2. definitions
Physical geography is considered the accumulation of different branches of
earth science. For example Climatology, Oceanography, Botany, etc. Thus, it
includes consideration of surface relief of the globe. Different geographers
have defined it in different ways.
According to Tarr and Von Engeleh, ‘Physical geography is the study of
physical features of the earth and their influence on men.’
In the words of Lobeck, ‘The study of the physical environment along
contributes physiographic.’
According to Strahler, ‘Physical geography is the study of unification of a
number of earth sciences.’
Physical geography also studies the spatial pattern and spatial relationship
of environmental components of the globe in the original context. It also
studies the causes of original patterns of such spatial relationships.
3. SCOPE
The scope of physical geography includes the study of earth relief
features and physical features, such as plains, mountains, hills, etc.
Geomorphology is an important branch of geography. It is defined as
the science of landforms with an emphasis on their origin, evolution,
form and distribution across the physical landscape. It is concerned
with the scientific study of the origin and evolution of relief features
of the earth’s surface and their relation to its geological structures.
It has two sub fields
● Fluvial geomorphology
● Dessert geomorphology
These fields deal with the study of some specific landforms which
consists of various environments. One of the common things
between these fields is the fact that these are all united by the
core processes which shaped them, which were mainly tectonic or
climatic processes.
4. Pedology is the study of soil, including types, formation, and regional
distribution over earth.
Climatology deals with the study of the atmospheric conditions and
related climatic and weather phenomena.
● Relates to study of how climate can be affected by human and
nature influence.
● The aim of this field of study is to determine how the earth’s
climate has changed thru the ages and to predict future trends in
climate change.
● Includes the systematic and regional studies of atmospheric
composition. I.e, weather, and climate.
● It is sub-divided largely into the climates of various regions and the
study of the specific phenomena or time periods. E.g tropical
cyclone rainfall climatology and paleoclimatology.
Oceanography includes the description and analysis of a physical and
biological aspect of the hydrosphere.
● The study of marine resources and their biological characteristics
is included under oceanography which is an important branch of
physical geography
● The main aim of oceanography is to study the various oceanic
process for a better understanding of their effects on life on
earth.
Weather refers to the atmospheric
conditions in terms of temperature,
pressure, humidity, and precipitation, etc.
of a particular place at any given time.
the climate is related to the weather
conditions of any region in the long-
term perspective.
5. Meteorology is a field that deals with the forecasting of day-to-day
weather conditions. Contrary to climatology, which aims to forecast long-
term climatic conditions, meteorology pertains to short-term forecasting.
It deals with the prediction of weather conditions in the immediate
future, on the basis of the different atmospheric factors such as
temperature, moisture, air pressure, etc.
Biogeography concerned with the biological phenomena in space,
especially in terms of the distribution of various kinds of floral and
faunal species. also, it is defined as the study of the distribution of
plants and animals and their relationship with the environment.
The field can largely be divided into five sub-fields:
● island biogeography,
● paleobiogeography,
● phylogeography,
● zoogeography(the study of animal’s distribution and their
relationship with their relationship) and phytogeography(the
study of plants distribution)
