We have now learned that physical
geography examines and investigates natural phenomena spatially.
In the previous section, we identified some of the key
elements studied by physical geographers. Combining these
two items, we can now suggest that physical
geography studies the spatial patterns of weather and climate,
soils, vegetation, animals, water in all its forms, and landforms.
Physical geography also examines the interrelationships of
these phenomena to human activities. This sub-field of geography
is academically known as the Human-Land
Tradition. This area of geography has seen very
keen interest and growth in the last few decades because
of the acceleration of human induced environmental degradation.
Thus, physical geography's scope is much broader than the
simple spatial study of nature. It also involves the investigation
of how humans are influencing nature.
Academics studying physical
geography and other related earth sciences are rarely generalists.
Most are in fact highly specialized in their fields of
knowledge and tend to focus themselves in one of the following
well defined areas of understanding in physical geography:
- Geomorphology - studies the various landforms on the Earth's surface.
- Pedology - is concerned with the study of soils.
- Biogeography - is the science that investigates the spatial relationships
of plants and animals.
- Hydrology - is interested in the study of water in all its forms.
- Meteorology - studies the circulation of the atmosphere over short time
spans.
- Climatology - studies the effects of weather on life and examines the
circulation of the atmosphere over longer time spans.
The above fields of knowledge
generally have a primary role in introductory textbooks
dealing with physical geography. Introductory physical
geography textbooks can also contain information from other
related disciplines including:
- Geology - studies the form of the
Earth's surface and subsurface, and the processes that
create and modify it.
- Ecology - the scientific study of the interactions between organisms
and their environment.
- Oceanography - the science that examines the biology, chemistry, physics,
and geology of oceans.
- Cartography - the technique of making maps.
- Astronomy - the science that examines celestial bodies and the cosmos.
CITATION
Pidwirny, M. (2006). "Scope of Physical Geography". Fundamentals of Physical Geography, 2nd Edition. 29/12/2011. http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/1c.html
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