CONTENT OF PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY

The object of physical geography is to understand the natural environment at
the human rather molecular scale. We are concerned to explain the formation
and occurrence of phenomena of the natural environment and the general
area aspects of their dispersion, pattern and interrelations. In practice
because the field is so large and because certain subjects are more central
to other specialised disciplines, we limit our activities to the physical
and biological landscapes and to considerations of soil, water and climate.
These are the elements of the natural environment that have most direct
influence upon mankind. We also analyse the impace of man on the environment
and study the application of geographical principles to conservation and
planning

For the purposes of teaching and research, physical geography is broken down
into its component parts of geomorphology, hydrology, climatology,
biogeography and pedology. Work in these subjects involves the following:

1. Geomorphology

The focus of our interest is on the development and spatial organisation of
landforms. While the historical evolution of physical landscape is
important, modern emphasis is on quantitative analysis and process-response
study.

2. Hydrology

Rivers and their valleys, lakes and estuaries are intergral parts of the
landscape; thus we examine their organisation, operation and development.
Consideration is given to both surface water and groundwater networks.
This branch of physical geography is closer to fluvial geomorphology than
to hydraulics.

3. Climatology

Elements of Climate, such as energy, moisture and wind, are studied 
collectively as components of the natural environment. The subfields of 
"applied climatology" and "amospheric resource assessment" deal with
relationships between the atmospheric environment and socio-economic aspects
of recreation, agriculture, health, comfort, clothing, architechure, 
commerce, and industry.

4. Biogeography

Living organisms, particularly plants, are an important aspect of landscapes;
thus our interest embraces distribution, characteristics and interrelations
of biota in space, including modifications wrought by man and climatic
change. Emphasis is primarily on area, pattern and the geography of biota,
rather than on the biota per se.

5. Pedology

Soils clothe the landscape and are the by-products of climatic, biologic and
geomorphic processes. They therefore form an integral part of our area of
enquiry, being worthy of study in their own right as well as for the light
they shed on spatial distribution of environmental processes. A knowledge
of soils and their potential is also of great importance for land evaluation
and agricultural geography.

Thw study of all aspects of physical geography is necessary for a full 
appreciation of human geography. Thus apart from being independent subjects
of intrinsic academic merit, these branches of natural science provide an
important service to the rest of geography.

The applications of physical geography should also be noted, for expert
knowledge of geomorphic, climatic, hydrologic, biologic and pedologic 
processes has clear relevance for environmental management, whether in
the fields of land evaluation and development, erosion control, water
supply or education.
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