Texas Regions Powerpoint

1. Texas Regions Powerpoint

2. Can you name the Regions of Texas?

3. The regions of Texas are… Gulf Coast Piney Woods Prairies and Lakes Panhandle Plains Big Bend Hill Country South Texas Plains

4. Gulf Coast Region

5. PLANTS • The land along the Gulf Coast is very near sea level. It is hard for water to drain off the land, since there is nowhere lower for the water to go. Much of the coast of Texas is made up of marshes----wetlands where a variety of tall grasses grow.

6. Description of Region • Area is dissected by streams and rivers flowing into Gulf of Mexico • Soils are acidic sands and sandy loams • Plains and marshes experience large amounts of weathering, erosion and deposition due to high rainfall & flowing water from rivers

7. Description of Region cont. • Physical weathering occurs here: breaking down of rock into smaller pieces. Caused by wind, water, & rubbing of rocks • Sediments from rivers deposited along coast form sand dunes and/or barrier islands over time

8. Piney Woods

9. Piney Woods Description • Thick forest of pines • Part of a larger forest that extends east into other states • “Big Thicket”: low lying wetlands (swamps) in southern part of region

10. Piney Woods Terrain • Rolling hills with wetter lower areas • Hardwood trees such as elm, mesquite and ash present in wetter areas • Mature vegetation holds soil in place preventing erosion

12. Panhandle Plains or Great Plains

13. High Plains Cities • Amarillo • Lubbock • Abilene • San Angelo • Wichita Falls

14. Geographic Features • Rolling grassy lands • Thick grasses • Limestone rock • Higher elevation because limestone doesn't wear down easily • Land is flat except for long steep canyons formed by erosion of water

15. Climate • Dry air • Tornadoes • Windiest in u.s.a.

16. Plants • Prickly pear • Yucca • Indian Paintbrush • Cactus

17. Animals • Pronghorn • Prarie Dog • Snakes • Horny Toad

18. Big Bend Region or Trans Pecos Region

19. Location • Far west Texas • East border near Pecos River • South border is the Rio Grande • North border is New Mexico

20. Cities • El Paso • Pecos • Kermit & Monahans in Permian Basin area • Fort Davis, Marfa, & Alpine in Mountain area

21. Climate • Driest part of state • 8 inches of rain per year, 20” in mountains • Hot days, cool nights

22. Trans Pecos / Big Bend Description • Wide open spaces • Rugged plateaus • Desert mountains • Only mountains in Texas

23. Big Bend Erosion • Soil eroded due to decline of grassland • Flash flooding and rapid run-off cause erosion • Erosion of limestone cliffs due to acid rain. (chemical weathering)

24. Plants • Short grasses • Some sagebrush • Forests grow on mountain slopes

25. Hill Country RegionEdwards Plateau / Llano Uplift

26. Hill County Region • Rolling to hilly grassland • Plateau: high, flat land • Many springs and canyons • Edwards Aquifer • Many caves formed here and rocks weathered due to chemical weathering from carbonic acid

27. South Texas Plains RegionBrush Country

28. South Texas Plains • Also known as Brush Country • Plants are grasses, thorny brush and cacti • High temperatures here = high evaporation

29. Prairies and Lakes • Contains both Oak trees and grasses • 28 to 40 inches of rain • Varies from gently rolling hills to nearly level land • Many native grasses destroyed for agriculture leaving land vulnerable to erosion • Contains cities such as Dallas and Fort Worth