African Geo Homework

THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT

I RELIEF FEATURES (Map)

1. Low Africa

1. High Africa

II PLATE TECTONICS AND THE FORMATION OF AFRICA

1. Break up on Pangaea (Fig.)

1. Stages in the break up of Pangaea

III TECTONIC LANDFORMS

1. Folded Mountains

1. Faulting – produced Rift Valleys

Ex. East African Rift System

1. Volcanism

1. Volcanism is associated with the

Rift System.

1. Some volcanoes are related to

hot spots.

1. Benefits of volcanic activity

IV COASTLINE

Africa’s coastline is:

1. Nearly smooth

1. Most harbors are artificial

1. Africa’s coasts are exposed to erosion

V RIVERS

1. 5 Major Rivers (Map)

1. Africa’s rivers have limited navigation.

Reasons?

1. HEP potential of Africa’s rivers, especially Congo

CLIMATE

I FACTORS AFFECTING AFRICAN CLIMATES

1. Atmospheric Circulations and Seasonality

1. January – sun overhead in

Southern Hemisphere – ITCZ

shifts to the South

1. July – sun overhead in Northern Hemisphere – ITCZ shifts to the North

1. Latitudinal Effect – solar energy received decreases pole ward

1. Altitude – temperature decreases with altitude

1. Ocean currents, e.g., cold Benguela Current causes low precipitation

1. Cloud cover determines daily temperature fluctuations. Ex. Deserts, equatorial regions

1. Maritime vs Continentality – moderates temperatures

II CLIMATIC CLASSIFICATIONS

1. Equatorial climates

1. Tropical wet and dry climates

1. Tropical steppe

1. Desert climates

1. Mediterranean climates

III CLIMATE CHANGE

1. The presence of tillites – rocks made from till laid down by glaciers shows past climate change

1. Quaternary climate change on the Saharan margins (Fig.)

1. 18,000 B.P. – desert expanded south

1. 9,000 B.P. – desert margin was 1,000 km north of present position

1. 5,000 B.P. – Saharan began to dry up

1. 2,000 B.P. – Saharan had become the desert it is today

VIDEO: SAHARA BEFORE DESERT

1. Short term fluctuations (Fig.)

1. Climatologists note difference between 1931-1960 and 1961-1990 rainfall patterns in the Sahara.

1. Extreme temperature and dust storms (Fig.)

1. Crop failure and hunger resulted

IV VEGETATION

1. Factors affecting vegetation distribution

1. Climate

1. Elevation

1. Drainage

1. Geology and Soils

1. Human Activities

1. Vegetation Patterns

1. Tropical Rainforest

a. Location

b. Characteristics

c. Human Interference

1. Tropical Savanna

a. Location

b. Characteristics

c. Utilization

d. Problems

1. Steppe

1. 1. Location

1. 1. Characteristics

1. 1. Problems

1. Desert Vegetation

1. 1. Location

1. 1. Characteristics

1. Mountain Vegetation

V FAUNA

1. Mammals

1. Distribution

1. Elimination

1. Measures to protect animals and side effects