This is a written account of my Geog100 (Physical Geography) class under Trina Listanco, at the University of the Philippines…
Ms. Trina Listanco, Land and Water Resources Engineering graduate of the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) in Stockholm, Sweden, an assistant professor at the university's Department of Geography in the College of Social Sciences and Philosophy (KAPP), handled this class.
This part is to discuss some very important lessons in Physical Geography, specifically, the effects of climate change to our landscapes.
A watershed is the intricate system of which water is present from up the very main source back down to everything else. A watershed may also be defined as the source-to-distribution relationship of water in nature. This very same principle can be used in the term “foodshed” – where instead of water, it is the system of food. As we all know, our food goes through many processes – all of which are under the foodshed. Therefore, the foodshed is a vast distribution and consumption web from the fresh sources – farmland, forests, lakes, to the consumption spaces – restaurants, homes etc.
Since one of the most apparent effects of global warming is the rising temperature, it could dry lakes and other land-locked bodies of water which are parts of river systems. If these bodies of water would dry up, it will affect all the living things dependent on it as a water source.
Another effect of global warming could be the reverse of the first. Water levels in many rivers may rise due to the melting ice caps. Those rivers that flow through or from ice caps and/or glaciers will have to face threats like flooding and more erosion.
Solifluction, a regular process that is dependent on freezing and melting, may be disrupted. Given this, river systems may experience a continuous melting process due to higher temperatures. Although this occurs in glacial environments, the sudden pause of solifluction may cause damages to other rivers that are connected – it could change its silt composition and affect ecological systems.
Soil formation is a long process composed of many smaller processes. Firstly, since soil come from rocks and minerals, the very first process that it undergoes is weathering. This process involves larger rocks and minerals becoming smaller pieces, and from that, even smaller ones. These surface rocks and minerals form a thin layer of “young” soil. The next process involves living things. When plants and animals die and decompose, they become one with the soil – making it rich, fertile and thick. Now we have soil. But it’s not that simple, it takes time because exposure to elements like ecosystems, temperature, water and the like take effect in long terms.
Soil, as we now know, is fertile and took a very long time for it to become what it is. But what if the elements that contribute to its formation have to become different this time? This is what scientists believe to take effect in the occurring climate change. With climate change, weather disturbances will be pushed to the limit, lives and life systems will be forced to move and adapt, and natural properties like temperature, humidity, and water levels will have to change as well. Facing this would force the soil formation and all its other processes to change in very uncertain ways. Some of the predicted effects are; speeding up of the soil erosion process, fertilization of soil may take longer, and properties of soil may change altogether.
These and many more discussions are highly valuable lessons throughout the Geog100 course.
But who say's Physical Geography only talks about the physical properties that surround life? Insoar as teachings in this class are concerned, it was a pleasure to have learned these things and much more.
When we were talking about river systems, the patterns and structural properties of rivers caught my attention, (well besides the fact that I found “no river is straight” funny) and it suddenly became my favorite Geog100 topic. The patterns of rivers are dendritic. And this pattern doesn’t only apply to rivers; it also occurs all over nature – in veins, branches, snowflakes, roots, etc. That kind of pattern does not even have to stop there. I thought what if this very natural pattern is incorporated into life? One life starts out so small but all of that person’s good deeds, knowledge, love, will branch out to a much larger realm, and into a much deeper meaning.
Like a tree branching out wildly yet naturally out into the vast sky, like the roots seeping through the fertile and rich soil, LIFE branches out its goodness to others and others’ lives as well, explores roots of its rich history and origins, and much more importantly, constantly and naturally GROWING into something more brilliant, more meaningful, more influential, continuously LEARNING from the past as one becomes a more intricate being, nevertheless honest, humble, and honorable enough to recognize where it came from – small but full of natural potentials.
This is how I plan to live my life.
Anyone who’s been in class for Geog100 would be familiar to the term “meander”, which I and my friend yet again found funny by the way. However, I’m not referring to that kind of meaning of meander here, rather, something that is career-related. I remember in one of Jennifer Lopez’s recent movies, she was asked what “Career” meant and she said “it takes away everything else in your life.” I would disagree. I believe that career should be taken seriously but not that seriously. Every once in a while, one should always give him/herself the rest he/she deserves. On that path to success, one should remember to “meander” every once in a while. But meandering does not necessarily mean that it won’t get you to the place that you’ve hoped and worked for.
And this is how I plan to go with my career.
The classes under Listanco may have ended, but our day-to-day experiences now revolve around our life in a new perspective, a deeper understanding of things.
Our promising instructor will, without a doubt inspire many others. Her efforts are patriotic for reasons she and her students may come to know. This nation and the rest of the world needs more teachers like her, to inspire students like me.
Adios to the Geog100 classes, but not the things we learned
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