Concepts & Theories of Human & Environment Interaction (College Board AP® Human Geography): Revision Note

Concepts of nature and resources

• Human–Environmental Interaction is one of the key themes of AP Human Geography

• Humans utilize the environment for natural resources

• Key terms relating to the interaction between humans and the environment include:

  • Sustainability refers to using natural resources in a way that will keep them available for future generations and reduce negative environmental effects

    • The most widely used definition comes from the Brundtland Commission report, Our Common Future (1987): development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs

    • Sustainability is often described as having three pillars: environmental, economic, and social

  • Sustainable practices include such things as alternative energy sources, reduced consumption, and recycling

  • Natural resources are things found in the natural environment that can be used by human beings

  • Natural resources are separated into two categories: renewable and non-renewable

    • Renewable resources are replenished naturally, so they will not run out if they are used sustainably

      • Examples include solar energy, wind, and hydroelectric power

      • Some renewable resources, such as forests, fish stocks, and groundwater, can still run out if they are used faster than they are replaced

    • Non-renewable resources are limited and can be depleted by human use

      • Examples include fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas, and minerals such as copper and iron ore

Land use and the built environment

• Land use is the way people use an area of land

  • Types of land use include agricultural, residential, commercial, industrial, transportation, and recreational

• The built environment is the human-made part of the landscape, such as buildings, roads, bridges, and parks

• Land use patterns show how a society has turned the natural environment into a built environment

Ways humans modify the environment

• Humans modify the environment to meet their needs, for example by:

  • clearing forests for farmland, housing, or timber

  • draining wetlands and irrigating dry land to grow crops

  • building dams and reservoirs to control water supply and generate power

  • cutting terraces into hillsides to farm steep slopes

  • expanding cities through urbanization and suburban sprawl

• These changes can have negative effects, such as soil erosion, habitat loss, and air and water pollution

Human–environmental interaction theories

• Human–Environmental Interaction refers to how humans adapt to, modify, and depend on the environment 

  • The effects that humans and the physical environment have on one another are the key elements of human-environmental interaction

• Cultural ecology is the study of how humans adapt to the environment

Theories of human-environmental interaction

• Theories of human–environmental interaction include environmental determinism and environmental possibilism

  • Environmental determinism is the belief that landforms and climate are the primary forces shaping human behavior and societal development

    • An example of this would be that populations living in areas where the soil is fertile develop more advanced agricultural methods than in arid regions

  • Environmental possibilism focuses on the role human culture plays in societal development

    • Environmental possibilism acknowledges that different cultures may respond to the same natural environment in different ways

    • Examples of this include the construction of aqueducts to supply water to drier areas