Cities and Urban Land-Use Patterns and Processes

Flashcards covering Unit 6 of urban geography, including urbanization origins, city models, land-use patterns, and challenges of urban sustainability.

What is the difference between 'site' and 'situation' in urban geography?

Site refers to the characteristics at the immediate absolute location such as soil, climate, and structures, while situation refers to the location of a place relative to its surroundings and other places.

How do the site and situation of New Orleans differ?

The site of New Orleans is characterized by being below sea level and originally consisting of wetlands, while its situation is along the Mississippi River where it meets the Gulf of Mexico, making it a major trade hub.

What characterizes the 'Urban Hearths' that led to early city-states?

Urban hearths were characterized by agricultural surplus in river valleys, job specialization, and the development of political and social hierarchies.

What are the primary characteristics of a Central Business District (CBD)?

The CBD is the 'downtown' or oldest part of a city, serving as the city's node with a high concentration of public and business services and easy access to transportation like highways and rails.

According to Borchert's Epochs of Urban Growth, what characterized the 'Iron Horse' period (1830-1870)?

The Iron Horse period was defined by steam engines powering boats, the expansion of river cities, and regional rail networks connecting resources to industrial sites.

What is the population threshold for a city to be classified as a 'Megacity' versus a 'Metacity'?

A Megacity has a population of 10 million or more, while a Metacity has a population of 20 million or more.

What is a 'Megalopolis' and what is a primary example in the United States?

A Megalopolis is a chain of connected large cities; a major example is 'BosWash,' which extends from Boston to Washington DC.

How does the 'Gravity Model' predict interaction between two cities?

The Gravity Model suggests that places that are larger and closer together will have greater interaction than places that are smaller and farther away.

What define the 'Threshold' and 'Range' in Christaller’s Central Place Theory?

Threshold is the size of the population necessary for a service to remain profitable, while Range is the maximum distance people are willing to travel to obtain a specific good or service.

What is the 'Rank-Size Rule' regarding city distribution within a country?

The Rank-Size Rule states that the $n$-th largest city in a region will be approximately $rac{1}{n}$ the size of the largest city.

What defines a 'Primate City' and what is a potential disadvantage for the country?

A Primate City is more than twice as large as the next largest city and dominates the country's economy and politics; a disadvantage is the 'burden' on citizens outside the city to access services and a potential 'Brain Drain.'

Which urban model describes a city growing in a series of rings outward from the CBD?

The Concentric Zone Model, also known as the Burgess Model.

How does the 'Sector Model' (Hoyt Model) describe urban land use?

The Sector Model suggests that land use and housing grow outward from the CBD in sectors or 'wedges,' often following transportation corridors like rail lines or highways.

What is the main premise of the 'Multiple Nuclei Model' by Harris and Ullman?

The model suggests that functional land use occurs around multiple centers or nodes, such as airports or universities, which attract or repel specific activities.

What are the characteristics of the 'Galactic City Model'?

Based on Detroit, this model describes the outward spread of cities from the CBD to suburbs, leading to a declining inner city and the emergence of 'edge cities' along transportation routes.

What are the 'Disamenity Zones' in the Latin American City Model?

Disamenity zones, such as 'favelas' or 'barrios,' are the poorest parts of cities, often not connected to regular services and located on physically unsafe land.

What unique feature defines the Sub-Saharan African City Model?

The model features three CBDs: a traditional CBD, a colonial CBD, and a market zone.

In the Southeast Asian City Model (McGee Model), what is the focal point of the city?

The focal point is the 'Port Zone' because the cities are export-oriented and often lack a traditional CBD.

What is 'Filtering' in the context of urban residential patterns?

Filtering is the process where a neighborhood's value decreases over time, allowing lower-income families to move into older homes previously occupied by wealthier residents.

What is 'Redlining' and how does it affect urban decay?

Redlining is the process by which banks refuse loans to people wanting to purchase or improve properties in certain neighborhoods deemed 'risky,' which enforces the poverty cycle.

What is 'Inclusionary Zoning'?

Inclusionary Zoning refers to municipal ordinances that require a specific share of new construction to be affordable for people with low to moderate incomes.

What is 'Urban Infill'?

Urban Infill is the process of developing vacant or under-used parcels within existing urban areas that are already largely developed.

What defines a 'Food Desert' in an urban setting?

A Food Desert is an area that lacks access to fresh, healthy food options, often leaving residents with only fast food or convenience stores within walking distance.

What are 'Brownfields' and why are they difficult to redevelop?

Brownfields are abandoned and dilapidated former industrial sites that may have contaminated or polluted soil, making them expensive to remove or repair.

What is 'Gentrification' and what is one common criticism of it?

Gentrification is the process of wealthier residents moving into and renovating a neighborhood; a common criticism is that rising rents and property taxes force long-time, low-income residents to leave.