Global Landscape Classifications: Industrial, Urban, and Specialized Environments
Industrial Landscapes: Formation and Types
Industrial landscapes are the result of the transformation of natural environments by industrial activity. They first appeared a little over two hundred years ago with the Industrial Revolution and have evolved significantly since then. Some typical examples include black landscapes, often associated with heavy industry.
These landscapes are recognizable by features such as:
- Large factories, chimneys, and furnaces
- Extensive communication networks (roads, railways)
- Mines and quarries
- Power lines
- Landfills for waste
They are primarily involved in heavy industry, including steel production, metallurgy, and chemical manufacturing.
Port Landscapes
Commercial ports in large cities feature wide piers where ships dock to load and unload goods, including petroleum. They also contain warehouses, storage facilities, and sometimes factories or other heavy industry structures like refineries, petrochemical complexes, and shipyards or steel mills.
Degraded Landscapes
Degraded industrial landscapes often resemble the black landscapes mentioned earlier. However, some have been successfully remodeled and converted into cultural areas or green spaces.
Urban Industrial Sites
These are specific types of urban industrial landscapes located in areas planned by authorities, typically on the outskirts of cities and along main transportation routes.
Business and Technology Parks
The most advanced industries have led to the development of specialized industrial landscapes, such as scientific and technology parks. These parks house very modern firms, often characterized by avant-garde architecture and surrounded by extensive, clean green spaces. Activities conducted here are typically high-technology and research-focused.
Urban Landscapes: Human Transformation
The urban landscape is the one that has undergone the most significant transformation by humans. It is densely occupied by buildings of varying heights and streets of diverse widths. Economic activities within urban landscapes are primarily related to secondary sectors and services, such as:
- Trade
- Finance
- Business
- Education
- Healthcare
Cultivated Agricultural Plots
An agricultural plot is a technical unit of agricultural labor and an elementary division of agricultural land, typically occupied by a single type of crop.
Fisheries Moratorium (Biological Stop)
A fisheries moratorium, also known as a biological stop, refers to a situation where workers engaged in fishing temporarily lose their jobs due to the necessity of fish stock recovery in specific fishing grounds.
Technology Parks: Innovation Hubs
A technology park is a designated area where companies from technology sectors are concentrated, with a strong emphasis on research and development (R&D) activities.
Sea Fishing: Deep Sea vs. Inshore
Deep Sea Fishing
Deep sea fishing is conducted out of sight of land, typically more than 60 miles offshore. It generally occurs within specific geographical coordinates, often defined as not exceeding 10° E and 20° W meridians, and between 0° and 60° N parallels.
Inshore Fishing
Inshore fishing is sea fishing that takes place near the coast, less than 60 miles from land.