Geography
The Science of Spatial and
Descriptive Analysis
Spatial Analysis
• Space
– Different than raw numbers, statistics
– Distribution, distance, density, area,
autocorrelation, topography, topology, and
more.
– Theories and techniques for Spatial Analysis
have been present for centuries, but only
lately have they been available (computers,
GIS, remote sensing).
– Output/Results: MAPS
Spatial Analysis
Geographers
use specialized
tools including
maps,
geographical
information
systems (GIS),
remote
sensing,
mathematical
modeling and
statistics to
allow them to
portray
information that
varies spatially
on the Earth’s
surface
Spatial Analysis
Spatial Analysis
• The Visual Nature of Spatial Analysis
– Viewing maps is a integrative action
– Compare to reading (linear)
– Information is absorbed as a whole
– Spatial information shown differently
– Spatial information is processed differently by
your brain
Graphic vs. Visual/Map Display
Text/Graphic vs. Visual/Map
Display
Place
• Not well defined
Scale
• Not well defined
Geography
Geography looks at
the world from the
viewpoint of
geographic space by
synthesizing ideas
from different
disciplines and
developing special
techniques to
represent and
manipulate spatial
information
Introducing Geography
Geography can be subdivided into human
geography and physical geography
human geography examines economic, social and
behavioral processes
physical geography examines natural processes,
and is generally composed of biogeography,
climatology and geomorphology.
Introducing Geography
Introducing Physical Geography
• Introducing Geography
• Spheres, Systems and Cycles
• Physical Geography, Environment, and
Global Change
Introducing Physical Geography
• Introducing Geography
• Spheres, Systems and Cycles
• Physical Geography, Environment, and
Global Change
Physical Geography
• Spheres, Systems and Cycles
• Physical Geography, Environment, and
Global Change
Introducing Physical Geography
• Introducing Geography
• Spheres, Systems and Cycles
• Physical Geography, Environment, and
Global Change
Spheres, Systems and Cycles
The natural
systems and
processes involved
in physical
geography are
considered to
operate within four
great spheres (or
realms): the
atmosphere, the
lithosphere, the
hydrosphere, and
the biosphere
Spheres, Systems and Cycles
The life layer is the shallow Earth surface layer where the
four realms (or spheres) interact and where most life forms
are found
Spheres, Systems and Cycles
Scale, pattern and process are three interrelated
geographic themes
Scale: the level of structure or organization at which a
phenomenon is studied
Pattern: variation in phenomenon observed at a particular
scale
Process: how the factors that affect a phenomenon act to
produce a pattern at a particular scale
Spheres, Systems and Cycles
processes operating in the four spheres are
studied at different spatial scales or levels of
detail (global, continental, regional, local,
individual)
Spheres, Systems and Cycles
a system is a collection of physical
processes that are linked and act together in
an organized way
a systems approach to physical geography
looks for linkages and interactions between
processes
Spheres, Systems and Cycles
Time cycles are periodic changes in system
flow rates that occur over periods ranging
from hours to millions of years
Physical Geography, Environment, and
Global Change
Physical geography is also concerned with the
relationships between humans and their
environments
Environmental change is caused by both natural
processes and human interference
Some important topics of global change that
physical geographers are investigating are global
climate change, the carbon cycle, biodiversity,
pollution, and extreme events
Why Physical Geography?
• Non-human processes that formed
landscape fall into this realm
• Understanding of how life forms developed
and arrived in our landscape
Three areas of Physical
Geography
• Geomorphology
• Climatology
• Biogeography
Spheres of Interest:
Pedosphere
Atmosphere
Biosphere
Hydrosphere
global oceanic and terrestrial photoautotroph abundance
Lithosphere
Geomorphology
• Study of the structure and formation of
landforms (think patterns and processes)
• Important in understanding internal earth
processes and structures, how the surface
arrived at present and former states
• Sub areas of interest to us:
–
–
–
–
–
–
Plate Tectonics
Orogeny
Volcanism
Erosion and Mass Wasting
Glacial landforms
Deposition
Coastal and Oceanic Landforms
Why do we have barrier islands on the Atlantic
but not he Pacific Coast of N. America?
Pattern
Process
Landforms
Climatology
• The Study of the Earth’s Weather Systems and
the Weather Patterns they create
• “Climate is what you expect, weather is what you
get”
– Regional Climates (deserts, polar, alpine)
– Swing Climates (Hot dry then cold dry then cold
wet…)
– Glaciation
– Erosion events/floods
– Storms
Climatology and Scale
• Climatology was one of the first sciences
to struggle with scale
• Weather is affected by many variables at
multiple spatial scales
• E.g. Lifting by Pressure systems, Frontal,
Convective, Orographic
Where does the weather come from?
Which way is the Wind blowing?
Climatic variables
• Some climatic variables affecting climate
and weather operating at multiple spatiotemporal scales
– Continental Arrangement
– Air Currents/Jet Stream
– Ocean Currents
– Landforms
– Water bodies
Continental Arrangement
Air Currents/Jet Stream
Ocean Currents
Biogeography
• Biogeography is the science which deals
with patterns of species distribution and
the processes that result in such patterns
– Speciation
– Extinction
– Continental Drift
– Glaciation
Biogeography and Continents
Permian 225mya
Jurassic 135mya
Present
Triassic 200mya
Cretaceous 65mya
Extra Questions for All Geographers
• How do things work (differently) at different
scales?
• What are the important patterns?
• What are the important processes?
• What patterns will I see at different scales?
• How do living things respond to these patterns?
• How do people respond to these patterns?