Physical geography of Guam

Document Type:Research Paper

Subject Area:Religion

Document 1

Guam is adequately endowed with landform features, rocks, oceans, pleasant climate and plants and animals which form the physical geography of the country. This paper aims to analyze the lithosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, and atmosphere in Guam. Sustainability requires the use of geomorphologic, water bodies, plants, and management of climate sustainably without compromising the future Lithosphere According to (McClintock, 2015) analysis of the structure of the earth, lithosphere entails lands, ocean basins, and lands beneath the oceans. Geomorphologic features in Guam include the coastal plains, mountains, and hills. As described by (Dickinson, 2018) Guam has a land area of nearly 549 square kilometers. Also, land features are used for the extraction of natural resources. Guam is adequately endowed with limestone which when mined can be used for commercial purposes. Other people use the features as sacred places (Carson, 2017).

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Some people in Guam worship under trees and also perform religious rituals in the forests and mountaintops. However, use of these features raises concern on the future of the wildlife or natural resources contained in them. The weather conditions caused cyclonic storms and related formed storms which lead to high winds and heavy seas which are detrimental to human settlement. For instance, Wildlansky et al. notes that in 2002, Typhoon Pongsona directly affected Guam in early December which affected power generation, hydrological operations and media coverage. Moreover, Guam has a great environmental attraction formed by the combination of seascapes and reefs along the coastal line and varied topography. The warm tropical ocean further enhances the good climate with a plenty of blue water which can be seen from the great coastal levels (Gingerich, Keener, and Finucane, 2015).

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Climate changes harm ecosystems and human systems in Guam. For instance, Wildlansky et al. note that sea levels in Guam have been increasing by 0. inches annually which indicates a great threat to humanity. As a result, the country is faced with beach erosion and flooding. Due to the island’s tropical and exotic appeal, millions of tourists tour the island due to the scenic beauty of Guam’s coastal areas and the Pacific marine environment. Humans also use the ocean for fishing purposes. Throughout the Pacific island region, the major activity is oceanic tuna fishing. In addition, since Guam is adequately endowed with reefs, people use the ocean for coastal commercial fishing. The beaches are great habitats for fish, and thus, fishing in those areas is quite lucrative for a large part of the Guam population.

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Wildlife in Guam also entails geckos, chameleons, and blue-tailed skinks (Mehrpad et al. Most importantly, Guam has a non-poisonous brown tree snake which was introduced by the cargo ships after World War II. Due to this accidental introduction of the brown tree snake, the invasive species from New Guinea has been extinct (Mehrpad et al. Also in the wildlife category, wildlife in Guam includes palm trees, ferns, and related tropical plants. To curb the environmental problems, sustainable development plans include education young generation about sustainability. Jenson, J. W. Banner, J. L. Lander, M. R. Coastal Landforms on Islands of Pacific Oceania.  The Oxford Handbook of Prehistoric Oceania, 336. Davies, S. W. Keener, V. Finucane, M. L.  Climate Trends and Projections for Guam. East West Center. McClintock, N. A critical physical geography of urban soil contamination.

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 Geoforum, 65, 69-85. Widlansky, M. J. Tropical Cyclone Projections: Changing Climate Threats for Pacific Island Defense Installations.  Weather, Climate, and Society, 11(1), 3-15.

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