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.