Classification of patterned ground based on morphometry and site characteristics: a case study from the High Sudetes, Central Europe

About 750 examples of patterned ground forms at 25 sites in the High Sudetes mountains (Czech Republic) were classified using morphometric characteristics and environmental parameters. Simple parameters such as length, width and height of patterned ground were measured in the field, with additional variables of elevation, intensity of deflation and regolith grain size. The surface morphometry of patterned ground, comprising relict sorted polygons and sorted nets and active earth hummocks, was strongly influenced by site characteristics. Sorted net dimensions were affected by the intensity of deflation, which determined the micro‐relief (positive correlation), and regolith coarseness, which negatively impacted the diameter of landforms. For sorted polygons, opposite relations concerning diameter and regolith coarseness were observed. The use of both morphometric and environmental variables within canonical linear discriminant analysis was successful in classifying almost 95 per cent of landforms. The advantage of combining the two types of predictors was demonstrated by the presence of both earth hummocks and sorted polygons at wind‐swept sites, but with significantly different morphometric and regolith requirements. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.