| Abstract: | An attempt is made to distinguish geosystems and geostructures as the two basic objects of study in geography. Geosystems and geostructures are interdependent but different spatial formations. Geosystems are defined by direct, reverse, and transformed relationships among such relatively autonomous components as natural environment, population, and economy. Geosystems tend to be superimposed on one another and are relatively flexible and stochastic. Geostructures, on the other hand, are distinguished by a unity of heterogeneous components, by comparatively clearly defined boundaries, and by considerable rigidity of construction. (One of the authors, A. M. Smirnov, died in July, 1969.) |
