Landscape Development
& Environmental Change
• Landscapes: the features of Earth’s surface
• Stream Drainage: the shape of the stream in an area
Mountains, Plateaus, & Plains• Based on gradient, elevation, & rock structure.
• Mountains: high elevation, steep gradient, and distorted rock structures.
Adirondack Mountains, NY
Mountains, Plateaus, & Plains• Plateaus: high elevation, flat slope, undistorted
horizontal rock structure.
Mountains, Plateaus, & Plains• Plains: low elevation, flat surface, usually
sedimentary rocks
Landform Regions of the Unites States
Factors of Landscape Development• Uplifting forces and leveling forces can form and
change landscapes.– Impact events can also change landscapes.
• Sources of energy:– Uplifting: heat from Earth’s interior / mantle
convection– Leveling: insolation & gravity
Time & Landscape Changes• Landscape features
depend on the length of time that uplifting and leveling forces have acted on the rocks.
• Dynamic Equilibrium: at any one time, landscape features reflect a state of balance.
Climate and Landscape Development
• Landscapes are influenced by:– Temperature– Moisture
• Arid Climates– Steep slopes, and sharp, angular landscape features.– Sandblasted features
• Humid Climates– More rounded, smooth landscape features
Arid climate
Humid climate
Climate and Landscape Development• Recent Glaciation
Landscape Features: – Mountaintops with
little soil– Widespread
transported soil– Unsorted soil– Wide, U-shaped valleys– Many lakes– Parallel grooves in
bedrock– Many small hills
(drumlins, etc.)
Climate and Landscape Development
• Soil and Climate: – Soils in arid regions are thin/nonexistent, sandy, and
contain many minerals.
These trees are growing in an arid climate.
Bedrock• The composition and structure of bedrock can
affect the landscape in a region.• Rock types and hill slopes:
1. Structural Features: folds, faults, etc. can lead to many changes in landscape features in an area.
2. Streams: the direction, drainage pattern, features, and gradient of a stream are directly related to bedrock.
Bedrock• Rock types and hill slopes:
3. Soils: differences in soil composition are due to differences in underlying bedrock.
Effect of Landscapes ON People• Streams and Rivers– Dangerous flooding
• Ocean shores– Dangerous flooding, hurricanes, rise in sea level
• Clay-rich areas– Slow mass movement; landslides, liquefaction during
earthquakes
• Dangers can be reduced with proper planning, laws, and zoning limitations.
Changes of Landscapes BY People• Humans have GREATLY affected the environment:
Changes of Landscapes BY People• Human population increasing RAPIDLY– Landscape pollution is HIGHEST in areas with HIGH
population density.
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