natural environments of north america

World Geography Today Chapter 7

Natural Environments of North America

PreviewSection 1: Physical Features

Section 2: Climates and Biomes

Section 3: Natural Resources

Chapter Wrap-Up


Read to Discover

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

• What rivers and lakes are found in the region?

Section 1: Physical Features


Question

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



Gulf-Atlantic Coastal PlainPiedmont

Appalachian Highlands

Along the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of MexicoAlabama to New Jersey

Alabama to southeastern Canada

Long coastal plain, begins at sea level and gradually risesUpland region at the foot of the AppalachiansSeveral ranges, valleys, and ridges; low, eroded mountains

Interior Plains

Between Appalachians and Rocky Mountains

Rolling hills, many rivers and lakes, productive soils

Interior Highlands

Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma

Old, eroded highlands

Section 1: Physical FeaturesLandform Regions of North AmericaRegion Location Description


Great Plains

Canadian ShieldRocky Mountains

South-central Canada to Texas and MexicoArctic Ocean to Atlantic coastNew Mexico to Canada

High plains, subregion of interior plainsAncient rock, heavily glaciated, little soil

Several high and rugged ranges

Intermountain Basins and Plateaus

Between Rockies and coastal mountain ranges

High plateaus, deep canyons, isolated mountain ranges, desert basins

Pacific Mountains and Valleys

Along Pacific coast Two mountain ranges separated by a series of valleys

Section 1: Physical FeaturesLandform Regions of North AmericaRegion Location Description


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 • Great Plains• Piedmont • Rocky Mountains• Appalachian Highlands • Intermountain Region• Interior Plains • Pacific Coast Region• Canadian Shield • Alaska and Hawaii



• 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

Section 1: Physical FeaturesBodies of Water


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?



Question

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

Canada?



Tropical Wet and Dry Very tip of Florida, western HawaiiHumid Subtropical Southeast United StatesHumid Continental Northeast United States and southeastern CanadaSemiarid Great Plains, western mountainsArid Areas east of Sierra Nevada and Cascades

Marine West Coast Southern Alaska through northern California

Mediterranean Southern and central California

Tropical Humid Eastern Hawaii

Tundra Northern Alaska to Newfoundland and Quebec

Subarctic Northern Canada and Alaska

Section 2: Climates and BiomesClimate Types of North America

Highland Rocky Mountains


• 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

Section 2: Climates and BiomesBiomes


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?



Question

What natural resources can be found in North America?



Section 3: Natural ResourcesResources of North America

Forest Water Agriculture Energy Minerals• Large

forests and tree farms

• Lumber, newsprint, pulpwood, and other products

• Leading producers and exporters

• Allow for irrigation and hydro-electricity production

• Rich fisheries along coasts

• 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


• 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



• Energy• 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



• 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.



Chapter Wrap-Up Understanding the Main Ideas1. 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?

natural environments of north america

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