OVERVIEW
The study of Geography explores many aspects of the human and physical environment.
This chapter introduces the discipline of geography and explains its many branches. The scope of physical geography covered in this text is introduced. Geographers are also very interested in the relationship between humans and the earth. In this first chapter linkages are made between physical geography and some very important environmental issues facing humankind.

Geography is the study of the changing patterns and processes taking place at the
Earth’s surface.

Geographers also study human activities that take place on the Earth and the relationships between human activities and the natural world.

Geography has two approaches,: regional geography and systematic geography .

Regional geography examines the characteristics of particular places on the
Earth.

Systematic geography looks for principles that allow us to explain and predict the patterns and processes that we observe on the Earth.

Systematic geography can be divided into human geography and physical geography.

Human geography examines economic, social and behavioral processes while physical geography examines natural processes.

Physical geography includes climatology, geomorphology, coastal and marine geography, geography of soils, and biogeography.

Hazard assessment and water resources bring together both human and physical geography by studying how humans affect and are affected by the natural world.

Geographers use specialized tools including maps, geographical information systems (GIS), and remote sensing to allow them to portray information that varies spatially on the Earth’s surface.

A systems approach considers the interconnections and flows of material and energy in natural systems.


Physical geography is also concerned with the relationships between humans and their environments. Environmental change is caused by both natural and human processes. Some important topics of global change that physical geographers are studying are global climate change, the carbon cycle, biodiversity, pollution, and extreme events .
KEY TERMS
Geography
Physical Geography
Geomorphology
Water Resources
Remote sensing
Global climate change
Geographic Information
Systems
Regional Geography
Human Geography
Climatology
Geography of soils
Hazard assessment
Systems approach
Coastal and marine geography
Systematic Geography
Biogeography
Maps
Global change
The carbon cycle
Greenhouse effect
STUDY QUESTIONS
1.
How does regional geography differ from systematic geography?
2.
How does human geography differ from physical geography?
3.
List and briefly describe the five fields of physical geography.
4.
How is a map different from a geographical information system?
5.
What human activities are contributing to global climate change?
6.
What natural processes reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide?
7.
What natural processes release carbon dioxide?
8.
Why is biodiversity an immensely valuable resource?
9.
How is human geography linked to extreme events?
CHAPTER QUIZ
Multiple Choice Questions
1.
The side of geography concerned with how the Earth’s surface is differentiated into unique places is a.
Human Geography b.
Physical Geography c.
Systematic Geography d.
Regional Geography

2.
The work of flowing water, blowing wind, breaking waves, and moving ice is covered in the field of physical geography known as a.
Climatology b.
Geomorphology c.
Biogeography d.
NEED FOURTH CHOICE
3.
The most prominent greenhouse gas is: a.
Carbon dioxide b.
Methane c.
Nitrous oxide d.
Chloroflourocarbons
4.
Global change can be produced by: a.
Human activity b.
Natural processes c.
Both a and b d.
Neither a nor b.
True/False Questions
1.
Human impact on the environment is decreasing. (T/F)
2.
As young forests grow, significant amounts of carbon dioxide are taken up. (T/F)
3.
Geographers who attempt to discover principles and use them to model and predict spatial phenomena are doing systematic geography. (T/F)
Short Answer Questions
1.
Describe the physical processes that the science of climatology studies.
2.
Describe the physical processes that the science of geomorphology studies.
3.
List and briefly describe five tools that geographers use to deal with spatial data.
4.
How is the carbon cycle linked to global climate change?
5.
Briefly discuss why we should be concerned about maintaining biodiversity.
Short Essay Questions (1 - 2 paragraphs)
1.
What does the study of geography contribute to human understanding of global change?
2.
Discuss five aspects of the place in which you live that physical or human geographers might study.
Internet Resources
1.
Earthshots – Satellite images of environmental change provided by the US
Geological Survey: < http://edc.usgs.gov/earthshots/slow/tableofcontents >

2.
American Association of Geographers – The professional society about geographers in the United States provides a web site offering information of geography, geographical careers, and resources for geographers:
< http://www.aag.org/ >
3.
The Virtual Geography Department – Curriculum materials and classroom and laboratory modules that can be used across the Internet by geography students and faculty:
< http://www.colorado.edu/geography/virtdept/contents.html
>
4.
GeoSource – A Netherlands-based web site providing internet resources for human geography, physical geography, planning, geoscience, and environmental science: < http://www.library.uu.nl/geosource/ >
5.
International Human Dimensions Programme on Global Environmental
Change – The web site of an international, non-governmental, interdisciplinary science programme aimed at describing, analysing, and understanding the human dimensions of global environmental change:
< http://www.uni-bonn.de/ihdp/ >