Distinctive Landscapes

Landscape

Visible features of an area of land, including physical geography such as mountains and human elements such as buildings

Elements of landscape

Transitary

Water

Physical

Human

Living

Distribution of uplands and lowlands

The uplands are generally located in the north and west of the UK. The lowlands are generally located in the south and east.

The Tees-Exe line is the line that divides the uplands and lowlands.

Glaciated land

An area that was covered by glaciers and ice sheets

Distribution and features of Glaciated landscapes

They are mainly found in the North of the UK

A distinctive landscape feature is U-shaped valleys. These are formed by the water under the glaciers moving and causing erosion with the sides and bottom of the valley - eroding it into a U-shaped valley.

Geological influence on landscapes

Geology can influence soil pH therefore influences vegetation types and appearance of the landscape.

Some rocks are harder and more difficult to erode, others are softer. The locations with the hardest rocks have high mountains and rugged relief. Areas with softer rocks tend to have eroded the most and are found in our lowlands.

Permeability affects landscape. Lower permeability means more surface water (e.g. rivers, saturated soils). Permeable rocks leads to less streams due to less run-off.

Weathering

Weathering makes rocks slowly wear down by mechanical, chemical, and biological weathering.

Weathering involves the decomposition of the Earth’s surface at one place. It does not involve the removal of the loosened material. That is erosion.

Mechanical weathering

Caused by temperature changes between day and night leads to freeze thaw weathering.

Rainwater collects in cracks→when temperatures fall, the water freezes and expands to form ice→repeated freezing and thawing makes the crack bigger→eventually the crack widens enough for the rock to split apart

Chemical weathering

Chemical weathering is the decomposition of rocks and minerals through chemicla reactions, altering their molecular structure and transforming them into new substances.

Rain dissolves CO2 in the air forming weak carbonic acid. So rainwater is naturally acidic.

Hard rock with regolith( softer unconsilidated rock)→rainwater with carbonic acid will react with regolith and break it down→weathered regolith leaves rocky bits standing on its own.

Some limestone areas form limestone pavement as rainwater collects in the cracks, dissolving the rock, to leave raised pavement.

Biological weathering

Biological wearhering is the breakdown or decay of rocks and minerals caused by the actions of living organisms.

Roots enter a small crack→as roots grow, crack gets larger→rock breaks away.

Even animals burrow into softer ricks and people can have an effect with trampling feet.

Climate effect on weathering

Uplands are more likely to experience both high rainfall and freezing temperatures, so weathering is more likely to occur there.

Human influence on landscape

Upland: Commercial Forestry, Pastoral farming, hydrological power, wind farms, outdoor recreation and tourism(hiking), reservoirs, quarrying

Lowland: arable farming, urbanisation and settlements, industrial factories, transport networks(roads), Dairy and livestock farming, Leisure and country parks(golf)

Deforestation due to Normans, English navy, Industrial Revolution.

Replanting of new coniferous trees by Forestry Commission changes ecosystem and look.