Transcript Natural Resources

Unit 1
Physical Features
Escarpment
• Steep cliff or slope that
separates two areas of land –
caused by erosion
Basins
• A hollow or depression in the Earth’s
surface wholly or partly surrounded by
higher land
Plateau
• An elevated, level expanse of
land
Buttes
• Steep-sided hills
Mesas
• Naturally flat-topped hills
A region is an area that is used
to identify and organize areas of
the Earth’s surface for various
purposes
Physical Characteristics – Physical
characteristics of places include
landforms and soils, bodies and
sources of water, vegetation, climate
and weather patterns, and animal
life.
Human characteristics of places
include the language, religion,
political systems, economic
systems, population distribution,
ethnicity, age, and standards of
living.
Coastal Plains
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Slopes toward the Gulf of Mexico
Largest region
Most populated part of Texas
Covers 1/3 of the land of Texas
• Flat and low
• Wooded land and Coastal sands
• Big Thicket National Preserve - forest in
SE Texas
• Rivers - Brazos, Colorado, Trinity
• Good soils along rivers
• Plains, desert, hills
•Hot and damp, humid
Climate:
•Tornadoes, hurricanes
•30-55 inches of rain per year
•Plants - pine trees,
hardwood trees (elm, oak,
Natural
cottonwood, pecan)
Resources:
•Various Animals
•Minerals
•Bodies of water
•Farming
•Fishing
Economic •Ranching
Resources: •Tree farms - lumber businesses
•Oil and gas (Spindletop 1901)
•Factories
•Ports
Major Cities
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Austin
Houston
Dallas (on the border of Central Plains)
San Antonio
Texarkana
Corpus Christi
Brownsville
North Central Plains
• Rolling grassy lands
• Thick grasses
• Cross Timbers area - large areas of
hardwood trees
• Limestone rock
• Higher elevation because limestone
doesn't wear down easily
• Elevation decreases from west to east
Climate:
•Dry air
•Tornadoes
•Hot, short summer – cool to
cold winters
•20-30 inches of rain per year
•Limestone
Natural
•Minerals
Resources:
•Streams
•Fertile lands for crops
•Farming - fruits,
vegetables, watermelons,
Economic oats
Resources: •Ranching - cattle, angora
goats (mohair)
•Cedar trees – fence posts
•Oil and gas
Major Cities
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Fort Worth
Abilene
Wichita Falls
San Angelo
The Great Plains
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Flat
Few trees
Canyons in North (Palo Duro Canyon)
Higher elevation than Central Plains
Cap Rock Escarpment
Edwards Plateau
Climate:
•Dry air
•Hot summers
•Cold winters
•Dust storms
•16-20 inches of rain per year
•Short grasses
Natural
•Mesquite, cedar, pecan, and oak
Resources: trees in Edward Plateau area
•Deer
•Wild turkeys
•Farming - cotton, wheat
Economic (irrigation from wells)
Resources: •Ranching - cattle, sheep, goat
•Oil and gas in the Permian
Basin
Major Cities
• Amarillo & Lubbock in the Panhandle
• Midland & Odessa in the Permian Basin
• Kerrville, Fredericksburg, & Del Rio in the
Edwards Plateau area
Mountains and Basins
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150 mountains in the mountain ranges
Plateaus and basins
Deserts
Pecos and Rio Grande Rivers
Big Bend National Park
•Driest part of state
•8 inches of rain per year, 20 in
Climate:
mountains
•Hot days, cool nights
•Hot short summers / cold winters
•Plants - short grasses, shrubs,
Natural
desert plants in plateaus and
Resources:
basins; pine forests in
mountains
•Ranching - cattle, sheep,
goat
•Farming - cotton, fruits,
Economic
vegetables, cantaloupes
Resources:
(irrigation in El Paso and
Pecos River Valley)
•Oil and gas - part of Permian
Basin
Major Cities
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El Paso
Pecos
Kermit & Monahans in Permian Basin area
Fort Davis, Marfa, & Alpine in Mountain
area
Great
Plains
Mountains
and
Basins
North
Central
Plains
Coastal Plains
WARM UP / BELL RINGER
9-3-14
To be written in your composition book / spiral …
Paragraph #1
Where in Texas do you want to visit ? Give at least 3 reasons
why …
Paragraph #2
Where in Texas would you NOT want to visit ? Give at least 3
reasons why …
MUST be complete sentences AND your BEST handwriting !!
Label these on your map :
 Four major regions of Texas
 Cities :
 Brownsville
 El Paso *******
 Houston
 Austin
 Dallas
 Lubbock
 San Antonio
 Rivers:
 Brazos River
 Colorado River
 Rio Grande River
 Red River
 Neches River
 Sabine River