Core themes in textbook definitions of physical geography

This paper documents and discusses textbook representations of the scope of physical geography. Eight themes in contemporary physical geography are identified from current textbooks, namely a spatial perspective, the concept of a natural world, impacts on people, process and system concepts, anthropogenic impacts, environmental change, linkages between systems, and physical geography as a science. The emergence of anthropogenic impacts as a theme challenges traditional notions of a natural world, and an increased focus on spatial perspectives and the concept of place challenges the idea of physical geography as a science.