7 Key Concepts of Geography

• "Geo" means Earth
• "Graphy" means writing, recording, and describing

Geography

• Geographers study the relationships between people and the natural environment
• Geographers study the earth by observing and recording
• There are 7 key concepts in geography

7 Key Concepts

• Space, place, interconnection, change, environment, scale, and sustainability

Space

• Space is about the way things are arranged on the Earth's surface
• 3 Components of space: location, spatial distribution (shapes and patterns), and organization

Place

• A place is any part of the Earth's surface identified and given meaning by people.
• Place varies in size and can be natural or built
• Places, whether natural (unchanged by humans) or built (constructed by humans), determine relationships

Interconnection

• All environments and every living and non-living thing are connected
• All natural processes link places and people
• Human activities such as the movement of people, link places and people

Change

• Change can occur from natural events and humans

Environment

• The environment emphasizes humans' importance and their interrelationships with it
• The environment includes natural and human surroundings, including land, water, air, and living things

Scale

• Scale examines geographical phenomena at different spatial levels
• Scale is the size or level at which geography is studied, whether local, national, or global

Sustainability

• A sustainable approach ensures the ongoing capacity of the Earth to maintain all life
• Meeting the needs of the present without harming future generations' ability to meet their needs
• Sustainability means meeting current needs while preserving the ability of future generations to meet their own needs

Spheres

• There are 4 spheres make up living and non living parts of the planet and allow life to thrive
• The Earth has different parts, existing as a complex system of rocks, water, air, and life
• The 4 spheres are the lithosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere

Lithosphere

• The lithosphere makes up Earth's crust and the rocks and minerals that make up its surface, also referred to as the geosphere
• The lithosphere's depth spans 65km and includes Earth's upper mantle and crust

Hydrosphere

• The hydrosphere encompasses all waters on Earth's surface, including lakes, rivers, and seas
• The hydrosphere includes water over the Earth's surface in solid, liquid, and gaseous forms

Atmosphere

• The atmosphere is composed of gases that surround the Earth in various layers
• The atmosphere extends less than 1 meter below the Earth's surface to more than 100km above it

Biosphere

• The biosphere encompasses all living organisms on Earth, including life and all the ecosystems

Biomes

• A biome is a large area of land with similar climate, landscape, plants and animals

Examples of Biomes

• Grassland biomes have open regions with warm, dry climate and are dominated by grass
• Tundra biomes have cold and flat regions with poor soil nutrients and short plants like moss and lichens
• Temperate forest biomes are in temperate regions with broad-leafed trees which lose their leaves in the winter
• Rainforest biomes are a major ecological community type
• Desert biomes are a major ecological community type

Characteristics of biomes

• Biomes are defined by vegetation (types of plants), wildlife (types of animals), climate (temperature range), and soil (fertility and type)

Tundra

• Tundra biomes are cold, flat, and have poor soil nutrients
• The tundra is roughly 10,000 years old and has no trees
• Animals in the tundra: mammals, birds, insects and fish
• Tundra biomes are found in the Arctic, North America, Europe and Siberia

Rainforest

• Rainforests are located between the 2 tropics between 10N and 10S of the Equator
• The temperature stays near 28C throughout the year and it rains frequently all year

Rainforest Layers

• Rainforests have layers: emergent layer, canopy layer, understory layer, and forest floor
• Most animals create homes in the under canopy
• Climate change is altering rainforests because as the temperature rises the soil is degraded, decreasing biodiversity and leading to a reduction in food production
• Urbanization damages the rainforest ecosystem directly by damaging parts of its environment for the expansion of human activity

Rainforest value

• Rainforest medicine provides resources for healthcare
• Rainforests provide homes for many different animals and can decrease the speed of climate change

Impacts of Biomes

Precipitation and Biomes

• Determine the biome type: directly influencing soil moisture, plant growth, and water availability for animals
• Higher precipitation results in dense vegetation and lower precipitation leads to sparse vegetation.

Biome Examples

• Desert biomes receive very little precipitation and have dry arid conditions with limited plant life
• Tropical rainforest biomes have high amounts of precipitation, which supports lush, dense vegetation

Altitude

• Altitude influences temperature, oxygen levels and precipitation

Tundra altitude

• Tundra biomes are found at high altitudes, such as in the Alphine tundra and on mountain ranges
• Due to cold temperatures, strong winds, and low oxygen levels, vegetation is limited
• Animals in this biome, such as mountain goats and snow leopards, have adapted to survive in harsh, oxygen poor conditions

Anthropogenic Biome

• An anthropogenic biome called a human altered biome
• Anthropogenic biomes are significantly shaped by human activities such as agriculture, urbanization, and deforestation