world geography todaychapter 13 natural environments of europe preview section 1: physical...

World Geography Today Chapter 13

Natural Environments of EuropePreview

Section 1: Physical Features

Section 2: Climates and Biomes

Section 3: Natural Resources

Chapter Wrap-Up


Read to Discover

• What are Europe’s major landform regions?

• What are the region’s main rivers and bodies of water?



Major Islands—Great Britain, Ireland, Iceland

Major Peninsulas—Scandinavian, Iberian, Italian, Balkan

Landform Regions of Europe

• Northwest Highlands—Ancient eroded region of rugged hills and low mountains

• Northern European Plain—Broad coastal plain with rivers

• Central Uplands—Hills and small plateaus, with forested slopes and fertile valleys

• Alpine Mountain System—Europe’s major mountain ranges



Question

What are the major bodies of water in Europe?



SeasNorth Sea, Baltic Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea

RiversRhine, Danube, Guadalquivir, Elbe, Seine, Thames

OceansArctic Ocean, Atlantic Ocean

StraitsBosporus, Gibraltar, English Channel

Europe’s Major

Bodies of Water



Read to Discover

• How do ocean currents affect the distribution of Europe’s climates?

• Which biomes are found in this region?



• The North Atlantic Drift, a warm ocean current, creates a warm, moist air mass that is blown by westerly winds across Europe, bringing mild temperatures and rain.

• Without the effects of this current, Europe would have a colder climate.


Ocean Currents and Climate


• Temperate Forest—Ash, beech, maple, oak; badgers, deer, birds

• Mediterranean Scrub Forest—Small trees and shrubs; wild boars, wild sheep

• Boreal Forest—Evergreen trees

• Tundra—Usually frozen; swamps and marshes; migratory birds, reindeer, foxes


Biomes


Question

What are the locations, plants, and animals of Europe’s biomes?



Temperate Forest

• Covers most of Europe

• Ash, beech, maple, oak trees

• Badgers, deer, many birds

Mediterranean

Scrub Forest• Southern Europe

• Small trees, shrubs, drought-resistant plants

• Wild boars, wild sheep

Boreal Forest

• Northern and central Europe

• Spruce, pine, fir trees

Tundra

• Far northern Europe

• Treeless, frozen ground most of the year

• Swamps

• Migratory birds, reindeer, foxes



Read to Discover

• Where are Europe’s forest, soil, and fishery resources located?

• What energy and mineral resources are found in this region, and where are they located?



Question

What resources are found in each of Europe’s physical regions?



Northwest Highlands

Forests, fishing, coal, oil, natural gas, iron ore, hydroelectricity, geothermal power,

nuclear power

Northern European Plain

Fertile soils, fishing, coal, natural gas, uranium, ocean tidal, solar power, nuclear power

Central UplandsFertile soils, coal,

nuclear power

Alpine Mountain System

Fertile soils, fishing, marble, lead, zinc, other metals, hydroelectricity

Europe’s Natural

and Energy

Resources



• Timber-producing forests are found in Sweden and Finland.

• Many forests are depleted, but reforestation and protection programs exist.


Forests


• Northern European Plain has excellent soil.

• Southern Europe has good alluvial soils (examples: Italy’s Po Valley, Spain’s Guadalquivir River valley).


Soils


• Fishing occurs along all coasts.

• Best fisheries are in North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, and in North Sea.


Fisheries


• Coal—Germany (Ruhr field), Britain, Poland

• Iron Ore—Sweden, France

• Uranium—France

• Lead, Zinc, Other Metals—Spain, southern Europe

• Marble—Italy, southern Europe


Minerals


• Oil and Gas—North Sea (Norway, Britain, Netherlands)

• Hydroelectricity—Norway, Sweden, Switzerland

• Ocean Tidal and Solar—France

• Geothermal—Iceland

• Nuclear Power—France, Belgium, Bulgaria, Sweden


Energy Sources


Chapter Wrap-Up Understanding the Main Ideas

1. How have tectonic processes shaped the physical environment of Europe?

2. Where can you find glacially scoured landscapes in Europe? What are these landscapes like?

3. What are Europe’s three major climate types?

4. Which biome do large parts of northern and central Europe have? How have people affected it?

5. Where are Europe’s best fisheries located?

world geography todaychapter 13 natural environments of europe preview section 1: physical...

Documents