While each of the two broad areas of geography exists in its own right, the subject also combines them to provide a much needed capability to study and understand interactions between people and the physical environment in which they live and depend on, both locally and globally. [www.rgs.org]. The basic bond, which holds the two areas together, is the fact that geography is all around us and is intrinsic to everyones lives.
They are also similar in that they are linked together by certain topics. For example, natural hazards such as volcano’s and hurricanes are studied in physical geography, but have huge implications for human geography topics such as economy, population and settlement location etc. The devastating affects that hurricane Katrina had on the United States’ economy at the end of August 2005, are still being felt globally two months later. Another example could be development. Changes in the physical landscape can easily be seen where humans have flourished, as shown through the growth of every modern city, but this relationship can also be reversed. For example, humans could not develop settlements in the high Himalayas simply because the environment is too harsh to sustain life.
Of all the physical geography topics that are related to human geography, the connection between human activity and the biosphere must be the closest. He number and variety of species in ecological systems, known as biodiversity, has declined on every scale, most likely due to the actions of humans. For example, since 1600, at least 490 species of plants and 580 species of animals have become extinct. [Holden.J. Introduction to physical geography and the environment]. The use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFC’s) and the drastically increased usage of cars, which in themselves are becoming less economic in regards to fuel consumption, is have a catastrophic effect on the biosphere and everything included within this such as ecosystems. CFC’s are also the major component involved in the destruction of the ozone layer. Human actions increase the rate at which nutrients and organic substances enter water ecosystems. These substances can over stimulate the growth of algae, creating conditions that interfere with the recreational use of lakes and estuaries, and the health and diversity of indigenous fish, plant, and animal populations. Sustainable development and economic growth are another two key issues which are closely linked with the physical environment. Basically, the environment ‘sustains’ human growth. However, it has reached a point where people are destroying so much of the physical landscape that we cannot be sustained at this rate for ever. “They mean economic growth without inflation rather than without environmental degradation” [Cloke et al. Introducing human geographies, second edition.].
As far as differences between the two disciplines are concerned, there seems to be much more evidence for the idea that the two are separating and moving apart, than for actual differences. The two subjects are institutionally different, meaning that subjects such as earth sciences are closely tied to physical geography and subjects such as sociology are related to human geography much closer. This naturally leads to the fact that the two disciplines will look for support from different departments, thus further splitting the subject.
Career opportunities are now much more varied. Employers in the science sector would have, maybe a decade ago, regarded qualifications in human geography as highly as those in physical geography, but nowadays a BA student would be seriously hindered for such a profession.
The way in which the subjects are studied is also very different. For example, physical geography fieldtrips, for the most part, would take place in totally different locations to those human fieldtrips, purely because the areas of study are so different. Also, physical geography is taught often through a certain amount of laboratory time, having taken physical samples from an area, whereas human geography students are more concerned with data and statistics. More recently, the deeper thoughts of people, such as their dreams, feelings and aspirations are also influencing their areas of study.
The number of people studying the two areas at higher education level again shows a difference between the fields. In the UK in 1996/97, a total of 8,293 students were studying human geography at a higher education institution. This increased to 12,900 students by 2003/04. The number of students in the UK studying physical geography at higher education level rose from 9,917 in 1996/97, to 32,070 in 2003/04. Ignoring the actual quantity of students, because overall the number of students has risen dramatically over the past decade in every subject, it is obvious there has been a massive change in popularity between the two from 1996/97 to 2003/04. In 1996/97 the difference between the numbers of students doing human and physical geography was only 1624 individuals. This translates to 1.2 students studying physical geography for every 1 studying human, which is not a great deal. However, in 2003/04 the difference increased to 19,170 meaning for every 1 human geographer, there were 2.5 physical geographers. This is an enormous difference considering the scale. This year was not a freak anomaly occurring just in 2003/04, but a gradual trend, which has shown how physical geography is becoming the much preferred option among higher education students. [www.hesa.ac.uk]
I feel that, after presenting the principle similarities and differences between human and physical geography, there is not absolute conclusion at to whether they are or are not similar or different. The arguments have shown that the similarities, though difficult to find sometimes, are more apparent than first thought. However, most of the similarities between topics within each discipline came not so much from actual ‘common ground’ but from linkages. For example, the importance of the relationship between humans and the biosphere illustrates a strong connection between human and physical geography, but not necessarily a similarity between the two. The same principle can be applied to the differences side of the argument. It is very clear that there is much dissimilarity, but the bigger issue seems to be the actual separating of the disciplines. As the areas are studied in more detail, covering a greater range, there is certainly less ‘common ground’ but the growing distance between human and physical is, I believe, of more concern.
Cloke.P, Crang.P, Goodwin.M Introducing Human Geographies. 2nd edition. 2005
Holden.J An introduction to Physical Geography and the Environment. 2005
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