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CLASS VI CBSE-i UNIT-6 GEOGRAPHY Landform plateaus STUDENTS’ MANUAL Shiksha Kendra, 2, Community Centre, Preet Vihar, Delhi-110 092 India CBSE-i GEOGRAPHY Landform plateaus STUDENTS’ MANUAL CLASS VI UNIT-6 Shiksha Kendra, 2, Community Centre, Preet Vihar, Delhi-110 092 India The CBSE-International is grateful for permission to reproduce and/or translate copyright material used in this publication. The acknowledgements have been included wherever appropriate and sources from where the material has been taken duly mentioned. In case anything has been missed out, the Board will be pleased to rectify the error at the earliest possible opportunity. All Rights of these documents are reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, printed or transmitted in any form without the prior permission of the CBSE-i. This material is meant for the use of schools who are a part of the CBSE-International only. Preface This International Curriculum initiated by Central Board of Secondary Education - (CBSE) is a progressive step in making the educational content and methodology more sensitive and responsive to the global needs. It signifies the emergence of a fresh thought process in imparting a curriculum which would restore the autonomy of the learner to pursue the learning process in harmony with the existing personal, social and cultural ethos. The Central Board of Secondary Education has been providing support to the academic needs of the learners worldwide. It has about 12500 schools affiliated to it and over 158 schools situated in more than 23 countries. The Board has always been conscious of the varying needs of the learners and has been working towards contextualizing certain elements of the learning process to the physical, geographical, social and cultural environment in which they are engaged. The International Curriculum being designed by CBSE-i, has been visualized and developed with these requirements in view. The nucleus of the entire process of constructing the curricular structure is the learner. The objective of the curriculum is to nurture learner autonomy, given the fact that every learner is unique. The learner has to understand, appreciate, protect and build on values, beliefs and traditional wisdom, make the necessary modifications, improvisations and additions wherever and whenever necessary. The recent scientific and technological advances have thrown open the gateways of knowledge at an astonishing pace. The speed and methods of assimilating knowledge have put forth many challenges to educators, forcing them to rethink their approaches for knowledge processing by their learners. In this context, it has become imperative for them to incorporate those skills which will enable young learners to become 'life long learners'. The ability to stay current, to upgrade skills with emerging technologies, to understand the nuances involved in change management and the relevant life skills have to be a part of the learning domains of the global learners. The CBSE-i curriculum has taken cognizance of these requirements. The CBSE-i aims to carry forward the basic strength of the Indian system of education while promoting critical and creative thinking skills, effective communication skills, interpersonal and collaborative skills along with information and media skills. There is an inbuilt flexibility in the curriculum, as it provides a foundation and an extension curriculum, in all subject areas to cater to the different pace of learners. The CBSE introduced classes I and X in the session 2010-11 as a pilot project in schools. It was further extended to classes II, VI and X in the session 2011-12. In the seesion 2012-13, CBSE-i is going to enter in third year with classes III, VII and XI. The focus of CBSE-i is to ensure that the learner is stress-free and committed to active learning. The learner would be evaluated on a continuous and comprehensive basis consequent to the mutual interactions between the teacher and the learner. There are some non-evaluative components in the curriculum which would be commented upon by the teachers and the school. The objective of this part or the core of the curriculum is to scaffold the learning experiences and to relate tacit knowledge with formal knowledge. This would involve trans-disciplinary linkages that would form the core of the learning process. Perspectives, SEWA (Social Empowerment through Work and Action), Life Skills and Research would be the constituents of this 'Core'. The Core skills are the most significant aspects of a learner's holistic growth and learning curve. The International Curriculum has been designed keeping in view the foundations of the National Curricular Framework (NCF 2005) NCERT and the experience gathered by the Board over the last seven decades in imparting effective learning to millions of learners, many of whom are now global citizens. The Board does not interpret this development as an alternative to other curricula existing at the international level, but as an exercise in providing the much needed Indian leadership for global education at the school level. The International Curriculum would evolve building on learning experiences inside the classroom over a period of time. The Board while addressing the issues of empowerment with the help of the schools' administering this system strongly recommends that practicing teachers become skillful learners on their own and also transfer their learning experiences to their peers through the interactive platforms provided by the Board. I profusely thank Shri G. Balasubramanian, former Director (Academics), CBSE, Dr. Sadhana Parashar, Director (Training) CBSE, Dr. Srijata Das, Education Officer CBSE, CBSE along with all the Officers involved in the development and implementation of this material. The CBSE-i website enables all stakeholders to participate in this initiative through the discussion forums provided on the portal. Any further suggestions for modifying any part of this document are welcome. Vineet Joshi Chairman , CBSE Advisory Shri Vineet Joshi, Chairman, CBSE Dr. Sadhana Parashar, Director (Training), CBSE Ideators VI-VIII Ms. Aditi Mishra Ms. Guneet Ohri Ms. Sudha Ravi Ms. Himani Asija Ms. Neerada Suresh Dr. Rajesh Hassija Ms. Preeti Hans Ms. Neelima Sharma Ms. Gayatri Khanna Ms. Urmila Guliani Ms. Anuradha Joshi Mrs. Sonali Sinha Conceptual Framework Shri G. Balasubramanian, Former Director (Acad), CBSE Ms. Abha Adams, Consultant, Step by Step, School, Noida Dr. Sadhana Parashar, Director (Training), CBSE Ms. Charu Maini Dr. Usha Sharma Prof. Chand Kiran Saluja Dr. Meena Dhani Ms. Vijay Laxmi Raman Mrs. Avanita Bir Ms. Malini Sridhar Ms. Leela Raghavan Dr. Rashmi Sethi Ms. Seema Rawat Ms. Suman Nath Bhalla Prof. Om Vikas Material Production Groups: Classes VI-VIII English : Ms. Neha Sharma Ms. Dipinder Kaur Ms. Sarita Ahuja Ms. Gayatri Khanna Ms. Preeti Hans Ms. Rachna Pandit Ms. Renu Anand Ms. Sheena Chhabra Ms. Veena Bhasin Ms. Trishya Mukherjee Ms. Neerada Suresh Ms. Sudha Ravi Ms. Ratna Lal Ms. Ritu Badia Vashisth Ms. Vijay Laxmi Raman Core - Research Ms. Renu Anand Ms. Gayatri Khanna Dr. N K Sehgal Ms. Anita Sharma Ms. Rashmi Kathuria Ms. Neha Sharma Ms. Neeta Rastogi Ms. Manjushtha Bose Mathematics : Dr. Ram Avtar Mr. Mahendra Shankar Chemistry Ms. Poonam Kumar Mendiratta Ms. Deepa Gupta Ms. Gayatri Chowhan Ms. Rashmi Sharma Ms. N Vidya Ms. Kavita Kapoor Ms. Divya Arora Ms. Mamta Goyal Ms. Chhavi Raheja Physics : Ms. Vidhu Narayanan Hindi: Ms. Meenambika Menon Mr. Akshay Kumar Dixit Ms. Patarlekha Sarkar Ms. Veena Sharma Ms. Neelam Malik Ms. Nishi Dhanjal Biology: Ms. Kiran Soni Mr. Saroj Kumar CORE-SEWA Ms. Rashmi Ramsinghaney Ms. Vandna Ms. Prerna Gosain Ms. Nishtha Bharati Ms. Seema Kapoor Mr. Manish Panwar Ms. Seema Bhandari Ms. Vikram Yadav Ms. Seema Chopra Ms. Monika Chopra Ms. Reema Arora Ms. Jaspreet Kaur Ms. Neha Sharma Ms. Preeti Mittal ICT Ms. Shipra Sarcar Ms. Leela Raghavan Mr. Yogesh Kumar Ms. Varsha Manku Dr. K L Chopra Ms. Nancy Sehgal Ms. Purvi Srivastava Ms. Babita Mahajan Ms. Ritu Arora Ms. Swati Panhani Ms. Chanchal Chandna Geography: Ms. Suparna Sharma Ms. Aditi Babbar History : Ms. Leeza Dutta Ms. Kalpana Pant Ms. Ruchi Mahajan Political Science: Ms. Kanu Chopra Ms. Shilpi Anand Economics : Ms. Leela Garewal Ms. Anita Yadav CORE-Perspectives Ms. Madhuchhanda Ms. Varsha Seth Ms. Neha Sharma Chief Co-ordinator : Dr. Srijata Das, EO Coordinators: Ms. Sugandh Sharma, EO Dr Rashmi Sethi, EO Ms. S. Radha Mahalakshmi, E O Ms. Madhuchhanda, RO (Inn) Mr. Navin Maini, RO (Tech) Shri Al Hilal Ahmed, AEO Shri R. P. Singh, AEO Ms. Anjali Chhabra, AEO Ms. Neelima Sharma, Consultant (English) Mr. Sanjay Sachdeva, SO Sh. R. P. Sharma Consultant (Science) Ms. Reema Arora Consultant (Chemistry) Contents Plateaus- Definition as a Landform Feature 1 Basis of Formation: How are they Formed? 9 Classification/Types On the basis of i) Process of Formation ii) Location 13 Economic Significance Resources and Usage Conservation Need and Efforts 9 Case Studies Famous Plateaus 11 i) Colorado Plateau (USA) ii) Deccan Plateau (India) iii) Siberian Traps (Russia) iv) Tibetan Plateau (China) UNIT – VI LANDFORM - PLATEAUS INTRODUCTION The Deccan, Tibetan, Colorado and the Siberian landforms have one thing in common and that is that they are all elevated and have broad similarities. However there exist distinctive differences. All these differences result in their being worthy of individual discussion/study. They are completely different from all other elevated landforms found on the earth’s surface. All this requires categorizing the information into defined groups thereby assisting a logical understanding of the conceptual differences between various types. PLATEAU- AN OVERVIEW A plateau is a broad and rather level stretch of land rising sharply from the neighbouring lowland. Its height can vary between 90 m to 900 m. Plateaus cover almost 18% of the earth's surface. They are large elevated areas that have a flat almost even top and steep slopes unlike the mountains. Their Classification is based upon I. The Method of Formation The plateaus are formed by many methods. The emission from the earth, water, glacier, wind, etc., form plateaus. Plateaus formed by Lava The lava comes out on the surface of the earth through regions of weakness and spreads in the surroundings areas and forms plateau eg. The Plateau of Columbia. 1 Fig : Plateau of Columbia, USA Plateaus formed by Running Water High Mountains are eroded down by rivers. Plateaus formed as a landform in the last part of the cycle of erosion. Brazil is one such a Plateau. Plateaus formed by Glaciers Glaciers form plateaus in two ways: - (a) by deposition and (b) by erosion. The Russian plateau and the plateau of Finland are examples of plateaus formed by deposition. Among the plateaus formed by erosion are the plateaus of Greenland and Antarctica. Mount Owen is the highest mountain in Kahurangi, at 1,875 metres. The Owen plateau is regarded by scientists as the finest example of glacial karst (weather worn limestone), in the Southern Hemisphere. It contains the longest cave system in New Zealand. All approaches to the plateau are on rough steep tracks. On day 1 we climb a steep track approximately 4 hours through beech forest, then drop down into Blue Gorge, and then into Granity pass (total time approx 6-8 hours). Source: http://www.naturetreks.co.nz/mtowen.htm 2 Plateaus formed by Wind When winds blow from a desert in a certain direction, fine dust particles along with the winds reach far-off places. For example, the western winds coming from the Gobi desert have built up the loess plateau of China. Located at the intersection of Shanxi Province and Shannxi Province on the Loess Plateau, the Hukou Waterfall is the second largest waterfall in China. "Hukou" means the spout of teapot in Chinese. When the Yellow River flows through Jinshang Gorge, the river surface shrinks suddenly from 400 meters to 50 meters, so the river has to roll down from the small gorge, just like water flows through the spout of teapot.. As the color of the waterfall is yellow, Hukou Waterfall has also been named "The largest yellow waterfall in the world." Source: http://scenery.cultural-china.com/en/111Scenery6758.html II. Location: Piedmont Plateau The plateaus that are situated at the foot of the mountains and are bounded on other sides by a plain or an ocean are called piedmont plateau. The Appalachian situated between the Appalachian Mountain and the Atlantic Coastal plain in U.S.A is an example. Continental Plateau They are formed either by an extensive continental uplift or by the spread of horizontal basic lava sheets completely covering the original topography to great depth. The Snake River Plateau in North West USA is the example of this type. 3 Intermontane Plateau These plateaus extend along with mountains and are known as the highest plateaus of the world. The plateaus of Bolivia and Tibet belong to this type. The Tibetan Plateau is the highest and most widespread plateau in the world, with an average altitude of 16,400 feet. Case Study - Table Mountain – South Africa One of the most popular tourist spots in South Africa is the Table Mountain, a flat-topped mountain forming a prominent landmark overlooking the city of Cape Town. This significant tourist attraction used cableway to get to the top. Hiking is another alternative to get to the top. 4 DO YOU KNOW? The term "mesa" is used throughout the United States to describe a flat-topped mountain or hill. In Spanish such a landform is more usually known as a meseta. Tucumcari Mountain is a mesa outside of Tucumcari, New Mexico, USA. How are Plateaus formed? There are various ways in which a plateau can be formed and it takes not one or two but millions of years for a plateau to form. Upward movement of the surface of the earth when the magma below the surface of the earth starts rising but it does not come up on the earth's surface. A particular section of the earth's surface is thus raised, forming a plateau. Sometimes if the magma, rises through the earth's surface, spreads out and then starts forming one layer on top of another and years later it forms a plateau. Erosion also causes the formation of plateau. Due to constant exposure to wind and water for years, mountains and glaciers or other high landforms have been reduced to plateaus. Case study- Land of extremes-Antarctica "Antarctica is the coldest, highest, windiest, driest, and iciest plateau on earth" 5 The Antarctic Plateau is a large area of Central Antarctica, which extends over a diameter of about 1,000 kilometres and which includes the region of the South Pole. This plateau is at an average elevation of about 3,000 meters. It is known as the Polar Plateau. The clean air, water and ice of Antarctica are now of global importance to science to understand how the Earth's environment is changing both naturally and as a result of human activity. Classification of Plateau On basis of formation On Basis of Location Intermontane Plateaus Location: lies between mountain ranges. Eg: Plateau of Tibet Tectonic Plateaus Formation: As a result of tectonic movements which caused uplift of the crust Eg : Bolivian Plateau P L A T E A U S Volcanic Plateaus Formation: Result of solidifying of lava emerging from fissures in the earths crust Eg: Deccan plateau of India Dissected Plateaus formation: Through continuous process of weathering and erosion. Eg: Chotta Nagpur Plateau of India 6 Piedmont Plateau Location: Lies at the foot of the mountain. Eg: Colorado plateau Continental Plateau Location: Rise abruptly from the plains Eg: Plateau of Africa Types of Plateaus – A pictorial overview Bolivian Plateau (Tectonic plateau) Plateau of Tibet (Intermontane plateau) Deccan Plateau (lava plateau) Colorado Plateau (Piedmont Plateau) Chota Nagpur Plateau (Dissected plateau) Waterberg Plateau South Africa (Continental Plateau) Fig : The Colorado Plateau – A piedmont plateau 7 Fig : Interior Plateau, an Intermontane Plateau in the Rocky Mountains Fig : Deccan Plateau, an Intermontane Plateau (between three mountain ranges) 8 Usefulness of Plateaus to Man 1. Storehouse of minerals: The plateaus are famous for minerals. The plateau of France, the Deccan plateau of India, Western Australian plateau and Brazilian plateau are very good sources of minerals. Iron, copper, gold, diamonds, Manganese, coal, etc., are found in them. 2. Hydel power: Rivers falling down the edges of plateaus from water-falls. These water-falls provide ideal sites for generating hydel-power. 3. Impact on climate: The higher parts of the plateaus even in tropical and sub-rearing regions have cool climate. Hence, they have attracted Europeans to settle there and develop their economy e.g. South and East Africa. 4. Agriculture and pasturelands. Plateaus have large grassland areas suitable for animal-rearing specially Sheep goat and cattle. They provide a variety of products such as wool, milk, meat and hide and skin. 5. The lava plateaus as compared to all other plateau are richer in agriculture since their soil is very fertile 6. Tourism. Conservation of the plateaus - Need and Efforts Plateaus have resources that are very precious and have great utility. These resources need to be sustained over a long time period. They are limited and exhaustible such as minerals, soil, and water. Degradation of land and successive erosion due to reckless felling of trees and unchecked mining in the regions across the globe has endangered the endemic flora and fauna of the region. Case Study- Dogon Plateau in Mali The problems on the Dogon Plateau are: A shortage of land to cultivate and thin soils A high population density Low rainfall which has diminished over the last 20 years High rates of rainfall runoff from stony surfaces 9 High rates of erosion - both by water and by wind Overgrazing by livestock. Some Measures: Stone lines are built where land is flatter. Soil taken from river beds is added to bed side terraces Transported earth gardens are being created. "When we make the basins and pits the water which would have left the field stays put, and so in the dry weather there is less crop damage. The yield is now higher. When we have enough rain the crops ripen well. By harvest time when we haven't used the techniques the millet can dry out, but everywhere we do use the techniques, the millet stays green". Boukary Yebeize DO YOU KNOW? Wildlife Conservation in the Plateau Regions of the World The Worm-eating Warbler (Helmitheros vermivorus) inhabits the Interior Low Plateaus. Source: http://gapanalysis.usgs.gov/blog/2010/08/18/bird_conservation_planning/ In the Interior Low plateaus: The major threat to the warbler is cutting down of the tropical rain forests abound with the Juniper tree (their major habitat) at a rapid pace for agriculture and human settlement. Habitat models for the Interior Low Plateaus were prepared. Their goals were to identify 10 1. Species-where they are found ,their richness, 2. Identify and prioritize areas for potential conservation 3. Shortlist areas with high restoration potential so that maximum impact can be estimated. 4. Identify wetlands where nesting bird management can be done with high success rate, and 5. Allocate a budget and a list of inventories to start operations Since the habitats in the Interior Low Plateaus are highly fragmented. Hence in these regions efforts are being made to acquire public land to conserve the existing ecosystem. Case Study – Effect of Mining on Plateaus Potash solution-mining ponds along the Colorado River near Moab (http://cpluhna.nau.edu/Change/mining.htm) On the Colorado Plateau, a few large coal-mining operations are in operation, including the largest strip mine in the world, the Kayenta/Black Mesa mining complex on Black Mesa in the Navajo Nation. The establishment of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in 1996 prevented the strip mining of coal resources found atop the Kaiparowits Plateau in south-western Utah. Some volcanic centers, such as the San Francisco Volcanic Field along the southern Plateau, are being mined for cinders used as construction material. In August of 2000 an historic agreement was reached to close down a large pumice mine on the San Francisco 11 Peaks near Flagstaff, Arizona after years of protest by a coalition of 13 Indian tribes and several environmental groups. The most important effects of mining activities on the region's biota are habitat loss due to extensive strip-mining operations and infiltration of mine waste into local riparian and groundwater systems. An indirect effect of large mines in the region can be degradation of riparian areas due to consumption of water for mine operations. Case Study of Deccan Plateau The Western part of the Deccan Plateau in the state of Tamil Nadu. It is largely made up of basalt lava, covers some 300,000 square miles in west-central India. (Agriculture being practiced) The poor growing conditions on the Deccan plateau in Southern India require the implementation of careful and complex farming strategies in order for farmers to produce enough food to sustain their families throughout the year. In such environments biodiversity and food security are inextricably intertwined. 12 DO YOU KNOW? WILDLIFE IN THE INTERIOR UPLANDS A Tibetan sand fox Foxes are of great help to keep the rodent population in check, especially Pikas (mousehare Deer are kept for antler production. Antlers are commonly used as a materia medica in Traditional Chinese medicine, known as 'malujiao'. Preferred are antlers still in velvet, the phase in which it is still growing - antlers regrow each year. A captive herd of Kham Red Deer (Cervus elaphus mcneilii) in Riwoche's Chamoling Nature Reserve Source: http://www.danielwinkler.com/wildlife_photos_from_the_tibetan_plateau.htm DO YOU KNOW? Alashan Plateau—China's Unknown Gobi (is a desert and a plateau) Massive sand dunes ripple over China's Alashan Plateau. This arid though diverse region covers some 260,000 square miles (673,400 square kilometers) in China and Mongolia and 13 is home to wild horses, snow leopards, and rare Bactrian camels. Source: http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/earth/surface-of-the-earth CASE STUDY - A Visit to Tibet Sabhia who lives in Abu Dhabi wished to visit Lhasa in order to see and learn about the plateau of Tibet. She had heard a lot of stories and had also collected a lot of material over the months. She had a list of queries to ask at the travel desk in the Tourism office. She was given a brochure with the following information ‘It is now possible to take the train all the way across the Tibetan Plateau from Lhasa to Xining.’ The much anticipated train to Lhasa opened to the public on July 1, 2006. China has spent many years and many billions of dollars building this railway over the frozen northern Tibetan Plateau. With the help of the brochure she planned her trip and reached Lhasa to board the train to take first hand pictures of the plateau. In her Diary she wrote China had spent many years and many billions of dollars building this railway over the frozen northern Tibetan Plateau. The train station is beautiful and is built in Tibetan design. The train station lies 14km from downtown, but a new bridge over the Kyi River will shorten the distance to about 8km. farming areas. I saw many Tibetans working in their fields. Further north, there were some nomads in yak hair tents grazing their herds. The train passed by a couple of beautiful high elevation lakes and several high mountain passes. The scenery in this area of Tibet is amazing. 14 Case Study - Environment in Tibet The great difference of altitudes and rainfall in Tibet creates ecosystem that vary from tropical cloud forests to high altitude deserts. The Tibetan plateau is the world’s highest ecosystem and one of the world’s last great untouched wildernesses. Many mountain ecosystems are disappearing as result of excessive use of resources, mining and inappropriate infrastructure development, deforestation and natural hazards. The Himalayas were declared a Biodiversity Hot Spot in 2005. The Qinghai-Tibet plateau has been warming faster than the global average with temperatures rising 0.16°C per year. If the trend continues glaciers will recede significantly. Some Tibetans are angry about polluting factories built by the Chinese. Tibetans living in Gabu Village in a Tibetan area of Qinghai Province are incensed about an aluminum smelter there that belches out grayish smoke and leaves a grimy film on clothes and buildings. Beijing is using rockets and artillery to seed clouds with rain-inducing chemicals. In Madoi County in Qinghai Province the program is so intense during the summer that the blasts of artillery keep people awake at night. Authorities insist the program is working and increasing rain and replenishing glaciers. Locals say the rockets just anger the gods and perpetuate the drought. In western Tibet-Qinghai there is a mysterious "ozone valley" that thus far scientists have been unable to explain. 15 In the 1980s and early 1990s, the Chinese logged the forested areas of Tibet very intensively. Deforestation has turned once clear streams muddy brown. An increase in the number of livestock and a rising demand for fuel is threatening to strip the valleys of vegetation. Run-off from denuded mountain slopes is believed to have been a factor in excessive flooding of the Yangtze River in 1998. Deforestation has been slowed since the 1998 Yangtze flood. Logging has been banned in Omda, Markam and Gonjo counties in Tibet in part to prevent erosion from filling in the Three Gorges Dam reservoir on the Yangtze. Large reforestation projects are being carried out. DO YOU KNOW? The beauty and diversity of Tibet is staggering: from Mount Everest to the world's deepest gorge, from tropical jungles to arctic-like tundra, from trees twenty feet in diameter to vast herds and solitary specimens of some of the least-known animals on the planet. 16 GLOSSARY Basalt: A dark, dense volcanic rock, about 50 percent of which is silica. Continental drift: The hypothesis proposed by Alfred Wegener that the continents are not stationary, but have moved across the surface of Earth over time. Convection current: The circular movement of a gas or liquid between hot and cold areas. Crust: The thin, solid, outermost layer of Earth. Erosion: The gradual wearing away of Earth surfaces through the action of wind and water. Fault: A crack or fracture in Earth's crust along which rock on one side has moved relative to rock on the other. Lithosphere: The rigid uppermost section of the mantle combined with the crust. Mantle: The thick, dense layer of rock that lies beneath Earth's crust. Plates: Large sections of Earth's lithosphere that are separated by deep fault zones. Plate tectonics: The geologic theory that Earth's crust is composed of rigid plates that "floats" toward or away from each other, either directly or indirectly, shifting continents, forming mountains and new ocean crust, and stimulating volcanic eruptions. Uplift: In geology, the slow upward movement of large parts of stable areas of Earth's crust. 17 WORKSHEET NO.1 Name of the Student: I. Class: Section: Complete the table given below: (you may have to do some research to identify the pictures and complete the worksheet) On the basis of location Features of this plateau Distinctive Features Economic activities Examples: Piedmont Plateau Distinctive Features Economic activities Examples: Continental Plateau Distinctive Features Economic activities Examples: Intermontane Plateau P.S. This work sheet can be attempted after dividing the class into groups prior to commencement. 18 WORKSHEET NO.2 Name of the Student: 1. Class: Section: Given below are two pictures of plateaus. Some interesting facts about them are mentioned below. Read them carefully and answer the questions that follow" Mount Owen Plateau New Zealand Mount Owen is the highest mountain in Kahurangi, at 1,875 metres. The Owen plateau is regarded by scientists as the finest example of glacial action, in the Southern Hemisphere. It contains the longest cave system in New Zealand. All approaches to the plateau are on rough steep tracks. The Hukou Waterfall on the Shannxi Province on the Loess plateau of China 19 Located at the intersection of Shanxi Province and Shannxi Province on the Loess Plateau, the Hukou Waterfall is the second largest waterfall in China. "Hukou" means the spout of teapot in Chinese. As the color of the waterfall is yellow, Hukou Waterfall has also been named "The largest yellow waterfall in the world." i. Name a specific feature of each of these plateaus. ii. What does 'Hukou' mean in Chinese'. iii. What do you think the crack in the Owen plateau indicates? iv. Why is the colour of the water of the Hukou waterfall yellow? 20 WORKSHEET NO.3 Name of the Student: I. Class: Section: A picture of the Colorado plateau is shown. Briefly describe the type of landform features you can see in the picture. _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ II. Identify the following – i. Plateaus that are cut by rivers and broken by deep valleys. ___________________________________________________________ ii. Plateaus that lie between mountain ranges. _____________________________________________________________ iii. A volcanic plateau in India. ____________________________________________________________ 21 iv. World’s highest plateau. ____________________________________________________________ III. Study the map give below and answer the question that follows: Name the mountains that bound the Deccan Plateau of India. ____________________________________________________________ IV. Study the importance of plateaus and find out how they influence human activities. Use examples with pictures 22 WORKSHEET NO.4 Name of the Student: 1. Class: Section: Study the pictures given below and answer the questions that follow: The Worm-eating Warbler (Helmitheros vermivorus) inhabits the Interior Low Plateaus Source: http://gapanalysis.usgs.gov/blog/2010/08/18/bird_conservation_planning i. What does this bird survive on? __________________________________________________________________ ii. Why has this specie been declared and endangered species? __________________________________________________________________ iii. Name some other birds of this region that need to be protected. __________________________________________________________________ 23 A captive herd of Kham Red Deer (Cervus elaphus mcneilii) in Riwoche's Chamoling Nature Reserve i. Why is there an urgent need to protect the deer that lives in the Tibetan plateau? ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ii. Why do you think they are being held captive? ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ iii. What are the resources available in the plateau region that have helped this specie make this region its home? ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ 24 WORKSHEET NO.5 Name of the Student : 1. Class: Map study: Locate the major plateaus of the world on a map given below Plateaus of Tibet Mongolian Plateau Bolivian Plateau Patagonian Plateau Deccan Plateau Colorado Plateau Maseta of Spain Chotta Nagpur Plateau of India. 25 Section: 2. Locate the following physiographic regions on a map of North America. a. Piedmont Plateau b. Intermontane plateau 26 WORKSHEET NO.6 Name of the Student: Class: Section: Observe the map of the Tibetan plateau given below and answer the questions that follow: a) Name the important rivers that have their source in this region. _____________________________________________________________________ b) How has the environment of Tibet been effected by mans activities? _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ 27 c) What steps have been taken by the Government to redress the ecological balance of the plateau of Tibet? __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ Project: Case study of Colorado Plateau, Plateau of Africa, Plateau of Tibet. Aspects to be covered (you may also add your own) a) Location and extent on map. b) Type and process of formation. c) Resources present. d) Human activity. e) Pictorial presentation. Comparative study of these three types of plateaus 28 Resources: o NCERT Text Book of Social Studies Class 6 o A Text Book of Geography 6 by Rita Rajen o Certificate Physical and Human Geography by Goh Cheng Leong (Oxford University Press) o Geography in Diagrams by R.B.Bunnett (Longman) o http://exchange.smarttech.com/search.html?q=landforms o http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5301e/x5301e08.htm o Typesof Landforms: Plateaus | eHow.com o http://www.ehow.com/info_8214713_types-landforms-lateaus.html#ixzz1kaWTvvd9. o http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5301e/x5301e08.htm o http://gapanalysis.usgs.gov/blog/2010/08/18/bird_conservation_planning/. o http://www.danielwinkler.com/wildlife_photos_from_the_tibetan_plateau.htm 29 CENTRAL BOARD OF SECONDARY EDUCATION Shiksha Kendra, 2, Community Centre, Preet Vihar, Delhi-110 092 India