S7 Topic 01 - Natural Environment Flashcards
Caledonian
A physical region of Europe, typified by smooth rounded mountains (post-glacial) and red granite rocks. Located across Ireland, Scotland and Scandinavia.
Baltic Shield
A physical region of Europe, typified by flat land, grey granite, many lakes and forested areas. Agriculture is a challenge in this area.
North European Plain
A physical region of Europe, typified by flat or undulating land, across Northern France, Belgium, Netherlands and Germany. Highly fertile soil rich in Loess good for agriculture.
Variscian Mountains
A physical region of Europe, typified by sharp and jagged mountains mostly made of limestone. It exists across central parts of France and Eastwards.
Location of Europe
Located “centrally” within the northern hemisphere and other continents.
Landscape
The physical appearance of an area or an environment, shaped by physical and human processes and activities.
Alpine landscape
The Alps are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lie in south-central Europe. The mountain range stretches approximately 750 miles (1,200 kilometers) in a crescent shape across eight Alpine countries: France, Switzerland, Monaco, Italy, Liechtenstein, Austria, Germany, and Slovenia
Orogeny
A process in which a section of the earth’s crust is folded and deformed by compression to form a mountain range, e.g the Alps. Importance of convection currents and former seas such as the Sea of Tethys folding sediment to create the Alps.
Plate tectonics
The process of movement across the earth’s crust caused by convection currents below. Constructive, destructive and conservative plate boundaries.
Glaciation
The process of global cooling leading to the accumulation of ice on land (and reduced sea levels).
Weathering
Physical - Freeze thaw, Exfoliation / onion skin. Chemical - Carbonation, Oxidation. Biological - Plants.
Fluvial processes
River processes which shape the landscape and transport material (Erosion, transportation, Deposition)
Climate zones
Areas of our planet defined by different climate characteristics, e.g Alpine or Mediterranean climate zone.
Factors affecting climate
Latitude
Altitude
Distance from the sea
Ocean currents
Prevailing winds
Aspect
Tundra / arctic climate zone
Areas dominated by the tundra climate type, winters are long and cold (temperatures may be below 0 °C for 6 to 10 months). Winter precipitation generally consists of dry snow, typical annual totals are less than 35 cm, but a range from 25 to 100 cm.
Continental climate zone
A continental climate, associated with large landmasses and characterized by an extreme annual range of temperature owing to its distance from the sea.
Mediterranean climate zone
Mediterranean climate, major climate type of the Köppen classification characterized by hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters.
Alpine climate zone
The Alpine biome is one of the coldest biomes in the world. It is so cold because of its high altitudes. Summer temperature range between -12 degrees Celsius to 10 degrees Celsius. The average precipitation is 30 cm a year. Mediterranean climates also tend to be drier than humid subtropical ones, with precipitation totals ranging from 35 to 90 cm.
Precipitation types
Orographic (relief) rainfall, Convectional rainall, Frontal rainall, Depressional rainfall
Maritime climate
Characterised by cool summers and cool winters, with a narrow annual temperature range and few extremes due to maritime influence. Depressions dominate this zone, especially in winter.
Prevailing wind
The dominant wind direction. Important as we always talk about the direction wind comes from and which weather it “picks up” through advection along the way.
Ocean proximity
Distance from the sea is hugely influential in moderating temperatures. The sea takes a long time to heat up and cool down, thus is brings warmth in winter to locations near the sea and causes a milder winter, the opposite is true in summer.
Ocean currents
Currents such as the gulf stream bring reliable flows of warm water to regions in the west of Europe. As wind blows over these currents advection transfers these conditions to where it blows.
Latitude
The distance North or South of the equator. Hugely influential in determining climate and climate zone as it directly affects the amount of incoming solar radiation and the angle and area over which it is distributed.
Depression
A depression is a huge area of low pressure that measures many 100s of km. It may take 3 to 5 days to pass over a spot. Low atmospheric pressure, often below 1000mb. Shown on a weather map by closed isobars with decreasing pressure towards the centre. Brings first light rainfall, followed by a short warm spell and lastly by intense rainfall and stormy conditions (air forced to rise rapidly as cold front approaches)
Relief
The changing height and shape of the land. Can cause orographic rainfall.
Pangaea
The supercontinental landmass defined by Alfred Wegener in 1912.
Convection currents
The movement of warm magma (heated by core at 5500 celsius), it becomes less dense, rises, cools and sinks.
Coniferous trees
A type of tree adapated to cold climate zones, tundra and alpine. Shallow roots, needles, dark green colour.
Deciduous trees
A type of tree adapted to maritime and temperate climate zones. Deeper roots, flat large leaves.
Loess
A loosely compacted yellowish-grey deposit of wind-blown sediment as a result of glacial erosion from Alps. Hugely fertile and key to the success of the North European Plain.
Humus
Humus is dark, organic material that forms in soil when plant and animal matter decays. When plants drop leaves, twigs, and other material to the ground, it piles up. More common in maritime climate zones.
Erosion
Abrasion, Attrition, Corrosion(solution), Cavitation (hydraulic action)
River transport
Solution , Saltation, Traction, Suspension
Hjulström curve
Shows the relationship between, erosion, transportation and deposition. Essentially, deposition occurs at low speeds, transportation at middle speeds and erosion at highest speeds. Exception is clay (very fine which requires higher speeds to overcome floculation).
Hydrological cycle
The flow of water (in various forms) around a system. Evaporation > Condesation > Coalescence > Precipitation > Run-off…
Drainage basin
An area of land, separated from other drainage basins by a watershed. This area of land collects and drains water through a series of rivers and streams.
Open / Closed system
An open system allows inputs from outside and outputs can leave. A closed system continually “recycles” elements within its system.
River restoration
To return a river back to ist more natural or orginal state. It can be a natural form of flood defense.
River management
To interfer and modify a river in an attempt to reduce the risk of flooding. (Not always sucessful)
Flood hydrograph
A graph that shows preciptiation and how a river responds to inputs (quickly or slowly). The lag time can be affected by slope gradient, vegetation rock types.
Glacial landforms
Arete, Pyramidal peak, Hanging valley, Moraine
Glacial erosion
Plucking and abrasion. Plucking - as ice and glaciers move, they scrape along the surrounding rock and pull away pieces of rock which causes erosion. As a glacier flows downslope, it drags the rock, sediment, and debris in its basal ice over the bedrock beneath it, grinding it.
Landforms of glacial erosion
Corrie (Cirque), U-shapes Valley, Hanging Valley, Arete, Horn
Landforms of glacial deposition
Erratics, Lateral moraines, Medial moraines, Terminal Moraines, Drumlins
Weather
The day to day changes in the state of the atmosphere.
Climate
The average weather conditions in a place or region across 30 years.
Orographic rainfall
Precipitation caused by winds being forced to rise over hills or mountains (Alps, Caledonian etc.)
Convectional rainfall
Precipitation caused by the heat of the sun causing water to evaporate from the soil, cool and condense. Common in summer.
Frontal rainfall
Precipitation caused by warm and cold air masses meeting. Air masses cannot mix (except at the end of a depression) so warm air rises over the cold, cools, condenses and precipitates.
Climate change
Long-term chnages to our planet’s climate, triggered by both physical and human causes.
Physical causes (Milankovitch, Volcanic eruptions, change in ocean currents, sun spots)
Human causes (Deforestation, fossil fuel use, agriculture)
Air pressure
A key determinant of weather. Low air pressure is rising air, High air pressure is sinking air. Air rises when the ground below it is warmed. Wind always blows from high to low pressure. The bigger the difference in pressure the faster the wind.
