Physical geography project

Photo Project: Physical Geography Processes 20 Points, 4 Photographs, 4 Paragraphs

Introduction The physical geography processes discussed in class and in your text are not only found in exotic locations, but also in our own immediate environment. Being able to recognize physical processes in the landscape is an important goal in this course. In this assignment, you will practice your skills of geographic observation and apply concepts and topics that you have learned in any component of GEOG 101 Physical Geography to describe the physical features, landforms, and processes. To better achieve this goal, I would like to hear from you, in writing, about your favorite landform or a fascinating place you have visited. In your day-to-day life and in your travels, you have likely been intrigued by interesting landscapes, landforms, weather patterns, etc. in your surroundings. An understanding of Physical Geography allows us to appreciate these phenomena in a different way, as we begin to understand the processes that create the features that we see. Whether it be a magnificent canyon with layers upon layers of striations, or rain that falls but never quite reaches the ground, Physical Geography is everywhere. Remember – the purpose of your photo essay is to illustrate and describe the unique physical features and processes. Don’t take a picture of dew and say “It’s humid”. I know that, why did the dew form & what is it telling us? If you have no idea which unique physical feature or landform to pick, think about a place you have been where you were amazed at the natural physical surroundings. Think about a place in which you wanted to know more about how the landform came to be! If in doubt, please ask your instructor.

Topics

1. Earth/Sun Relationships (Declination of the sun) – For example, you can take a photograph of something with shadows and explain why and how the shadow length will vary throughout the year. Please note that this concept is not the same as day length.

2. Humidity – Either high or low humidity. Also explain what humidity is. 3. Temperature Inversion Layer OR Lifting Condensation Level (LCL) – The inversion layer

(temperature increases with height) is unpredictable, bring your camera with you when you are out and about. LCL is common at times (e.g., clouds are formed) when inversions are not.

4. Rocks – Identify the rock type, how it formed why you classified it as such. It would be better if you used exposed bedrock where you can actually touch it as that will aid in the identification process.

5. Atmospheric Lifting Mechanisms – There are four types; orographic lifting is easy is identify. 6. Weather – Describer the weather for a particular day – you might want to include newspaper

or online weather information for that date. What were the contributing factors to that day’s weather?

7. Climate – Do not just take a picture of nice weather. What is our climate and how does the vegetation reflect this? No palm tree or oak or cactus pictures for this or #8. I want to see the whole landscape.

8. Climate Inappropriate – What vegetation/landscaping is NOT appropriate for our climate and why?

9. Earthquakes – Do not just take a photo of a crack in the ground and say “earthquake.” Why do we have earthquakes?

10. Mass Wasting/Movement – Identify type of mass wasting and cause. 11. Stream Processes – Not just take a pretty picture of stream, I want a process: transportation,

erosion, bedload …

12. Coastal Processes – Not just a pretty picture of the beach, I want a process: sea stacks, spits, tombolos, coves, etc.

13. Free Choice – This can be any topic relating to physical geography that is not found above. Be sure to describe the process that created it.

Requirements

• Choose from a variety of topics (see above), then compile or take four original photographs that you find interesting and that remind you of something you have learned in GEOG 101. With each photo, include a typed description of the components/ processes of physical geography as you perceive them in the photograph.

• Out of the 4 photographs: o One photo is limited to Maryland and taken (by you) during the current semester or

within the past two years. You may use a digital camera or your cell phone to take photos and include those pictures in your report.

o The other three photos can be captured from anywhere, any countries, or any regions. These can be photos from your trip or any fascinating places you would like to visit.

• Each photo will have a typed description and paragraph analysis (See examples at the end of this document). Photo information will include the location, date and time of photo in addition to the specific text chapter of the topic being shown. The analysis will include a definition (in bold) or explanation of the topic and a detailed description/analysis of how the photo represents the topic. Any information from the text or other source must be properly cited. The more insightful the analysis the higher the project grade. Note: For the photos taken in Maryland, you will want to be mindful of Maryland’s particular

geography in your discussion of the topic. • You may need to use outside resources for information specific to State of Maryland. Any information from the text or other sources must be properly cited.

• Audience - Write for a college audience who has taken GEOG 101 Physical Geography. What to submit A report containing 4 photo essays. Your report should not be more than 4 pages in length (including photos and references), all single-spaced, one-inch margins all around, and of 12-point type-size (in Times New Roman). Turn in a digital copy (either in a MS Word or a pdf format) via DigitalDropbox on Blackboard. I will not accept Emailed papers!

References If you research the topic from other sources (e.g., book, magazine, journal article, reliable on-line source, etc.), you must list the sources for all references you used to write your paper in this section. NO WIKIPEDIA! For citing references in your paper, you should use parenthetical (e.g., parentheses) citations in this

format: (author(s) last name(s), year, page number(s)). As examples:

The valley was partially blocked by a landslide in 1987 (Smith and Wilson, 1989, p. 45).

OR Smith and Wilson argue that the landslide of this magnitude occurs approximately every 10,000 years (1987, p. 45).

If your citation is a web page, then use the author of the web page or title of the web page and year. Do NOT place the full URL in your text.

Obviously, you can use your textbook for definitions and as a source to find more information on your landform. All I ask is that you do not use your book as your sole written reference (citation) source.

Helpful Hints 1. If you are stuck for ideas, remember that Physical Geography is everywhere you look. You

need not have been to the Grand Canyon or taken a picture of a meandering river from an airplane to find interesting geographic processes at work. These processes also occur as much in areas that are ‘untouched’ by humans as they do where humans have the greatest impact. Erosion and mass movements occurs in open pit mines, ecological succession occurs in cities and towns. You could even find 2 processes to describe on the TU campus.

2. Pay attention in lectures. Take note if the lecture reminds you of something you have seen. Photos are used throughout lectures that may give you ideas of how lecture topics are linked to what we see on Earth.

3. Browse your textbook for ideas. For example, note the variety of discussion questions with a photo in the textbook.

Grading Your job is to convince me that you understand the processes that could lead to the features in your photographs, not that you can simply research and regurgitate information about a phenomenon or place. To illustrate the depth of your understanding, focus on what can be seen in the photograph and make specific reference when possible to components within the photo (See examples at the end of this document for a brief description of the physical feature/landform). All essays will be graded on the following criteria:

• Photos are clearly presented, including all data and descriptive information. • Follow instructions; format follows sample given below; and include bibliography. • A variety of topics from class are illustrated from a variety of locations. • Appropriate terminology is defined. • Analysis is insightful and clearly related to information covered in class and text. • Description should not be simply repeating what the text says. This is plagiarism too, by

the way. Do not plagiarize Avoiding plagiarism is easy; just be sure to give all sources and ideas that are not your credit! No copying verbatim from the Internet, magazines, books, or your friends. For the assignment, you will be submitting your work through SafeAssign. SafeAssign is a computer algorithm, that compares the text of your assignment to millions of other textual sources to find any commonalities (in other words, to find out if plagiarism has occurred). You need to receive less than a 15% on your overall SafeAssign score for your assignment to be graded (30% or lower if the plagiarized materials are your references or correctly cited passages). Failure to fix plagiarism issues will result in docked points and/or a 0 (zero) on this assignment. I want no more than 5% of your essay quoted in someone else’s words. If you have more than 5% quoted in someone else’s words, 1-2 points will be deducted from your score. Penalties for plagiarism will cause you to receive a zero on the assignment.

(See http://www.towson.edu/provost/resources/studentacademic.asp for TU Student Academic Integrity Policy). Finally if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask.

Examples of photo description and analysis (these are just an average description) Topic: Mass Wasting Chapter: Chap 10 Weathering & Mass Movement Date: Feb 23, 2014 Location: Ortega Hwy, Mile 4, Orange County, California Description: Landslide

Analysis: Ortega Highway cuts east out of Orange County through the mountains and along the way the slopes are steep and subjected to mass wasting. The material tumbled down the slope in a process known as a landslide. A landslide typically occurs in area with steep slopes as is the case here. Recent rains would have lubricated and added weight to the slope though there was apparently limited mudflow in this event. Road cuts may have also steepened the slope encouraging mass wasting. This landslide was a quick event (as opposed to creep) and will be quickly cleared by CalTrans. One can assume though that given the topography along Ortega that this event may likely re-occur.

Topic: Atmospheric Lifting Mechanisms Chapter: Chap 5 Atmospheric Water and Weather Date: July, 2011 Location: Bernese Alps, Switzerland Description: Orographic Effect

This photo was taken in the middle of the day, a few hours after snowfall ceased. The pattern in this snowfall (on one side and not the other) is due to the aspect (direction the slope is facing) of the hill. The right side is facing NW and the left side is facing SE. Both slopes would have received similar snowfall in the morning, but because the South facing slope receives more sun (because the Alps are in the northern hemisphere) and primarily from the east by mid-day (because the sun rises in the east) the snow is melting faster on the SE slope. This pattern may also affect biogeography on a macro scale, as sun loving plants such as the tall yellow flowers will be more successful on the SE slope. The biogeography of the slope is also affected by the slope angles. The trees seem to be clustered where the slope is not so steep (e.g. on rocky outcrops) even though there is soil on the slope below.

Analysis: I took this photo in July 2011 in the Bernese Alps (in Switzerland). Behind the small peak (approximate elevation 1950 m. above sea level) in this photo is the town of Interlaken. Although snowy days are not common in this region in the middle of summer, it is not especially surprising that snow fell at high elevations. The air was unusually cool in the lowlands that week. As the air mass was forced (over the mountain) to higher elevations, it expanded in volume and therefore lost even more heat (orographic effect), and in this case resulted in snow.

Topic: Stream Processes Chapter: Chap 11 River Systems and Landform Date: January, 2012 Location: Near the Thames River, Delaware Description: Floodplain

Topic: Stream Processes Chapter: Chap 11 River Systems and Landform Date: Summer, 2012 Location: The Inn River, Austria Description: Meandering Stream

The water on the inner bend is at a lower velocity, allowing smaller grain materials to accumulate (a depositional feature). The water color is turquoise-ish white. This is likely due to high suspended load of finely ground rock or glacial flour, which reflects and scatters light.

The mountain in the background has trees until the elevation is too steep for soil to develop and for trees to take root. It’s not a climatic treeline (tree growth is not limited by moisture or temperature) because there are trees growing at the top of the mountain.

Analysis: This picture was taken in January, 2012, just a bit north of Delaware hall beside the Thames river (the Thames is off to the right of this picture). Even though there’s a blanket of fresh snow, you can still see differences in topography and vegetation in this picture. There is a lot of debris in this picture because it is in the floodplain, which is a low-lying area near a stream channel. Therefore, much of the debris was deposited there during high flood waters by the river. When the river water recedes, debris gets trapped in the trees, building up over time. In the middle of the picture, you can see a dry river channel. The lack of vegetation (even opportunistic grasses) in the channel indicates that it is often an active channel, perhaps annually during snowmelt and during flooding.

This photo was taken looking upstream at the Inn River in Austria in 2012. The photo is taken at a meander, so that the highest velocity at this point is on the channel in the left of the photograph. The rocks in the exposed mid-channel bar are all smooth from the eroding action of the water. They are also all a similar size, as the velocity of the river when it traveled over the bar during higher flow was strong enough to pick up smaller grains into the bed load and suspended load. The channel on the right is slower moving, as is typical on the inside bend of a meander. A sandy point bar can be seen on the inner bend in the middle of the photograph (which attracts ‘beach goers’).