Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
palaeo-climatologists, palaeo-ecologists, and others to reconstruct
past environmental changes. In geo-archaeology, physical
geographers join with archaeologists to focus on the human past.
This fi eld, closely related to environmental archaeology, brings the
approaches, methods, and concepts of the natural environmental
sciences to bear on the interpretation of archaeological sites.
The physical geographer's contribution is particularly apparent
in understanding the 'natural site formation processes' (such as
erosion and deposition) and their interactions with the 'cultural
site formation processes' (such as site construction, usage, and
modifi cation).
Physical geographers also contribute to several emerging
interdisciplinary sciences related to human environmental
impacts and their future management, such as sustainability
science and Earth system science. The former focuses on the ways
and means of maintaining and enhancing the Earth's productive
functions in the face of destructive exploitation of resources;
the latter focuses on understanding the total Earth system
without necessarily understanding all the individual processes
and mechanisms. Physical geography contributes its spatial
perspective, its holistic tradition, and its concern with the human
dimension. It thereby makes an important input to the solution
of some of the big scientifi c questions and associated practical
problems facing humanity today.
How useful is physical geography?
Physical geography is most conspicuously useful in relation to
the many problems that people have to face in the environment.
Such problems occur at all scales and are illustrated here by
example. (Many more examples are given later in the topic.) First,
geomorphological mapping and terrain evaluation for planning
the route of major roads provides a good example of a specialist
application at the local scale. This involves mapping topographic
variations and substrate characteristics, including assessment of
drainage conditions and slope stability. A routeway with suitable
