Geography and World Regions: Content Summary G.4: Human Adaptations to the Physical Environment

Some regions are rich with highly valued natural resources such as fertile soils and minerals while others are less well endowed. (G.4.A)

On a variety of scales, communities often initiate trade relationships and invest in transportation networks to address their resource needs. (G.4.A)

For example, a region with fertile soils and adequate fresh water may exchange surplus food for mineral resources extracted from an area not able to grow its own food. (G.4.A)

For example, a region with fertile soils and adequate fresh water may exchange surplus food for mineral resources extracted from an area not able to grow its own food. (G.4.A)

The profitability of these trade relationships has led humans to pursue transportation innovations from the wheel to the lateen sail to railroads to refrigerated ships. (G.4.A)

One such disruption was the development of the internal combustion engine, which significantly increased the demand for some resources (fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas) while reducing the demand for others. (G.4.A)

One essential way people have adapted to environments is through innovation—implementing new agricultural practices, devising new ways to manufacture products, and inventing and applying new technologies to reduce challenging conditions of physical environments. (G.4.B)

One essential way people have adapted to environments is through innovation—implementing new agricultural practices, devising new ways to manufacture products, and inventing and applying new technologies to reduce challenging conditions of physical environments. (G.4.B)

Innovations in agricultural practices, such as the use of irrigation in arid environments, the domestication of animals, and crop rotation, have increased food supplies and supported population growth. (G.4.B)

Innovations in agricultural practices, such as the use of irrigation in arid environments, the domestication of animals, and crop rotation, have increased food supplies and supported population growth. (G.4.B)

Innovations in agricultural practices, such as the use of irrigation in arid environments, the domestication of animals, and crop rotation, have increased food supplies and supported population growth. (G.4.B)

Industrialization emerged alongside the mechanization of agriculture, and scientific breeding of plants and animals has expanded the range of land farmers can use. (G.4.B)

The invention of air conditioning has allowed the expansion of population across the world into regions once considered largely uninhabitable, such as the American South and the Gulf States. (G.4.B)

Contact between peoples over space and time and the consequent redistribution of living species have had intended and unintended consequences. (G.4.C)

In some cases, local living things cannot compete with the introduction of non-native species (sometimes called “invasive species”), and biodiversity is reduced. (G.4.C)

Perhaps the most dramatic example of the movement of plants, animals, and pathogens is the Columbian Exchange, the interaction between Afro-Eurasia and the Americas. (G.4.C)

Diseases were also exchanged, with devastating effects in the New World particularly; the indigenous peoples of North and South America and the Caribbean had no immunity to diseases such as smallpox, plague, cholera, and malaria, and when exposed, many died. (G.4.C)

Diseases were also exchanged, with devastating effects in the New World particularly; the indigenous peoples of North and South America and the Caribbean had no immunity to diseases such as smallpox, plague, cholera, and malaria, and when exposed, many died. (G.4.C)

Governments and international agencies actively regulate commerce and travel in order to prevent the global spread of invasive species and deadly diseases. (G.4.C)

People have built dams to control flooding and aqueducts to supply water to arid places. (G.4.D)

Some consequences, such as air, water, and land pollution, diminish the capacity of regions to support life—both humans and other living things. (G.4.D)

Some consequences, such as air, water, and land pollution, diminish the capacity of regions to support life—both humans and other living things. (G.4.D)

Consequences can also be global and large in scale, such as the overall trend of a rise in average temperature Earth is experiencing as a result of carbon emissions. (G.4.D)

On both small and large scales, humans have changed the physical landscapes of Earth through pollution, land degradation, resource depletion, and industrialization. (G.4.D)

On both small and large scales, humans have changed the physical landscapes of Earth through pollution, land degradation, resource depletion, and industrialization. (G.4.D)