GES 101 Environmental Systems: Landforms and Soils

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GES 101 Environmental Systems Landforms and
Soils 

• Brandon Vogt
• bvogt_at_uccs.edu

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today

• me
• you
• what is geography?
• what is physical geography?
• what are the tools of geographers?
• what are we doing in this class?
• fill out survey

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me
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my passion for geography
sandstone mountains weather clouds
photography travel web design curiosity
teaching enthusiasm adventure geography
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you

• name
• major
• where from
• favorite food
• favorite band

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what is geography?

• Geography is the science of place and space. It
  is a spatial science that asks
• where things are located
• why they are located there
• how places differ from one another, and
• how people interact with their environment

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what is spatial?

• Part No. Quantity Description
• 102334 4 crank arms
• BIKE 102345 9 pedals
• PARTS 102098 3 headsets
• 223234 104 spokes
• --------------------------------------------------
  ---------------------------------------
• Date Address Type
• 4/06/06 1200 N Nash robbery
• CRIMES in 4/08/06 120 Ft Meyer assault
• ROSSLYN, VA 4/08/06 3400 Wilson burglary
• 4/10/06 1334 Rhodes assault

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two approaches to geography

• 1) Thematic Geography
• Human geography
• Physical geography
• 2) Regional Geography

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what is physical geography?

• Basic components
• Landforms
• Water
• Vegetation
• Climate
• Biogeography
• Soils
• Lithology/structure
• Weathering
• Erosion
• Meteorology
• Oceans
• Hydrology
• Astronomy
• Ecosystems
• Ecology

• Add humans to the mix
• Urbanization
• Deforestation
• Saltwater intrusion
• Global warming
• Dam building/removal
• Diversion of rivers
• Atmospheric pollution
• Evacuations
• Add natural hazards to the mix
• Earthquakes/tsunamis
• Volcanoes
• Coastal erosion
• Flooding
• Landslides, mudflows, rock falls
• Wildfires
• Wildlife management
• Hurricanes/Tornados

big ones
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what is physical geography?
1. Appalachian Mountain Range

• form
• process

2. Cascade Mountain Range
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what are tools of geographers?

• cartography
• geographicinformationsystems (GIS)
• remote sensing
• geovisualization

• observations
• interviews
• GPS receivers
• surveys
• cameras
• models

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what are we doing in this class?

• syllabus
• course web site
• - www.uccs.edu/bvogt/ges101
• complete survey
• for Thursday, read Chapter One