Spatial+Concepts

Spatial Concepts

The geography of the natural environment and human environment, and the processes that produce them, can be organised using //spatial concepts.// They are the organising concepts common to all branches of geography. Although there are many organising concepts, ther are nine commonly recognised concepts:

Location Is where natural and built phenomena are found on the surface of the Earth. A place has an absolute location measured accurately by coordinates, and a relative location measured by distance and direction from one place to another.

Scale This term includes 2 uses 1. The map scale shws the relationshop between measurements on a map and the actual measurements on the ground. Map scales are expressed in words, by a line scale, or as a representative fraction.2. The observational scale refers to the size of an area being studied. A range of scales includes the following: //Local scale -// involves the smallest area and is immediate to wherever the study is taking place. Fieldwork is conducted at the local scale. //Regional scale// - covers a larger area than the local scale. The study of the Murray-Darling Basin is at a regional scale. //National scale// - focuses study on a nation//.// For example, the Australian governments response to a global phenomena. //International scale// - considers two or more nations. The combined efforts of African nations would be an example

Distance The space between different locations on Earth. The absolute or linear distance is measured in units such as metres and kilometres. The relative distance is the length of time it takes to travel from one location toanother, cost involved and the convenience of the journey.

Distribution Arrangement of things at or near the earth's surface viewed at a range of scales.

Region Is a definable area of the earth's surface which contains one or more common characteristics that distinguish it from other areas. Regions are different for different groups of people eg. Oakleigh South (local), Gippsland (regional), Australia (national), Sub-Saharan Africa (international).

Movement Involves the change in location of one or more things across the Earth's surface. Movement includes direction, method, rate, nature and volume.

Spatial change over time Refers to the degree to which an area has changed its geographic characteristics, features or patterns of use over a period of time. Change occurs at varying rates at different times and may be considered at different scales.

Spatial association Is the degree to which things are similarly arranged over space. Spatial association compares distribution patterns. A strong spatial association occurs where two distributions are similar. Weak association describes little similarity. No association occurs when two distributions are dissimilar.

Spatial interaction Describes the strengths of the rlationships between phenomena and places in the environments, and the degree to which they influence or interact with each other over space. Over time, the impact of people on the enviornment changes and environment in turn changes people.

IMPORTANT LINKS FOR SPATIAL CONCEPTS [|The Spatial Concepts - patterns for writing.doc]