PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY

Physical Geography

Physical Geography

Introduction

The physical geography is the branch of geography that studies systemically and spatial land surface as a whole and specifically the geographical area natural. Physical Geography - System Sciences, studying the structure, dynamics and functioning of the geographic shell and its structural parts - the environmental systems and their components, for purposes of scientific study spatial distribution of society, environmental management and geographic projection. Physical Geography is part of the geography and natural science (Craghan, 2011, p.3).

Technologies use in Geography

Physical geographer use advance technologies for research such as Geography information System. These advanced measurement technologies and information-processing capabilities are becoming more frequently used for gathering and processing data. As such, our planet is now being actively monitored by a number of satellites, each with an array of sensors for gathering information about the changing nature of Earth's atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and surface landscape. Furthermore, the vast amounts of data collected by these technologies no longer require sophisticated processing by supercomputers. Standard personal computers now suffice.

Importance of Physical Geography

Human population growth and a steady rise in resource consumption per capita have drastically increased the number of environmental problems in need of action. Some of the more important problems include global warming, acid deposition, stratospheric ozone depletion, ocean acidification, natural land cover loss, biodiversity reduction, the introduction of exotic species, and the alteration of biogeochemical cycles. As explained earlier in this discussion, physical geographers are well prepared academically to examine these serious problems facing our planet.

Physical geography has significance importance for gaining knowledge and understanding the environmental issues. If take as example the issue of global warming and its impact on the weather, it can be argued that, beyond considerations of whether it is the result of human actions or not, or beyond to take into account its social effects, there is an irreducible core of issues that refer to the order natural (what are the climatic changes, how does occur, how to affect other natural processes, and what measures may be taken to manage these changes?) and, as such, require the investigation of the principles and laws the natural order.

The study of natural hazards and that although the number of natural disasters has increased in recent years, yes it has increased the number of people they affect. It is an issue that also addresses the human geography.

Collaborations between physical geographers and individuals from other natural and social science disciplines are becoming more common. This trend is being driven by the fact that single disciplines do not have all the answers required to tackle current complex environmental problems. Complete investigation of these problems often requires an economic or sociological perspective to explain why human activities create environmental degradation. Furthermore, these problems can be rectified only through economic or societal changes. (Huggett, 2010, p.38).

Geographic Information System

A geographic information system (GIS) is an information system for organizing and presenting data alphanumeric spatially referenced, and to produce plans, and ...