WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO APPROACH A NATURAL PHENOMENON FROM DIFFERENT DISCIPLINES? - ENVIRONMENT - 2025

It is important to approach a natural phenomenon from different disciplines because these changes that occur in nature without human intervention positively or negatively affect human life in one or more aspects, which may or may not be connected to each other, but whose origin could be the same.

A natural phenomenon is defined as any change that occurs in nature without human participation. As natural phenomena occur in different situations or for different reasons, it is necessary to study them from the perspective of different disciplines.

A multidisciplinary approach will allow a better understanding of natural phenomena. Source: pixabay.com

Only through a multidisciplinary vision is it possible to consider all the implications of a natural phenomenon, as well as the ways to control it and the actions to be carried out in the event of a significant impact on the population or a particular habitat.

Many times the name natural phenomenon is associated with events that negatively impact human life, and the term is used as a synonym for natural disaster.

For example, the rain on a crop favors the life of the human being; on the contrary, a hurricane is dangerous. Both have the same origin: the formation of a drop of water. However, it is important to highlight that natural phenomenon and natural disaster are not the same.

Natural phenomenon and natural disaster

Even when both concepts are used interchangeably in a colloquial way, since in principle they are associated with the same origin, they have different meanings. Put more precisely: one could appear as the consequence of the other.

Broadly speaking, a natural disaster is a large-scale natural phenomenon: for example, an earthquake (rearrangement of tectonic plates) is classified as a natural phenomenon.

In contrast, an earthquake like the one that occurred in Haiti in January 2010 (which claimed more than 316,000 lives and incalculable material losses) is called a natural disaster.

Types of natural phenomena

Natural phenomena can be classified into four groups, considering the area of ​​nature that is affected:

Hydrological natural phenomena

If they occur in water bodies, these include waves and tides, as well as natural disasters such as storm surges, tsunamis, and tidal waves.

Natural weather phenomena

They are those that are produced considering the climate, such as rain, hail or winds, among others. The natural disasters that can generate this type of phenomenon are hurricanes, typhoons, cyclones, tornadoes and droughts, among others.

Geophysical natural phenomena

They are related to the earth's surface, like earthquakes. In this category we can include natural disasters such as avalanches, seismic movements and volcanic eruptions, among others.

Biological natural phenomena

They are caused by living beings (not man) of nature itself. For example, such is the case of the "red tide", which are mollusks that appear on the surface of the water and carry certain toxins that affect the ecosystem.

Importance of the study of natural phenomena

In general, it is important to understand how organisms work to be able to predict their behavior, and thus be able to control everything that can affect human life.

Planet Earth has been considered to be a living being. Therefore, the above argument justifies the need to study natural phenomena.

A natural phenomenon cannot be avoided, but its consequences can be prevented, especially those of those that due to their magnitude can turn into natural disasters, since they usually occur at the same times of year and under similar environmental conditions.

For example, geological, physical and engineering investigations help to understand how the solid part of the Earth behaves.

This, together with knowledge about materials, behavior of society and the response of constructions such as houses, bridges or buildings to an earthquake, can significantly reduce the risks of a landslide.

According to a study by the United Nations Development Program in 2011, that year alone nearly 300,000 people died as a result of 302 natural disasters, and 206 million people were strongly affected by those same events.

This study came to qualify that year as the "most expensive in history", since the cost of recovery exceeded 2000 million dollars.

Reasons to study natural phenomena from different disciplines

When a natural phenomenon occurs, whether or not it becomes a natural disaster, many vectors are affected. A change that can be considered small, such as the minimal draft caused by the flapping of a butterfly somewhere on the planet, can produce more obvious results in other parts of the world.

Below we will describe the most important reasons why it is necessary to study natural phenomena from different disciplines:

Geological disaster prevention

A geological study combined with an engineering study can determine the convenience or not of installing buildings - and even cities - in a certain location.

The objective is to prevent the collapse of these buildings in the event of an earthquake or earthquake, a fact that could result in significant human and material losses.

Scheduling crops that enhance economic growth

By predicting climatic changes (for example, droughts and periods of heavy rains) it is possible to program the different types of crops according to their resistance or not to these climate changes.

Thanks to this, the success of agricultural activities can be guaranteed. This, combined with economic feasibility studies, can translate into comprehensive growth for the region.

Protection of marine species

The displacement of marine currents determines the trip that marine fauna can make, allowing man to determine the ideal moment for fishing.

Likewise, this information, together with a biological study, may allow the disappearance of species to be prevented due to indiscriminate fishing during breeding seasons.

Prevention of consequences of tsunamis and floods

Earthquakes or violent weather changes such as storms can cause tsunamis and floods, destroying everything in their path.

The bodies of water that accumulate. When released, they can ruin crops or wipe out populations. The combination of geological, hydrological and meteorological studies can help prevent these disasters, or at least minimize their consequences.

References

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2. "The 10 most powerful and deadly earthquakes in history in Latin America" ​​(September 21, 2017) on BBC Mundo. Retrieved on April 27, 2017 from BBC Mundo: bbc.com
3. "Natural phenomena and man" (no date) in the Virtual Library of the Latin American Institute of Educational Communication. Retrieved on April 28, 2019 from the Virtual Library of the Latin American Institute of Educational Communication: Bibliotecadigital.ilce.edu.mx
4. Ruiz, Rosaura. "Importance of science to prevent disasters" (October 21, 2019) in El Universal. Retrieved on April 28, 2019 from El Universal: eluniversal.com.mx
5. Clark, Helen. "The importance of reducing disaster risk to strengthen nations" (August 15, 2012) in the United Nations Development Program. Retrieved on April 28, 2019 from the United Nations Development Program: undp.org
6. Dreher, Beth. "9 bizarre natural phenmena, explained" (no date) in Reader's Digest. Retrieved on April 28, 2019 from Reader's Digest: rd.com