Download Climate, Vegetation, and Landforms

Climate, Vegetation, and Landforms
Definitions } Climate is the average weather of a place over many years Ÿ Geographers discuss five broad types of climates ú Moderate, dry, tropical, continental, polar } Vegetation: plants that grow naturally within a climate region } Landform: an area of the Earth’s surface with a definite shape
Michigan Vegetation
Climate Regions
Moderate Climate } Found in the middle latitudes, this climate has moderate rainfall, temperatures that rarely fall below freezing, and varied vegetation.
Moderate Climate } Forests include deciduous trees (trees that lose their leaves in fall), shrubs, low bushes, wildflowers, and a variety of grasses.
Dry Climate } A dry, hot climate with little rain and sandy, gravelly soil.
Dry Climate } Vegetation is sparse and plant roots are shallow to absorb water before it evaporates.
Dry Climate } Some plants have small leaves, which lose little moisture.
Tropical Climate } Found in the low latitudes, this climate is hot, wet, and sunny.
Tropical Climate } The vegetation is tropical rain forest with thousands of kinds of plants.
Tropical Climate } Trees grow to 130 feet (40 meters). Other trees, vines, and ferns grow in their shade.
Continental Climate } Summer temperatures are moderate to hot; winters are cold.
Continental Climate } Vegetation includes grasslands and forests.
Continental Climate } Large deciduous forests occur where temperatures are moderate, while colder regions have coniferous trees (trees with needles and cones). Ÿ Deciduous means the dropping of a part that is no longer needed. For example, deciduous trees or shrubs lose their leaves seasonally. They may also shed petals after flowering or fruit when ripe.
Polar Climate } This climate is found in the high latitudes and is cold all year
Polar Climate } Vegetation includes low shrubs, mosses, and lichens (plants that grow on rocks). There are no trees and few flowering plants.
Landforms Created by Water
Landforms Created by Water } River: A large natural stream of water emptying into an ocean, lake, or other body of water Ÿ Ecosystem: aquatic plants, fish, birds, beavers ú An ecosystem is a collection of living things (plants, animals, and their environment) and the environment in which they live
Landforms Created by Water } River delta: deposit of clay, silt, and sand formed at the mouth of a river
Landforms Created by Water } Lakes: an inland/enclosed body of water Ÿ Ecosystem: aquatic plants, fish, frogs, ducks
Landforms Created by Water } Waterfall: a steep drop of the water of a river
Landforms Created by Water } Beach: the shore of a body of water Ÿ Ecosystem : microscopic algae, insects ú Algae is a flowerless plant with an extremely simple structure. It is usually green, but in the seaweeds it is often beautifully colored
Landforms Created by Water } Bay: a body of water partly enclosed by land but having a wide outlet to the sea Ÿ Ecosystem: varies based on location
Landforms Created by Water } Peninsula: a piece of land connected to a larger landmass and surrounded on three sides by water Ÿ Ecosystem: varies based on location
Landforms Created by Water } Island: a piece of land surrounded entirely by water Ÿ Ecosystem: varies based on location
Landforms Created by Wind
Landforms Created by Wind } Desert: a dry, often sandy region of little rainfall, extreme temperatures, and sparse vegetation Ÿ Ecosystem: shrubs, Prickly Pears, cacti, kangaroo coyote, lizards
Landforms Created by Wind } Sand Dunes: a hill or ridge of sand deposited by wind
Plains and Tundra
Plains and Tundra } Plain: a large area of flat or gently rolling land
Plains and Tundra } Tundra: a vast treeless plain in the arctic regions between the ice cap and the tree line
Volcanic Landforms
Volcanic Landforms } Volcanoes: an opening in the earth's crust through which molten lava, ash, and gases are ejected
Volcanic Landforms } Caldera: a large crater formed by volcanic explosion or by collapse of a volcanic cone Ÿ Crater Lake: a lake of southwest Oregon in a volcanic crater
Volcanic Landforms } Geyser: hot spring from which water and steam are ejected periodically
Mountainous Landforms
Mountainous Landforms } Mountain: a landform with steep sides that rises more than 2,000 feet above sea level
Mountainous Landforms } Mountain range: a single line of connected mountains
Mountainous Landforms } Plateau: a large, mostly flat area that rises above the surrounding land
Mountainous Landforms } Valley: a long depression in the land between ranges of mountains, hills, or other uplands
Mountain Ecosystems } If you climb from base to peak of a big mountain, you will pass through a number of different types of plant community.
Mountain Ecosystems } The foothills may be covered in broadleaved forests
Mountain Ecosystems } Higher up, coniferous trees like spruce and pines appear.
Mountain Ecosystems } As you climb higher it gets colder and colder and the trees eventually thin out and disappear. The highest parts of the mountain support only sparse grasses and low­growing alpine flowers. ú If the mountain is high enough even this vegetation disappears and the peak is bare and rocky and perhaps covered in snow and ice.
Glacial Landforms
Glacial Landforms } Arête: a sharp, narrow mountain ridge or spur
Glacial Landforms } Cirque: a steep­walled semicircular basin in a mountain; may contain a lake
Glacial Landforms } Horn: formed when several glaciers cut into a mountain peak
Time to Work on Your Booklets
Label the Booklet Pages } Label the booklet pages as follows, starting with the smallest (blue) page Ÿ Landforms Created by Water Ÿ Landforms Created by Wind Ÿ Plains and Tundra Ÿ Volcanic Landforms Ÿ Mountainous Landforms Ÿ Glacial Landforms
What to Include on Each Page } Front Side of Each Page Ÿ Sketch and label the following items: ú 2 types of landforms ú 2 types of plants living in that ecosystem ú 2 animals living in that ecosystem } Back Side of Each Page Ÿ Write the name and definition of a climate type that corresponds with that landform