C H A P T E R Innisfree McKinnon University of Oregon © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Lecture Outline 2 North America's Environmental Setting
© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Learning Objectives Landforms, Hydrology, Soils –Major geomorphic processes building the Appalachian & Rocky Mountains –Volcanism – shield vs. composite cone –Landforms created by continental & alpine glaciers –12 physiographic provinces –5 major drainage systems –Watersheds vs. political boundaries
© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Learning Objectives Biogeography and Ecology –Ecosystem vs. biome Weather and climate –4 climate controls –Temp. & moisture of polar continental & Tropical maritime air masses –Climate zones – Mediterranean, Continental Multitude, and West Coast Marine Compare maps of climate zones, landforms, soil types, vegetation biomes
© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. What is physical geography?
© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Geomorphic processes create topography Tectonic processes Volcanic processes Weathering, Erosion, Transport, & Deposition
© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Tectonic plates
© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Volcanism Composite cone –Pyroclastic flows –Ex. Mount St. Helens Shield –Lava with low viscosity –Ex. Kileauea, Hawai'i
© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Continental Glacier Landforms The Great Lakes Drumlins Moraines
© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Alpine Glacier Landforms Horns Arêtes Tarns Cirques U-shaped valleys
© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Karst landscapes Soluble rock –Limestone, dolomite, gypsum Water infiltration Creates sinkholes
© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Coastal landforms Erosional Sea cliffs Wave-cut platforms Sea stacks Depositional Large beaches Spits Bay barriers Lagoons
© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Wind Shaped Landforms Deflation Abrasion Loess
© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Major Drainage Basins
© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. North American Soil Types
© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Physiographic provinces
© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. What is the difference between weather and climate?
© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Factors influencing weather and climate Latitude –Solar radiation –Differences in heating & cooling of land & water Atmospheric pressure –Pressure gradients (wind) Elevation –Orographic precipitation –Rain shadows –Topographic winds (ex. Santa Ana winds)
© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Mean annual temps. Jan./July
© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Summer & Winter Air Masses
© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Wind patterns in N. America The jet stream Westerly winds –West to east –West side of mountains generally wetter
© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Precipitation Patterns
© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Climate regions
© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Climate Change
© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Regions covered by Permafrost
© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Biogeography and Ecology Factors influencing natural vegetation type: –Climate, esp. precipitation –Soils
© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. (General) Vegetation Zones
© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Bioregions
© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Forests Regular rainfall, over 30"/year Tropical Rainforest – Hawai'i Temperate Rainforest – Pacific NW Broadleaf deciduous – (warm summer/ cool winter) Needle leaf evergreen – (cooler and drier) –Boreal
© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Tundra High latitudes Polar climates Poorly drained Low vegetation
© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Grasslands and Steppes Limited & irregular rainfall Large seasonal temp. variation Deep, fertile soils The Great Plains (less than 1% left) –Short grass prairie –Tall grass prairie
© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Deserts and Steppes Annual rainfall < 10" Vegetation adapted for dry & flash flooding
© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Mediterranean Scrub Chaparral Western CA & southern OR Mediterranean climate Fire adapted
© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Subtropical Wetland Everglades Tiny region w/in N. America
© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Natural resource management How can we best manage complex natural & human interactions? –Federal Agencies – ex. U.S. EPA –Geographic Information Systems –Appropriate scale –Watersheds
© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Level two Ecoregions
© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. End of Chapter 2