Follow the Criteria in file “essay” and Please refer to the Assignments that I provided in the essay. 1,500 words.
Geography Assignment #1
Wenqing Zhao
Dec 16th 2020.
Question1:
1: Location: Location is explained as being either relative or absolute. A specific location has a specified set of both latitude and longitude based on the cartesian coordinate grid. For example, the absolute location of Vancouver with regards to the global Geodetic coordinate system is 49.250N and 123.10W, the former being the latitude while the latter is the longitude.
2: Place: This term describes an area with a boundary that has been determined with regards to outstanding features to outstanding features most of which define specific roles of the identified region in the local culture. For instance, in Vancouver, there is a street by the name Granville, an area specifically known for being an entertainment spot during the weekends.
3: Space: this term is used to describe an extended surface area or a 3-diamensional area which has been set aside for a specific purpose. For example, the UEL i the west of Vancouver is an area that has been specifically set aside for the 1st national community for the purpose of holding political events.
4: Scale: The term scale is used to describe an extent of a surface or rather a 3D area that has been set aside for a specific purpose. This type of standard measure is based on the time period together with the population based on the encapsulated human geographic research. For example, the standard figure 1:50,000 has been assigned as a scale for the standard world map.
5: Map Projection: This term describes a technique that is used to flatten the earth surface into a plane with the objective of making a map. To make this possible, it requires a systematic transformation of both the longitudes and the latitudes of the identified locations from the surface to the globe into locations on a plane. For instance, Albers Equal Area Conic is identified as as one of the many conic projections.
Question 2:
Differentiate between determinist and possibilist paradigms, and briefly indicate why there has been a shift from one to the other in human geography.
To begin with, determinist paradigms are based on the concept of determinism where every event inclusive of human actions are assumed as being predetermined. On the other hand, possibility paradigm is based on the idea of possibilism where every individual is in a position to act based on free will. One example of determinist paradigm is the environmental determinism, a concept that is focused on the benefits of the physical environment and the role it plays in the influence on both human and physical landscapes. The latter means that individuals are in the capacity to make entirely different decisions with regards to both physical and environmental factors. With respect to environmental determinism, the characteristics of a specific culture is determined more by the conditions of the surrounding environment rather than the conditions of the social environment. For example, the North American region experiences a seasonal climate, one that allows individuals living in this region to alter their attires based on seasons. On the other hand, individuals living in regions with tropical climates end up wearing the same attires throughout the year because the climate is constant in such regions. According to linguistic determinism, language is the main factor that determines the difference in the way people think, act, say, or know. The hypothesis by Sapir-Whorf points out that people have different experiences of the world owing to their differences in grammatical structures that they often use. Furthermore, genetic determinism is based on the concept that, the existence of variance in the genetic nature of human beings plays a major role in the uniqueness of the behavior, desires, and beliefs of every person. Similarly, the nature of a person can be predicted base d on their genetic sequence that has been inherited from their forefathers. Therefore, determinists have come to a conclusion that the cause-and-effect relationship enables individuals to predict the behavior and mindsets of other individuals for different causes or reasons. Lastly, possibilism is considered t be a cultural landscape which emphasizes on complete exclusion of factors related to the physical environment in all human matters, an idea that depict the ideal that almost every decision-making aspect is basically contributed by a person’s choices, one that afterward creates a wide range of possible outcomes. Owing to this, every person has the power to make their own decisions or choices with regards to their social, physical, mental, and preferred choices. Noteworthy, every choice that is made by a person is a reflection of their state of mind and should barely, if not, be influenced by the existing external factors.
Question 3:
A: Environmental or Physical Determinism: “Man is a product of the earth’s surface. This means not merely that he is a child of the earth…but that the earth has mothered him, fed him, set him tasks, confronted him with difficulties…and at the same time whispered hints for their solution.”
The physical or environmental determinism is based on the idea that the current existing race of human’s dependent upon eh external elements. This approach suggests that the human nature is predetermined by the surface of the earth. It means that the external environment exhibits primary control over humanity because decisions made by humans are determined by the external environment.
B: Possibilism:
“Even though the desert region does not naturally produce enough water for humans and domesticated livestock, people have used technology and created ways to pipe water to dry areas.”
Possibilism paves way for unexpected advances including new findings all which are structured to promote the well-being of the huma race and to help the human race to effectively deal with the day-to-day problems most of which are brough about by the mental, social, and physical constraints. For instance, communities living in desert regions have problems accessing water. However, they have found solutions for this problem through innovation and the use of existing technology.
C: Cultural Landscape: “
Under the influence of a given culture, itself changing through time, the landscape undergoes development, passing through phases and probably reaching ultimately the end of its cycle of development.”
The term culture described a set of behaviors and ideas that often transform with both time and landscape. Noteworthy, there are ups ad downs throughout the course of a specific culture prior to the prevalence of a new culture. Owing to the latter statement, cultures assume different phases at different points in time as a result creating a representation of different points of timeframe and cultural landscape throughout its development.
D: Cognitive Behaviorism:
“The map she drew me provided directions between her school and home, and it was clear from the buildings she drew which stores where the most interesting to her.”
Through cognitive behaviorism, individuals are able to recognize and remember things that seem to be not only noticeable, but appealing to their senses. Based on the statement above, the map was designed with regards to an individual’s cognitive memory rather than basing it on a standardized road signs or directions.
Question 4:
Could geography exist as a discipline without maps? Why or why not?
Based on my opinion, I do not think that geography could exist as a discipline without the existence of maps. This is owed to the fact that geography is made up of a wide range of knowledge that is based on concrete scientific proofs and philosophical theories. For instance, the classical human geography is based on free will and determinism while on the other hand, the contemporary human geography is based on humanism, empiricism, and positivism. Some of the existing philosophical options including free will and determinism have already established a groundwork, one that can be used to carry out mapping and exploration of the physical landscapes.
Noteworthy, the application of various geographical approaches pave way for geographers to create a comparison and contrast based on the results obtained from different approaches and outcomes. Owing to this, they all came to a rather precise and accurate conclusion based on the different cultural landscapes in different regions across the globe. The latter statement suggests that different ideas and practices come forth and different with regards to different geographical positions that exist across the world. Owing to the existence of globalization, the relative mobility of individuals has increased in an unprecedented rate eventually leading to assimilation and cultural exchange among different people from different backgrounds.
Question Five
On the Prince George image, identify the following features:
1. Lumber yard: It has an elongated shape. Also, there is a cylindrical lining up in a smooth pattern, one that appears like logs along the railway track.
2. Track: From the image, there appears to be cargo containers on both sides of the railway. These containers are comparable to tracks for the railway station.
3. Soccer fields: The soccer field appears in a rectangle shape. As observed from the satellite image, the soccer field appears to be filled with green grass.
4. Industrial area: From the image, the industrial area appears to be three times larger than the normal residential structures. Some of these buildings appear to be L-shaped and others appear to have been painted with white color.
5. Flood zone: The flood zone seems to have a dark color, a part that represent the river overflowing over the vegetation. However, other parts seem to be elevated higher because they are in the middle of the flood zone.
6. Shopping plaza: The building is located amidst the residential area and have a lot cars parking around it, resembling the customers’ parkade for the shopping plaza.
7. Golf course: The contour of the golf field is obvious with numerous golf hole areas located throughout the entire golf course.
8. City park: It is a piece of land resembling a mini forest located strategically in the midst of the residential areas and close to the school and shopping plaza.
9. Greenbelt: It is a piece of untouched land surrounding the urban areas with no buildings on it, sometimes resembling a belt encircle the city.
10. Tennis courts: It is usually next to the soccer field with a piece of long, grey net in the mid of the field, resembling the tennis net.
Running Head: HUMAN GEOGRAPHY 1
HUMAN GEOGRAPHY 1
ASSIGNMENT #2
WENQING ZHAO
Question1:
The authors identify three different perceptions towards ecologically sustainable forestry and community safety. In a paragraph each, identify and describe each. Why do the perceptions vary? (5 marks)
Because individuals’ perceptions are developed through a synthesis of their innermost beliefs, knowledge, and experiences. This means a person can only be understood by focusing on their personal perspectives. Among the three perceptions that will be discussed include nature as hazard, nature as intrinsically valuable, and nature as instrumentally valuable. Looking at the nature as hazard perspective, it puts emphasis of the undesirable nature of natural disasters like earthquakes, floods, or hurricanes. However, this perspective ignores the fact that humans play a major role in triggering the occurrence of natural disasters. However, natural disasters can somehow be controlled through the implementation of disaster management and recovery plans. However, such strategies end up creating uncertainty and fear among people living in areas that are prone to disasters.
The second on the list is nature as instrumentally valuable, a perspective where nature is regarded as being a beneficial entity. The environment we live in has a number of economic benefits such as living in a forest filled land for the purpose of obtaining timber and firewood. Also, people can migrate from a densely forested region so they can pave way for urban development or for reasons tied to cultural identity. In most cases, individuals who end up developing emotional ties are the ones who consider the environment to have potential benefits.
The third perspective is nature as intrinsically, one that explains that nature holds more than just economic and societal gain. Noteworthy, this perspective is not only limited to the ideologies that are held by environmental activists. People who hold this opinion tend to feel they have a moral responsibility to protect the environment. Those holding this view often disagree with disaster mitigation organizations with regards to human interruption and disruption of the natural environment. (Goemans & Ballamingi, 2012)
The authors describe an evolution of geographic thought around human perception of natural hazards that accounts for our changing ideas about society’s vulnerability. Briefly outline the key points in this discussion. Which approach in Module 5 evaluates human adjustment to the natural environment? (5 marks)
Prior to the mid-twentieth century, scholars were of the assumption that humans could have a complete control over the natural forces. This perception contributed to false sense of confidence regarding being safe from natural forces that lead to natural hazards. This false sense of confidence contributed to a lot of communities living in regions that are prone to natural hazards. However, behavioral analysts later came to the conclusion that individuals and communities could prevent becoming victims of natural disasters if they subdue to environmental forces. As years went by, the perception that people had regarding disaster vulnerability took a different shape. This perception started to base more on researching how economic, social, and political forces contribute to natural hazards. An example of this is where research on socioeconomic standing has led to the conclusion that populations that are economically stable have the potential to reduce the occurrence of natural disasters in areas that are prone to disasters. Therefore, the evaluative approach has been adopted to explain how individuals have gradually adjusted to the natural environment.
If your job was to plan urban-rural-natural land use in Kelowna and the surrounding areas, how do you think your understanding of these different perceptions would help you in developing different approaches with which to educate people on fire risk and management? Identify and briefly discuss three ways that you could educate people (keeping in mind their different perceptions) on what they can do to protect their property and community from wildfire. Your answer should be approximately 500 words (two double-spaced pages). (10 marks)
In the event of the development of a new land-se initiative, it would be necessary to consider the level of education among the members of the community in the identified region. It is important to have a clear understanding of the beliefs, attitudes, and perceptions of the population within the region. Doing this enables the planners to have a clear view of possible problems which might arise from the population. Furthermore, understanding the beliefs of the community will help the developers to come up with a tailor-made educational activity such as seminars, developing a custom website, and conducting frequent local field tours.
First, it is easy to reach out to a considerably large population through holding information seminars within the identified region. such seminars should be conducted in public areas such as community park or the local town hall. These seminars would create a platform where the community can communicate their issues and grievances. Prior to planning and holding such seminars, the involved organization should start by recruiting qualified environmental scientists who will educate the community on how to protect themselves and their properties from wildfire. Doing this will be a move that will invoke the powerful psychological principle of authority which points out that, experts within a specific field tend to create a view that they are more credible by those with lesser knowledge on a specific field of expertise, therefore, having a greater level of influence on the community members (Cialdini, 2007). For the seminars to be effective, there should also be land-use planners and managers will develop structured presentations to inform and provide recommendations to the community regarding the issue at hand.
Secondly, I would educate people on how to protect themselves and their properties from wildfires by developing an educational website. Noteworthy, having a website plays a very important role in educating the masses considering that the information is available on the website any time. Also, individuals can access information on the website at the comfort of their home. This strategy will ensure that a lot of individuals get access to the intended information including those who fail to attend the seminars. It is important to ensure that the website has a user-friendly interface so users can easily brows through to access statistics, rules that relate to the local environment, including the history, and possibilities of the occurrence of wildfires within the identified region. furthermore, the website should be designed to have an interactive section where community members can inquire and ask questions regarding prevention and management of wild fires.
The last way that to educate the community regarding wildfires will be to hold education initiative by holding several field tours of the environment within the identified region. this activity will be conducted by taking members of the local community to the natural environment. Doing this will help the community to understand the environment they are living in, including the possibilities of the occurrence of disasters and how to prevent them from happening. This strategy works better for members of the community who fall under the category of those who hold the idea that nature is intrinsically valuable, and that humans should limit their interaction with the environment for the purpose of protecting it and their properties.
Question 2:
People in Power Can Have Distorted Images/ Mental Maps
In the year 1850, Alexander Von Humboldt who was a photographer pointed out that, for a person to have a vivid understanding of nature, they have to take into account both the objective and the subjective aspects of the phenomena. He went further to suggest that there exist mental processes which determine a person’s viewpoint of reality. Many years later, the idea of Alexander has come to be known as perception. Perception is a term that describes a multi-dimensional construct which draws on the psychological functioning including sensory information processes which are provided by the environment with the aim of creating s mental foundation of the perception. Furthermore, the manner in which a person perceives the environment around them accounts for the subjectivity of their experience. This statement holds the idea that an individual’s cultural and societal factors contribute to their perception of their views. Since it is impossible for two or more people to have the same perceptions or mental images of reality, it becomes impossible for subjective bias to have an influence on the actual views that individuals perceive (Elliot, 2016). Sadly, some of these biases create a cloud around perception, a stance that erroneous judgements and decision making which happen to impact the society. Such happens mostly when individuals who have the power to make decisions have either underlying self-interests or distorted self-perceptions.
Since we are living in a society that is characteristically capitalist, individuals who have a lot of money are the ones who have power and control over the society. Because of this, most of them are surrounded by individuals who are submissive and always agree with their ideas and opinions. When this happens, such people end up with the perception that they are always right and this twists how they perceive reality because they end up believing in self-fulfilling prophecy based on the notion that they are never wrong in anything. Noteworthy, this kind of perceptional twist has a tremendous impact on how people with power and influence end up behaving. When such people start developing self-perception, they start to constantly think that their judgements are always right after which they end up fueling their self-fulfilling prophecies and make decisions based with their instincts instead of basing them on research from scholars and experts. President Donald Trump can be used as a perfect example of how power can distort someone’s mental map. For many years, Trump has been surrounded with individuals who constantly fuel his ego. Bing around such people for a long time made Trump to develop a narcissistic condition, one that made him to start thinking that he is self-righteous and that every decision he makes are right and that the ideas and opinions of other people are not important. For instance, there was a point where Trump suggested that Covid-19 virus (Coronavirus) can be treated by injecting patients with disinfectants. This shows that Trump had reached a point where he disregarded facts from scientific research and sought to find solution through personal instincts. This shows how such an individual can end up making significant environmental decisions, most which could probably lead to far reaching consequences such as global warming, air quality, or environmental pollution. To avoid this from happening, people in such positions should specialize in their area of interest to understand what is required and to avoid unnecessary inconvenience (Elliot, 2016). It is important for individuals regarded as having self-schema to learn more and conduct a lot of scholar researches considering that their inflated self-schema may lead them to believing that they are knowledgeable enough leading them to making bad decisions. the latter can be supported by a statement made by Albert Einstein where he said, “The more I learn, the more I realize how much I don’t know.
Based on the above discussion, individuals with a lot of money often have a lot of power and influence. In fact, such people make bad environmental decisions, some decisions which have drastic effects on the environment. Looking back at the definition of perception, the subjective perception of a person contributes to the interests and values that they hold with them. For instance, a person with a lot of money may invest in a vehicle industry which they will invest in for the purpose of the business’ well-being. When this happens, such people get an inflated opinion of expertise in that area leading to the making of bad decisions. in sum, biased perception is mostly held by politicians in the modern-day society because most of them make political decisions that are in favor of themselves and their fellow politicians.
Question 3:
Region Desirability
Region Knowledge
Question 3. A
What areas are ranked by the entire group as being the four most preferable regions in which to live? (Identify these areas clearly.).
Of the four areas that are ranked as being the most preferred regions to live according to the participants include the following; Oklahoma which had a score of 28 and was ranked as the first, followed by Great Victoria with a score of 28, the third being Kootenays with a score of 36, and lastly, Vancouver Island which had a score of 38.
Looking at the above provided data, it is apparent that the preferences of these individuals were influenced by several patterns. First of all, the four regions happen to have some similarities such as being located near to water bodies, friendly environmental conditions, natural environments, and a number of outdoor activities. Furthermore, the four location happen to have moderate population sizes including moderate cities.
Question 3.B
Does the pattern of preferences shown by your respondents surprise you? If so, how? Why did the pattern surprise you? If not, why not? Would you have expressed the same preferences? (10 marks).
Personally, I was barely surprised by the pattern of their preferences. I can say that the people I interviewed showed at least three different trends. The first trend is where the majority of them seemed to dislike live in the southern region of British Columbia. This is because they dislike the characteristics of the region’s climatic condition. Another reason why they happen to dislike this region is because of affordability factor. Most of them prefer living in regions with moderate or small cities including those that are still growing. (Pfeffer, 2010)
Noteworthy, the economic status of a region often determines the affordability of housing and the cost of living in general. In my opinion, my participants insisted on the region’s cost of living owing to the fact that most of them are relatively young between the ages of 14 and 37 years. If I happened to be a participant, I would have provided similar results. This is because I am enthusiast of regions with warm weather including those where the cost of living is moderate and affordable. Furthermore, I am still a university student and I am not yet financially stable as I have not yet secured a permanent employment.
Question 3.C
Is there any relationship between the respondents’ preferences for regions and their familiarity with those regions? Use a graphic or tabular way to show if there is such a relationship. (10 marks)
Having interviewed my participants, I can confidently say that their preferences for identified regions are related to their familiarity to those regions. This relationship is utterly evident especially when looking at the data from North and North West. These two regions out to have lower ratings with regards to living preference and preferences. Furthermore, this kind of trend is evident in regions that have been given higher rankings with regards to living conditions.
Furthermore, participants who preferred living in regions as Greater Victoria and Okanagan happened to be familiar with these regions. The only region that stood out is Greater Vancouver as most participants were greatly familiar with the region but ended up giving them low rankings making it a place that is less desirable. This region was highly familiar but with low ranking mostly because of the high cost of living (Cialdini, 2007). To sum this up, there was a positive correlation existing between familiarity and disability with a specific region. Nonetheless, statistical test like the Pearson’s r correlation is required if the relationship is to be considered as statistically relevant. The figure below is a presentation of a visual estimation of the positive correlation that exists between desirability and familiarity of a region after it has been analyzed statistically.
References
Cialdini, R. B. (2007). Influence: the psychology of persuasion: Robert B. Cialdini. New York: Collins.
Elliot, N. (2016). Introduction to Human Geography: People and the Environment [Moodle Module slides]. Retrieved from the Thompson Rivers University GEOG 1191: https://moodle.tru.ca
Goemans, M. & Ballamingie, P. (2012). Forest as hazard, forest as victim: Community perspectives and disaster mitigation in the aftermath of Kelowna’s 2003 wildfires. The Canadian Geographer, 57(1) (pp. 56-71). DOI: 10.1111/j.1541-0064.2012. 00447.x
Pfeffer, J. (2010). Power: why some people have it–and others don’t. New York, NY: Harper Business.
Jay Steve Nate Gerry Sheila Lou Eddie Bridget Barb Tim Total
Okanagan Valley 1 2 5 2 4 5 2 4 2 1 28
Greater Victoria 2 4 3 4 1 2 3 2 3 4 28
Kootenays 3 1 2 1 5 6 4 1 7 6 36
The Rest of Vancouver Island 4 5 4 6 2 4 1 3 4 5 38
Greater Vancouver 5 3 1 3 3 1 12 5 5 8 46
Kamloops/ Thompson 8 6 6 5 8 7 8 7 1 2 58
Fraser Valley 7 7 8 8 7 3 9 6 6 9 70
Sunshine Coast/ Sechelt Peninsula 6 8 7 7 6 10 5 11 8 7 75
Central Interior 9 10 9 9 12 8 10 8 9 3 87
Peace River District 10 9 10 11 9 9 11 10 10 10 99
The Northwest 11 11 11 10 10 12 7 9 11 11 103
The North 12 12 12 12 11 11 6 12 12 12 112
Jay SteveNateGerrySheila LouEddieBridget BarbTimTotal
Okanagan Valley 125245242128
Greater Victoria 243412323428
Kootenays 312156417636
The Rest of Vancouver Island 454624134538
Greater Vancouver 5313311255846
Kamloops/ Thompson 866587871258
Fraser Valley 778873966970
Sunshine Coast/ Sechelt Peninsula 68776105118775
Central Interior 910991281089387
Peace River District 1091011991110101099
The Northwest 111111101012791111103
The North 1212121211116121212112
Jay Steve Nate Gerry Sheila Lou Eddie Bridget Barb Tim Total
Okanagan Valley 3 3 3 3 3 2 3 3 3 3 29
Greater Victoria 3 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 28
Greater Vancouver 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 28
Kootenays 3 3 3 3 2 2 3 3 1 2 25
The Rest of Vancouver Island 2 2 3 2 3 3 3 3 2 2 25
Kamloops/ Thompson 2 3 2 2 2 1 1 2 3 3 21
Fraser Valley 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 3 18
Sunshine Coast/ Sechelt Peninsula 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 2 1 17
Central Interior 3 1 3 1 1 2 1 1 2 1 16
Peace River District 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 10
The Northwest 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 10
The North 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 10
Jay SteveNateGerrySheila LouEddieBridget BarbTimTotal
Okanagan Valley 333332333329
Greater Victoria 323333333228
Greater Vancouver 233333333228
Kootenays 333322331225
The Rest of Vancouver Island 223233332225
Kamloops/ Thompson 232221123321
Fraser Valley 222222111318
Sunshine Coast/ Sechelt Peninsula 122222212117
Central Interior 313112112116
Peace River District 111111111210
The Northwest 111111111110
The North 111111111110
12
Assignment #3
Wenqing Zhao
QUESTION 1:
All living organisms during and after their life cycle relate to the environment in one way or another. The study if this is what is referred to as ecology. It aims at defining the relationship that all living things have with their environment; from humans to animals and lastly to plants. Through studying ecology, the already established connection between animals, humans, plants, and the general environment can be fully comprehended and supported.
It does not end there, it goes beyond to include how these living things adjust to their geographical and social environments. That is why it involves various levels of study which are; organism, population, community, biosphere, and ecosystem. All these can be classified into biotic and abiotic components of the environment, which form the backbone of what ecologists do.
Biotic components of the environment are simply the living features which are plants, bacteria, fungi, animals, etc. while the abiotic components are the non-living factors of the environment e.g. soil, air, water, etc. put together, they all form the ecosystem, which is basically the bubble of life, where all components of life exist together.
Ecology focuses on the forces that arise from complex interactions leading to selective pressures and eventually natural selection, this is what eventually causes evolution. The 5 types of ecology;
· Global Ecology
· Landscape Ecology
· Ecosystem Ecology
· Community Ecology
· Population Ecology
QUESTION 2 (a):
grassland ecosystem
precipitation
/ / / / /rain / / / / / / photosynthesis water cycle
Primary producer secondary producer
decomposition
Soil and grass
QUESTION 2 (b):
Grassland ecosystems have average moisture and rainfall is consistent. The precipitation is mostly through rainfall which is the source of life in such an ecosystem. All the components of this kind of ecosystem depend mostly on rainfall. The water cycle is continuous as rainwater is absorbed into the soil. Bearing both biotic and abiotic factors in grassland ecosystems (Dana, 2018), it provides a habitat for soil organisms. The texture allows water to flow through it, which is also absorbed by the plants which are producers. Plants absorb the water and use it to make food. In addition, the energy from the sunshine is used by the plant together with the water absorbed from the soil for photosynthesis.
Through this, the goats that are in the representation above become the primary consumers. They eat directly from the plants which in this case are the grass and the tree which produce leaves that goats graze on. Secondary and tertiary consumers exist in a grassland ecosystem in the form of carnivores and hawks respectively. They complete the food chain, therefore living things are all catered for.
Decomposition takes place on the grass and in the soil. In a grassland ecosystem, the organic matter comes from the animal waste which in this case is the goat, it also comes from plant waste which is basically the dead leaves that fall from the trees. All these are acted upon by the fungi, aerobic and anaerobic soil bacteria which are all constituted underground. They are responsible for releasing the minerals back into the soil. The minerals are at this point in their usable forms meaning they will be taken in as nutrients by the plants and animals. The nutrient cycle is important for plant and animal survival, the ecosystem cannot be complete without the availability of the bacteria which convert minerals and nutrients.
The abiotic components of this ecosystem cannot be seen but they do actually exist. The carbon cycle, hydrogen in the air, nitrogen in the soil, etc. all have a purpose. Without a continuous supply of the same or rather their existence in the atmosphere then there is a guaranteed collapse of the ecosystem. Sunlight as the main source of energy in the ecosystem aids in the processes of conversion of such factors to usable form by the consumers.
the main function of this ecosystem is productivity. The producers utilize the energy from the sun and produce complex organic matter which is essential for the survival of the components of the ecosystem. The minerals contribute to this process. This means that at the end of the day, plants will have their food which is in form of nutrients absorbed from the soil, and at the same time, the animals which are mostly herbivores will also have grass to graze on. The secondary and tertiary consumers may be present depending on the seasons.
The grassland ecosystem is one of the simplest ecosystems among all the other 5 ecosystems and easiest to understand.
QUESTION 3:
Biomass
Biomass is the organic material that comes from living things; both animals and plants. It contains stored chemical energy that is released from the sun. it can be converted to energy through direct combustion for heat or it can also be converted to renewable both gaseous and liquid fuels by way of various processes. Its sources for energy include the following; Agricultural plants/crops and waste materials, human waste and animal manure, biogenic materials, and wood.
GPP
Also referred to as GPP, Gross Primary Productivity is the rate at which energy from the sun or rather solar energy is captured in the sugar molecules when plants make food (photosynthesis). Scholarly, it is defined as; ‘energy captured per unit area per unit time’. This energy that is produced by the plant and other living organisms is used for metabolism, growth, and development.
NPP
Net Primary Productivity is the rate at which the energy gets stored in the form of biomass by producers which are primarily plants and animal waste, and then availed to the consumers who exist in the ecosystem. Basically, it is the rate at which plants absorb the energy from the source (sun) and release it in the form of biomass.
Factors influencing productivity in Terrestrial Ecosystems
Terrestrial ecosystems are only found on landforms, they include rainforests, tundras, deserts, grasslands, etc. productivity in these systems is affected by the following key factors;
1. Moisture
2. Temperature
Seasonal and periodic variations depicted on a year by year basis have an influence on the net primary productivity of terrestrial ecosystems across the globe. Disturbance, climate, and ecological succession cause changes in primary production. Highly humid areas are bound to be more productive than those with less humidity. In addition, high temperature means less moisture and therefore less productivity rate. Examples are how tropical rain forests being that they have warm and wet conditions, are highly productive in the terrestrial ecosystems. However, desserts and generally dry areas are low-productivity ecosystems.
QUESTION 4:
Historical ecology is basically a research that is based on the concepts and methods for studying the cycle of relationships between the living organisms and their environment since the beginning of time. It focuses on finding out how the various components of the ecosystems related in the previous centuries through archaeological, environmental, historical, ethnographic, and other records which are not short or evidence of relations between the biotic and abiotic features of the system (Carol, 2014). It has a definition of ecology where humans are the backbone of ecosystems and are a component of all ecosystems. For example humans existed for thousands of years back and ate from plants which have always been the source of food, while the sun has always existed to enable plants to carry out photosynthesis.
Open systems in ecology are those systems that are open to external interactions. They relate with the external features of their environment and do not function independently as they depend on the whole system. It is a system where matter moves in and out. Here energy can be transferred between the system and the environment. Examples of open systems are biological organisms that exchange energy with their surroundings.
Closed systems on the other hand are those that cannot or are not in a position to transfer matter to their surroundings. They do not consume then release energy to the environment like open systems. Matter exchange in such systems is only within and does not involve the external features of the system (Alida, 2020). An example of such a system is green algae.
The nutrient cycle is a description of the process through which nutrients move from the physical environment which is the external part of the ecosystem, into the living organisms which actually utilize this and then back into the physical environment. It is a vital function of the ecology of any ecosystem and it determines the survival of the same (Katharina, 2020). An example is the basic nutrient cycle which involves rainwater which leads to plant growth that produces food for humans and animals who then release waste that is also the energy used by the system. It is a continuous process.
Nitrogen fixation is the reduction of atmospheric nitrogen through a natural process or an industrial process to a form of nitrogen which includes nitrates, nitrites, ammonia, etc. in the natural form it cannot be used by living organisms like plants and therefore the processes enable its usage by living organisms. An example of nitrogen fixation is Symbiotic Nitrogen Fixation where symbiotic plants partner with the host plant to aid in the process (Stephen, 2011).
QUESTION 5:
Traditional knowledge are what humans have known since time immemorial, they have no specific definitions or scholarly precedence but are facts. Unlike western scientific knowledge that is back by the presence of evidence that is research-based and majorly scholarly. Before science advanced, the evolved man understood changes in the ecosystem using their basic knowledge and senses. Western scientific knowledge can arguably be agreed to just supplement the knowledge that has always been there.
Climate change like global warming could be foretold by ancient man. Traditional knowledge could define the changes a climate without basically requiring instruments to tell why. Indigenous and local understandings of the phenomenon are what brought about the industrial revolution. It provided a reason for conducting studies. Basically, the two depend on each other. They all focused on identifying changes in the ecosystem, and finding out why, the only difference is that western scientific knowledge is more qualitative and quantitative thus a lot more sophisticated than traditional knowledge.
Research by Matera & Jaime (2020) is perfect proof that both traditional knowledge and western scientific knowledge are important in solving natural calamities like global warming. The research seeks to find the link between the old knowledge and the new scientific knowledge, and use it to define the current occurrence, and subsequently come up with the perfect solution that will save humanity from extinction. Both knowledges has a part to play in this century and western science would not exist if not for traditional knowledge.
Skills and procedures in both indigenous and western scientific knowledge are similar. They both involve; pattern recognition, prediction and interference, verification via repetition, and finally empirical observation in natural settings. The way of acquiring extra knowledge about a phenomenon or a situation is systematic and relies on the physical nature of the occurrence. Without actually seeing and through observing, then both knowledge would not exist.
There is no knowledge without study, and in this case, the sources of both traditional knowledge and western scientific knowledge are the same. They all relied on animals, plants and, ecosystems. By observing the behaviors of each and every single component of the ecosystem, analyzing it and, evaluating it, there is the acquisition of knowledge (Stuart, Patricia, Orville & Lily, 2013). Properties and motions of objects and materials, coupled by the cycles and changes that exist in the earth systems are all transformed into knowledge and have existed qualitatively, subjectively and, quantitatively since time immemorial.
Experimentation forms the basis of knowledge. For information to stick and be transformed into knowledge, the occurrences must be proven. Here, the scientific knowledge carries more water, however, traditional knowledge also has a part to play. All in all, experimentation has always been there and we cannot start to prove that it only happens scientifically. There are various forms of experimentations which if the research was to go by, have always been consistent. They all lead to the same findings even if not the same but similar at some point. This means they are more of related than they are non-related.
Therefore, it is arguably wrong to suggest that one of the two is superior of inferior to the other, since they are more alike that different and can be used independently to solve problems in the current world as it is.
References
Alida, C. (2020). Open System in Management: Definition & Example
Dana, S. (2018). Biotic and Abiotic Factors in the Savanna Grassland.
Katharina, C. (2020). The Nutrient Cycle. Retrieved from: https://sswm.info/arctic-wash/module-2-environment-pollution-levels-implications/further-resources-environment-and/the-nutrient-cycle
Matera & Jaime. (2020). Bridging Traditional and Scientific Knowledge of Climate Change: Understanding Change Through the Lives of Small Island Communities. anthropology Program, California State University Channel Islands, 1 Universtiy Dr, 93012, Camarillo, CA, USA
Stuart, C., Patricia, C., Orville, H. & Lily, R. (2013). Traditional Knowledge and Wisdom: A Guide for Understanding and Shaping Alaskan Social-Ecological Change.
Shakeel, A. (2019). What is Grassland Ecosystem? Environment and Ecology. Retrieved from:
https://www.jagranjosh.com/general-knowledge/grassland-ecosystem-components-structure-and-economic-importance-1556176113-1
Stephen, C. (2011). Biological Nitrogen Fixation. Nature Education Knowledge 3(10):15. Retrieved from:
https://www.nature.com/scitable/knowledge/library/biological-nitrogen-fixation-23570419/
Instructions
Essay Objectives and Marks Allocation
Write an essay of 1,500 words (at least eight pages) that focuses on a chosen and agreed-upon topic examining the relationship between people (or society) and their environment/resources. You must contact your Open Learning Faculty Member to discuss your proposed topic before starting your essay.
The focus of the essay may be at the local, regional, continental, or global scale. Possible topics include:
· Problems and potentials with respect to maintaining the quality or availability of a particular resource (water, forests, wildlife, ecosystems, open space, etc.)
· Maintenance/loss of biodiversity
· Land-use planning in an urban or non-urban context
· Changing relationships between culture and environment
· The differing views of sustainable development/sustainability between the LDCs and the HDCs
· Differing worldviews such as traditional knowledge and Western-based “scientific” knowledge, and how these worldviews reflect different relationships between people and environment
· The role of maps and mapping in communicating views of the world
· Any topic of interest to you (which you have discussed and gained approval from your Open Learning Faculty Member)
For example, if you selected “loss of biodiversity” as an essay topic, you would need to consider developing a thesis statement about this topic that reflected the course’s theme of humans and their environment. One such topic could be, “habitat loss threatens biodiversity.”
You must clearly identify a thesis statement in your essay; if you would like, once you pick your topic you may verify the appropriateness of your thesis question or statement with your Open Learning Faculty Member.
From the example topic (above), an appropriate thesis statement could be:
“The destruction of habitat from urban expansion will eventually lead to an irreversible loss of biodiversity. As a society, we need to decide what is more important: new subdivisions and shopping malls, or preservation of natural ecosystems.”
Additionally, you are required to tie in course content and themes into your essay. Consider that the course themes will be used to analyze your topic. In essence, you will be selecting “tools” from your geography “toolbox” to examine your topic and thesis statement.
Review the course modules for themes or ask your Open Learning Faculty Member if you are uncertain. There are many themes that could be used to frame your topic and thesis. An example of how to add a course theme to the above thesis example statement is thus:
“The destruction of habitat from urban expansion will eventually lead to an irreversible loss of biodiversity. As a society, we need to decide what is more important: new subdivisions and shopping malls, or preservation of natural ecosystem. To examine this question, this paper will identify and evaluate societal values from a cognitive behavioral standpoint.”
Or as another example:
“The destruction of habitat from urban expansion will eventually lead to an irreversible loss of biodiversity. As a society, we need to decide what is more important: new subdivisions and shopping malls, or preservation of natural ecosystem. To examine this question, this paper will describe the natural processes of the Downsview wetland located in Port Hope, Ontario, as town planners have proposed to build a subdivision adjacent to the wetland. Varying perceptions and values will be considered when evaluating potential impacts on the natural and social systems of this proposed development.”
Discussion
· The paper requires a certain amount of research beyond that supplied in the course modules, the textbook, and your Open Learning Faculty Member. Its successful completion will thus depend, not only on your interest in the topic you have chosen, but also on the way in which you utilize a wide range of information sources.
· You will already be aware of information sources with respect to your topic of interest, but your Open Learning Faculty Member may be able to provide you with additional leads and sources. The key thing in the initial stage is not to jump in feet first, but to think about and visit potential information sources before developing the overall term paper objectives and, thus, its research design.
· Be sure to follow APA formatting.
Grading: