GEO 130 Earth’s Physical Environments. Introduction to Physical Geography Define physical...

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GEO 130 Earth’s Physical Environments

Transcript of GEO 130 Earth’s Physical Environments. Introduction to Physical Geography Define physical...

Page 1: GEO 130 Earth’s Physical Environments. Introduction to Physical Geography Define physical geography Explain how we study physical geography List several.

GEO 130 Earth’s Physical Environments

Page 2: GEO 130 Earth’s Physical Environments. Introduction to Physical Geography Define physical geography Explain how we study physical geography List several.

Introduction to Physical Geography

• Define physical geography

• Explain how we study physical geography

• List several types of models

• Describe and define models

• List the factors that complicate the study of pattern and process and provide examples

• Give examples of how scale influence the perception of pattern and process

• Explain how contingent historic events complicate the interpretation of pattern and process

• Explain the difference between non-linear and linear change

• Explain why models are limited in describing patterns in the environment

• Define and give examples of positive and negative feedback

• Define/explain: steady state, dynamic equilibrium, phase shifts, and transient states

Page 3: GEO 130 Earth’s Physical Environments. Introduction to Physical Geography Define physical geography Explain how we study physical geography List several.

What is Physical Geography?

• Integrated study of three subdisciplines– Climatology– Biogeography– Geomorphology

Page 4: GEO 130 Earth’s Physical Environments. Introduction to Physical Geography Define physical geography Explain how we study physical geography List several.

What is Physical Geography?

• Includes the role of humans and their influence on natural processes

Page 5: GEO 130 Earth’s Physical Environments. Introduction to Physical Geography Define physical geography Explain how we study physical geography List several.

Why study physical geography?

• The natural world is as complex as the human world– Consider these facets

of the Earth’s surface• Its extent (size) and

resolution (detail)• History and time since

origin (4.5 billion years)

Page 6: GEO 130 Earth’s Physical Environments. Introduction to Physical Geography Define physical geography Explain how we study physical geography List several.

Why study physical geography?

• To understand human-environment interaction, you need to understand how the non-human world works.

Page 7: GEO 130 Earth’s Physical Environments. Introduction to Physical Geography Define physical geography Explain how we study physical geography List several.

How do we do physical geography?

• We document pattern and process

Page 8: GEO 130 Earth’s Physical Environments. Introduction to Physical Geography Define physical geography Explain how we study physical geography List several.
Page 9: GEO 130 Earth’s Physical Environments. Introduction to Physical Geography Define physical geography Explain how we study physical geography List several.
Page 10: GEO 130 Earth’s Physical Environments. Introduction to Physical Geography Define physical geography Explain how we study physical geography List several.
Page 11: GEO 130 Earth’s Physical Environments. Introduction to Physical Geography Define physical geography Explain how we study physical geography List several.

We use models to study pattern and process

• Models are a simplified, often idealized representation of reality. – Intent of a model is to recreate patterns by

capturing the underlying explanatory processes

– Your role is to learn models, recognize they are idealized, and try to identify why they are incomplete.

Page 12: GEO 130 Earth’s Physical Environments. Introduction to Physical Geography Define physical geography Explain how we study physical geography List several.

What are the types of models?

• Graphical conceptual models

Page 13: GEO 130 Earth’s Physical Environments. Introduction to Physical Geography Define physical geography Explain how we study physical geography List several.

Types of models

• Maps

Page 14: GEO 130 Earth’s Physical Environments. Introduction to Physical Geography Define physical geography Explain how we study physical geography List several.

Types of models

• Data visualizations and simulations– Mathematical in

essence, but enhanced through computational power of the computer.

Page 15: GEO 130 Earth’s Physical Environments. Introduction to Physical Geography Define physical geography Explain how we study physical geography List several.

Types of models

• Dynamical models – Use field-derived

conditions to model the behavior of a phenomena

– Can be used to predict or forecast the future

Page 16: GEO 130 Earth’s Physical Environments. Introduction to Physical Geography Define physical geography Explain how we study physical geography List several.

http://moe.met.fsu.edu/tcgengifs/

Page 17: GEO 130 Earth’s Physical Environments. Introduction to Physical Geography Define physical geography Explain how we study physical geography List several.

Types of models

• Dynamical models can also be used to hindcast the past and study events that have already happened

Page 18: GEO 130 Earth’s Physical Environments. Introduction to Physical Geography Define physical geography Explain how we study physical geography List several.

Types of models

• Statistical models– Use the record of the past to predict the future

Page 19: GEO 130 Earth’s Physical Environments. Introduction to Physical Geography Define physical geography Explain how we study physical geography List several.

What complicates the study of pattern-process?

Page 20: GEO 130 Earth’s Physical Environments. Introduction to Physical Geography Define physical geography Explain how we study physical geography List several.

1. Multiple driving variables

• Driving variables are most directly responsible for the observed patterns.

• They have to be identified, but are not always readily apparent or easily separated from each other

Page 21: GEO 130 Earth’s Physical Environments. Introduction to Physical Geography Define physical geography Explain how we study physical geography List several.

Proximate and ultimate causation

• A proximate cause is an event which is closest, or immediately responsible, for causing some observed result.

• This exists in contrast to a higher-level ultimate cause which is usually thought of as the "real" reason something occurred.

Page 22: GEO 130 Earth’s Physical Environments. Introduction to Physical Geography Define physical geography Explain how we study physical geography List several.

Why did the ship hit the rock?

• Proximate cause: Because the ship failed to change course to avoid it.

• Ultimate cause: Because the ship was under autopilot and the autopilot received bad data from the GPS.

• Separating proximate from ultimate causations frequently leads to better understandings of multiple driving variables

Page 23: GEO 130 Earth’s Physical Environments. Introduction to Physical Geography Define physical geography Explain how we study physical geography List several.

2. Contingent events

• What contingencies complicate the prediction of wildfires?

Page 24: GEO 130 Earth’s Physical Environments. Introduction to Physical Geography Define physical geography Explain how we study physical geography List several.

3. Feedbacks

• Feedbacks make prediction of the outcome of interactions difficult– Positive feedback: externally generated

change is reinforced– Negative feedback: externally generated

change is minimized

Page 25: GEO 130 Earth’s Physical Environments. Introduction to Physical Geography Define physical geography Explain how we study physical geography List several.

Example of positive and negative feedbacks associated with global

warming

Page 26: GEO 130 Earth’s Physical Environments. Introduction to Physical Geography Define physical geography Explain how we study physical geography List several.
Page 27: GEO 130 Earth’s Physical Environments. Introduction to Physical Geography Define physical geography Explain how we study physical geography List several.

4. Spatial and temporal scale

• Scale determines how we understand pattern and process

• Example: controls on temperature: what makes it warm or cold?

Page 28: GEO 130 Earth’s Physical Environments. Introduction to Physical Geography Define physical geography Explain how we study physical geography List several.

Answer depends upon temporal and spatial scale

• Cloud cover and humidity (minutes to hours)

• Diurnal (day-night) cycles

• Seasonal cycles (1 year)

• Cyclical fluctuations due to sunspots (10-50 years)

• Anthropogenic contribution of greenhouse gases (10-100 years)

• Milankovitch orbital cycles (10,000 yrs)

Page 30: GEO 130 Earth’s Physical Environments. Introduction to Physical Geography Define physical geography Explain how we study physical geography List several.

5. Thresholds and time lags

• Melting of ice sheets and glaciers

Page 31: GEO 130 Earth’s Physical Environments. Introduction to Physical Geography Define physical geography Explain how we study physical geography List several.
Page 32: GEO 130 Earth’s Physical Environments. Introduction to Physical Geography Define physical geography Explain how we study physical geography List several.

6. Teleconnections

Page 33: GEO 130 Earth’s Physical Environments. Introduction to Physical Geography Define physical geography Explain how we study physical geography List several.
Page 34: GEO 130 Earth’s Physical Environments. Introduction to Physical Geography Define physical geography Explain how we study physical geography List several.

7. The earth is constantly changing

• Earth is an open system• Change is the norm• Change itself, however, has different types

– Steady state equilibrium– Dynamic equilibrium– Phase shift once tipping point

(threshold) is reached– Transitional states

Page 35: GEO 130 Earth’s Physical Environments. Introduction to Physical Geography Define physical geography Explain how we study physical geography List several.

Steady state equilibrium

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Dynamic equilibrium

Page 37: GEO 130 Earth’s Physical Environments. Introduction to Physical Geography Define physical geography Explain how we study physical geography List several.
Page 38: GEO 130 Earth’s Physical Environments. Introduction to Physical Geography Define physical geography Explain how we study physical geography List several.

Phase shifts• Systems may shift to another state once a threshold is reached• Can be natural or caused by humans

Page 39: GEO 130 Earth’s Physical Environments. Introduction to Physical Geography Define physical geography Explain how we study physical geography List several.
Page 40: GEO 130 Earth’s Physical Environments. Introduction to Physical Geography Define physical geography Explain how we study physical geography List several.

No analog states

Page 41: GEO 130 Earth’s Physical Environments. Introduction to Physical Geography Define physical geography Explain how we study physical geography List several.

Transitory states

• Systems do not settle down to any dynamical equilibrium.