Earth System Profile- Nc

Land Feature-Coastal

• mostly sedimentary rocks
• covers the largest portion of the state
• much of the natural forest of this region has been cleared for farms
• primary sediments are sand and clay
• with some limestone

Land Feature- Piedmont

• several low sets of hills dominate this landscape
• this region shoes the greatest variety in rock types
• the western border is characterized by metamorphic processes resulting in highly deformed rocks such as gneisses and schist, with granites
• belts of igneous rock heated deformed volcanic rock, and sedimentary
• elevations range from 90 to 450 metes above sea level at the foot of the Blue Ridge

Land Feature- Mountains

• the original mountains had eroded to a low plain
• the height of the land increased
• the base levels of rivers and streams changed in relation to the Coastal Plain
• as water flowed, erosion gradually changed the surface to create the landforms we see today
• heavy sedimentation occurred along the eastern margin of North America

Natural Resource- Forest

• NC contains over 1.2 million acres of National Forest divided into four main areas
• Nantahala has the largest area and is located in the southwest corner of the state
• National Forest lands in the lands in the state are visited by 6.3 million people per year
• Forestry is the second largest in the state

Natural Resource-Mining

• many of states minerals come from surface mines
• dimension stone,which is stone extracted in large blocks for construction are mined at quarries
• laws require mining companies to restore disturbed land after mining operations

Natural Resource- Fisheries

• NC's oceanfront, bays, and rivers have produced abundant fishing for hundreds of years
• some waters are closed to fishing because of pollution or overfishing
• the raising of fish in enclosures, is increasing in NC
• Catfish are raised in fish farms in the Coastal Plain and trout are raised in mountains

Ecosystem-Maritime Forest

• people have cleared much of maitime forest ecosystem for beachfront structures
• but can still find protected maritime forest in places such as Buxton's Woods and Bald Head Island
• common trees are live oak, cedar, wax myrtle, and yaupon holly.

Ecosystem- Longleaf Pine Savanna

• open, grassy areas dotted with longleaf pines were once widespread in NC
• but much of the natural vegetation of his ecosystem
• longleaf pine and wire grass has been cleared for tree farming

Ecosystem- Tidal Salt marsh

• you can find this ecosystem around Pamlico Sound and Albemarle Sound
• The dominant vegetation is tall spartina grass, which grows in areas of black mud
• the tidal marsh may look peaceful, but its teeming with life
• crabs, oysters, clams, and fish abound in its water

Ecosystems- Spruce-Fir Forest

• this ecosystem flourishes in the higher elevations of the Appalachian Mountains above 1677 meters
• there the cool temperatures and moist air are perfect for the dominant tree species
• red spruce and fraser fair
• other common tress include yellow birch and mountain ash

Soil

• there are about 300 types in NC
• These types can be grouped into several major categories
• Through leaching, water filters through the soil and carries nutrients from topsoil into lower soil layers where plants cannot
• many factors control the type of soil that develops in each area of NC

Geological History

• hundreds of millions of years ago, the Appalachian Mountains did not exist
• The shoreline of what is now North Carolina was about where the Blue Ridge Mountains
• Between 450 and 500 million years ago, a tectonic plate holding Africa and one holding North America were moving toward each other
• about 400 million years ago, Africa and North America were still moving closing together
• between 250 and 300 million years ago, Africa and North America collided to form the supercontinent, Pangea

Fresh water

• Nc has plentiful surface and underground freshwater supplies
• surface waters include streams, rivers, and lakes
• NC population growth means an increased need for water
• Waste can leak from tanks, landfills, and hog farms into water supplies
• over thousands of years, water has collected in NC aquifers, mostly under the Coastal Plain and Piedmont

Atlantic Coast

• each year, many tourists flock to the outer banks for vacation
• many other people have built vacation and retirement homes on or near the coast
• barrier islands are subject to a process called over wash
• during storms, especially at high tide, water may wash over or break through sand dunes and deposit sand on the bay side of the islands

ES. 7

• Describe- It got higher
• Compare and Contrast- Coastal Plain and Piedmont
• Locate-

Es 9

• Identity- Clay, CS, GS
• Locate- Crushed Stone
• Infer- Common Clay

Es 17

• Identity- Catawba River