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Physical Environment

Geographers in this area examine the drivers and processes that lead to physical changes to the Earth's land, air, water and patterns of life. Additionally, many geographers explore how humans interact with, change, manage the physical environment and develop better tools for better resource management.

Our geographers study subjects such as how societies change the landscape over time, the legacy of these changes to the physical environment, how climate change and land management impacts wetlands in the upper Midwest, how people positively and negatively influence soil health locally and internationally (e.g. SD, KS, and Brazil), and what steps may be taken to integrate this knowledge into current environmental management programs to achieve sustainable systems.

Field work