FEEDBACK Geog3600 – Geography of Utah –

HW A08 – Atlas for a Utah School – Chapter 7: BIOSPHERE – flora and fauna; ecoregions. Adaptations of Utah’s Early Peoples.

Purpose of the homework assignment:

Apply concepts of geography to Utah and to Utah places.

Geography is the web of relationships among people, places, and environments.

Your atlas chapter presents information about the BIOSPHERE of your area in the context of Utah geography. How is the living Earth, the biosphere, part of the web of relationships that defines your school / community? How do your region’s patterns differ across the county, and why? And how are they similar / different from those of the state as a whole, and why? Discuss ecoregions as integrators of elements of physical geography and tie them to the lifestyles of Utah’s early peoples.

Purpose of the homework assignment:

Apply concepts of geography to Utah and to Utah places.

Specifically discuss characteristics of Utah’s BIOSPHERE… meaning the living subsystems of Earth systems.

Recognize factors that affect natural assemblages of flora and fauna.

Recognize how characteristics of the biosphere impacted Utah’s early peoples.

Recognize that humans of the past 500 years have impacted Utah’s biosphere.

Expectations:

1. Present information (observations)

2. Analyze information in the context of course lectures

3. Interpret information showing relationships between human and physical geographies.

CONCEPTS of the BIOSPHERE from lectures include:

· REGIONS – biomes are based on assemblages, meaning communities of flora and fauna.

· ECOREGIONS – are even broader and based on habitat, niche, and assemblages of flora and fauna.

· SPATIAL PATTERNS of ecoregions are closely related to elements of the geosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere that affect water availability to plants.

· ECOREGIONS: EPA defines eight ecoregions for Utah.

· LIFESTYLES of Utah’s Early Peoples adapted to regional physical geographies.

Assessment:

Approximately:

25% on map files.

75% on cover page discussion…

(a) Observations of geographic characteristics of your area’s biosphere using ecoregion designations;

(b) Analysis and discussion of those patterns

(c) Recognition, description and discussion of associations of anthropology and physical geography, specifically, Utah’s early peoples and characteristics of Utah’s regions. .

Supporting files (____ of 10)

Complete -- at least 5 attached files (maps, graphs, illustrations, and images)

Tell a story. Present substantial information.

Basis for your observations, analyses, and interpretations.

Show initiative -- sources in addition to those of course website… at least one.

Sources attributed.

Cover page -- BIOSPHERE – the living part of Earth, and Utah

Observations: present information about significant characteristics of ecoregions of your locale and region...

Analysis of information and interpretation

Connect to course lecture; themes of geography (location – discuss contrasts using geographic terms; place – sense of place, connectedness to ecoregion characteristics; interaction with environment; movement such as invasive species; and regions).

Discuss of aspects of the biosphere / ecoregions in the context of geosphere (materials: sediment, bedrock; landforms/topography); hydrosphere (water cycle, patterns of precipitation and evaporation); climate zones and climate patterns (seasonality, freezing or not).

Interpretation… webs of relationships… people, places and environments. Anthropology and Utah ecoregions:

Critical thinking: impacts and relationships of Early Peoples of Utah and how their lifestyles were impacted and adapted to the characteristics of ecoregions. Outstanding if you also considered how Utah’s early peoples impacted the biosphere.

· Tie to subsystems of Earth systems (geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, biosphere, and anthrosphere) … expansion of analysis sections

· Connect human and physical geographies… be specific. Which early peoples, what adaptations, and what conditions?

Observations (weight = 10) ____ of 10.

Terrific: abundant, meaningful, shows an understanding of what is special or important about spatial patterns of ecoregions (NOTE: discuss biota not just habitat. This chapter of your atlas is about the biosphere, the living Earth, and ecoregions stress habitat as well as biotic assemblages). Discussions and images of assemblages.

Very good: important information provided. A “local” person would recognize key characteristics of assemblages of biotic communities and their habitat.

Just fine: at least 5 observations… some diversity… evidence that you understand the basis for ecoregions

Not quite: observations aren’t quite observations (might be interpretations, or feelings); or lack of diversity (five observations of exactly the same theme); or narrow focus. Trouble: concepts not understood, such as, observations are not about the biosphere.

Analysis (weight = 10) ____ of 10. Explanations of your observations.

Terrific: conveys concepts of geography… ecoregions are analyzed in the context of other subsystems of Earth systems and themes of geography. Big concepts of habitat and niche: Plants need water and moisture for roots relates to geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and anthrosphere.

Very good: concepts of geography presented; discussion of biota in the context of ecoregions. Words such as plants, animals, habitat, niche, soil, water, freezing, desert, climate zone appear in your write up. Evidence of thoughts about effects of geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, changing biosphere, and / or anthrosphere.

Just fine: concepts are clear… biosphere, biota, habitat, ecoregions.

Not quite: analysis is minimal or superficial… or your analysis does not tie to your observations or other supporting files. Not quite clear how your analysis defines your place, specifically its biota.

Troubles: concepts jumbled, terminology confused; or … discussion is missing.

Interpretation (weight = 10) ____ of 10.

NOTE: unlike most chapters, this chapter on the biosphere asked you to examine relationships of anthropology, specifically Utah’s early peoples, and characteristics of ecoregions.

If you forged ahead as with prior chapters you could have discussed: webs of relationships of the 17 words/phrases I am always delighted to see in your discussions.

But for this chapter I wanted you to explore themes of geography: location, place, interaction (human and physical environments), migration, and regions in the context of Utah’s early peoples, anthropology.

TERRIFIC… discussion of specific time frames (paleo, archaic, and agricultural cultures); lifestyles (food, shelter, clothing, movements, and culture); with subsystems of Earth systems (physical geography): geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere (weather and climate), biosphere, and anthrosphere

Very good: lifestyles of Utah’s early peoples discussed as part of the web of relationships, or as big part of the physical geography of a place. Themes of geography are there, and / or aspects of physical geography, and / or aspects of human geography. Ties to concepts of ecoregions.

Just fine: clear evidence that you’ve thought about what matters about your area’s ecoregions and effects on food and shelter for early peoples. Understanding that physical geography affected early peoples (as well as us).

Not quite: connections aren’t clear, discussion is missing

Troubles: I’m concerned that the fundamental concept that every thing is related to everything is missing… that you may not see connections between characteristics of physical geography and Utah’s early peoples.

Assessment… ___________ OUT OF A TOTAL OF 40 points…