Download Exploring Our World - twpunionschools.org

Chapter Introduction
Section 1: Physical
Features
Section 2: Climate Region
Visual Summary
Human-Environment
Interaction The region of
Australia, Oceania, and
Antarctica has great variety in
landforms and climate. It
includes high mountains, low
plains, and tropical islands,
as well as hot and cold
deserts. How might the
remoteness of a region
make it different from other
places?
Section 1:
Physical Features
Physical processes shape Earth’s
surface. This region contains an
amazing variety of landforms.
Australia has mountains as well as
vast plains. Most of Oceania’s
islands were formed from volcanic
activity or from coral, the skeletons of
hundreds of millions of small sea
creatures. Some islands were
formed by the rising and folding of
rock on the ocean floor. Antarctica’s
mountains are surrounded by
glaciers that are many feet thick.
Section 2:
Climate Regions
Places reflect the
relationship between
humans and the physical
environment. The region’s
climates vary from tropical to
polar. These different climate
regions influence patterns of
settlement and ways of life.
Physical processes shape Earth’s
surface.
Content Vocabulary
• outback
• atoll
• coral reef
• continental island
• geyser
• ice shelf
• high island
• iceberg
• low island
• marsupial
Academic Vocabulary
• adjacent
• accurate
Catch the wave! There’s no need to
rush, though—this wave has been here
for more than 2.7 billion years, and it is
not going anywhere soon. The “wave”
is actually a granite cliff face near
Hyden, Australia. Weathering and
erosion have undercut the cliff base,
leaving a rounded overhang. As you
read this section, you will learn more
about the spectacular landforms of
Australia, Oceania, and Antarctica.
Do you think Antarctica should be
mined for its mineral wealth?
A. Yes
B. No
A. A
B. B
0%
B
A
0%
At Hot Water Beach on the North Island of New
Zealand, visitors can create their own hot water spas.
Underground springs are heated by regional volcanoes
and are pushed toward the surface, where just a little
digging will result in a nice pool of 147°F (64°C) mineral
water in which to soak your cares away.
Landforms of the Region
Plate tectonics, erosion, and
biological processes have
shaped this region’s
landforms.
Landforms of the Region (cont.)
• Australia, Oceania, and Antarctica lie
almost entirely in the Southern
Hemisphere and reach from north of the
Equator to the South Pole.
Landforms of the Region (cont.)
• Australia, a continent as well as the sixthlargest country in the world, is mostly flat
and has low relief, or few differences in the
elevations of adjacent areas.
• Good farmland is found on the narrow
plains in the south and southeast, near the
Murray and the Darling Rivers.
Landforms of the Region (cont.)
• The Great Dividing Range is called a
mountain chain, but it is more accurately
an escarpment.
• It stretches along Australia’s eastern coast
from the Cape York Peninsula to the
Australian island of Tasmania.
Landforms of the Region (cont.)
• Australia’s outback is a vast, flat, and dry
area of plains and plateaus with isolated,
heavily eroded masses of rock that stand
above the lowland.
• Off Australia’s northeastern coast lies the
Great Barrier Reef. It is the world’s largest
coral reef, a structure formed by the
skeletons of small sea animals.
Landforms of the Region (cont.)
• New Zealand includes two main islands—
North Island and South Island—as well as
many smaller islands. The Cook Strait
separates the two main islands.
Landforms of the Region (cont.)
• New Zealand lies along a fault line where
two tectonic plates meet, so the large
central plateau of North Island has active
volcanoes as well as geysers, or hot
springs that shoot water into the air.
Landforms of the Region (cont.)
• Oceania is a grouping of thousands of
islands in the Pacific Ocean.
• These islands consist of three types: high,
low, and continental.
Landforms of the Region (cont.)
• High islands, such as Tahiti and the Fiji
Islands, were formed by volcanic activity
and have bodies of freshwater, fertile soil,
and mountain ranges split by valleys that
fan out into coastal plains.
Landforms of the Region (cont.)
• Low islands, such as the Marshall
Islands, were formed by coral, and are
atolls, or low-lying, ring-shaped islands
that surround shallow pools of water.
• Low islands have little soil.
Landforms of the Region (cont.)
• Continental islands, such as New Guinea
and the Solomon Islands, were formed by
tectonic activity.
• Inland from the coast, these islands hold
rugged mountains, plateaus, and valleys.
Landforms of the Region (cont.)
• Antarctica lies at Earth’s southern polar
region.
• The South Pole, the Earth’s southernmost
point, and the Transantarctic Mountains
are here.
Landforms of the Region (cont.)
• An ice cap, sometimes 2 miles (3 km)
thick, covers most of Antarctica’s highlands
and plains.
• At the coast is an ice shelf, where the ice
cap spreads past land into the ocean.
• Free-floating icebergs are formed when
huge chunks break away from the ice
shelves.
What kind of islands are formed by
coral?
A. High islands
B. Low islands
0%
C
A
0%
A. A
B. B
C.0%C
B
C. Continental islands
Natural Resources
Australia, New Zealand, and
Antarctica have many
resources, but the islands of
Oceania have relatively few.
Natural Resources (cont.)
• Australia mines bauxite, copper, nickel,
and gold.
• New Zealand has some deposits of gold,
coal, and natural gas.
• Its rivers and dams supply hydroelectric
power, and its hot springs provide
geothermal energy.
Natural Resources (cont.)
• Oceania’s larger islands have deposits of
oil, gold, nickel, and copper.
• Antarctica has coal and iron ore.
Natural Resources (cont.)
• Because the region is mostly isolated
islands, some native plants and animals
are found nowhere else in the world.
• Two are Australia’s kangaroos and Koalas.
Both are marsupials, or mammals that
carry their young in a pouch.
• New Zealand has the kiwi, a flightless bird.
Why have many nations agreed not to
mine the mineral wealth in
Antarctica?
A. To protect the environment
B. Because it is too costly
C. Because it is too difficult
D. All of the above
0%
A
A.
B.
C.
0%
D.
B
A
B
C
0%
D
C
0%
D
Places reflect the relationship
between humans and the physical
environment.
Content Vocabulary
• eucalyptus
• breadfruit
• pasture
• lichen
Academic Vocabulary
• distort
• duration
• sufficient
An ecologist uses his mountainclimbing skills to scale one of the
world’s tallest hardwood trees, the
mountain ash. The mountain ash is a
type of eucalyptus tree that can grow
more than 300 feet (91 m) tall. It
thrives in the wet forests in southern
and eastern Australia and Tasmania.
To learn more about climate and
vegetation in Australia, Oceania, and
Antarctica, read Section 2.
Based on climate, which of the
following locations would you most
like to live?
A. New Zealand
B. An island in Oceania
C. Australia’s outback
D. Antarctica
0%
A
A.
B.
C.
0%
D.
B
A
B
C
0%
D
C
0%
D
Blizzards in Antarctica are different from the type of
fierce, blowing snowfalls that occur in other parts of the
world. In Antarctica, blizzards are caused by heavy
winds swirling up snow that is actually already on the
ground.
Climate of Australia
Australia has several climate
regions, but much of the
country is dry.
Climate of Australia (cont.)
• About one-third of Australia’s vast interior
is desert, and another third is partly dry
steppe.
• Only the northern, eastern, and
southwestern coastal areas receive
plentiful rainfall.
Climate of Australia (cont.)
• The northern third of Australia lies in the
Tropics and is warm or hot year-round.
• The rest of the country lies south of the
Tropics and has warm summers and cool
winters.
Climate of Australia (cont.)
• Deserts cover vast stretches of the
outback.
• The deserts of south central Australia
receive no more than 8 inches (20 cm) of
rain per year.
• Rainfall in any year can fall well short of
the average, and rain may not fall for long
periods of time.
Climate of Australia (cont.)
• A zone of milder steppe climate encircles
Australia’s desert region.
• When rains do reach desert and steppe
areas, they often come in heavy bursts
and can cause flash floods, but high
temperatures cause any amount of rain
that falls to evaporate quickly.
Climate of Australia (cont.)
• Eucalyptus trees are native to Australia
and nearby islands.
• Their thick, leathery leaves prevent loss of
moisture and can survive rushing
floodwaters.
• Other plants have long roots that extend
deep into the earth to find groundwater for
the duration of the long dry season.
Climate of Australia (cont.)
• Australia’s far north has a tropical savanna
climate.
• Summer months are hot and humid, but
winter months, while hot, have less
humidity.
Climate of Australia (cont.)
• A narrow stretch of Australia’s northeastern
coast is warm year-round with a humid
subtropical climate.
• Part of the southeastern coast has a
marine west coast climate where summers
are warm and winters are cool with
plentiful rainfall.
• Most of Australia’s people live in this area.
Climate of Australia (cont.)
• The southern and western parts of
Australia have a Mediterranean climate of
warm summers and mild winters.
• In these areas, rainfall is sufficient for
raising crops, and temperatures are
pleasant.
Australia, Oceania, and
Antarctica: Climate Zones
What climate zone is NOT found in
Australia’s vast interior?
A. Desert
B. Steppe
C. Tropical
D. None of the above
0%
A
A.
B.
C.
0%
D.
B
A
B
C
0%
D
C
0%
D
Climate of Oceania
New Zealand has a mild
climate, while the smaller
islands of Oceania are mainly
tropical.
Climate of Oceania (cont.)
• Much of New Zealand has a marine west
coast climate.
• Ocean winds here warm the land in winter
and cool it in summer.
• Rainfall is generally plentiful, ranging from
25 to 60 inches (64 to 152 cm) during the
year.
Climate of Oceania (cont.)
• In New Zealand, the mild temperatures
and plentiful rain promote the year-round
growth of pasture, the grasses and other
plants that are feed for grazing livestock—
a source of income for many New
Zealanders.
Climate of Oceania (cont.)
• Almost all of Oceania’s smaller islands lie
in the Tropics, where temperatures
average 80°F (27°C) throughout the year.
• In some areas of Oceania, heavy rains
come in the spring and summer, while in
other areas, heavy rainfall comes in the
summer and fall. Strong typhoons can
occur in this area.
Climate of Oceania (cont.)
• Oceania’s high islands have lower
temperatures in mountainous areas, and
the low islands are drier and warmer.
• High islands have a variety of plant life and
support farming.
• Low islands support only a few kinds of
plants, such as coconut palms and
breadfruit trees. Breadfruit is a starchy
pod that can be cooked in several ways
and is a food staple in Oceania.
Rainfall in Oceania is affected by an
island’s ____.
A. Latitude
B. Longitude
C. Elevation
D. Temperatures
0%
A
A.
B.
C.
0%
D.
B
A
B
C
0%
D
C
0%
D
The Climate of Antarctica
Antarctica is a cold desert
where no humans live
permanently.
The Climate of Antarctica (cont.)
• Rainfall is so low in Antarctica that the
continent is actually a desert.
• Whatever precipitation that falls only adds
to the ice that covers the continent’s
surface.
The Climate of Antarctica (cont.)
• Despite Antarctica’s coldness, the
continent does have life.
• Many different kinds of penguins live there,
feeding off the rich sea life in the
surrounding waters.
• In rocky areas along the coasts, tiny,
sturdy plants called lichens grow.
Why is Antarctica so cold?
A. There is very little
humidity.
B. It never receives the
direct rays of the sun.
C. There is very little
precipitation.
D. All of the above
0%
A
A.
B.
C.
0%
D.
B
A
B
C0%
D
C
0%
D
Landforms
• Australia, Oceania, and Antarctica form a huge
region that reaches from north of the Equator to
the South Pole.
• Australia is mainly flat with low
relief. Erosion has worn down
highland areas.
• Australia’s Great Barrier Reef
stretches 1,250 miles
(2,012 km). It is the world’s
largest coral reef.
Landforms
• New Zealand has high mountains and coastal
lowlands.
• Volcanic activity formed many
of Oceania’s high islands; coral
buildups created the low islands.
• Thick ice covers Antarctica’s
highlands and plains.
Resources
• Australia and New Zealand are rich in mineral and
energy resources.
• Islands in Oceania have few natural resources.
• Antarctica’s natural resources are untapped.
• Because Australia and New Zealand remained
isolated for a long period, they have many unique
plants and animals.
Climates
• Australia has mainly warm, dry climates. The
country’s coasts have more moderate
temperatures and receive more rainfall than
inland areas.
• New Zealand, close to the sea, has moderate
temperatures and ample rain.
• Oceania has tropical climates with warm
temperatures year-round.
• Antarctica is a bitterly cold
desert.
outback
inland areas of Australia west of the
Great Dividing Range
coral reef
long undersea structure formed by
the tiny skeletons of coral, a kind of
sea life
geyser
spring of water heated by molten rock
inside the earth that, from time to
time, shoots hot water into the air
high island
mountainous island in the Pacific
Ocean formed by volcanic activity
low island
type of island in the Pacific Ocean
formed by the buildup of coral
atoll
circular shaped islands made of coral
continental island
island formed centuries ago by the
rising and folding of the ocean floor
due to tectonic activity
ice shelf
thick layer of ice that extends above
the water
iceberg
huge piece of floating ice that broke
off from an ice shelf or glacier and fell
into the sea
marsupial
mammals that carry their young in a
pouch
adjacent
next to or near
accurate
exact
eucalyptus
tree found only in Australia and
nearby islands that is well suited to
dry conditions with leathery leaves,
deep roots, and ability to survive
when rivers flood
pasture
grasses and other plants that are
ideal feed for grazing animals
breadfruit
fruit from a tree of the same name
that is a basic food in Oceania
lichen
tiny sturdy plants that grow in rocky
areas
distort
present in a manner that is
misleading
duration
length of time something lasts
sufficient
enough
To use this Presentation Plus! product:
Click the Forward button to go to the next slide.
Click the Previous button to return to the previous slide.
Click the Home button to return to the Chapter Menu.
Click the Transparency button from the Chapter Menu, Chapter Introduction, or
Visual Summary slides to access the transparencies that are relevant to this
chapter. From within a section, click on this button to access the relevant Daily
Focus Skills Transparency.
Click the Return button in a feature to return to the main presentation.
Click the Geography Online button to access online textbook features.
Click the Reference Atlas button to access the Interactive Reference Atlas.
Click the Exit button or press the Escape key [Esc] to end the chapter slide show.
Click the Help button to access this screen.
Links to Presentation Plus! features such as Graphs in Motion, Charts in Motion,
and figures from your textbook are located at the bottom of relevant screens.
This slide is intentionally blank.