Physical Geography Lecture 01 - What Is Geography 092616

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Welcome toWelcome to

Physical GeographyPhysical GeographyAngela Orr, InstructorAngela Orr, Instructor

Topic: What is Geography?Topic: What is Geography?

What is Geography?What is Geography?





Geography is aboutGeography is aboutEVERYTHING.EVERYTHING.

The most important The most important question inquestion in Geography Geography

Why is it there?

Where did “Geography” come from?Where did “Geography” come from?Geo-Geo- comes from the Greek comes from the Greek

“ge” = “Earth”“ge” = “Earth”geoidgeoidgeologygeologygeometrygeometry

-graphy comes from Greek “graphe” = “writing” or “description”

Who were the first geographers?Who were the first geographers?

Mesopotamian land Mesopotamian land ownership map on a ownership map on a clay tabletclay tablet

Egyptian gold mine map on papyrusEgyptian gold mine map on papyrus

► Expansion of the Chinese empireExpansion of the Chinese empire resources, cultures, wealth, areas of potential political resources, cultures, wealth, areas of potential political

threats or alliances, etc.threats or alliances, etc.► In Asia, academic knowledge was highly-prizedIn Asia, academic knowledge was highly-prized► Japan, Korea, and ChinaJapan, Korea, and China

engaging in extensive trade long before European engaging in extensive trade long before European explorersexplorers

A Brief History of the Early A Brief History of the Early Development of GeographyDevelopment of Geography

► Greece and RomeGreece and Rome Development of geometric principlesDevelopment of geometric principles Eratosthenes, Hipparchus, Strabo and Eratosthenes, Hipparchus, Strabo and

PtolemyPtolemy► The 8 Pillars of IslamThe 8 Pillars of Islam

Pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca (in what Pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca (in what is, today, Saudi Arabia) at least once in a is, today, Saudi Arabia) at least once in a lifetimelifetime

From Africa to Spain to India and throughout From Africa to Spain to India and throughout Southwest AsiaSouthwest Asia

A Brief History of the Early A Brief History of the Early Development of GeographyDevelopment of Geography

Immanuel Kant—18th Century philosopherImmanuel Kant—18th Century philosopher

Immanuel Kant—18th Century philosopherImmanuel Kant—18th Century philosopherCategories of Academic Disciplines:Categories of Academic Disciplines:

1. Systematic Sciences—orderly, methodical, subject 1. Systematic Sciences—orderly, methodical, subject matter is easily classified matter is easily classified

(Physics, Geology, Botany, Zoology, etc.)(Physics, Geology, Botany, Zoology, etc.)2. Temporal Sciences—the dimension of time2. Temporal Sciences—the dimension of time

(History, Archaeology, Paleontology)(History, Archaeology, Paleontology)3. Spatial Sciences—the dimension of space3. Spatial Sciences—the dimension of space

(Geography, Geophysics, Astronomy)(Geography, Geophysics, Astronomy)

The map is a geographer’s primary spatial toolThe map is a geographer’s primary spatial tool

The FundamentalsThe Fundamentals

Every study of Geography incorporates one or Every study of Geography incorporates one or more of the following 5 Fundamental more of the following 5 Fundamental Concepts in Geography:Concepts in Geography:1.1.LocationLocation2.2.PlacePlace3.3.MovementMovement4.4.Human-Environment InteractionsHuman-Environment Interactions5.5.RegionRegion

The 5 Fundamental Spatial The 5 Fundamental Spatial Concepts of GeographyConcepts of Geography

1. 1. Location—Location—study of study of wherewhere something is found something is found in Earth spacein Earth space

2. 2. PlacePlace—study of the —study of the site and situationsite and situation characteristics of a particular portion of spacecharacteristics of a particular portion of space



2. 2. PlacePlace—study of the —study of the site and situationsite and situation characteristics of a particular portion of spacecharacteristics of a particular portion of space

““Sense of Place” is an important geographical Sense of Place” is an important geographical conceptconcept

sense of placean artist’s interpretation

Sense of Placesome “imaginary” places

GLADIATOR

JIMMY BUFFETT

THE PERFECT VACATION

“MARGARITAVILLE”

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3. 3. MovementMovement—study of —study of thethe circulationcirculation of of objects, people, and objects, people, and ideas, and their ideas, and their distributiondistribution (spatial (spatial patterning) on Earth’s patterning) on Earth’s surfacesurface

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4. 4. Human-Earth Human-Earth InteractionsInteractions—study —study of how humans of how humans perceive, use, and perceive, use, and alter the planet, and alter the planet, and how the environment how the environment affects and changes affects and changes humans, in returnhumans, in return

5. 5. Region—Region—study of an area on Earth’s surface that exhibits study of an area on Earth’s surface that exhibits some form of spatial cohesion reflected by a some form of spatial cohesion reflected by a homogeneityhomogeneity of specific features or functional of specific features or functional linkages to a central nodelinkages to a central node

(WHAAAA???)(WHAAAA???)


Homogeneity of specific features

Functional linkages to a central node

Geography is holisticGeography is holistic► Interested in Interested in

interrelationshipsinterrelationships► Informed by many Informed by many

other sciencesother sciences Geography is actually Geography is actually

the Mother of many the Mother of many other fields of scienceother fields of science

► Test your professor:Test your professor: Name a field which Name a field which

cannot in some way be cannot in some way be studied by a geographerstudied by a geographer

The Subdivisions of GeographyThe Subdivisions of Geography

Geography can be divided into any number of Geography can be divided into any number of subfields. The main divisions are:subfields. The main divisions are:

Physical GeographyPhysical Geography►Biogeography is sometimes considered a part of Biogeography is sometimes considered a part of

physical geographyphysical geography Human GeographyHuman Geography Geomatics (Technical Geography)Geomatics (Technical Geography)

Physical GeographyPhysical Geography

Physical geographyPhysical geography is the study of Earth’s is the study of Earth’s natural systems, their spatial distributions, and natural systems, their spatial distributions, and interactions. It is the study of the natural and interactions. It is the study of the natural and human-induced processes that shape the human-induced processes that shape the surface of our planet.surface of our planet.

Subfields include geomorphology, climatology, Subfields include geomorphology, climatology, hydrogeography, etc.hydrogeography, etc.

Maintains connections with other physical Maintains connections with other physical sciencessciences

BiogeographyBiogeography

►The study of the spatial distribution of plants The study of the spatial distribution of plants and animals.and animals.

Subfields include phytogeography, Subfields include phytogeography, zoogeography, pedology (cross-over with zoogeography, pedology (cross-over with physical geography), etc.physical geography), etc.

Often considered a subfield of Physical Often considered a subfield of Physical GeographyGeography

►The study of how people use the land, how The study of how people use the land, how they perceive it and relate to it; the spatial they perceive it and relate to it; the spatial variations between human groupsvariations between human groups

Subfields include: cultural geography, economic Subfields include: cultural geography, economic geography, urban geography, political geography, geography, urban geography, political geography, ethnic geography, geodemography, religious ethnic geography, geodemography, religious geography, geolinguistics, proxemics, etc.geography, geolinguistics, proxemics, etc.

Maintains connections with all other social Maintains connections with all other social sciencessciences

Human GeographyHuman Geography

Geomatics/Technical GeographyGeomatics/Technical Geography

►All of the technical specialties within the field All of the technical specialties within the field which assist geographic studies.which assist geographic studies. Cartography (GIS)Cartography (GIS) Remote sensingRemote sensing Statistical studiesStatistical studies Maintains connections with information Maintains connections with information

technologies, mathematics, computer sciences, technologies, mathematics, computer sciences, etc.etc.

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Systems ScienceSystems Science

What is a “system”?What is a “system”? A A systemsystem is “a set of things, structures, is “a set of things, structures, processes, [or] activities…[that are] associated processes, [or] activities…[that are] associated and interconnected, forming and functioning as a and interconnected, forming and functioning as a complex whole through a regular set of complex whole through a regular set of relations….”relations….”

--Audrey N. Clark’s --Audrey N. Clark’s Dictionary of GeographyDictionary of Geography

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Systems ScienceSystems Science► Flow system—matter and/or energy moving aroundFlow system—matter and/or energy moving around

Open system—has inputs and outputsOpen system—has inputs and outputs Closed system (also called a Closed system (also called a cyclecycle)—constantly transforming and )—constantly transforming and

reusing what’s already there; nothing ever leavesreusing what’s already there; nothing ever leaves

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Systems ScienceSystems Science►FeedbackFeedback

Positive feedbackPositive feedback►When the result of a process causes conditions When the result of a process causes conditions

which strengthen that process and increasingly which strengthen that process and increasingly amplify its resultsamplify its results

Feedback from an amplifierFeedback from an amplifier Arctic ice meltingArctic ice melting

Negative feedbackNegative feedback►When the result of a process causes conditions When the result of a process causes conditions

which weaken the process and reduce its effectswhich weaken the process and reduce its effects An air conditioning systemAn air conditioning system More water in Earth’s atmosphere creating more clouds More water in Earth’s atmosphere creating more clouds

that reflect and scatter sunlightthat reflect and scatter sunlight

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►Time cyclesTime cycles--systems operate on all --systems operate on all different scales, including time scales, large different scales, including time scales, large and smalland small

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Systems ScienceSystems Science►Earth’s systems are Earth’s systems are

always attempting to always attempting to achieve achieve equilibriumequilibrium, in , in which exchanges of which exchanges of matter and/or energy matter and/or energy are equal, in and outare equal, in and out

►Equilibrium is difficult to Equilibrium is difficult to attain and even more attain and even more difficult to maintain over difficult to maintain over long time cycleslong time cycles 43

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Systems ScienceSystems Science►Sometimes a series of slight changes might Sometimes a series of slight changes might

result in a larger change that pushes the result in a larger change that pushes the system over a system over a thresholdthreshold, a point at which , a point at which the same state can no longer be maintainedthe same state can no longer be maintained

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Earth’s 4 SpheresEarth’s 4 Spheres

Biosphere

Lithosphere

Atmosphere

Hydrosphere

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AtmosphereAtmosphere

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LithosphereLithosphere

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HydrosphereHydrosphere

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The Lone Cypress

Pebble Beach, CABiosphere

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Congratulations!Congratulations!

You just finished Lesson #1….

Are you ready for some review questions to test how well you’ve understood everything we’ve covered so far?

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Quick ReviewQuick Review1.1. What is the most important question in What is the most important question in

Geography?Geography?2.2. Who were the first geographers in the Who were the first geographers in the

Western tradition? Was theirs the only Western tradition? Was theirs the only culture to produce good geographic culture to produce good geographic studies?studies?

3.3. Which of the Categories of Academic Which of the Categories of Academic Disciplines does Geography fit into?Disciplines does Geography fit into?

4.4. Name the 5 fundamental spatial Name the 5 fundamental spatial concepts of geography. What one word concepts of geography. What one word or phrase defines each of these?or phrase defines each of these?

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Quick ReviewQuick Review

5.5. What does it mean when we describe What does it mean when we describe Geography as being holistic?Geography as being holistic?

6.6. What is a system?What is a system?7.7. What is the difference between an open What is the difference between an open

system and a closed system?system and a closed system?8.8. What is the difference between positive What is the difference between positive

feedback and negative feedback?feedback and negative feedback?9.9. Name Earth’s four “spheres”.Name Earth’s four “spheres”.

Mission Accomplished!

Physical Geography Lecture 01 - What Is Geography 092616

Education