World Geography Today Chapter 7

Natural Environments of North America

Preview

Section 1: Physical Features

Section 2: Climates and Biomes

Section 3: Natural Resources

Chapter Wrap-Up

World Geography Today Section 1: Physical Features Chapter 7

Read to Discover

• What are the major landform regions in the United States and Canada?

• What rivers and lakes are found in the region?

World Geography Today Section 1: Physical Features Chapter 7

Question

What are the various landform regions of the United States and Canada?

World Geography Today Chapter 7 Section 1: Physical Features Landform Regions of North America Region Gulf-Atlantic Coastal Plain Piedmont Location Along the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico Alabama to New Jersey Appalachian Highlands Interior Plains Interior Highlands Alabama to southeastern Canada Between Appalachians and Rocky Mountains Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma Description Long coastal plain, begins at sea level and gradually rises Upland region at the foot of the Appalachians Several ranges, valleys, and ridges; low, eroded mountains Rolling hills, many rivers and lakes, productive soils Old, eroded highlands

World Geography Today Chapter 7 Section 1: Physical Features Landform Regions of North America Region Location Great Plains South-central Canada to Texas and Mexico Canadian Shield Arctic Ocean to Atlantic coast Rocky Mountains New Mexico to Canada Intermountain Basins and Plateaus Pacific Mountains and Valleys Between Rockies and coastal mountain ranges Along Pacific coast Description High plains, subregion of interior plains Ancient rock, heavily glaciated, little soil Several high and rugged ranges High plateaus, deep canyons, isolated mountain ranges, desert basins Two mountain ranges separated by a series of valleys

World Geography Today Chapter 7 Section 1: Physical Features

Major landform regions of the United States and Canada generally stretch from north to south.

Listed from east to west the regions are: • Gulf-Atlantic Coastal Plain • Piedmont • Appalachian Highlands • Interior Plains • Canadian Shield • Great Plains • Rocky Mountains • Intermountain Region • Pacific Coast Region • Alaska and Hawaii

World Geography Today Chapter 7 Section 1: Physical Features Bodies of Water

•

Major river systems

• Mississippi, Missouri, and Ohio Rivers • • • St. Lawrence system Mackenzie River system Western rivers: Colorado, Columbia, Fraser, Yukon •

Major lakes

• Great Lakes • Northern Canada: Athabasca, Great Slave, Great Bear

World Geography Today Chapter 7 Section 2: Climates and Biomes

Read to Discover

• Which climate types are found in the United States and Canada?

• What are the major biomes of the region, and where are they found?

World Geography Today Chapter 7 Section 2: Climates and Biomes

Question

What are the locations of the different climate types in the United States and Canada?

World Geography Today Chapter 7 Section 2: Climates and Biomes Climate Types of North America Tropical Humid Tropical Wet and Dry Humid Subtropical Humid Continental Semiarid Arid Highland Marine West Coast Mediterranean Subarctic Tundra Eastern Hawaii Very tip of Florida, western Hawaii Southeast United States Northeast United States and southeastern Canada Great Plains, western mountains Areas east of Sierra Nevada and Cascades Rocky Mountains Southern Alaska through northern California Southern and central California Northern Canada and Alaska Northern Alaska to Newfoundland and Quebec

World Geography Today Chapter 7 Section 2: Climates and Biomes Biomes

• • • • • •

Temperate Forest

—Southeastern U.S. and much of the U.S. and Canadian west

Semiarid and Desert

—Much of southwestern U.S.

Grassland

—Interior North America

Boreal Forest

—About half of Canada and Alaska

Arctic Tundra

—Northernmost region

Tropical

—Southern Florida and Hawaii

World Geography Today Chapter 7 Section 3: Natural Resources

Read to Discover

• What farming, forest, and water resources are found in the United States and Canada?

• How rich is the region in energy and mineral resources?

World Geography Today Chapter 7 Section 3: Natural Resources

Question

What natural resources can be found in North America?

World Geography Today Chapter 7 Section 3: Natural Resources

Resources of North America

Forest

•

Large forests and tree farms

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Lumber, newsprint, pulpwood, and other products

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Leading producers and exporters Water

• •

Allow for irrigation and hydro electricity production Rich fisheries along coasts

• • • •

Agriculture Energy Minerals Large area Good climates for farming Fertile soils Provide enough food to feed population and leave a surplus

• • •

Huge coal reserves Major oil producer, but still must import Rich in natural gas

• •

Nickel, zinc, uranium, lead, copper, gold, and silver in Canada Iron, copper, lead, zinc, gold, silver, and other minerals in United States

World Geography Today Chapter 7 Section 3: Natural Resources

•

Farming

• Wide variety of soils and climates • Abundant production of crops and livestock •

Forests

• Leading producers of wood and paper • Major U.S. forests in southeast and northwest •

Water

• Plentiful supplies • Irrigation and hydroelectric power • Coastal waters rich in marine resources

World Geography Today Chapter 7 Section 3: Natural Resources

•

Energy

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Coal

—Good supply in both U.S. and Canada; U.S. has 25 percent of world total; generally thick deposits located in unpopulated areas •

Oil and Natural Gas

—Also plentiful, but U.S. uses more oil than it produces

World Geography Today Chapter 7 Section 3: Natural Resources

•

Minerals

• Canada is rich in minerals—especially in the Canadian Shield —and produces nickel, zinc, uranium, lead, copper, gold, diamonds, and silver.

• The United States has valuable deposits of iron, copper, lead, zinc, gold, and silver.

World Geography Today Chapter 7

Chapter Wrap-Up

Understanding the Main Ideas

1. What physical process forms barrier islands? Where are they found in North America?

2. What evidence of tectonic forces will you find in western areas of the United States and Canada?

3. What can happen when different air masses come in contact with one another over the Great Plains?

4. What major factors influence climates in the United States? How does nearness to the Great Lakes and the Atlantic Ocean influence the humid continental climate region of the northeastern United States?

5.

About 25 percent of the world’s reserves of which energy resource are found in the United States?