Earth system as a whole is very complex and dynamic, for that matter we prepare models to represent the functioning linkages and processes for better understanding. However, the geo-systems can not be summed up in just one model. Hence, we use system analysis approach, if we see Earth as a giant system, there're many sub-systems for better comprehension representing only a particular component of the system. Here, I've tried to cover the geo-system approach siting a globe affecting example of the El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomena.

1. PHYSICAL GEOGRAPY
A Paper on
GEOSYSTEM APPROACH
WITH AN ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLE
KAMLESH KUMAR
DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY
DELHI SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS
University of Delhi

2. Earth processes are very vast and dynamic to comprehend. To better understand them scholars, develop
representations of the real world, called models. Models help in perception and prediction and hence are
designed with a specific purpose in mind. (Petersen, 2011)
For example-
Physical models: solid three-dimensional representations, such as a world globe or a replica of a
mountain.
Pictorial/graphic models: pictures, maps, graphs, diagrams, and drawings.
Mathematical/statistical models: used to predict possibilities such as river floods or the
influence of climate change on daily weather.
Conceptual model and mental maps: imagery understanding of our surroundings and
experiences.
Our planet is too complex to have a single model to explain all of the functioning and linkages. To make
sense of the Earth as a whole, geographers use the concept of ‘systems analysis’. Systems analysis often
focuses on subsystems. A system is any ordered, interrelated set of things and their attributes, linked by
flows of energy and matter, as distinct from the surrounding environment outside the system. The
elements within a system may be arranged in a series or interwoven with one another. A system
comprises any number of subsystems. Within Earth’s systems, both matter and energy are stored and
retrieved, and energy is transformed from one type to another. (Christopherson, 2012)
Fig. 1 Schematic diagram of a System (Christopherson, 2012)
One can trace the movement of energy or matter into the system (inputs), their storage in the system and
their movements out of the system (outputs), as well as the interactions between components within the
system. A great advantage of systems analysis is that it can be applied to environments at virtually any
spatial scale, from global to microscopic.
Fig. 2 Closed & Open system (Petersen, 2011)
A closed system allows only energy to pass in and out while open systems involve the inputs and
outputs of both energy and matter. Earth is basically a closed system. Solar energy (input) enters the
Earth system, and that energy is dissipated (output) to space mainly as heat. External inputs of matter are
virtually nil, mainly meteorites, and almost no matter is output from the Earth system. Because Earth is a
closed system, humans face limits to their available natural resources. Subsystems on the planet,
however, are open systems, with incoming and outgoing matter and energy. Processes are driven by

3. energy. A stream is an excellent illustration of an open subsystem: Matter and energy in the form of soil
particles, rock fragments, solar energy, and precipitation enter the stream, and water and sediments leave
the stream where it empties into the ocean or some other standing body of water.
GEOSYSTEM
The geographic system is a concept enabling the analysis of complex and dynamic combination of biotic,
abiotic and anthropic factors occurring within a space. It belongs to systemic approaches generally, and is
used in geography to study interactions between the natural environment and societies, both temporal and
spatial. (Vergnolle-Mainar, 2014) As a conceptual tool, the geosystem appeared in the 1960s propounded
by Viktor Borisovitch Sochava1
on the basis of an approach centred on flows of energy and living or
mineral matter. The geosystem
approach is closely linked to the
notion of landscape. The evolution
was formalised by Georges
Bertrand in 1991 in the form of
"GTP": geosystème, territoire,
paysage (geosystem-territory-
landscape). Within this
combination, the geosystem finds
its place at the interface between
the natural environment and
societies, enabling the naturalistic
and material dimensions of the
environment to be envisaged in a
social perspective. This is
completed by more social and
cultural approaches using the
concepts of territory and landscape.
These interlinked components are
united by nodes of matter, energy
and information transmission
though it varies in spatial and
temporal scale.
Dynamism is determined by various factors2: (plokhikh, 2015)
Natural: Affects the geosystem less intensively and gradually through longer period of time.
Endogenic Factors: Volatile interior of the earth, tectonics, convection current, and other
geomorphological actors
Exogenic Factors: Completely or partially change transform the basic image of the geosystem
like weathering, landforms, water courses, gravity etc.
Anthropogenic Factors: Transform the natural geosystem with their actions- possibilistic habitat,
resource management, landuse etc.
Scale of Geosystems
Global
Regional
Local
1
Most renowned proponent of Geosystem approach
2
Concept Of Integrated Geographic Systems And Geosystem Approach, Roman Plokhikh, ResearchGate, 2015
Fig. 3 Geosystem Structure

4. Geosystem Approach Illustration
The ocean stores a vast majority of the earth’s heat. While the distribution is stable for decades to
centuries in the deeps of the ocean, the temperature at the surface vary from season to season and year to
year. The difference is in few degrees but has drastic changes worldwide.
Fig. 4 Normal Condition3
(Earth's Evolving Systems, 2018)
THE PHENOMENA
Normally, trade winds blow from east to west in the tropical pacific dragging the water and piling up in
the west while causing upwelling up of the cool nutrient rich water in the east along the Peruvian coast,
giving a boost to the local fisheries. Rainfall is the heaviest in Australian and Indonesian region while
South America experiences relatively dry season.
Fig. 5 El Nino Condition (Martin, 2018)
El Nino & La Nina
The trade winds get weaker reducing the upwelling and shifting the piling up of the warm water towards
the central Pacific Ocean. The warm nutrient poor water is piled up in the east pacific causing loss of
3
Earth’s Evolving Systems

5. fishery business and affecting rainfall patterns bringing heavy rain and flood in Southern USA and Peru
while Australia and Indonesian region get vulnerable to drought and wildfire.
La Nina is the opposite of the El Nino. The Trade Winds are somewhat stronger, carrying warmer water
westwards across the Pacific leading to colder than average temperatures in the east and warmer than
average temperatures in the west.4
It is commonly expected that La Nina will follow immediately after an El Nino event, but this is not
always the case. Generally, both occur every three to five years. Both phenomena last around nine and
twelve months.5
Together, the warm and the cold phase form the El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO).
However, this phenomenon affects the Earth system in various ways other than just the climatic one.
EFFECTS
The relocation of warm and cool water disrupts the atmospheric circulation patterns that connect the
tropics with the middle latitudes, which in turn modifies the mid-latitude jet streams. By modifying the
jet streams, ENSO can affect temperature and precipitation across the United States and other parts of
the world. Brings in more intense cyclones in North Western pacific and more frequent ones in the south
as well as depress the Atlantic hurricane season.
In Europe, El Nino reduces the number of autumnal hurricanes. La Nina has less of an effect in Europe
but it does tend to lead to milder winters in Northern Europe (the United Kingdom especially) and colder
winters in southern/western Europe leading to snow in the Mediterranean region. Elsewhere in the
world, areas that are affected by La Nina experience the opposite of the effects they experience with El
Nino. It is continental North America where most of these conditions are felt. Indian agriculture mostly
depends on the monsoon determined by the phenomena.
Fig. 6 ENSO Effect6
Common Effects:
➢ Temperature and precipitation changes
➢ Storm track and intensity change
➢ Alteration of ocean currents
➢ Disasters Vulnerability: Flood, fire, drought, plague, famine etc
➢ Fishery crisis, crop failure
4
La Nina, Earth Observatory (https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/features/LaNina)
5
ENSO, NOAA
6
What are the effects of El Nino (https://www.oc.nps.edu/webmodules/ENSO/effects.html)

6. There were super El Nino events in 1972-73, 1982-83 and in 1997-98, the latter bringing record global
temperatures alongside drought, floods, and forest fires.7
EL Nino effect 1982-838
:
➢ Drought in Southern Africa, Southern India, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Indonesia, Australia,
Southern Peru, Western Bolivia, Mexico, Central America.
➢ Heavy rain and flooding in Bolivia, Ecuador, Northern Peru, Cuba, U.S. Gulf States.
➢ wide spread flooding occurred across the southern United States.
➢ Hurricanes in Tahiti, Hawaii
The cooling effect of Mt. Pinatubo volcano helped in cooling in 1992 but strong El Nino that year gave a
boost to the global temperature. The scientists state that 2016 was the warmest year in recorded history
of the Earth’s surface since 1951, as measured by NASA (Pidock, 2017)9
caused partly by ENSO among
other factors such as volcanism and Solar radiation along with increasing anthropogenic influences
leading to rapid climate change.
Bibliography
Arizona, U. o. (2016). The Global Impacts of El Nino. Retrieved from Water Resource Research center, University
of Arizona: https://wrrc.arizona.edu/Impacts-of-El-Nino
Christopherson, R. W. (2012). Geosystems (8th ed.). Pearson.
Martin, R. (2018). Earth's Evolving Systems. Jones and Bartlett Learning.
Petersen, R. F. (2011). Fundamentals of Physical Geography. Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning.
Pidock, R. (2017). Interactive: How much El Nino Affect global temperature? Retrieved from CarbonBrief:
https://www.carbonbrief.org/interactive-much-el-nino-affect-global-temperature
plokhikh, R. (2015, November). LECTURE CONCEPT OF INTEGRATED GEOGRAPHIC SYSTEMS (GEOSYSTEMS) AND
GEOSYSTEM APPROACH. Retrieved from ResearchGate :
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/298793429_LECTURE_CONCEPT_OF_INTEGRATED_GEOGRA
PHIC_SYSTEMS_GEOSYSTEMS_AND_GEOSYSTEM_APPROACH
Vergnolle-Mainar, C. (2014). Geosystems. Retrieved from http://www.hypergeo.eu:
http://www.hypergeo.eu/spip.php?article642
www.cc.columbia.edu/cu/cup/. (2013). Retrieved from
https://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Geosystems
7
Global Impact of El Nino, University Of Arizona, 2016
8
Atmospheric consequences of El Nino (http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/(Gh)/guides/mtr/eln/atms.rxml)
9
Interactive: How much does El Nino Affect global temperature (https://www.carbonbrief.org/interactive-much-el-nino-
affect-global-temperature)