January 12, 2010

Lecture notes:

 

The plan… lecture for about a half hour.

Google Earth lab for about an hour.

 

By the end of this class session, you should understand:

• That geography is more than memorizing capitols and names of places, it is about the web of relationships among Earth systems.
• That systems have subsystems and Earth systems has 5 subsystems from a geographer’s perspective… the perspective of GEOG/ENVST3330. Memorize the 5, please: geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, biosphere, and anthrosphere.
• That energy drives Earths systems. Energy is the ability to do work.
• That a great idea of science is “the first law of thermodynamics” --  energy is neither created nor destroyed in a closed system, but it changes its form. Heat is a form of energy.  

 

AND … from the lab… you should be working with the work book, able to navigate around Google Earth, and getting downright dangerous with the joy stick as you sightsee globally.

 

FLY to an urban setting of interest to you.

The lecture…

Definitions and distinctions:

• Geography
• Earth systems / Earth system
• Urban environmental geography

What is Geography? from National Geographic:

"Geography is the science of space and place on Earth's surface. Its subject matter is the physical and human phenomena that make up the worlds environments and places. Geography asks us to look at the world as a whole, to understand connections between places, to recognize that the local affects the global and vice versa. The power and beauty of geography lies in seeing, understanding and appreciating the web of relationships among people, places and environments."

Geography concepts fundamental to Urban Environmental Geography
Webs of relationships. Interconnections.
Local affects global, and global affects local.
Physical affects urban, and urban affects physical.
Earth systems science one of several perspectives of urban geographers.

What is Earth systems / Earth system science from Ernst, ed., 2000: p. 12: "Earth systems science attempts to bring the relevant content of physical, biologic, and social science disciplines to bear in the context of the real, interdisciplinary problems of environment and development"

 So... Urban Environmental Geography...is an Earth systems approach to urban issues.

URBAN ENVIRONMENTAL GEOGRAPHY takes an Earth systems approach to urban issues: to paraphrase... Urban environmental geography ... attempts to bring the relevant content of physical, biologic, and social science disciplines to bear in the context of the real, interdisciplinary problems of urban development.

What is special about a system?  

HOUSE AS A SYSTEM… an analogy.

• Foundation
• Plumbing
• Heating and cooling
• Biologic activity… food, critters, procreation, life, death, population change
• Human activities (subset of biologic) Work activities

 

Inflow of energy and resources

Outgo of energy and resources

Cycling of constituents

 

Open systems versus closed systems.

Feedback loops:

negative feedback loops, act as brakes, stabilizing influences

positive feedback loops, act as accelerators, destabilizing influences

Small changes… larger changes

Global changes lead to local change

Local changes lead to global changes

Balance… dynamic equilibrium

Synergy

Combined effects sometimes far worse than just additive (smoking and uranium mining)

Costs and benefits… who wins (benefits), who loses (costs)

Uneven distribution of resources

 

DISCUSSION

Is an island an open or closed system?

Is the Wasatch Front an open or closed system?

Is Earth an open or closed system?

What are the subsystems of Earth systems?

THE 5 SUBSYSTEMS… In order to understand Earth systems, we examined its subsystems. The subsystems are NOT independent. “It’s a loopy world” and positive and negative feedback loops make the system NONLINEAR.

We study the system by looking at its parts.

• Geosphere = the solid Earth. The geosphere largely determines topography; resources; geologic hazards; and scenery.
• Hydrosphere = water Earth. The hydrosphere largely determines water supplies; water-related hazards including pollution; and waste disposal / isolation.
• Atmosphere = gaseous Earth. The atmosphere largely determines weather; climate; quality of life such as recreation; air-related hazards including air pollution; weather-related hazards including severe snows, heat waves; and water balance.
• Biosphere = living Earth. The biosphere in the past determined food sources; it is our niche.
• Anthrosphere = is the portion of Earth dominated by human activities. The concept of an anthrosphere appreciates the impact of human beings as a subsystem of the Earth system. Urban areas are part of the anthrosphere. The footprint of urbanization extends into the geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere.

 

What drives these systems… ENERGY.

 

Introduction of science themes of GEOG/ENVST3330. Energy. Mass. Gravity.

First theme = ENERGY.  

(source: Trefil and Hazen, 2010, The Sciences, an integrated approach)… “great ideas” of science.  

ENERGY… “Great idea: the many different forms of energy are interchangeable and the total amount of energy in an isolated system is conserved”

ENERGY, by definition, is the ability to do work. (Work is force acting over a distance). There are several forms of energy… LINK Potential energy is stored energy. Kinetic energy is working energy. Energy takes different forms: for example, chemical energy, radient energy (light), electrical, nuclear... and, of great importance to Earth systems... thermal energy. “Heat” is another word for thermal energy. It has the ability to do work. The uneven distribution of heat drives plate tectonics and circulation of oceans. Directly, or indirectly, the uneven distribution of energy/heat in the geosphere (tectonics), hydrosphere (circulation of oceans), atmosphere (weather and climate), biosphere… (trophic levels, plants… animals), and anthrosphere (politics of energy resources), influences urban settings and urbanization.

In a closed system… energy is “conserved” meaning, it changes form but the total amount remains constant. Banking analogy. Energy is neither created nor destroyed. No printing press for new energy in a closed system. Dieting analogy. Calories turn into heat, or are stored. This is the “First Law of Thermodynamics” and a recurring theme of Urban Environmental Geography… sessions #4-5 solar energy; sessions #6-7 effects on cities of proximity to oceans; sessions #10-11 climate change; sessions #12-13 tectonics; … all before the midterm.  

 

THEME OF THE COURSE… reiterate FROM LECTURE OF FIRST DAY… EMPOWERMENT. GEOG/ENVST3330 Urban Environmental Geography coaches you to see your world as a system… multi-disciplines, integrations, connections, interrelations, uncertainties, complex-thorny-issues, important issues, problem-solving approaches
To paraphrase ancient Greek philosophers: the value of knowledge is that it leads to good works. Public policy is NOT the subject of this course; however, having knowledge of Earth systems is a basis for going from science to policy.

SKILLS: By the end of GEOG/ENVST3330 you’ll also have some skills, specifically with respect to the 5 subsystems of Earth systems (preview of coming lectures and labs), you’ll … 

• Geosphere: distinguish bedrock versus sediment … anywhere
• Hydrosphere: estimate dept to the water table; recharge and discharge from aquifers, and fluid flow of contaminants.
• Atmosphere: you’ll be aware of the relative balance of precipitation and evaporation, and have a general sense of where the region’s weather “is born.”
• Biosphere: think habitat and niche
• Anthrosphere: think metabolism of cities

AND you’ll be able to take virtual field trips anywhere with Google Earth.

GOOGLE EARTH introductory lab exercise.

TERMS

Geography

Earth systems

Geosphere

Hydrosphere

Atmosphere

Biosphere

Anthrosphere

Energy

Heat

First law of thermodynamics

 

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{This page modified January 2010 - Modifications will continue through Spring semester 2010}