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Deserts and savannahs – Barren landscapes, landscapes of abundance
Landscapes arise in a material sense as a result of geophysical processes and are shaped by human intervention. Human beings engage directly with their environments when they work in them, cultivate the soil, vegetation, and manage water resources over a period of time. They may, however, have a destructive effect on the ecological balance of the landscape. Landscapes, however, do not only exist in a material sense; they are not merely rocks, soil and vegetation. Many landscapes serve societies as a reference point for their memories - both personal memories and the traditions of entire societies are linked to landscapes. The erection of tombs, shrines and monuments links the relationship to deities, ancestors and spirits with the landscape and establishes proprietary rights in a political sense.
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