physiographic
About natural landscapes
Physiographic means relating to the physical features of the earth's surface—its landforms, terrain, and natural landscape characteristics.
The term appears in geography and geology: physiographic regions, physiographic provinces.
A physiographic map shows mountains, plains, plateaus, and drainage patterns rather than political boundaries.
Flat highland area
- canyonDeep river-cut gorge
- valleyLow ground between heights
- ridgeNarrow raised strip
- escarpmentSteep slope dividing elevations
basin · mesa · butte · peak · summit · knoll · hillock · ravine
Gradual wearing away
- sedimentationParticles settling in liquid
- tectonicsStudy of crustal deformation
- weatheringAtmospheric breakdown of materials
- glaciationIce sheet spreading process
volcanism · faulting · folding · uplift · subsidence · deposition · fluvial · aeolian
Creating geographic representations
- contourBounding line of shape
- elevationHeight above reference point
- reliefEasing of distress
- topographicConcerning surface feature arrangement
GIS · surveying · projection · scale · thematic · geospatial
Study of terrain formation
- lithosphereCrust plus upper mantle
- hydrologyScience of water distribution
- pedologyStudy of soils
- biogeographyScience of species distribution
plateau
Flat highland area
escarpment · basin · mesa · butte · peak · summit · knoll · hillock · ravine · gully
erosion
Gradual wearing away
- sedimentationParticles settling in liquid
- tectonicsStudy of crustal deformation
- weatheringAtmospheric breakdown of materials
glaciation · volcanism · faulting · folding · uplift · subsidence · deposition · fluvial · aeolian · karst
cartography
Creating geographic representations
topographic · GIS · surveying · projection · scale · thematic · geospatial
geomorphology
Study of terrain formation
- lithosphereCrust plus upper mantle
- hydrologyScience of water distribution
- pedologyStudy of soils
biogeography · watershed · shield · orogenic
tundra
Frigid treeless biome
savanna · veld · pampas · taiga · prairie · chaparral · wetland · marsh · desert · rainforest
physiographicanthropogenic
Caused by human activity
man-made · built · urban · constructed · infrastructural
physiographiccultural
Relating to shared traditions
demographic · political · ethnographic · economic · sociological