Section 1: Physical Features Section 2: Climates and Biomes CHAPTER 7 Natural Environments of North America Section 1: Physical Features Section 2: Climates and Biomes Section 3: Natural Resources

SECTION 1 Physical Features Question: What are the various landform regions of the United States and Canada?

Physical Features SECTION 1 Landform Regions of North America Region Location Description Gulf-Atlantic Coastal Plain along the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico long coastal plain, begins at sea level and gradually rises Piedmont Alabama to New Jersey upland region at the foot of the Appalachians Appalachian Highlands Alabama to Southeastern Canada several ranges, valleys, and ridges; low eroded mountains Interior Plains between Appalachians and Rocky Mountains rolling hills, many rivers and lakes, productive soils Interior Highlands Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma old eroded highlands

Physical Features (cont.) SECTION 1 Physical Features (cont.) Landform Regions of North America Region Location Description Great Plains south-central Canada to Texas and Mexico high plains, subregion of interior plains Canadian Shield Arctic Ocean to Atlantic coast ancient rock, heavily glaciated, little soil Rocky Mountains New Mexico to Canada several high and rugged ranges Intermountain Basins and Plateaus between Rockies and coastal mountain ranges high plateaus, deep canyons, isolated mountain ranges, desert basins Pacific Mountains and Valleys along Pacific coast two mountain ranges separ- ated by a series of valleys

SECTION 2 Climates and Biomes Question: What are the locations of the different climate types in the United States and Canada?

Climates and Biomes SECTION 2 Climate Types of North America tropical wet and dry very tip of Florida, western Hawaii humid subtropical southeast United States humid continental northeastern United States and southeastern Canada semiarid Great Plains, western mountains arid areas east of Sierra Nevada and Cascades marine west coast southern Alaska through northern California Mediterranean southern and central California tropical humid eastern Hawaii tundra across northern Alaska to Newfoundland and Quebec subarctic northern Canada and Alaska

Question: What natural resources can be found in North America? SECTION 3 Natural Resources Question: What natural resources can be found in North America?

Agricultural resources SECTION 3 Natural Resources Agricultural resources • large area • good climates for farming • fertile soils • provide enough food to feed population and leave a surplus Forest resources • large forests and tree farms • produce wood for lumber, newsprint, pulpwood, and other forest products • leading producers and exporters Water resources • allow for irrigation and hydroelectricity production • rich fisheries along coasts Resources of North America Mineral resources • nickel, zinc, uranium, lead, copper, gold, and silver in Canada • iron, copper, lead, zinc, gold silver, and other minerals in United States Energy resources • huge coal reserves • major oil producer, but still must import • rich in natural gas

Chapter Wrap-Up CHAPTER 7 1. What physical process forms barrier islands? Where are they found in North America? 2. What evidence of tectonic forces will you find in western areas of the United States and Canada? 3. What can happen when different air masses come in contact with one another over the Great Plains? 4. What major factors influence climates in the United States? How does nearness to the Great Lakes and the Atlantic Ocean influence the humid continental climate region of the northeastern Untied States? 5. About 25 percent of the world’s reserves of which energy resource are found in the United States?