Final answer:
Periglacial refers to the cold-climate processes that occur along the margins of glaciers, influencing soil formation and landscape features. The term is not exclusive to the last ice age and these processes continue to be relevant in present-day cold climate regions. The correct answer is option 2.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term periglacial refers to cold-climate processes that occur in the areas surrounding glaciers, rather than on the glaciers themselves. These processes have significant effects on the landscape and soil, including but not limited to frost weathering, the formation of ice wedges, and soil heaving.
It is important to clarify that periglacial processes and effects did not only exist during the last ice age, but also continue to occur today in cold climate regions. These processes are not restricted to the ice age periods but are rather associated with cold climates, which can be found at high latitudes and elevations even in our current interglacial period.
Therefore, the correct understanding of periglacial processes is that they are cold-climate processes along the margins of glaciers, they relate to both contemporary and historical geological times, and they significantly influence the formation and characteristics of soil and topography in cold environments.