Lecture 2: Physical Geography
and interaction with
Environmental Science
ENV203/GEO205.9
Faculty: Sirazoom Munira Silvy
Adjunct Lecturer, Department of Environmental Science
North South University
Summer 2020 | SZR
Recap of the
broad branches
of geography
Types of environment-
Physical (and Human Geography)
• Natural environment [Physical]
-Natural or physical unit (e.g. air, climate, energy, magnetism)
-Ecological units (e.g. soil, living organisms etc)
• Built environment [Human]
Natural Built
- Urbanization and architecture (e.g. cities, bridges)
- Technology and engineering (drone, smart buildings)
- Public health amenities (e.g. community parks)
• Social environment [Human] Social
- Society (e.g. group of individuals with similar culture)
- Culture (e.g. beliefs, values and practices of a group)
- Politics (e.g. way a society manages & works out cultural differences.
Physical Geography
Types, branches, key people and philosophy
Natural Environment
in light of Geography
Natural geography refers to all biotic and abiotic
components that occur NATURALLY, meaning that the
case does not include any artificial creation. It refers to
how the components of the earth including the living
species, weather, climate and the ecosystem is
interacting with each other, which in turn affects the
economic and social activities.
It can be divided into two parts:
Natural resources: Unit that does not originate or
include any human action and is a physical existence
of the earth, for instance: air, water, climate, energy,
radiation, magnetic or electric charge
Ecological unit: Unit that exist as natural system and
does not include the interventional of humans, for
instance: vegetation, micro-organisms, soil, rocks,
atmosphere and all other natural phenomenon.
Types of Natural Resources
Natural resources (based on origin):
• Biotic (obtained from living organic material
like forest, animals, fossil fuel)
• Abiotic (Obtained from non-living, non-
organic materials like water, air, land metal
ores)
Natural resources (based on rate of recovery):
• Renewable (that can be replenished naturally
like air, wind and water)
• Non-renewable (e.g. fossil fuel)
• Environmental Geography- study that describes the spatial aspects of interactions between
humans and the natural world
• Geomorphology- study of the physical features of the surface of the earth and their relation
to its geological structures
• Hydrology- study of the properties of the earth's water, and especially its movement in
relation to land.
• Glaciology- study of glaciers, or more generally ice and natural phenomena that involve ice.
• Biogeography- study of distribution of species and ecosystems in geographic space and
through geological time
• Climatology- the scientific study of climate.
• Meteorology- study of the atmosphere that focuses on weather processes and forecasting
• Oceanography- study of the physical, chemical, and biological features of the ocean, including
its history, current condition
Branches of • Geomatics- the branch of science that deals with the collection, analysis, and interpretation of
data relating to the earth's surface.
Physical • Palaeogeography- study of historical geography, generally physical landscapes, studying
human or cultural environments.
• Soil geography- actors that influence soil formation and the most general laws of
Geography the geographic distribution of soils and types of soil structure
• Coastal Geography- study of the constantly changing region between the ocean and the land,
incorporating both the physical geography (i.e. coastal geomorphology, geology and
oceanography) and the human geography (sociology and history) of the coast
• Landscape ecology- study of the relationships between ecological processes in the
environment and particular ecosystems. This is done within a variety of landscape scales,
development spatial patterns, and organizational levels of research and policy
What is Physical
Geography?
• Physical geography is one of the
two main branches of geography
which is also known as
physiography or geosystems
• Physical geography related to
the study of patterns and
processes in the natural
environment, which mainly
includes:
• Atmosphere
• Hydrosphere
• Biosphere
• Geosphere
People
• Eratosthenes (276 – 194 BC, in picture above) who
invented the discipline of geography. He made the first
known reliable estimation of the Earth's size. He is
considered the father of mathematical geography
and geodesy, which is the Earth science of accurately
measuring and understanding Earth's geometric shape,
orientation in space and gravitational field.
• Ptolemy (c. 90 – c. 168), who compiled Greek and Roman
knowledge to produce the book Geographia.
• Muhammad al-Idrisi (c. 1100 – c. 1165), who drew
the Tabula Rogeriana, the most accurate world map in pre-
modern times
• Alexander von Humboldt (1769–1859, in picture below),
considered the father of modern geography.
Published Cosmos and founded the study of biogeography.
Natural
Environment
____________
Branches of
Physical
Geography
Environmental
Geography
Definition, importance, scope
Environmental Geography
• In order to understand physical geography, it is very important to
understand the background of environmental science;
• Environmental science encompasses sections that include the spatial
and temporal dimensions of geography;
• Science-based environmental understanding is critical in today’s
world hence, it is essential to know how geography is scoped under
information systems;
• Concepts of Geographic Information System (GIS): definition,
components, functions, data, and applications.
What is Environmental
Science?
• Environmental science is a multi-
disciplinary area of study that includes
both applied and theoretical aspects of
human impact on the world.
• Since humans are generally organized
into groups, environmental science
must deal with the areas of politics,
social organization, economics, ethics,
and philosophy.
• Thus, environmental science is a
mixture of branches of pure sciences,
societal values, and political
awareness.
Importance of
Environmental Science
• We depend on our environment to
sustain and improve our quality of life.
• Helps us understand the viewpoints of
economical, political and personal stakes
in environmental issues and solutions.
• Helps us understand humanity’s impacts
on the environment in order to build a
sustainable world.
• Nature’s high intrinsic value.
• To clarify modern environmental concept like • To know the interrelationship between
how to conserve biodiversity organisms in populations and communities
Scope of • To know the more sustainable way of living • To aware and educate people regarding
environmental issues and problems at local,
Environmental Studies •
•
To use natural resources more efficiently
To know the behavior of organism under
national and international levels
natural conditions
Composition of the Earth
(1) Inner core;
(2) Outer core;
(3) Lower mantle;
(4) Upper mantle;
(5) Lithosphere;
(6) Crust (continental and
oceanic)
What is the
Atmosphere?
The atmosphere of Earth is a layer of
gases surrounding the planet Earth
that is retained by Earth's gravity. The
atmosphere protects life on Earth by
absorbing ultraviolet solar radiation,
warming the surface through heat
retention (greenhouse effect), and
reducing temperature extremes
between day and night (the diurnal
temperature variation).
Outside
the Earth
Atmosphere
Layers of Earth’s Atmosphere
• Earth's atmosphere has a
series of layers, each with its
own specific traits.
• Moving upward from ground
level, these layers are named
the troposphere, stratosphere,
mesosphere, thermosphere
and exosphere.
• The exosphere gradually fades
away into the realm of
interplanetary space.
Troposphere
• This is the lowest layer of our atmosphere. Starting at
ground level, it extends upward to about 10 km (6.2 miles
or about 33,000 feet) above sea level.
• We humans live in the troposphere, and nearly all weather
occurs in this lowest layer.
• Most clouds appear here, mainly because 99% of the water
vapor in the atmosphere is found in the troposphere.
• Air pressure drops, and temperatures get colder, as you
climb higher in the troposphere.
Stratosphere
• The next layer up is called the stratosphere. It extends from the top of
the troposphere to about 50 km (31 miles) above the ground. The
infamous ozone layer is found within the stratosphere.
• Ozone molecules in this layer absorb high-energy ultraviolet (UV) light
from the Sun, converting the UV energy into heat. Unlike the
troposphere, the stratosphere actually gets warmer the higher we.
• That trend of rising temperatures with altitude means that air in the
stratosphere lacks the turbulence and updrafts of the troposphere
beneath. Commercial passenger jets fly in the lower stratosphere,
partly because this less-turbulent layer provides a smoother ride. The
jet stream flows near the border between the troposphere and the
stratosphere.
Mesosphere
• Above the stratosphere is the mesosphere.
• It extends upward to a height of about 85 km (53 miles) above our
planet. Most meteors burn up in the mesosphere. Unlike the
stratosphere, temperatures once again grow colder as you rise up
through the mesosphere.
• The coldest temperatures in Earth's atmosphere, about -90° C (-
130° F), are found near the top of this layer. The air in the
mesosphere is far too thin to breathe; air pressure at the bottom
of the layer is well below 1% of the pressure at sea level, and
continues dropping as we go higher.
Thermosphere
• The layer of very rare air above the mesosphere is
called the thermosphere.
• High-energy X-rays and UV radiation from the Sun
are absorbed in the thermosphere, raising its
temperature to hundreds or at times thousands of
degrees.
• However, the air in this layer is so thin that it
would feel freezing cold to us! In many ways, the
thermosphere is more like outer space than a part
of the atmosphere. Many satellites actually orbit
Earth within the thermosphere.
Types of ecosystem
There are two types of
ecosystem:
• Natural
• Aquatic
• Terrestrial
• Artificial
Types of Aquatic Ecosystem
Freshwater ecosystem
- Standing water (e.g. lakes and ponds)
- Moving water (e.g. rivers and streams)
Transitional Communities
- Estuaries
- Wetlands (e.g. swamps and marshes)
Marine Ecosystem
- Shorelines, barrier islands
- Coral reefs, open ocean
Types of Terrestrial Ecosystem
Ecological Units
Built Environment
Social
Environment
Types of individual capital
There are 5 types of capital:
• Natural
• Human
• Financial
• Physical
• Social
Total economic value: Use and non-use
Linkages between ecosystem services and human well-being (the list is non-exhaustive)
Major Environmental Issues
Pollution
Ocean Acidification
Global Warming & Climate Change Ozone Layer Depletion
Overpopulation Acid Rain
Natural Resource Depletion Water Pollution
Waste Disposal Public Health Issues
Loss of Biodiversity Genetic Engineering
Deforestation Food Safety
How is the Environment Affected
Environment is affected generally in three ways:
Human activity: Performing any action which is not suitable
for the environment can led a change of environment.
Biological process: Change in types of plants of any area can
led the change in types of habitants and the ecology of
that area.
Physical factor: Greater and lesser rainfall change hydrology
and soil condition also change animal and plant life.
Sustainability and Carrying
Capacity
Sustainable Development
World's standard definition of environmental sustainability is
sustainable development
• The Brundtland Commission of the United Nations on March 20,
1987:
“sustainable development is development that meets the needs of
the present without compromising the ability of future generations
to meet their own needs.”
Carrying Capacity
It is generally defined as
the maximum number
of individuals of a
species that can be
sustained by an
environment with out
decreasing the capacity
of the environment to
sustain that same
number in the future.
Values for Environment
• The utilitarian or instrumental justification sees some
aspects of the environment as valuable because it benefits
individuals economically or is directly necessary to human
survival. E.g. mangrove swamps provide shrimp
• The ecological or intrinsic justification is that an
ecosystem is necessary for the survival of some species of
interest to us, or that the system itself provides some
benefit. (e.g. mangrove swamps provide habitat for marine
fish.)
Values for Environment
• Aesthetic justification has to do with appreciation of the
beauty of nature. (e.g. many people find wilderness
scenery beautiful and would rather live in a world with
wilderness than without it).
• Nature is an aid to human creativity/inspiration
(creative/inspiration justification).
• Moral justification has to do with the belief that various
aspects of the environment have a right to exist and that is
our moral obligation to allow them to continue or help
them to persist.
Ecological Footprint
• Ecological Footprint is a measure of
human demand on the Earth's
ecosystems.
• It is the impact of a person or
community on the environment,
expressed as the amount of land
required to sustain their use of natural
resources.
• It compares human demand with planet
Earth's ecological capacity to
regenerate.
• It represents the amount of biologically
productive land and sea area needed to
regenerate the resources a human
population consumes and to absorb and
render harmless the corresponding
waste.
Assignment 1: Deadline 21 July 2020
1. Define the structure of the earth
2. Explain the following phenomenon with images, tables, features:
• Earthquakes
• Tsunamis
• Volcanoes
3. Page 28 questions 1, 2, 4
Please complete the handwritten assignment and return as PDF via
Google Classroom by 21st July 2020.
