Nature and Society Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards covering human-environment interaction theories, natural resources, land use, and spatial scale analysis.

Sustainability

Meeting an increased demand for resources (energy, food, fuel) in a way that protects the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Natural resources

Something found in nature that is necessary or useful to humans, such as a forest, mineral deposit, or water.

Land use

The function of land, such as agricultural, commercial, residential, transportation, or recreation.

Environmental determinism

The theory that a society is formed and determined by the physical environment, especially the climate, which predisposes societies towards particular development and controls human society development.

Possibilism

The theory that the environment sets certain constraints or limitations, but people use their creativity to decide how to respond to the conditions of a particular natural environment.

Spatial scale

Analyzing data at a variety of scales (global, regional, national, local), which reveals variations or different interpretations of data.