcanism, erosion, weathering, sedimentation, hydrological cycles, glaciation, and biogenic processes. They interact with climate and biology to create habitats and influence local ecosystems. The study of natural features is central to geomorphology, hydrology, and biogeography.

Natural features are important for biodiversity, regulate water cycles, influence climate and weather patterns, and provide cultural and recreational value. Many are protected as national or regional parks, reserves, or World Heritage Sites. Human impact, including habitat destruction, pollution, resource extraction, and climate change, pose threats to natural features, prompting conservation and sustainable use measures.