Download Texas Regions Powerpoint - Mr. Coach Risinger 7Y Science

Can you name the Regions of
Texas?
•Gulf Coast
•Piney Woods
•Prairies and Lakes
•Panhandle Plains
•Big Bend
•Hill Country
•South Texas Plains
Gulf Coast Region
PLANTS
 The land along the Gulf Coast is very near sea level. It
is hard for water to drain off the land, since there is
nowhere lower for the water to go. Much of the coast
of Texas is made up of marshes----wetlands where a
variety of tall grasses grow.
Description of Region
 Area is dissected by streams and rivers
flowing into Gulf of Mexico
 Soils are acidic sands and sandy loams
 Plains and marshes experience large
amounts of weathering, erosion and
deposition due to high rainfall &
flowing water from rivers
Description of Region cont.
 Physical weathering occurs here:
breaking down of rock into smaller
pieces. Caused by wind, water, &
rubbing of rocks
 Sediments from rivers deposited along
coast form sand dunes and/or barrier
islands over time
Piney Woods
Piney Woods Description
Thick forest of pines
Part of a larger forest that extends
east into other states
“Big Thicket”: low lying wetlands
(swamps) in southern part of
region
Piney Woods Terrain
 Rolling hills with wetter lower areas
 Hardwood trees such as elm, mesquite
and ash present in wetter areas
 Mature vegetation holds soil in place
preventing erosion
Panhandle Plains or Great
Plains
High Plains Cities
 Amarillo
 Lubbock
 Abilene
 San Angelo
 Wichita Falls
Geographic Features
 Rolling grassy lands
 Thick grasses
 Limestone rock
 Higher elevation because limestone doesn't
wear down easily
 Land is flat except for long steep canyons
formed by erosion of water
Climate
 Dry air
 Tornadoes
 Windiest in u.s.a.
Plants
 Prickly pear
 Yucca
 Indian Paintbrush
 Cactus
Animals
 Pronghorn
 Prarie Dog
 Snakes
 Horny Toad
Big Bend Region or
Trans Pecos Region
Location
Far west Texas
East border near Pecos River
South border is the Rio Grande
North border is New Mexico
Cities
 El Paso
 Pecos
 Kermit & Monahans in Permian Basin area
 Fort Davis, Marfa, & Alpine in Mountain area
Climate
Driest part of state
8 inches of rain per year, 20” in mountains
Hot days, cool nights
Trans Pecos / Big Bend Description
• Wide open spaces
• Rugged plateaus
• Desert mountains
• Only mountains in Texas
Big Bend Erosion
 Soil eroded due to decline of grassland
 Flash flooding and rapid run-off cause
erosion
 Erosion of limestone cliffs due to acid
rain. (chemical weathering)
Plants
 Short grasses
 Some sagebrush
 Forests grow on mountain slopes
Hill Country Region
Edwards Plateau / Llano Uplift
Hill County Region
 Rolling to hilly grassland
 Plateau: high, flat land
 Many springs and canyons
 Edwards Aquifer
 Many caves formed here and rocks
weathered due to chemical weathering
from carbonic acid
South Texas Plains Region
Brush Country
South Texas Plains
 Also known as Brush Country
 Plants are grasses, thorny brush and
cacti
 High temperatures here = high
evaporation
Prairies and Lakes
 Contains both Oak trees and grasses
 28 to 40 inches of rain
 Varies from gently rolling hills to nearly level land
 Many native grasses destroyed for agriculture leaving
land vulnerable to erosion
 Contains cities such as Dallas and Fort Worth