The Selection of Elements of the Physical-Geographic Environment and of Aspects of Human Occupance for an Evaluation of Physical Living Conditions

A review of research undertaken by the author, together with Ye. B. Lopatina, on the evaluation of the effect of various components of the natural environment on particular aspects of human occupance of a specific territory. The present paper attempts to select, group, and systematize the environmental elements to be evaluated in the form of a matrix, in which the character and the degree of the effect of each environmental factor are indicated. The matrix shows, for example, how a relief element, such as absolute elevation, affects public health or the esthetic-psychological perception of the environment, over how large an area, during what period of time, and what particular population groups. It also indicates whether the particular environmental effect is amenable to transformation.