| dc.description.abstract | Geography is the study of the physical and human phenomena on the earth. The central concern of the
discipline is to describe the patterns of the spatial distribution of these phenomena and to seek an
explanation, or to study the reasons behind the occurrence of such patterns over time and space. These
phenomena are for example, volcanic and block mountains, climate, soils vegetation, animals, water
bodies (rivers, lakes, oceans,) land use systems, population distribution, urbanization, among other. By
patterns is meant how these various features are arranged over geographical space. Such space could
be the earth itself, the biosphere (the biologically inhabited part of the earth), the continents,
geographical regions and countries.
Geographers recognize the fact that differences exist in the way in which these physical and human
features are distributed over the earth. These differences can be studied and understood within the
context of the changes that have occurred over time. The time-frame for such changes can be in terms
of geological epochs or periods spanning over millions of years, or it can be in terms of hundred, or
tens of years. Changes also occur over much shorter periods of time such as over a year, a season, or
even a day, and these too are of interest to the geographer.
Differences that occur in the way in which geographical phenomena are distributed over space or over
geographical areas should be explained. The spatial level of these areas can range from macro levels
such as the planet earth, the continents, regions and sub-regions, right down to the micro level of
ecological habitat, site and ecologic niche. For example savanna grassland, a desert, a forest along a
river or a forested mountain can all be described as ecological habitats. Within such habitats are found
smaller units or areas, the sites or ecological niches, occupied by various species populations of plants
and animals. The term site usually describes the location of pants, while the term ecological niche
usually denotes the place occupied by given animal species populations within the habitat.
Geography therefore explores the reasons behind the existence and distribution of all these features in
different areas during different times.
Another aspect that concerns the geographer is the examination and analysis of the relationships and
interactions that exist between various geographical phenomena. In other words, the study of
geography also incorporates an understanding of the cause-effect relationships between various factors.
For example if we regard vulcanicity as a cause, then as geographers we are interested in knowing its
effect on vegetation, on soils and indirectly on climate. We may also want to understand the effect of
soil erosion (as a cause) on land productivity, or the effect of altitudinal change on temperature, and so
on. Of course a given effect can be attributed to more than one cause. | en_US |
