Transcript Landscapes
Landscapes Earth Science Mr. Cloud Zion National Park, Utah What is a landscape? • A landscape, or topography, are features of Earth’s surface at the interfaces between the atmosphere, or hydrosphere, and the top of the lithosphere. Types of Landscapes • Mountains • Plateaus • Plains Mountains • An area of high elevation with regions of steep gradient • Peaks are usually thousands of feet higher than their base • Internal Structure: • Distorted rock including faults, folds, and volcanic rock Plateaus • Area of high elevation with a more level slope or gradient than mountains • Internal Structure: • Undistorted, horizontal rock strata Greenland Plateau Plains • Low elevation, generally level surface with little change in gradient • Regions dominated by leveling forces • Composed primarily of sedimentary rocks Atlantic Coastal Plain Landscape Regions • Landscape characteristics such as elevation, bedrock structure, stream drainage, soil characteristics, and gradient occur in combination to form identifiable areas called landscape regions. Factors of Landscape Development • Uplifting Forces: tectonic movement that causes regions to change elevation – Forces include volcanic action, earthquakes Factors of Landscape Development • Leveling forces: lower and level out land surfaces by weathering and erosion Ice Wedging Weathering and Erosion at Niagara Falls • When both forces are present, the landscape will be uplifted or lowered, depending on which force is dominant. What other factors can affect landscape development? • Arid v. Humid • Bedrock Structure Sharp, unforgiving characteristics Arid Landscape Rolling, smooth, forgiving gradient Humid Landscape Bedrock Structure • The composition and structural features of bedrock are major factors in the rate of development and the features of landscapes. • Different rock types have varying degrees of resistance to weathering and erosion • If differing rocks are exposed to weathering and erosion, the landscape will change at varying rates. Stream Drainage Patterns V-shaped valley: most common Volcanic Faulting Folded mountains: varying bedrock resistance