From Environmental Technology
Looking at Maps
Using the online map source from National Geographic, found at
MapMachine.
Answer the following questions about major ecosystems, soils, climates, and populations.
There are three zoom modes to use to answer these questions; world-view, US-view, and Southern Illinois view. You may copy this page's source to start your work if you like.
Click "Major Habitat types"
1) Do these major ecosystems of the world match what you have already learned so far about biomes?
2) What does National Geographic call these regions? What region(s) are in Southern Illinois?
- They call the regions ecoregions: habitat types. In the southern most part of Illinois ther are mostly temperate broadleaf forests and above that there are temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands.
Click "Vegetation"
3) What vegetation types are in Southern Illinois?
- There are mountain vegetation of broad-leafed forest, broad-leafed deciduous forests with evergreen elements, mountain vegatation of forest-steppe and steppe, broad-leafed deciduous and pine hemixerophyyic forest, and mountain vegetation of subboreal forest.
Click "Natural Landscapes"
4) What landscape types are in Southern Illinois?
- There are intrazonal and forest steppe.
Click "Soil Types"
5) What soil types are in Southern Illinois?
- There are warm very humid; moderate,humid; moderate,various; and warm,various.
Click "Population Density"
5) What are the population densities in Southern Illinois?
- Less than 1, 10 to 25, 25 to 50.
6) What are the population densities in the Everglades region?
- Less than 1, 10 to 25, and 25 to 50.
7) What are the population densities Near New Orleans?
- Less than 1 and 10 to 25.
8) How do each of these poulation densities compare? Do you think they correctly depict the poulations in those areas?
- The population between Illinois and the Everglades are about the same, but New Orleans has a less population compared to Illinois and the Everglades.
Click "Flood Regions"
9) Near New Orleans, compare this map to the population densities and explain what you find.
- If this conservation maps are up to date then New Orleans has been flood extermely bad from Huricanne Katrina there for this would cause population to be decreased. As the population map shows there are not very many people there becuase the flood map shows that it is very flooded there right now.
10) Overview: Pick a region-Southern Illinois, New Orleans, or Everglades and discuss the possible problems of assigning a single zone type to each of these smaller regions by comparing each of the map types above.
- I'm not really sure what you mean by zone types. But if Illinois was assigned as a tropical forest then the vegatation would be more broad than what it is now and may even cause our crops not to be able to grow which is what a lot of people depend on. Some depend on it as a source of income where others depend on the crops to buy for their use. This would also change the soil type and how warm or humid it would be in Illinois. The population density would also go down because people usually do not live in the tropical forest. Plus it probably would be protected by the EPA and would not allow humans to destroy the forest for humans to take over the land. It could endanger the wildlife that is in the forest. So then people would find other efficant places to live. Even if the soil type would change for better growing of plants this wouldn't matter because we would not be allowed to cut down the forest because of the EPA.
