APHG UNIT 1 VOCAB

Ecosystem

A territorially bounded system consisting of the interaction between humans and the environment.

Environmental Perception

The mental images that comprise humans' perception of nature; environmental perception may be accurate or inaccurate.

Nonrenewable Resources

Natural resources that are available on Earth in finite quantities and will eventually be used up.

Renewable Resources

Natural resources that Earth will naturally replenish over time.

Greenhouse Gasses

Compounds in the atmosphere from fossil-fuel combustion, such as carbon dioxide (CO2), that absorb and trap heat energy close to Earth's surface.

Greenhouse Effect

The global warming trend caused by rising levels of carbon dioxide (CO2).

Environmental Determinism

The belief that the physical environment is the dominant force shaping cultures and that humanity is a passive product of its physical surroundings.

Possibilism

The belief that any physical environment offers a number of possible ways for a society to develop and that humans can find ways to overcome environmental challenges.

Global Scale

Geographic scale that looks at geographic phenomena across the entire world.

Regional Scale Analysis

Geographic scale that identifies and analyzes geographic phenomena within a particular region.

National Scale Analysis

Geographic scale that identifies and analyzes geographic phenomena within a specific country.

Local Scale Analysis

Geographic scale that identifies and analyzes geographic phenomena within a state or province, a city or town, or neighborhood.

Glocal Perspective

Geographic perspective that acknowledges the two-way relationship between local communities and global patterns, emphasizing that the forces of globalization need to take into account local-scale cultural, economic, and environmental conditions.