Introduction to Human Geography
(GEOH1614)
Lecture 2: Core Concepts
Dr Regis Musavengane
Objectives
▫ By the end of this lesson students should be able to:
Understand the meaning of human habitat
Comprehend human-environmental interactions
Describe socio-ecological systems
Understand sensitivity and vulnerability of the landscape
and settlements
Location, Direction and Distance
Place similarity and regions
2
HUMAN HABITAT
▫ Habitat: a place where an organism makes its home.
A habitat meets all the environmental conditions an organism
needs to survive. The main components of a habitat are
shelter, water, food, and space.
▫ The reflection on the habitat has long been shared by several
disciplines to multiple fields: architecture and urban planning
in the housing design and the city, the natural sciences
through the ecological approach and the humanities.
▫ May refer to a mode of occupation of space by man for the
purpose of housing. It comes in individual homes and group
housing. This can take the form of different architectures
depending on the nature more or less hostile environment
(Achour, 2015). 3
TYPES OF HUMAN HABITAT
▫ 1, Rural Residential - These include areas with a mixture
of constructed materials and vegetation. Impervious
surfaces account for 20-49 percent of total cover.
▫ These areas most commonly include single-family
housing units. The houses are found in forest, farmland or
rangeland areas. Developed open spaces, such as parks,
golf courses, developed campgrounds and ball fields are
included here.
▫ 2, Rural Transition - These are forested, rangeland, or
natural habitats where current development is underway.
Impervious surfaces are less than 20%, but natural
processes or natural resource management can be limited.
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TYPES OF HUMAN HABITAT
▫ 3, Urban/Suburban - These are the most
developed areas in the landscape. It includes areas
characterized as low density residential, medium
density developed, and urban and industrial areas.
▫ They include a high number of land-cover types,
including areas with a mixture of constructed
materials and vegetation.
▫ Impervious surfaces account for 50-100 percent
of total cover.
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TYPES OF HUMAN HABITAT
▫ 4, Agricultural Lands - These are areas characterized by
vegetation that has been planted or is intensively
managed for the production of food, feed, or fiber; or is
maintained in developed settings for specific purposes.
▫ They include high structure agriculture such as
orchards, berries and nurseries, row crops, grass seed
and pasture.
▫ Often, the type of crop planted can influence what
wildlife species use agricultural lands, and the different
types of agriculture distinguished in landcover maps are
often treated separately.
6
HUMAN-ENVIRONMENT INTERACTIONS
▫ Interactions between the human social system and (the
“rest” of) the ecosystem.
▫ Human Social System: The type of society strongly
influences peoples attitude towards nature, their
behaviour and therefore their impact on ecosystems.
▫ Important characteristics of human social systems are
population size, social organization, values, technology,
wealth, education, knowledge and many more. Especially
values and knowledge strongly influence peoples “view
of life” and consequently define the way people act.
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HUMAN-ENVIRONMENT INTERACTIONS
▫ People modify the environment for their purposes and
obtain benefits (Ecosystem Services) from it.
▫ These Ecosystem Services are essential for human
well-being and include for example the provision of
resources like water, timber, food, energy,
information, land for farming and many more.
▫ Human–environment dynamics - human activity
modifies an environmental system (often
detrimentally), and the resulting environmental
repercussions then impact humans.
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HUMAN-ENVIRONMENT INTERACTIONS
▫ There are 3 types of human environment
interaction:
1. The way people adapt the environment to fulfil
their own needs
2. The way people depend on the environment for
food, water, timber, natural gas etc
3. The way people modify the environment
positively or negatively like drilling holes, building
dams
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HUMAN-ENVIRONMENT INTERACTIONS
▫ Examples of Human Environment Interactions
▫ The use of natural resources
▫ Deforestation
▫ Energy resources
▫ Oil and gas drilling
▫ Water resources
▫ Relationships between human activities and the
surroundings
▫ Littering
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SOCIO-ECOLOGICAL SYSTEMS
▫ Systems where social, economic, ecological, cultural,
political, technological, and other components are
strongly linked.
▫ Socioecological systems (SESs) are truly interconnected
and co-evolving across spatial and temporal scales,
where the ecological component provides essential
services to society such as supply of food, fibre, energy,
and drinking water.
▫ The socioecological system theory sprang from the
recognition of close interaction between society, in
terms of social–economic system, and natural system.
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SOCIO-ECOLOGICAL SYSTEMS
▫ Helps to understand the driving forces motivating human actions. Driving forces are
the underlying causes that influence and direct human activities.
▫ These forces, either directly or indirectly, result in changes in ecosystems, which
can degrade ecosystem capability to provide goods and services.
▫ The roots of these forces can be economic, political, sociocultural, and/or legal, and
rarely occur in isolation, but rather act in conjunction with others.
▫ Direct driving forces, such as mining or agricultural practices, are easily recognizable
as they often have an immediately discernible effect.
▫ Indirect driving forces are less identifiable, but influence people’s actions. E.g.,
legislation can encourage people to mine rather than farm an area and influence
how they will mine. 12
Sensitivity & Vulnerability of the Landscape
and settlements
▫ Landscape sensitivity is about the ability of the
landscape to respond to change and how
likely it is that a change will occur
▫ The first component of landscape sensitivity
considers how long it takes for an environment
to return to its original form after a
disturbance.
▫ The second part of landscape sensitivity is how
likely the environment is to change.
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▫
Sensitivity & Vulnerability of the Landscape
and settlements
▫ A 4-step method in assessing sensitivity of landscapes
▫ Step 1: Define type and nature of change
▫ Identification of the specific type and nature of change is important as it will
influence which landscape attributes are sensitive.
▫ Consideration needs to be given here to the potential impacts of the proposed
change and the aspects of the change in question.
▫ Landscape attributes are likely to be sensitive in different ways or have different
sensitivities to specific forms of change.
▫ For example, some areas of low lying topography may have a comparatively low
sensitivity to residential development but may be vulnerable and therefore highly
sensitive to flooding and fluctuating water levels, as a result of climate change.
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Sensitivity & Vulnerability of the Landscape
and settlements
▫ Step 2: Identify landscape character - what is important and why
▫ Landscape characteristics and a sound understanding of landscape
and place should be the basis for judgements on sensitivity and
supporting landscape guidance.
▫ Judging landscape character sensitivity requires professional
judgement about the degree to which the landscape in question is
robust, in that it is able to accommodate change without adverse
impacts on character
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Sensitivity & Vulnerability of the Landscape
and settlements
▫ Step 3: Assess effects of change (assigning landscape sensitivity)
▫ High - Key characteristics of the landscape are highly vulnerable to the type of
change being assessed, with such change likely to result in a significant change
in valued character.
▫ Moderate - Some of the key characteristics of the landscape may be vulnerable
to the type of change being assessed.
▫ Low - Key characteristics of the landscape are less likely to be adversely
affected by change. Change can potentially be more easily accommodated
without significantly altering character and there may be opportunities to
positively create new character.
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Sensitivity & Vulnerability of the Landscape
and settlements
▫ Step 4: Develop appropriate landscape guidance
▫ It is not the purpose of sensitivity judgements to say that
development or change should be rejected on account of a
sensitivity rating.
▫ Sensitivity judgements should be linked to guidance in respect of
siting, design and management, to ensure that change is focussed
in the most positive way.
17
Sensitivity & Vulnerability of the Landscape
and settlements
▫ Socio-economic vulnerability of settlements
▫ Social vulnerability - refers to “the state of individuals,
groups, or communities defined in terms of their
ability to cope with and adapt to any external stress
placed on their livelihoods and well-being” (Adger
1999).
▫ Vulnerability includes the loss of social capital, the
fragmentation of social networks, and the breakdown
of family and friendship ties that form an informal
safety net for many poor households.
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Sensitivity & Vulnerability of the Landscape
and settlements
▫ Economic vulnerability - can typically be
identified in communities where there are a
low GDP per capita, economic decline, and
dependency on a single economic activity
(Van Huyssteen et al. 2013b).
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Location, Direction and Distance
▫ Location – is the starting of all geographic study.
▫ Absolute location refers to the exact coordinates of a place on the Earth's
surface, typically expressed in latitude and longitude.
For example, Cape Town is located at approximately 33.9249° S latitude
and 18.4241° E longitude. This precise positioning allows for clear
identification on maps and global positioning systems.
▫ Relative location describes a place’s position in relation to other locations.
For instance, Johannesburg is situated to the northwest of Pretoria, the
administrative capital of South Africa.
This concept highlights how geographical context influences accessibility
and interaction between places. May have social & economic implications. 20
Location, Direction and Distance
▫ Absolute Direction refers to a fixed and universally recognized compass
direction, such as north, south, east, or west. It provides a precise way
to describe the orientation of one location relative to another.
For example, if you say that Pretoria is located north of Johannesburg,
you are using absolute direction. This clarity is especially useful in
navigation and geographic mapping, where consistent reference points
are critical.
▫ Relative Direction describes the position of one location in relation to
another using non-fixed terms based on personal or cultural
perspectives. Terms like "up," "down," "left," and "right" are often used.
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Interrelations Between Spaces
▫ Spatial Interactions - refer to the movement and
flow of people, goods, and information between
different locations.
▫ These interactions shape economic, social, and cultural
relationships, influencing how regions develop and connect over
time.
▫ Distance of Decay - describes the decrease in
interaction or influence as the distance between
two places increases.
▫ For example, a city may have stronger economic ties with nearby
towns compared to those that are farther away, leading to
reduced trade and communication over greater distances.
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Interrelations Between Spaces
Accessibility - measures how easily people can reach a location. Factors like
transportation infrastructure and geographic barriers affect accessibility.
▫ In South Africa, well-developed roads and airports enhance access between urban
centers, facilitating economic growth and cultural exchange.
Connectivity - refers to the degree to which different places are linked
through networks such as transportation, communication, and trade.
▫ High connectivity can lead to increased interactions and collaboration, while low
connectivity may isolate regions from economic opportunities and cultural
exchanges.
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Interrelations Between Spaces
Spatial Diffusion is the process by which innovations, ideas, or cultural
practices spread from one place to another.
▫ In South Africa, the diffusion of technology and social movements often
occurs through urban centers, influencing rural areas over time.
Globalization is the increasing interconnectedness of economies, cultures,
and societies across the world.
▫ It impacts South Africa through trade, migration, and cultural exchange,
shaping local identities while also integrating them into a global context.
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Place Similarity and Regions
▫ Thematic regions are defined by specific themes or characteristics, such
as climate, language, or economic activity.
▫ Functional regions are defined by a central place and the surrounding
areas that are connected to it through various functions, such as
economic activities or transportation networks.
▫ Perceptual/Cognitive regions are based on subjective perceptions and
cultural identities rather than strict geographic boundaries. These regions
may vary among individuals and groups, reflecting personal experiences
and societal beliefs.
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[Bjelland, et al. (2013) Human Geography: Landscapes of Human Activities]
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