Division of Geography into Specialties 1 PDF

**BATAAN PENINSULA STATE UNIVERSITY** **Dinalupihan Campus** **Handout in BSOS 0213 -- GEOGRAPHY 1** **Division of Geography into Specialties 1** The study of geography is so broad that the discipline is typically divided into specialties. At the broadest level, geography is divided into physica...

**BATAAN PENINSULA STATE UNIVERSITY** **Dinalupihan Campus** **Handout in BSOS 0213 -- GEOGRAPHY 1** **Division of Geography into Specialties 1** The study of geography is so broad that the discipline is typically divided into specialties. At the broadest level, geography is divided into physical geography, human geography, regional geography, and geographic techniques. **Physical Geography** The natural environment is the primary concern of physical geographers, although many physical geographers also look at how humans have altered natural systems. Physical geographers study Earth's seasons, climate, atmosphere, soil, streams, landforms, and oceans. Some disciplines within physical geography include geomorphology, glaciology, pedology, hydrology, climatology, biogeography, and oceanography. **Geomorphology** is the study of landforms and the processes that shape them. Geomorphologists investigate the nature and impact of wind, ice, rivers, erosion, earthquakes, volcanoes, living things, and other forces that shape and change the surface of Earth. **Glaciologists** focus on Earth's ice fields and their impact on the planet's climate. Glaciologists document the properties and distribution of glaciers and icebergs. Data collected by glaciologists has demonstrated the retreat of Arctic and Antarctic ice in the past century. **Pedologists** study soil and how it is created, changed, and classified. Soil studies are used by a variety of professions, from farmers analyzing field fertility to engineers investigating the suitability of different areas for building heavy structures. **Hydrology** is the study of Earth's water: its properties, distribution, and effects. Hydrologists are especially concerned with the movement of water as it cycles from the ocean to the atmosphere, then back to Earth's surface. Hydrologists study the water cycle through rainfall into streams, lakes, the soil, and underground aquifers. Hydrologists provide insights that are critical to building or removing dams, designing irrigation systems, monitoring water quality, tracking drought conditions, and predicting flood risk. **Climatologists** study Earth's climate system and its impact on Earth's surface. For example, climatologists make predictions about El Niño, a cyclical weather phenomenon of warm surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean. They analyze the dramatic worldwide climate changes caused by El Niño, such as flooding in Peru, drought in Australia, and, in the United States, the oddities of heavy Texas rains or an unseasonably warm Minnesota winter. **Biogeographers** study the impact of the environment on the distribution of plants and animals. For example, a biogeographer might document all the places in the world inhabited by a certain spider species, and what those places have in common. **Oceanography**, a related discipline of physical geography, focuses on the creatures and environments of the world's oceans. Observation of ocean tides and currents constituted some of the first oceanographic investigations. For example, 18th-century mariners figured out the geography of the Gulf Stream, a massive current flowing like a river through the Atlantic Ocean. The discovery and tracking of the Gulf Stream helped communications and travel between Europe and the Americas. Today, oceanographers conduct research on the impacts of water pollution, track tsunamis, design offshore oil rigs, investigate underwater eruptions of lava, and study all types of marine organisms from toxic algae to friendly dolphins. **Human Geography** **Human geography** **is the study of human activities and their impact on the environment**. **It is concerned with the distribution and networks of people and cultures on earth's surface.** For some geographers, it is the study of spatial organization of human activities. Basically, it is related to the social, cultural, economic and political aspects of human life. **Human geography is concerned with the distribution and networks of people and cultures on earth's surface.** A human geographer might investigate the local, regional, and global impact of rising economic powers China and India, which represent 37 percent of the world's people. They also might look at how consumers in China and India adjust to new technology and markets, and how markets respond to such a huge consumer base. **Human geographers also study how people use and alter their environments**. When, for example, people allow their animals to overgraze a region, the soil erodes and grassland is transformed into desert. The impact of overgrazing on the landscape as well as agricultural production is an area of study for human geographers. Finally, human geographers study how political, social, and economic systems are organized across geographical space. These include governments, religious organizations, and trade partnerships. The boundaries of these groups constantly change. The field of study of human geography is very wide. It covers a wide range of topics related to human behavior, culture and the environment. Human geography can be divided into several branches, each of which focuses on a specific aspect of human interaction with the environment. **Branches of Human Geography** **Cultural geography** deals with the cultural aspects of human life. It includes the spatial distribution of cultures. It studies the cultural practices, customs, traditions and beliefs that shape the human behavior. Cultural differences are also studied under this branch. Under the various elements like language, art, music, religion and social organization, through which humans try to create their cultural identity are also studied. **Economic geography** deals with the study of economic activities of human beings, their spatial distribution and their impact on the natural environment. This branch of human geography also studies various factors such as natural resources, technology, transportation and government policies, that affect economic activity. It also studies the production, distribution and consumption of goods and services and their impact on the economy of the region or country. **Political geography** is the study of the relationship between politics and geography. It deals with the study of political systems and their spatial distribution. It includes the methods by which political boundaries are drawn. This branch of human geography also studies the methods by which political power is distributed. It also studies how political power is used to shape social, economic and environmental outcomes. **Urban geography** is concerned with the study of towns or cities and their spatial distribution. It studies the process of urbanization (formation of cities) and the way they function. It also studies the impact of urbanization on human activities and environment. It also studies the social, economic and environmental consequences of urbanization. **Historical geography** is the study of human activities in the past and its impact on the present. Historical geography is concerned with the development and change in various societies and cultures over time. It studies the facts or elements due to which historical events and processes have shaped the human environment. **Population geography** deals with the study of population distribution, density and patterns of migration. It studies the effects of population growth and decline, on human activities and the environment. This branch also studies the ways in which demographical changes lead to social, economic, and environmental consequences. **Environmental geography** deals with the study of the relationship between man human beings and the natural environment. It studies the effects of human activities on the environment. It also studies the impact of the natural environment on human activities and human behavior. This branch also studies the social, economic, and cultural impact of environmental change. **Social geography** focuses on the study of social and cultural aspects of human life and their spatial patterns. It includes the study of social identity, gender and class. It also studies the social and cultural factors that give meaning to a place and landscape. It also focuses on the study of the impact of globalization on the social and cultural landscape of cities and regions. **Behavioral geography** is the study of human behavior and its relationship with the natural environment. This branch draws insights from psychology, sociology and anthropology. How humans interact with their environment and how these interactions shape their behavior and experiences is the subject matter of this branch. **Medical geography** is the study of the spatial distribution of diseases and health facilities. It studies the patterns of health and disease. It also studies the influence of social, economic and environmental factors on health outcomes, including the availability and accessibility of health services. It incorporates and integrates perspectives drawn from regional geography, epidemiology and other related disciplines.