physiography
- noun
- /ˌfɪziˈɒɡrəfi/
- Specialized
:
fisiografía
- The physiography of the region includes mountains, valleys, and rivers that shape its natural landscape.
Examples
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Many species, however, have abrupt western range boundaries related to physiography and hydrogeomorphic processes.
Academic text (2012) -
Understanding the western range limits for these trees depends on knowledge of the physiography and underlying geologic conditions affecting earth surface processes.
Academic text (2012) -
Geographic regions can be defined in many ways, including via physiography, historical development patterns, language, and culture.
Academic text (2018) -
Whereas physiography might uncover one set of boundaries and descriptions for a given region, cultural studies or linguistics might reveal altogether different information.
Academic text (2018) -
River physiography and past climate have dictated the evolutionary fate of the fish species in the San Francisco River. Common patterns of low genetic variability and demographic expansion show the influence of climate and river physiography.
Academic text (2018) -
The hydrographic basin of the San Francisco has a peculiar physiography, mostly formed by upland rivers (Tucci et al., 2001).
Academic text (2018) -
Thus, one byproduct of the West's distinctive physiography is that equally complex and heterogeneous cultural geographies have been overlain onto, and are moving about, these physical spaces since they were first settled.
Academic text (2018) -
Looking especially at the Four Corner states of Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico, one can reason confidently that subregional boundaries based on physiography can, and at least in this case appear to, correspond to boundaries derived from more cultural geographic approaches such as our exploration of vernacular toponyms.
Academic text (2018) -
In geography class, we studied the physiography of different continents to understand their various landforms.
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Researchers need to consider the physiography when assessing the impact of climate change on ecosystems.
Synonyms
1
9.9
The study of land shapes and how they form
1
3.9
The study of Earth's natural features and how they change, like mountains and rivers
Surface Forms
Morphology
physiography = physio + graphy
The word is built from the classical combining form physio- and the suffix -graphy, but the exact technical sense is only partly predictable for most learners.
Etymology
Physiography joins physio- 'nature' and -graphy 'writing' or 'description', the same -graphy you see in geography and photography. So physiography is the 'description' or study of the earth's natural shapes and features, which is why it means the scientific study of landforms, climate, and soils.