Exam 1: North America Flashcards
What types of economic activity does a postindustrial economy focus on?
based on services, knowledge,
information, and technology
What trends do we generally see with precipitation and elevation as we move from east to west?
elevation increases
(until you hit the Rocky Mountains) and
precipitation decreases
What are some differences between the Coastal Plain and the Piedmont?
the Coastal Plain being generally flat and low-lying near the coast,
Piedmont features rolling hills and steeper slopes, often situated at the base of mountains, making it a more hilly terrain;
Where do we find boreal forests?
North of the Great Lakes there are boreal forests
What are some of the ways in which humans have modified the soils and vegetation of N. America?
- controlled burns
-new species introduced from the columbian exchange
-loss of forest
-soil erosion
-invasive species
What is the tundra? What kind of vegetation do we find there?
a treeless plain especially of arctic regions having a permanently frozen layer below the surface soil and plant life made up mostly of mosses, lichens, herbs, and very small shrubs
What is the Columbian exchange?
the exchange of plants, animals, diseases, and other items between the Americas and Europe, Asia, and Africa,
What are some themes in how North Americans use water?
ag., industrial, commercial, energy
What is the urban heat island effect?
when urban areas are significantly warmer than the surrounding rural areas. This is because urban areas have more heat-absorbing surfaces, like dark pavement and roofing, and fewer plants to provide evaporative cooling
What are some incidents that increased environmental awareness in the mid-20th century?
Incidents such as the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill, the Cuyahoga River catching on fire for the 13th time (also 1969), and the Love Canal disaster resulted in the creation of the
modern environmental movement
How do we expect the physical environment of North America to change with the changing climate?
The Southwest, Texas, and parts of S. California will likely get drier
* The northeastern US is already getting warmer and
wetter → heatwaves, extreme precipitation
* Coastal areas along the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf Coast will be increasingly vulnerable to rising
sea levels and more intense coastal storms
* Wildfires are already spreading to eastern areas of Canada; maybe even the eastern US eventually
How has climate change affected the community of Isle de Jean-Charles, LA?
coastal erosion of their land, forced relocation
How urbanized are the US and Canada? How have population trends changed over time?
80% urbanized
- birth rates are lower today
About what percentage of people in N. America move annually—and is this potentially a good thing or
a bad thing?
1 out of 10
possibly a bad thing since rates were higher in the past
What does the mean center of population represent, and how has it changed over time?
- the average location of the US population
-has consistently moved
southward and westward
