Integrated geography (also referred to asintegrative geography,[1]environmental geography orhuman–environment geography) is where the branches ofhuman geography andphysical geography overlap to describe and explain thespatial aspects of interactions between human individuals or societies and theirnatural environment,[2] these interactions being calledcoupled human–environment system.
Integrated geography requires an understanding of the dynamics ofphysical geography, as well as the ways in which human societies conceptualize the environment (human geography). Thus, to a certain degree, it may be seen as a successor ofPhysische Anthropogeographie (English: "physical anthropogeography")—a term coined byUniversity of Vienna geographerAlbrecht Penck in 1924[3]—and geographicalcultural orhuman ecology (Harlan H. Barrows 1923). Integrated geography in the United States is principally influenced by the schools ofCarl O. Sauer (Berkeley), whose perspective was rather historical, andGilbert F. White (Chicago), who developed a more applied view.Integrated geography describes and explains the spatial aspects of interactions between human individuals or societies and their natural environment, calledcoupled human–environment systems.
The links between human and physical geography were once more apparent than they are today. As human experience of the world is increasingly mediated by technology, the relationships between humans and the environment have often become obscured. Thereby, integrated geography represents a critically important set of analytical tools for assessing the impact of human presence on theenvironment. This is done by measuring the result of human activity on natural landforms and cycles.[4] Methods for which this information is gained includeremote sensing, andgeographic information systems.[5] Integrated geography helps us to ponder the environment in terms of its relationship to people. With integrated geography we can analyze different social science and humanities perspectives and their use in understanding people environment processes.[6] Hence, it is considered the third branch of geography,[7] the other branches being physical and human geography.[8]
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