5 Themes of Geography

Location

Absolute vs Relative Location

Absolute location is the exact place on Earth
* Usually provided in terms of latitude and longitude
Relative location is a description of a place relative to other places
* Uses terms like north, south, east, and west
Latitude
* Grid systems and measurements have been used to help explorers travel seas and deserts
* These are imaginary lines that cross parallel to the equator and measure north and south
Longitude
* Longitude lines are imaginary lines that cross Earth’s surface north to south and measure how far east or west of the prime meridian a place is
Before GPS, map coordinates were used to find locations
Instruments like a compass show relative location
Latitude, longitude, and the equator provide absolute location
Today, people use GPS to find their way
* GPS can provide both absolute and relative location

Place and Region

There are 3 types of regions that can describe a place
  * Formal regions or uniform regions are defined by a physical description, cities, and states
    * These regions share similar physical characteristics like a mountain range
  * Functional regions are important to communities and can be defined in different ways like airports
  * Perceptual regions or vernacular regions are defined by people’s feelings and can change over time like sports teams

Formal and Functional Regions

Formal regions can create cities, states, and even political boundaries
Countries and counties can create regions and communities by using formal regions
A formal region is defined by physical characteristics or properties like a city or state
Functional regions are important because they allow specific areas to be organized and serve important purposes
They also promote the study of cultures and the functions of communities
Examples would be colleges or universities
Functional regions are defined by a specific activity, connections, or interactions
They are specific to one area

Perceptual Regions and Place

Perceptual regions can be based on the general public’s feelings, attitudes, or perceptions
  * The South would be an example of this
  * These regions and their perceptions can change over time
  * Movies, music, art, and even travel can change these perceptions
A place is a particular point that can change and move
* A school is an example of this

Uniform and Vernacular Regions and Location

Uniform region is another name for a formal region
These regions share at least one distinct characteristic with each other
An example would be the Rocky Mountains
Vernacular region is another name for a perceptual region
People in these regions feel connected through a common identity or interests
An example would be sports teams
Location is a specific position and always stays the same
Maps will identify smaller locations within a large area like Huntsville, Alabama

Human-Environment Interaction

Human-environment interaction investigates:
  * the relationship between humans and the environment around them
  * explores how humans can adapt to the environment and how they transform or change it
  * looks at ecosystems and how they are affected by humans

Biomes

Biomes are used to describe sections of ecosystems
categorized very generally and organized by the types of animals and plants that live in them
Examples of Biomes
  * Tundra
  * Reefs
  * Forests
  * Freshwater
  * Desert
  * Savanna

Examples of Biomes

Tundra - Coldest and largest biome, covers over 1/5 of land on Earth, is in the arctic circle, long winters and little rain, very little plant life and few animals like polar bears, humans are starting to go there, permafrost that preserves plants and animals for long periods of time
Reef - Usually found in clear, tropical oceans, has bright, beautiful fish, Great Barrier Reef is the largest in the world covering 1200 miles, main source of energy is Sun, but plants and animals provide energy through the food chain, capable of removing and recycling carbon dioxide from the surrounding area
Forests - cover vast areas in Europe, Canada, China, Japan, eastern US, and parts of Russia, 4 changing seasons in temperate forests, leave change each year with the seasons, black bears live here, provide food, timber, and oxygen
Freshwater - includes lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams, plants and algae provide oxygen, lot of animals like birds, fish, and insects, provide water for drinking, recreational activities, energy, and transportation
Desert - also covers 1/5 of Earth’s surface, not always extremely hot, there are also cold deserts, weather can be different, plants don’t do well except for cactus, good tourist attractions for hiking
Savanna - mostly grassy plains with few trees, found in Africa, Australia, South America, and India, animals like elephants, zebras, and giraffes

Movement

Movement is an important piece to understanding how the world develops and how ideas can spread
It is defined as the way people, products, or ideas can move from one location to another
It can be on a worldwide scale to describe how trade and products can move globally, or how people get to work or school locally
3 important sections of movement:
  * Movement of People - immigration is a big part of movement as people move from place to place bringing their ideas and cultures with them
  * Movement of Goods - trade is a very important part of movement as people trade goods from all around the world
  * Movement of Ideas - with people and goods moving throughout the world, so do ideas and these help people connect

Distance

3 important terms that help describe distance and its connection with movement
Linear distance, time distance, and psychological distance are all ways to help understand how people, products, and ideas move throughout the world

Linear distance - how far an idea, person, or product travels throughout the world

Can be measured in feet, yards, or miles
Like how far fruit had to go to be at the store
Time distance - the amount of time it takes an idea, person, or product to travel throughout the world
* Can be measured in seconds, minutes, hours, days, months, or years
* How many days it would take a ship to cross the ocean
Psychological distance - how people view distance
* Measured by sight or internal ideas
* Setting a goal for yourself and thinking about how you’ll get there