1. C H A P T E R Innisfree McKinnon University of Oregon © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Lecture Outline 2 North America's Environmental Setting

2. © 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

3. © 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

4. © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. What is physical geography?

5. © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Geomorphic processes create topography Tectonic processes Volcanic processes Weathering, Erosion, Transport, & Deposition

6. © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Tectonic plates

7. © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Volcanism Composite cone –Pyroclastic flows –Ex. Mount St. Helens Shield –Lava with low viscosity –Ex. Kileauea, Hawai'i

8. © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Continental Glacier Landforms The Great Lakes Drumlins Moraines

9. © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Alpine Glacier Landforms Horns Arêtes Tarns Cirques U-shaped valleys

10. © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Karst landscapes Soluble rock –Limestone, dolomite, gypsum Water infiltration Creates sinkholes

11. © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Coastal landforms Erosional Sea cliffs Wave-cut platforms Sea stacks Depositional Large beaches Spits Bay barriers Lagoons

12. © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Wind Shaped Landforms Deflation Abrasion Loess

13. © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Major Drainage Basins

14. © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. North American Soil Types

15. © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Physiographic provinces

16. © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. What is the difference between weather and climate?

17. © 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)

18. © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Mean annual temps. Jan./July

19. © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Summer & Winter Air Masses

20. © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Wind patterns in N. America The jet stream Westerly winds –West to east –West side of mountains generally wetter

21. © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Precipitation Patterns

22. © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Climate regions

23. © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Climate Change

24. © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Regions covered by Permafrost

25. © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Biogeography and Ecology Factors influencing natural vegetation type: –Climate, esp. precipitation –Soils

26. © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. (General) Vegetation Zones

27. © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Bioregions

28. © 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

29. © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Tundra High latitudes Polar climates Poorly drained Low vegetation

30. © 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

31. © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Deserts and Steppes Annual rainfall < 10" Vegetation adapted for dry & flash flooding

32. © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Mediterranean Scrub Chaparral Western CA & southern OR Mediterranean climate Fire adapted

33. © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Subtropical Wetland Everglades Tiny region w/in N. America

34. © 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

35. © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Level two Ecoregions

36. © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. End of Chapter 2