World Regional Geography 2011 and past

CCC students of GE 176 enter the classroom with an accelerated pace. The student projects they make for the class and the world to see express a profound sense of people and place worldwide.

Students also use a discovery approach in the study of the world nowadays and from the past.

http://bcs.whfreeman.com/pulsipher4e

Your posted work here is a personal reflection on one of the select topics Physical Geography, Earth . Include at least two references as web links. These will add to your reporting and demonstrate whether you understand the content of cultural anthropology. This electronic descriptive narrative should be about 300 words with photos and other graphics, usually 1 .jpg uploaded to Files. It can be a map image of the place. Paraphrase, not plagiarism, this must be your own composition—quality work. Insert at least 2 references as URLs. Include your name and the title/topic of your post. Your posted work will be public, indefinitely, on the internet.

Elizabeth Berens

Colorado Front Range area, during a tornado that wasn't thought possible due to the geography of the region.

http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_9344925

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_UEHOM0How

Elizabeth Berens

The extinct Japanese wolf, also known as the okami, used to live on this island but died out turn of century 1900. The rare Gray Wolf was one of its own kind, the smallest known wolf species in the world, probably due to island dwarfism, found only on the island of Hokkaido.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hokkaid%C5%8D_Wolf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honsh%C5%AB_Wolf

Jenna Bruggeman

The Great Australian Bight
The arc of the Great Australian Bight is a 'bite' taken out of the southern shore of Australia.
A Bight is a bend in the coast that forms an open bay. The longest line of seacliffs in the world is along the Australian coast. Wilson Bluff Limestone is the white colored rock at the base of the cliffs. The seabed of the Bight is made of layers of sediment like mud and sand. Sedimentary rocks have been pressed below the seabed. These sediment rocks can show how the climate changes through the years. The coast line of the Great Australian Bight is aligned with the equator. It is possible to find springs of underground water in central Australia, they probably come from springs of artesian water beneath the Great Australian Bight. The Bight has a mix of different types of seawater. The patterns of flow in the Bight are affected by strong winds.
Many large animals live in the Great Australian Bight. Most famous include: southern white whale, Australian sea lion, great white shark, and southern bluefin tuna. The cliff top platform at the Head of the Bight gives a first class view of whales in the water.
Australia's seas have 90 percent of the fish, molluscs and echinoderms, some of the highest levels of species-diversity in the world.
http://www.crikey-adventure-tours.com/great-australian-bight.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/programmes/tv/wilddownunder/virtual11.shtml

William Vasbinder
Puerto Rican Dry Forest Bioregion
The Puerto Rican Dry Forests are a subtropical dry forest ecoregion. They cover an area of five hundred square miles. The dry forests grow in areas recieving less than thirty nine inches of rain annually. Many of the trees are deciduous, losing their leaves during the dry season, which is from December to July.
Dry Forests exist in two areas on the island-along the south coast of the island, located in a rain shadow, and in the northwest corner, where the combination of low elavation and strong winds off the oceas create a dry enviroment.
The dry forests consist of short-stature, multi stemmed trees. The canopy is largely evergreen while the lower levels are more dry deciduous. Although most of the forests were destroyed by agriculture in the 1940's, some patches still exist. In addition large areas of secondary forests have grown back on barren land. These areas have far fewer species. The dry forests are dominated by plants of different families.
The Puerto Rican Dry Forests are a region thats been devestated by nature and man. From the winds and lack of water, to the men who cleared the areas for agriculture. What remains is a region that is studies by scientists to uncover the plan species and different impacts that nature and man have had on the region. Today the areas are protected by the government and can no longer be damaged by man made fields and clearing. However, the strong winds from the ocean continue to be a factor in the preservation of this rare and exotic bioregion.
http://infotrac.galegroup.com/itweb/klnb_colby
http://www.google.com/

The United Kingdom
Taylor McClure

The United Kingdom, consisting of Great Britain (England, Wales, and Scotland ) and Northern Ireland , is twice the size of New York and has many varying landscapes, but a mild climate with few extremes. It’s located between the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea, and comes within 22 miles of the northwest coast of France. This is where the Channel Tunnel was bored beneath the English Channel and now connects the UK with France. Northern Ireland shares a 360 km international land boundary with the Republic of Ireland and is home to the UK's largest lake, Lough Neagh, which covers an area of 153 square miles. Scotland holds the highest peak in the UK in the Grampian Mountains and is separated from England on the south by the granite Cheviot Hills. From them a chain of hills, the Pennine, extend south through the center of England, reaching its highest point in the Lake District in the northwest. To the west along the border of Wales are the Cambrian Mountains and the Cotswolds, a range of hills in Gloucestershire. Many coastal areas are low-lying, especially in the east and south of England. These include the wetlands of the Somerset levels, that regularly flood during heavy rain. Being a relatively small Island, the UK's rivers are not very long. The Severn, its longest river, is just 338 km in length, beginning in Wales and entering the Atlantic Ocean near Bristol in England. Other major rivers include the Thames, which flows through Oxford and London, and the Trent and Mersey rivers, which drain rainfall from large areas of central England. Major Lakes in the UK include Windermere in the English lake district, Loch Lomond and the ever famous Loch Ness in Scotland.

Sources:
http://geography.about.com/od/unitedkingdommaps/tp/united-kingdom-regions.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_the_United_Kingdom

Ismael Garcia
South Africa

Description: South Africa, one of the biggest countries of Africa, is around the Atlantic Ocean on the west side, and the Indian Ocean on the south and east of the country. There is about 471,008 square miles of area in South Africa, with the population of about 49.2 million people. The neighbors above the country are a few which include, Zimbabwe and Botswana in the north, Namibia in the northwest, and Mozambique and Swaziland in the northeast of the country. I read that there is region called Lesotho and there is an enclave in the southeast part of the country and the area occupies three times the area of California, that is a great amount of area! I thought that was something really interesting about South Africa. South Africa is a country full of awesome and striking vistas, because along its coastline lies upland and mountains that make a beautiful view, and over the mountains lie the Atlantic Ocean on the west and the Indian Ocean on the east, and these are called the Drakensberg mountains that form South Africa's eastern region, but the coldest place in the country is Sutherland in the western Roggeveld Mountains where temperatures can reach down to about -15 degrees Celsius that is about -59 degrees Fahrenheit, that is really cold!

This country however is not tropical, but it lies in mid latitudes of the Earth and has cool temperatures that range from 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Although a famous place called Cape Town has a Mediterranean climate which is cool and wet in the winter and dry in the summer. There are only two major rivers in South Africa: the Limpopo and the Orange river. The Orange River is one of the most valuable rivers that basically run from west to east of the midlands of South Africa. These rivers are very narrow and and are not navigable for big ships, but do provide some modes of transportation in small commercial boats. This country is also know for its Savanna Grassland that is in the northern to northeastern part of the country that borders the Kalahari desert. This region has quite a population of habitats and have a great number of exotic animals that many people from different parts of the world come to see. This is really a beautiful country that has about 7 biomes of diverse climates that I believe it is quite a country to go see and visit!

http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0107983.html#ixzz1dzC71IH4
http://www.southafrica.info/about/geography/geography.htm#ixzz1e1c1ScP5

Taylor Weinland
Midlands of Ireland

The midland of Ireland is a place of great beauty and has often been described as a mystical sight. In Ireland, one is completely surrounded by lush, green scenery. The climate of the lowlands of Ireland is considered temperate but is fairly warm considering it's altitude. Although extreme weather is rare compared to other parts of the world, strong winds and sudden massive thunderstorms are not completely uncommon. Moist air coming in from the sea and constant heavy rains are common in Ireland, contributing to the heavy vegetation characteristic of this landscape. Although many types of grasses are abundant in Ireland, there are little to no trees dotting the landscape due to almost all of the oak woodlands being cleared away by the seventeenth century. The lowlands in mid-Ireland are drained by numerous streams and rivers, the largest which is the River Shannon, measuring 340 kilometers long. This river and others break off into many small lakes as they wind their way into the sea. The large central lowland is of limestone covered with glacial deposits of clay and sand, with widespread bogs. Most of the soils of Ireland are derived from glacial drift and reflect its varied composition and texture.
Animals in Ireland generally consist of mammals such as red deer, badgers, wild hares, and other rodents. Only one type of reptile and three types of amphibians can be found. Hundreds of species of wild birds have also been discovered in Ireland. Small farmlands are fairly evenly dispersed throughout the middle of Ireland. These farms grow larger the further east one goes due to more fertile soil. The midland of Ireland is a breathtaking sight, and as long as one can stand a lot of precipitation it is great place to be!

http://www.ireland-information.com/reference/geog.html
http://geography.about.com/library/cia/blcireland.htm

Shelby Tyan
Sandhills in Nebraska

The grass is tall, there is water standing in the meadows and lots of horses, and cattle graving for miles. The ground is soft, and the beautiful hills are rolling through the prairie. The trees are sparse and water is everywhere. The sand hills in Nebraska is known for their luscious green grass and rolling hills. The hill is not very steep but they are big and run for miles. People are also sparse in the sand hills. People have to drive 30 miles to get food and supplies for their homes, kids also have to drive for miles to go to a public school.
In the sand hills, there are mostly pastures that are filled with cattle or horses. There is also a lot of meadows which farmers/ranchers use for grazing and hays. The meadows are also filled with big water holes that are caused from the artisan springs. An artisan spring is water below the ground at a low depth. Some of the ranchers that live in the sand hills will run a pipe into the ground to these springs so when the water flows underground it will run into their pipe and the ranchers are able to keep their tanks for their cattle full.
The summers are mildly warm but the winters can get really tough with all the snow. With the snow makes it difficult for the ranchers to get to their cattle to feed them hay because the snow will cover up all the grass.
The sand hill sets right in the heart of the Ogallala aquifer. The aquifer is a very large area of underground water stretching for miles from west to east. The Ogallala aquifer is one of the largest areas of underground in one area. This area covers 174,000 mi2 including eight states, theses states are South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. The aquifer supplies 82% of drinking for people within this area.
The sand hills are extremely pretty and very pleasurable to live in. The lifestyle is very laid back and people are in peace up in their own world. The region supplies people with several important features that help others live their lives. The sand hills supply the people that live in the cities with their meat and water.

http://thenebraskasandhills.com/Home.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ogallala_Aquifer

Ariana Plascencia
Amazon Forest

The Amazon Rainforest is located in the upper section of Brazil south of the equator. It has tropical rainforest climate. The annual rainfall is approximately 1500-2500 mm. During the day it can reach 30-35 degree C. The night temperature is 15 – 25 degree C. There are many plants that grow in the Amazon. Most of the plants grow on trees to get sunlight, because the forest is so thick with leaves and branches, that sunlight can’t reach the ground. Some of the plants that do this are Orchids, Bromeliads, Moss, roots and wooden vines. Other plants grow in the understory and even in the water. Some of the animals that live there include jaguars, anacondas, orangutan, butterflies, and 2,220 species of fish.

http://amazonrainforestanimalsfacts.blogspot.com/
http://www.google.com/search?tbm=isch&hl=en&source=hp&biw=1182&bih=571&q=amazon%2520map&gbv=2&oq=amazon%2520map&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=27952l27952l0l28816l1l1l0l0l0l0l237l237l2-1l1l0#hl=en&gbv=2&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=amazon+rainforest&pbx=1&oq=amazon+rainfors&aq=0s&aqi=g-s10&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=14904l18761l0l21893l11l11l1l5l6l0l251l919l0.3.2l5l0&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&fp=73801861f8ac8528&biw=1182&bih=571

Shelly Aufrecht

The Pine Ridge Area of Nebraska

As a remnant of the ice age trees, The Pine Ridge Area of Northwest Nebraska is one of the last ancient forests of North America.

Located in the Northwest corner of Nebraska, Pine Ridge covers over 100 miles in length as well as 142,000 acres. It extends into Wyoming and also reaches up through South Dakota, which consists of the Pine Ridge Reservation. The native residents call this area “The Land of Crazy Horse.”

Pine Ridge has an altitude ranging from 3,000 to 5,000 feet above sea level. The landscape consists of meadows, steep buttes, small canyons, peaks and beautiful small streams running through the hills. Ponderosa pines abundantly dot the many ridges. There are also ash, cottonwood, and the occasional aspen trees making up the rest of the breathtaking scenery.

Hunting is very big attraction in The Pine Ridge with wild turkey and deer being plentiful. Other wildlife include elk, bighorn sheep, pronghorn antelope, coyote, fox, raccoon, porcupine, ducks, wild geese, pheasants, eagles, hawks and even mountain lions roam this vast area.

One attraction of The Pine Ridge is Fort Robinson State Park. The old Fort where Crazy Horse was killed has been beautifully preserved and rich with the history of the old west as well as the ancient history of the area.

With all of the beauty, wildlife, and history, The Pine Ridge will always be a place that stays in my memory as well as my heart.

http://summitpost.org/nebrraska-s-pine/
http://www.stateparks.com/pine_ridge.html

Mississippi Delta BioRegion
Dane Olofson

The Mississippi River delta region is the region of the United States where the Mississippi River flows into the Gulf of Mexico. The flow of silt from the Mississippi River has deposited large amounts of soil that flows through the river. This region is made of 3 million acres of coastal wetlands and contributes 40% of all the salt marsh land in the United States. Much of the land included in the delta is located at or below sea level. This landmass has decreased in recent years however, by as much as 120 square kilometers each year, due to erosion and human causes.

This area is special in terms of fauna, as it is the home to native creatures as well as a warm weather destination for many migratory waterfowl. Some of the natural fauna in the area, many of which are adept to surviving in the marshland, include alligator, shrimp, crab, turtles, and oysters. These animals create a great deal of the economy in the area, from alligator hunting to shrimp fishing.
Along the Mississippi River Delta, there is a wide variety of plant life, ranging from trees to subsurface plant growth. Among the species of trees in the area include the Bald Cypress, the Tupelo gum tree, and the cottonwood. Submerged plant life includes the Ruppia and the Vallisneria, a grass like plant that can form vast underwater meadows. Much of the vegetation in the area was vital in helping to prevent erosion, as well as eliminating pollution and toxins from the water flow before the water being expelled into the Gulf of Mexico.
This landmass has decreased in recent years however, by as much as 120 square kilometers each year, due to erosion and human causes. The eastern coast, made up mostly of the silt deposits, has a much greater chance of suffering from environmental hazards due to the poor stability of the soil consistency. The western coast line consists of marshy areas, sloping in elevation upward to the eventual coastal plains.

Sources Used:
http://www.nwrc.usgs.gov/sandt/Misisipi.pdf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wetlands_of_Louisiana

*The Barbados*
By: Kayla Cozza
The Caribbean’s have many small islands in them but none are more magnificent than the Barbados.
The island is on the east part of the Caribbean Islands and the geography is very unique.
It is the easternmost island of the Lesser Antilles. It is located 300 miles north of Guyana, about 100 miles east of St. Vincent, and almost 600 miles southeast of Puerto Rico. It is an isolated pear-like shaped island and it is similar to other Central American nations. The island itself goes on for about21 miles north to south and about 15 miles wide. The total land area is about 166 square miles. The island is covered with coral reefs which will take your breath away.
There are also lowlands and gently sloping terraced plains. They are separated by rolling hills that are generally parallel coasts. The elevations on the island can range from about 180 meters to 240 meters above sea level.
The weather on the island is mostly fair and sunny. They have warm days with cool winds and comfortable nights. Many people say the best time to visit Barbados is from November to March.
Barbados topography has coral reefs, limestone rocks, streams, and more. This is the most important part of the island. More than 85% of the island surface is filled with coralline limestone. Sugarcane mostly grows in the limestone’s surfaces.
Barbados soil varies with the fertility. Erosion is very common in this country and the result is crop lost. It also leads to landslides, washouts, and falling rocks. Another common feature is all the streams on the island.
The climate is very tropical and they have a maritime climate. It is also influenced by the northeast trade wind, which also makes the weather all more pleasant.
The one way we can understand the geography of the Barbados is by noting the temperature can range from 72 to 82 degrees F. The humidity ranges from 71 to 76 percent all year round.
Other information about the Barbados:
The rain comes in quick showers, it never downpours. The dry season lasts from January to June. The Hurricane season is between June to October but the rain stops after a couple minutes and then it is sunny and everything is dry. Hurricanes tend to miss the island majority of the time.

images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRA30fFjef7cZ0Glc6XLFIV3pxsxU1v5kA9vEeYuMtQkOqqgPe8

http://barbados.org/weather.htm
http://travel.mapsofworld.com/barbados/geography-of-barbados.html

Tundra biosphere
By Anthony Vrbas
Siberia is a large part of Russia at 4122, 8 km² it covers 20% of the earth’s surface northeastern part of Russia at 60-80 degrees north latitude and 70-180 degrees east longitude it is 1000-4000 ft. above sea level
Siberia contains a continental climate which means winters (October- May) are harsh reaching to -40 degrees F lasting from 5-6 months and summers lasting 2-3 months (usually between June-august) typically hot and dry. Temperatures in summer are relatively cool averaging from 37-54 degrees F wind can reach 30-60 mph…(fun fact) bare skin can freeze in seconds because wind chill is so bad.
Precipitation: 6-10 in. a year includes melted snow
Soil- Siberia contains two levels of soil the first is called the active layer because when it freezes it will thaw when the warmer months come it is 10in.-3ft deep. The other layer is called the permafrost layer which mean it never thaws throughout the winter and summer this layer can reach 1968 ft.
Plants: grasses shrubs and fungus are the primary plants to protect themselves from the wind and grow low to the ground they tend to grow together to help conserve warmth. The Siberia tundra also contains one of the largest taiga forests it contains 27% of the world’s tree population. Some plants Artic Willow, Purple Saxifrage, and Reindeer Lichen.
Animals: the animals of Siberia contain more fat and extra fur to help conserve heat during the harsh winters same goes for their limbs legs, tails, ears etc. often are smaller than most animal to conserve heat. Animals include voles, lemmings, caribou, squirrels, artic hares, arctic foxes, polar bears, wolves, falcons, snow buntings, ravens, sea gulls, sandpipers, terns, snow birds, loons, mosquitoes, grasshoppers, moths, flies, blackflies and arctic bumble bees, salmon, trout, cod, flatfish.
Rivers: Ob, Enisei, Angara, Lena, Kolyma which flow into the Arctic Ocean
Mountains: Altai Mountains highest point Mt. Belukha rises up to 4506m

images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRK9zKlklcdgBIX7NXvwcWKyc0_fV_16CEyyEitWV-fX4lC29fUBQ

http://discoversiberia.net/about-siberia/imagine-eastern-siberia/
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/siberian_tundra.htm
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/tundra-plants.html
http://novaonline.nvcc.edu/eli/evans/HIS241/Notes/Geography/SiberianRivers.html
http://www.ewpnet.com/altai.htm

Himalayas
By Jason Ackerman

The Himalayas (which is Sanskrit for “Abode of Snow”) are one of the world's largest mountain ranges, located in Asia. These mountains stretch for 1,500 miles long. Thirty-one of the tallest peaks are over 7,600 meters tall. The countries the Himalayas run through are Nepal, China, India, Bhutan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. Nepal is home to the highest mountain summit in the world, Mt. Everest, coming in at 8,848 meters high! Nepal is actually famous for being 75% covered by Himalayan mountains. The ranges in Nepal has 250 peaks that are higher than 6,000 meters tall.
The Himalayas are about 70 million years old yet they are one of the youngest an tallest mountain ranges in the world. These mountain ranges have many diff sub ranges as well, from tropical regions, to forest lands, to ice lands. In fact, one of the arctic sub regions is the third largest ice and snow deposits in the world.
Today, many people have successfully climbed up the summit of Mt. Everest. The very first people to do so were, Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa mountaineer Tenzing Norgay in 1953.

http://library.thinkquest.org/10131/javascriptmenu_final.html
http://www.mrdowling.com/612-himalayas.html
http://www.mnteverest.net/history.html

Rodney Douglas

The Everglades

——The Everglades are subtropical wetlands in the southern portion of the U.S. state of Florida, comprising the southern half of a large watershed. The system begins near Orlando with the Kissimmee River, which discharges into the vast but shallow Lake Okeechobee. Water leaving the lake in the wet season forms a slow-moving river 60 miles (97 km) wide and over 100 miles (160 km) long, flowing southward across a limestone shelf to Florida Bay at the southern end of the state. The Everglades are shaped by water and fire, experiencing frequent flooding in the wet season and drought in the dry season. Writer Marjory Stoneman Douglas popularized the term "River of Grass" to describe the sawgrass marshes, part of a complex system of interdependent ecosystems that include cypress swamps, the estuarine mangrove forests of the Ten Thousand Islands, tropical hardwood hammocks, pine rockland, and the marine environment of Florida Bay.

Human habitation in the southern portion of the Florida peninsula dates to 15,000 years ago. Two major tribes eventually formed in and around Everglades ecosystems: the Calusa and the Tequesta. After coming into contact with the Spanish in the late 16th century, both tribes declined gradually during the following two centuries. The Seminoles, a tribe of Creeks who assimilated other peoples into their own, made their living in the Everglades region after being forced there by the U.S. military in the Seminole Wars of the 19th century.

http://www.nps.gov/ever/index.htm
http://www.florida-everglades.com/

Rodney Douglas The Gondwana Rainforests of Australia

Although rainforests cover only about 0.3 per cent of Australia, they contain about half of all Australian plant families and about a third of Australia's mammal and bird species. The Gondwana Rainforests have an extremely high conservation value and provide habitat for more than 200 rare or threatened plant and animal species. The distributional limits of several species and many centres of species diversity occur in the property. The Border Group is a particularly rich area with the highest concentration of frog, snake, bird and marsupial species in Australia.

The terrain of Gondwana Rainforest, which was previously known as Central Eastern Rainforest Reserve of Australia, is a made up of 8 dissimilar regional lands spread amid Brisbane and New Castle. Together, they reveal the story of the continent’s formation and are among the few regions where you can ramble and explore the links of creatures that are older than 110 million years.

http://www.environment.gov.au/heritage/places/world/gondwana/information.html
http://www.travelaustralia360.com/to-do-list-in-gondwana-rainforest.html

Casey Heim
Sahara Desert, Africa

frost-lee-sand-dune-of-the-erg-chebbi-sahara-desert-near-merzouga-morocco-north-africa-africa.jpg

The Sahara Desert is a large desert located in Africa. It is the largest desert in the world, at 8.6 million square kilometers. It is part mountains and part sand dunes, and is known for it’s extreme lack of rain and vegetation in places. Not all of the desert is barren, with some of it covered in grasses, shrubs, and trees. Several rivers run through the Sahara, including the Nile River and the Niger River. Animal life of the Sahara consists of gazelles, antelopes, jackals, foxes, badgers and hyenas. The main reason few large animals live in the Sahara Desert is due to lack of consistent and plentiful rainfall. The Sahara Desert, what a wonderful place!

http://www.sahara-desert.net/saharadesertplants.htm
http://lexicorient.com/e.o/sahara.htm

Jason Ackerman
Sangre de Cristo Mountains, NM

The Sangre de Cristo Mountains “Blood of Christ”, are the southernmost sub range of the Rocky Mountains, located off of I25. These ranges run from the Poncha Pass of South-Central Colorado, all the way to Glorieta Pass just southeast of Santa Fe, NM. The was given by the early Spanish Colonists because of the blood-red color of the stone at sunset. Some of these peaks are as tall as 14,000 ft tall. The Sierra Blanca is the tallest peak of these mountains, coming in at 14,351 ft tall. The Sangre de Cristo Range was created nearly 27 million years ago. These mountains are most popular for hunting, hiking, camping, fishing, backpacking, climbing, cross-country, and downhill skiing. Animals in this are range from elk who outnumber the people and bighorn sheep who ignore the human intruders, to waterfowl, geese, duck, and even birds with a wingspan of eight feet wide!

http://www.sangres.com/mountains/sangres.htm
http://www.sangres.com/

Casey Heim
Blue Mountains, Oregon

The Blue Mountains are a mountain range that is in the area of the state of Oregon. It has an area of 4,060 square miles and has an average elevation between 5,000 and 6,000 feet. Peaks of the Blue Mountains range from 7,000 to 9,000 feet, and influence the climate in the immediate area. The Blue Mountains are the source to many streams used for irrigation and power production. Excellent skiing is eventful at the Blue Mountains due to fairly heavy snowfall, and snowmelt creates the steady water flow necessary for trout and salmon streams. A large amount of the mountain range is included in the Malheur National Forest, Umatilla National Forest, and the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. During the 1800s, the Blue Mountains were often the last mountain range pioneers had to cross on the Oregon Trail before reaching the end of the trail.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Mountains_(Oregon)
http://www.oregongeology.org/sub/learnmore/blue%20mountains.HTM

Ashton Domsch
Monaghan, Ireland

Monaghan means "County of the Little Hills" in Irish. Monaghan is located on the border to Northern Ireland. County Monaghan is a land of lakes, little hills and timeless landscapes. The mixed farming, still-plentiful hedgerows and towns and villages add diversity. The ruins, ring forts, and forest parks also add great beauty to this area of Ireland. Monaghan Town is a thriving place with many things to do and see. Some of the surrounding places include the small towns and villages of Clones, Ballybay, Castleblayney, and Carrickmacross.
Monaghan has a cool, cloudy and rainy climate all year round. It is in the European deciduous biome.
220px-Ivy_Hill%2C_Co._Monaghan_-_geograph.org.uk_-_169430.jpg

220px-Ivy_Hill%2C_Co._Monaghan_-_geograph.org.uk_-_169430.jpg

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/europe/ireland/
http://www.monaghantourism.com/
http://ahd.exis.net/monaghan/default.htm

Africa region

Joshua Mwangi

This is Africa,east Africa to be precise,what you looking at is the most active tourist site in east Africa.It is widely known for its big five animals where tourists are allowed to come into close contact with the animals under supervision,Its a really nice place to visit and see God's creation and just enjoy the nature..It is located in South of Kenya and North of Tanzania.

2URL

The Yellow River in China
By: Yijun Li

In this map, the blue line is the Yellow River.

The Yellow River or Huang He / Hwang Ho is the second-longest river in China (after the Yangtze River) and the sixth-longest in the world at the estimated length of 5,464 kilometers (3,395 mi). Originating in the Bayan Har Mountains in Qinghai Province in western China, it flows through nine provinces of China and empties into the Bohai Sea. The Yellow River basin has an east-west extent of 1900 km (1,180 mi) and a north-south extent of 1100 km (684 mi). Total basin area is 742,443 km² (290,520 mi²).
The Yellow River is called "the cradle of Chinese civilization", as its basin is the birthplace of ancient Chinese civilizations and was the most prosperous region in early Chinese history. But frequent devastating flooding largely due to the elevated river bed in its lower course, has also earned it the unenviable names "China's Sorrow" and "Scourge of the Sons of Han.”

Jessica Leiker

The Battenkill River is located in Vermont and New York states. The river is approximately fifty miles long. The river’s source is in East Dorset, Vermont and the mouth is in Easton, New York. The river is famous for it’s trout fishing. Brook trout in the upper reaches and brown trout throughout the course of the river. Except for some short stretches, the trout of the Battenkill are wild trout, and no trout stocking of any mention has been done since 1975. The brook trout are average Â big enough to fit in your palm so you can marvel at the potpourri of colors and the beauty of the little creature. The average brown trout will run 10 to 12 inches, with quite a few 12 to 16 inch trout in the river. The brown trout are heavy, strong-fighting, wily fish. There is an occasional 20 incher, but the days of those sizes are mostly past. The Batten Kill is an extremely clear river, but does not run fast due to its slow gradient. It has plenty of pools to fish, and shallow runs, flats, mild riffles, a few rapids, and bends in the river connect them. The river has a low temperature most of the time, and it owes a lot to the heavy canopy of willows and alder. The banks are conveniently littered with rocks, shrubs, fallen limbs, overhanging bushes, and so on, making for good brown trout cover.

http://www.flyfishingconnection.com/battenkill.html
http://www.gorp.com/weekend-guide/travel-ta-vermont-fishing-sidwcmdev_055711.html

Sarah Oesterreich

The White Mountains is a 115-km-long (70 mi) mountain range in the Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area of the U.S. state of Alaska. It lies between Beaver Creekand Preacher Creek, and was named by prospectors for its composition of white limestone. The range reaches a maximum elevation of 968 m (3176 ft). Some of the range is located in White Mountains National Recreation Area, a 1-million-acre (4,000 km2) of wilderness just 30 miles (48 km) north of Fairbanks. The White Mountains and Ray Mountains together constitute the Yukon-Tanana Uplands, an area of low mountain ranges and high ground in Interior Alaska.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Mountains_(Alaska)
Animals of Alaska: Brown Bear
There are over 2,700 brown bears living in Alaska. Most of them reside on the Kodiak Island archipelago. The adult female bears are rarely seen on the road. Like any traditional housewife, they stay home to protect the babies. Since Mama Bear usually weighs between 400-600 pounds, you can bet that they don"t have a membership to Curves. However, with weights up to 1,500 pounds, Papa Bear is even bigger.
Animals of Alaska: Little Brown Bat
Don"t go into the attic! There are bats on the rafters! This tiny critter comes out at night to find the best places to do on insects. Weighing only 1/4 ounce, it has no need of the gym!
Animals of Alaska: Short-Tailed Weasel
Also known as ermine, this is animal is a highly active predator. Its fur turns white in the winter, which means it often ends up as a coat on the backs of wealthy women.
Animals in Alaska: Red Fox
Red Fox can either be red or silver. Although some black foxes can be seen in Alaska, they are considered to be a color phase of the red fox. Foxes can occasionally be seen along the Alaska road system.

http://www.destination360.com/north-america/us/alaska/animals-in-alaska

Blueberries on South Moat Mountain, an August treat!

Biodiversity of Vietnam:

By: Meladee Turley

Stretching over 1,600 km along the eastern cost of the Indochinese Peninsula is Vietnam. Vietnam remains the largest and most populous of the three Indochinese countries. It is located along the south border of China, eastern boarder of Laos and Cambodia. This country is divided up into three regions; northern, central, and southern. Vietnam has two major rivers, the Mekong River in the south region and the Red River, located in the northern region. Both these rivers form large deltas before entering the South China Sea. The central region is very different in that the land is mainly made up of plains. As for the Truong Son mountain range (1,600 km long) is can be found in Vietnam’s geography as well.

Even though in the tropic region, central and southern Vietnam are the only parts of the country to experience warm and humid weather all year round. Distinctively throughout the north, inland winds create cold winter seasons. Other than the unpredictable influences of monsoons winters for the entire country may be dry.

From its tropical forests to its mountains to its coral reefs, Vietnam is home to an amazing diversity of plants and animals — including many species found nowhere else in the world. 12,000 plant species and 7,000 species of animals make up the country’s biodiversity. However even though, Vietnam is the sixteenth most biodiverse country on the plant, there are many endangered species. Vietnam's Red Data Book is a list of rare and endangered species of fauna and flora native to Vietnam. Animals such as tigers, Asian elephants, douc monkeys, clouded leopards, Asiatic Black Bear, Vietnam Leaf-nosed Bat,or the White-rumped Black Lemur are all on the critically endangered or endangered list from Vietnam.

http://www.amnh.org/education/resources/rfl/web/vietnam_biodiv/
http://www.sadec.com/Profile/viet05.html
http://www.haivenu-vietnam.com/vietnam-geography-flora-fauna.htm

Bioregions of Italy

By Sami Tolle

Italy is a boot shaped country in Europe that has about 8 different bioregions: The Alps, Po Valley, Adriatic Plains, Apennines, Southeastern Plains, Western Uplands, Sicily, and Sardinia. There are two major mountain ranges, The Alps and The Apennines, and three major rivers: Tiber, Po, and Arno. The three major rivers all start from these mountain ranges. The Alps are the highest part of Italy. They are rugged mountains that border France, Austria, and Switzerland, along with Italy. The Apennines or Appennino Mountain Range runs north and south through Italy. The Po Valley is the low valley formed between the two mountain ranges (Apennines and Alps). The Po River starts in the Alps and runs through the lush Po Valley. The Arno River starts in the Apennines and flows into the Tyrrhenian Sea. The Tiber also starts its journey in the Appennino Mountains and also flows into the Tyrrhenian Sea. The Adriatic Plains are a plateau north of the Adriatic Sea. Sardinia is an island west of the boot shaped peninsula. It is abundant with plains and is very widely farmed. Sicily is a large island south of the Italy peninsula. Sicily is home of one of the world’s largest active volcanoes, Mount Etna.

Since Italy is a peninsula, the water is a large part of Italian’s lives. One major example of this is the city of Venice. Venice is not only surrounded by water, but has rivers flowing throughout the city. Venice is in the northwest part of Italy and is surrounded by water. People in Venice literally travel by boats through the city. The city is built around this water, and has made the water and its tides part of their lives.

http://library.thinkquest.org/J0112187/italy_geography.htm
http://travel-ismo.blogspot.com/2007/09/regions-of-italy.html
http://goitaly.about.com/library/bl_italy_geography_map.htm

Bioregions of Ireland

By Shannon Miller

Ireland is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean just west of Great Brittan. The climate in Ireland generally involves a mild winter with cool summers; it is overcast at least half the time. It is humid almost all year long with a low in the 46.4F winter of and the high in summer at 68F Celsius.
The terrain of Ireland consists of sea cliffs, rolling hills and some low peak mountains. Ireland was covered in glaciers during the ice age therefore most of the plant and animal life that currently resides there came from another area such as Britain or some even from the Mediterranean such as the Irish Orchid. Ireland is also known for its vast grasslands it also used to have a large percentage of Forrest but has since then been lost.
One of the most interesting things about Ireland is that it has no snakes at all. The Island believes that St. Patrick is the reason that snakes do not live on the island. Ireland has a lot of waterfowl. A lot of birds that mate in Greenland and Iceland in the summer migrate to Ireland in the winter. Since Ireland is on the Atlantic it also an area for Killer Whales and other marine mammals to mate. The viviparous lizard is the only lizard that lives on the island.

[[http://bp2.blogger.com/_UsQ0GlElph0/RmgaJ7N5L2I/AAAAAAAAADM/5AVtfCAOveo/s1600-h/irishmap2.jpg]]

[http://www.irelandseye.com/aarticles/travel/nature/index.shtm]
[http://imagesofireland.tripod.com/animals.htm]

Bioregion of Ireland
Alyssa Mustard

Throughout the world there are many known animals but the Koala Bear has always stood out to me. The Koala Bear is a part of the Marsupial family, which are animals whose newborn drink milk inside their mothers’ pouches for four to five months before facing the world. The baby koalas are born without fur, ears and are blind. Baby koalas are known as joeys just like the kangaroo. When the koala is ready they climb onto the mothers back and continue the free ride in the open for a few more months. The koala bear isn’t really a bear; it is actually one of the most loveable Australian marsupial. The koala has wooly gray, yellowish-white fur, white paws, flattened balloon cheeks, and a nose that looks like a leather button. The koala is found on the coastal regions of southern Australia, but not found in Western Australia. The koalas in southern Australia were exterminated during the early 20th century. The U.S. has declared that the koala bear is threatened. They are not only herbivores but they prefer to live in areas with a lot of eucalyptus trees, they eat the eucalyptus leaves. The koala sleeps up to nineteen hours a day the remaining hours are spent gathering and eating food. The koala has fingerprints like the human and under a microscope is almost identical. Koalas live in society groups, and in these groups the koalas have their own trees. Mothers and their young communicate by making humming or clicking noises, there is one sound that all koalas make and that is a high piercing shriek that signals a warning or distress.

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/ireland
http://www.travelinireland.com/

Kenya, Africa
April Chessmore
Kenya lies on the eastern coast of Africa. It is bordered by Sudan and Ethiopia in the north and Somalia in the east. Kenya is known for its geographical variety. At an altitude of 1.524 m and 300 miles inland, the plain gives way in the southwest to a plateau. Kenya is a very diverse country with a population that includes Africa’s major sociolinguistic groups including Bantu, Nilotic, and Cushitic. Kenyans are very religious people. When it comes to working about 75% of the workforces are engaged in agriculture. The motto of Kenya is Harambee, which means “pull together.” The music in Kenya is mainly just drumming, humming, singing and dancing. In the National Museums of Kenya, the exhibits show a wide variety of these musical instruments; drums, flutes, guitars, and lyres.

The weather in Kenya is about the same day and night throughout the year. Throughout the country, there are two rainy seasons. Short rain season and the Long rain season. The short rains normally occur from October through November, and the long rains occur during March to about early June. All parts of the country are subject to periodic droughts, or have delays in the start of the rainy seasons.
Kenya has an enormous amount of different types of animals. The most famous Kenya animals are known as “The Big 5,” and they are lions, leopards, elephants, buffalos, and the rhinos. The lion remains Kenya’s most popular tourist attraction. Other animals outside of the big 5 that make their home in Kenya are zebras, giraffes, cheetah, African wild dog, spotted hyena and different varieties of monkeys.
Some attractions to see in Kenya, if ever visited would be the Gedi Ruins, Mombasa, which is a National park. Also the Karen Blixen Museum and the Nairobi National Museum.
Here is the link to the video. http://www.5min.com/Video/Travel-to-Kenya-117818483

http://www.kenyatravelideas.com/

http://www.africaguide.com/country/kenya/

Chance Moore
Place

Plains of North America

Lindsey Campbell, Casey Dirkes, Dakota Loader

Rocky Mountain National Park

Rocky Mountain National Park is located in the north- central region of colorful Colorado. The park contains 113 mountain peaks over 10,000 ft with 78 of those peaks reaching over 12,000 ft in altitude. One of the most famous peaks is Longs Peak which towers at 14,259 ft. This peak can be seen from anywhere in the park because it is the highest peak. There are 150 lakes with breathtaking views. The park is 265,873 acres which includes a variety of climates and environments. The three ecosystems are the Montane, the Subalpine and the Alpine. Three national forests surround the park; while the Continental Divide cuts through the park giving the eastern and western parts different characteristics. The east side tends to be dryer with glaciated peaks, while the west side is lush with deep forests. Temperatures are often moderate at elevations below 9,400 ft, and the high country it is noted for extreme weather patterns. At higher points like Bear Lake, Trail Ridge Road, or Longs Peak it may even snow in July. Summer days often reach in the 70’s or 80’s and drop into the 40’s at night. Thunderstorms are often common in the afternoons. Rocky Mountain National Park was created in 1915 and was 1976 it was recognized as an international biosphere reserve.

Montane Ecosystem: 5,6000 -9,500 ft

South facing slopes of the montane ecosystem are often dry but have large ponderosa pine trees. Grasses and other shrubs grow in the spaces between the trees and slopes. Since the soil is dry there is more spacing between the trees. The north facing slopes soil contains more water in it because it escapes some of the sun, so the trees are closer together. The trees are a mixture of Douglas fir, lodgepole pine, and ponderosa pine. Along water areas people can find willows, mountain alder, and blue spruce. There are many animals that live around this area: garder snake, many types of birds (golden eagle, steller’s jay, great horned owl), many types of mammals (black bear, moose, mountain lion).

Subalpine Ecosystem: 9,000- 11,000 ft

The Subalpine mainly consist of mostly subalpine fir, Limber pine and Engelmann spruce. As one continues up into the Subalpine the tree lines gets shorter and shorter. Previously burned areas have large amounts of lodgepole pine. After the forest matures, amounts of spruce and subalpine fir increase. In high wind areas trees grow into bizarre shapes due to the wind. Also trees may only have branches on one side of the tree due to the wind and are often called flag trees. Blueberry, wood’s rose and cinquefoil shrubs grow all around. Needle grass, sedge, and Colorado blue columbine are some of the plants that grow in this area. Just like the last ecosystem there are many different types of birds (raven, woodpecker, brown creeper), and animals (bobcat, black bear, coyote).

Alpine Ecosystem: 11,000- 11,500 ft

This is “the land above the trees” and people can see this through Trail Ridge Road, which is the highest road in any national park. About one third of Rocky Mountain National Park is above the limit where trees may grow in northern Colorado. The Alpine is an area of extremes. There are very strong, continuous winds, and cold temperatures limiting what plants can grow there. Many plants that do grow there are perennials and are dwarfed. Where tundra soil is well developed grasses and willow shrub are common. This is a very fragile place because damage to it takes hundreds of years to recover. There is a less variety of birds here (rosy finch, horned lark, common raven). Some of the mammals that live here are (elk, bighorn sheep, snowshoe hare).

big-horn-ram-rocky-mountain-national-park-colorado-resized-600.jpg

Resources: http://www.nps.gov/romo/index.htm
http://www.rocky.mountain.national-park.com/info.htm

Jennifer Kinderknecht

The Panama Canal

The Panama Canal is located in the isthmus of Panama, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean. An isthmus is a narrow strip of land connecting to larger bodies of land. Permission to build was granted to the Untied States by Panama. The canal is about 50 miles in length and approximately 43 meters deep. It has a lock system that raises and lowers the water level to help control ship movement through the canal. There are many rainforests surrounding the canal. These rainforests help supply the region with oxygen and help keep fresh water in the lake the fills the canal. The canal is filled with fresh water from lake Gatun. Lake Gatun is also used by some of the locals for irrigation or drinking. Activists for the rainforests of Panama are worried that with the panama canal and industries popping up along the canal the rainforests will be depleted.

Sources and Further Reading:
http://www.answers.com/topic/canal-zone
http://www1.american.edu/ted/canal.htm

Mary Lobmeyer

Lake Titicaca

Lake Titicaca is in the Andes Mountains straddling the border of Peru and Bolivia. Lake Titicaca is approximately 12,580 feet above sea level. The average depth is 328 feet and the deepest point is over 900 feet. The lake is divided into two basins by the Strait of Tiquina. Fed by many short mountain streams, the lake is drained by the Desaguadero River to Lake Poopó. In 1978 the Titicaca Lake reserve was created, with the purpose of conserving it wild flora and fauna as well as the beauty of its landscapes. In this reserve 60 varieties of birds, 14 species of fish that originate from the lake and 18 species of amphibians are found here, which includes the gigantic frog of Titicaca that can weigh up to 2 pounds. Since the 1978 the birds found now at Lake Titicaca are the Titicaca flightless grebe, Chilean flamingo, Puna ibis, Andean swallow, black night heron and the guarahuaru falcon. Other birds include ducks, chocas, cholos and playeros. The native fish left are Karachi (Orestia) and Boga (Trichomycterus-in the catfish family) also overly vulnerable to becoming endanger. Other two well known fish in Lake Titicaca are trout and mackerel these haven’t been there until about 1930s. Animals you’d expect to see at Lake Titicaca mainly are llamas, alpaca, others around are vizcacha (rodent in the chinchilla family), wild guinea pig, Andean wild wolf, Andes skunk, and the Andean fox. The Titicaca frogs’ population numbers have decreased severely to becoming endangered. Even though Titicaca Lake reserve was placed to protect the flora and fauna, they have still been decreased over the years by human way of living.

Sources and Further Reading:
http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Americas/Bolivia-FLORA-AND-FAUNA.html
http://www.trails.com/list_8840_animals-lake-titicaca.html
http://www.aspectsofsouthamerica.com/Lake_Titicaca.html

Bioregions of Australia
Chaz Winger, Kennie Morales, and Austin Russell

Spanning over 7.7 million square kilometers the continent of Australia lays in the southern part of the Eastern Hemisphere. It is the sixth largest country in the world, but is the smallest continent in the world. According the word travels website, to most of the country receiving more than 3,000 hours of sunshine a year. In summer (December to March) the average temperature is 84°F (29°C). The hottest region is the northern two-thirds of the continent, which experiences humid and wet conditions in summer. Further south summer is warm with occasional hot spells and mild nights. Winter (June to August) averages 56°F (13°C) for the country as a whole, with warm days and mild nights in the northern areas, becoming cool and showery in the south (although there are still plenty of sunny days).
According to World Atlas Website with only a few mountain ranges, Australia is for the most part a flat plateau with largest desert areas central and west. A low coastal plain encircles most of the country, and much of Australia is fronted with miles of sandy beach. Running along the eastern edges of Australia, from the Cape York Peninsula on into Tasmania, the Great Dividing Range and its mountains separate the dry Australian interior from the coastal areas. Some peaks here, including those in the Blue Mountains andAustralian Alps do rise to nearly 4,000 ft (1,200 m). Other mountain ranges of note include the Darling Range in southwestern Australia, the reddish-brown Hamersley Range in western Australia, and the central MacDonnel Ranges.
The country's highest point, Mount Kosciuszko, at 7,312 ft. (2,229 m) is located to the northeast of Melbourne. Australia's lowest point, -15 m, is found along the shoreline of Lake Eyre.

http://www.wordtravels.com/Travelguide/Countries/Australia/Climate/
http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/oceania/aulandst.htm

http://www.environment.gov.au/parks/publications/nrs/sorrell.html

Saskatchewan, Canada
Jon Cotter, Marshall Dean, Travis Geile
Saskatchewan is the Canadian province located almost directly in the middle of Canada. It has a population of 1,049,701 with most of its inhabitants in the southern cities of Saskatoon (257,300) and the capitol Regina (210,000). Saskatchewan appears to be a quadrilateral but because of its size the 49th parallel and the 60th northern border appear curved, while the eastern boundary is crooked rather than following the lines of longitude. It is bordered by Alberta to the west, Manitoba to the east and the US states such as Montana and North Dakota to the south. Saskatchewan has two major natural regions, the Canadian Shield in the north and Interior Plains in the south. Saskatchewan is one of two provinces that are ‘land locked’ with almost all of northern Saskatchewan covered in boreal forests, except for the Lake Athabasca Sand Dunes which are the largest natural sand dunes in the world (58°). The provinces highest point is at 1,468 metres (4,816 ft) which is located in the Cypress Hills in the southwestern corner of Saskatchewan. The lowest point is at the shore of Lake Athabasca, 213 metres (699 ft). Saskatchewan averages more days of sunshine than any other province. The summers get warm with an average temperature of 32 °C (90 °F) but winters are cold with temperatures of −17 °C (1.4 °F) for weeks at a time. Warm wins blow yearly coming from the west and from the United States.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saskatchewan
http://www.saskschools.ca/~gregory/sask/skgeo.html

San Juan Mountains
Southwest Colorado
Cory Ridenour, Nate Wilson
The San Juan Mountains cover over 12,000 acres. The San Juan are very high and rugged mountains, among the highest and most rugged in North America. There are many peaks of the San Juan Mountain range that reach over 13,000 feet, even a great number that reach over 14,000 feet. It is very rugged and sharp terrain and much of the rock is rotten rock that breaks away easily and leaves razor sharp edges left. The San Juan Mountains are somewhat away from civilization and a remote area in Colorado. Not too many people live there which makes these mountains very exciting to climb in, but also very dangerous if you are alone and cannot contact any help if needed. The majority of trees in this mountain range consists of evergreen trees and in some parts of the mountain range these trees get very thick. There are streams running through the mountains and are numerous bodies of water including lakes in the base of the mountains. 65 Million years ago there was very heavy volcanic activity in Colorado and it is believed that the San Juan Mountain range is nearly twice as high as it used to be. Almost all of the land in this mountain range is publically owned which is another reason it is a good place to hike and sight see if you are in good enough shape to get back into the mountains. The western third of the mountains is the most accessible to hikers. There are many steep and winding roads threw this terrain though so matter where you are everywhere is dangerous.

http://www.americansouthwest.net/colorado/san_juan_mountains/
http://www.sangres.com/mountains/sanjuans.htm

The sierra Nevada mountains by nick bata and caleb fox

The majestic sierra Nevada mountains run from the Susan river in the north to the Tehacapi pass in the south. According to Wikipedia “West-to-east, the Sierra Nevada's elevation increases gradually from the California central valley the crest, while the east slope forms the steep Sierra escarpment. The range is drained on its northwest slopes by the Sacramento River and to the west-southwest by theSan Jaoquin River, two major Central valley watercourses that ultimately discharge to the Pacific Valley. Smaller rivers of the west slope include the Feather, American, Mokelueume , Stanislaus and Tuolumne. The southern part of the mountains are drained by four rivers called the Kings, Kaewah, Tule, andKern. These rivers flow into an endorheic basin called Tulare lake, but historically joined the San Joaquin during wet years.
To the east, the melting snow of the mountains forms many small rivers that flow out into the Great Basin of Nevada and eastern California. From north to south, the Susan River flows into intermittent Honey Lake; the Truckee River flows from massive Lake Tahoe into Pyramid Lake; the Carson River runs into Carson Rink; the Walker River into Walker lake; Rush, Lee Vinning and Mill Creeks into Mono Lake; and the Owens River into the dry Owens Lake. None of the east-side rivers reach the sea; however, many of the streams from Mono Lake southwards are diverted into the Los Angeles Aqueduct and their water shipped to Southern California."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sierra_Nevada_(U.S.)

http://www.timberlinetrails.net/SierraNevadaMtns.html
http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/places/states/california/ca_sierra.htm

Bioregion: Yucatan Peninsula
Kyle Molstad and Brent Arnberger

The Yucatan peninsula is a peninsula in Southeast Mexico. The peninsula is the divider for the gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. It is a very popular vacation spot for tropical seeking vacationers. Also it is home to one of the biggest spring break parties in the world at the city of Cancun. Cancun is located at the very Northeast portion of the Peninsula, but is most likely the first place people would associate with the Yucatan.

The Yucatan is home to a wide variety of species of plants and animals and has deep historical roots.
When it comes to the Flora of the Yucatan there is a vast variety. When it comes to cultivating plants the Yucatan has a little bit of that. They cultivate a lot of beans and herbs and spices on the peninsula. When it comes to the wild plants there is a vast variety of plants. Most of the Yucatan that has not been cut out for domestication purposes is a very thick and dense jungle. When you get to the coast line you will see a lot of palm trees as well mixed in with the jungles.

There are many unique animals as well in the Yucatan bioregion. They have a lot of the same birds as we do here in America and when you get to the coast lines you still see pelicans and seagulls. They have insects, mammals, amphibians, and many reptiles. One of the most unique reptiles is the Black Iguana. This reptile is our personal favorite of the bioregion.

Bioregion: The Juan de Fuca Strait
By: Megan Schwarz

The Strait of Juan de Fuca that is located in the Olympic peninsula in Washington State. The Strait of Juan de Fuca is roughly 95 miles long and about 11-17 miles wide. The strait connects to the Georgia strait and Puget Sound and then on to the Pacific Ocean. The strait is an international boundary between Canada and the United States. The San Juan Archipelago is a group of islands in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. They are located at the meeting point of the Strait of Georgia and the Strait of Juan de Fuca between Vancouver Island, the Olympic Peninsula and the continental mainland. The archipelago is split into two island groups based on national sovereignty. The San Juan Islands are part of the United States Washington state, while the Gulf Islands are part of the Canadian province British Columbia. The Gulf Islands are usually sub-divided into two smaller groups, the Southern and Northern Gulf Islands. The archipelago has more than 450 islands visible at high tide, only 14 percent of them are permanently inhabited.
This shoreline is lined with weather-beaten cliffs and forests with exceptional wildlife and scenery. Close to the byway you will find Flattery Rocks and Quillayute Needles National Wildlife Refuges. These refuges contain over 870 islands, rocks, and reefs along the coast, offering a sanctuary to migrating seabirds, waterfowl, and shorebirds such as fork-tailed storm-petrels, Leach's storm-petrels, double-breasted cormorants, Brandt's cormorants, pelagic cormorants, black oystercatchers, glaucous-winged gulls, western gulls, common murres, pigeon guillemots, ancient murrelets, Cassin's auklets, rhinocerous auklets, and tufted puffins. See whales, sea lions, sea otters, harbor seals, and more in these refuges. Gnarled, ochre-colored madrona trees line much of the shorelines while evergreen fir and pine forests cover large inland areas.

For more Information:
http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Strait_of_Juan_de_Fuca
www.experiencewa.com/scenic-byways/strait-of-juan-de-fuca-hwy.aspx
http://www.simply-san-juan.com/san-juan-islands-washington.htm

My Bioregion is over the Grand Canyon. Carson Konrade

Grand Canyon is known for its overwhelming size and its intricate and colorful landscape. Geologically it is significant because of the thick sequence of ancient rocks that are beautifully preserved and exposed in the walls of the canyon. These rock layers record much of the early geologic history of the North American continent. Grand Canyon is also one of the most spectacular examples of erosion in the world.

The Colorado River rushes at the bottom of the canyons, about 1,850 feet above sea level. The sides of the canyons are made of rocks, cliffs, ridges, hills and valleys of every form. Many of the ridges have weather carved lines which make them resemble Chinese temples. Thick forests of blue spruce, fir, oaks as well as Ponderosa pines cover the canyon rim. Deep in the canyon's recesses, the foliage grows sparse and shorter. Pinon pines and juniper growing along the cliffs give way to dry desert scrub on the canyon floor.
http://www.americansouthwest.net/arizona/grand_canyon/national_park.html
http://www.bobspixels.com/kaibab.org/geology/gc_geol.htm

My bio region is on Colorado. by Jamie Adams

This is a diverse place with many animals and plants. There are also many cool sights for example the seven falls which is a beautiful place to visit. There is the devil’s back bone and also the dam store up the canon by Fort Collins. They have a lot of pine trees and lots of shrubs. My favorite rive is the Poudre river. The river has places to swim and places to raft down. There are the rapids in high elevation , and downstream it moves much slower so you can take your dog for a swim. The front range is a very cool place to live with so much to do it never gets old .

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorado
http://www.1clickpethotels.com/ColoradoMap.htm

Rachael Kruse, Garett Frank, Lucas Jones

Physical bioregions of Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the capital and largest city of the Netherlands, with an urban population of 1,209,419. The city is in the province of North Holland in the west of the country. It comprises the northern part of the Randstad, the sixth-largest metropolitan area in Europe, with a population of approximately 8.1 million. The warmest weather is from June to August, with temperatures between 21 - 26 degrees Celsius. There are rarely extreme temperatures. The air is relatively humid and fog is common in autumn and spring. There are stronger winds from October to March. It is a humid marsh like climate that many plants and animals call home, even though there is a large human population it is still capable of being a suitable place for numerous plants and animals.
Amsterdam has one of the oldest botanical gardens in the world called Hortus Botanicus. It was established in 1638 by the city municipality as Hortus Medicus, an herb garden with medical plants for Amsterdam doctors and pharmacists.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXT6TJ6vKLo
http://www.holland.com/global/cities/amsterdam/

Caleb Fox

Rachael Kruse, Garett Frank, Lucas Jones

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXT6TJ6vKLo
http://www.holland.com/global/cities/amsterdam/

Alyssa Babcock and Anna Zillinger
Bioregion on California—Sierra Bioregion

We are focusing on the Sierra Bioregion of California. In our link it describes the Sierra Bioregion as rich in biodiversity. It contains over half the plant species found in California. There are 10 bioregions in California. Sierra Bioregion also has over 400 of California’s native wildlife species, or about two-thirds of the birds and mammals and half the reptiles and amphibians according to our resource. Some of the plant types found in this bioregion include annual grassland, blue oak savannah, chaparral, ponderosa pine, black oak woodland, mixed conifer, red fir, riparian, alpine meadow, Jeffrey pine, sagebrush, and bitter brush.

Some of the animals that live in the Sierra Bioregion include lodgepole chipmunk, mountain beaver, California mountain king snake, black bear, wolverine, California big horn sheep, Pacific fisher, mule deer, and mountain lion. Also “the California Golden Trout — the state fish — is native to the Southern Sierra,” (link) is a very important animal to the California Sierra Bioregion. Being native to the bioregion is what makes it the state fish. The birds that can be found in the bioregion consist of the northern goshawk, mountain chickadee, pine grosbeak, California spotted owl, mountain quail, willow flycatcher, bald eagle, and great grey owl.

http://ceres.ca.gov/geo_area/bioregions/Sierra/about.html
http://ceres.ca.gov/geo_area/bioregions/
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Cade Carter, Brandon Frank, & Emily Lubbers

Alaskan Bio-Region

The Alaskan environment is home to many different species of plants and animals. Alaska is located primarily within the Cascadian region. It is home to mostly coniferous trees and hearty plants. Within the Cascades, there is an abundant source of water. This is due to its location next to the Pacific and the rain shadow produced by the mountain range which forms an orographic barrier. The ocean provides a great amount of moisture which feeds into the local river systems. Eventually, the water returns back to the Pacific and the cycle continues.

Animals are able to thrive within this environment. Carnivores, birds, herbivores, various oceanic species, and rodents are the main categories of animal life. Specific animals include: Brown Bears, Black Bears, Caribou, Moose, Seals and Sea Lions, Beavers, Canines and Felines. This is only a small list of Alaskan Wildlife. Finally, Alaska offers a diverse range of animal and plant life.

http://www.adfg.state.ak.us/pubs/notebook/notehome.php
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfvOcherj6s

Digital Story
Cade Carter and Brandon Frank

We interviewed assistant baseball coach Matt Dickson. He is also the recruiting director within the baseball program. In our interview, Dickson describes the process he uses when he recruits future student-athletes of CCC.

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Bioregion San Juan Mountains. Colorado
Zach Wilson Drew Posegate David Bauer

With our project we focused on the San Juan Mountains. This chain of mountains is a part of the Rocky Mountains and is located in Southwestern Colorado. This area is filled with many different minerals. Gold and silver used to be mined here in earlier years. They cover a total of over 12,000 square miles or about a 1/8th of the state of Colorado. They are also pretty remote from civilization. There are no towns or anything near once you get deep into the mountains. They are thought to have some of the best scenery of all the Rocky Mountains. There are 13 peaks that rise above 14,000 feet and there are many lakes and rivers and also includes the source of the Rio Grande River. Most of the land out there is publicly owned and the western third of the mountains is the most accessible. Most of the central San Juan Mountains or only accessible by foot or by jeep trails, there are no paved roads in the central parts of the mountain range. Some towns that are located close are Cortez, Durango, Montrose, and Ouray.

A plant in the San Juan Mountain is the Wetland plants, they are there to to survive in water conditions. They bring air, containing oxygen, through their stems, down to their roots. Wetland plants recycle their leaf nutrients back to the roots when the leaf dies.

Some animals living in the San Juan Mountains are mules deer, elk, and black bears. There are almost 300 different kinds of birds that have have been identified in southwestern Colorado. When people visit the Backcountry areas where not much people go, they may catch a glimpse of bighorn sheep, mountain goats, black bear, beaver, river otters, or even mountain lions.

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.epa.gov/region8/images/SanJuans3.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.epa.gov/Region8/land_waste/revitalization/goals.html&usg=__b-jed2H1I_HHMfQDVuXPLQr0N4A=&h=278&w=418&sz=35&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=pVAkPtCE4C-wxM:&tbnh=135&tbnw=203&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmap%2Bof%2Bsan%2Bjuan%2Bmountains%26hl%3Den%26biw%3D979%26bih%3D540%26gbv%3D2%26tbs%3Disch:1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=130&vpy=262&dur=4428&hovh=183&hovw=275&tx=151&ty=163&ei=AXihTNaTHI__nAfKr-mRBA&oei=AXihTNaTHI__nAfKr-mRBA&esq=1&page=1&ndsp=8&ved=1t:429,r:4,s:0

http://www.mountainstudies.org/Education/pdf/WETLANDS%20O F%20SJM_12May06.pdf

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5BtZ3Uf74cstudent names
title/topic

Jared Smith
South Africa-Savannah

The Savanna takes up about a third of the total area of South Africa. It is basically a grassy area with trees. The woody plants in this region are shrubs or shrub like trees. The amount rain this region dictates the condition and amount of grass land in this area. The Savanna has areas where the trees are as dense as woodlands and then having areas with little to no vegetation.

The Savanna is known for having a very diverse group of animals living in or near it. There are several different biomes in the area that support almost any species. The main mammals that live there are lions, leopards, elephants, buffalos, and rhinos. The Savanna houses cobras, pythons, and mambas which are some of the most venomous snakes on the planet.

http://www.ecotravel.co.za/Savannah.htm
http://www.ecotravel.co.za/southern-african/wildlife-guides/mammals-list.htm
http://www.ecotravel.co.za/southern-african/wildlife-guides/snakes-list.htm

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Lexie Garcia and Sally Wilson
Exploring Costa Rica
Costa Rica is located in what is called an isthmus, a skinny piece of land surrounded by oceans, it has the Pacific Ocean on the west and the Atlantic Ocean on the east. It is ten degrees latitude north of the equator. It is between Nicaragua on the north and Panama on the south. The weather year round is very pleasant. Costa Rica has a beautiful tropical climate. There is a skeleton of mountains that run from the northwest to the southeast and there are many volcanoes in that area, especially in the north and the central part of the skeleton. There are basically two seasons in Costa Rica, the rainy season and the dry season. The dry season runs from about November till April and the heaviest part of the rainy season is from August till the end of October. The rainy season causes many chaotic mudslides that wash hills off taking with them houses, roads, and bridges. Farmland on the north that borders with Nicaragua is very expensive and productive. Some of Costa Rica’s best exports include pineapple, cocoa, and bananas. A big thing in the economy now is ecotourism and many people come to Costa Rica to study the animals, birds, plants, and insects in the national reserves. Toucan birds are very common in Costa Rica. Spanish is the main language because Costa Rica was colonized by Spaniards. Costa Rica has a government based religion, which is Catholicism because of the Spaniard influence. Costa Rica has 7 provinces: Guanacaste, Alajuela, Heredia, San José, Cartago, Limón, and Puntarenas. Costa Rica is a thriving paradise and attracts many tourists.

Wood, Lucy. Interview. Oct. 2, 2010.
http://www.1-costaricalink.com/costa_rica_images/costa_rica_provinces.gif

Kayla Williams

The Azores

Located 2422 miles from the United States Eastern coast and 930 miles from Portugal’s Western coast is a set of nine islands called the Azores. The largest of the nine islands is São Miguel. São Jorge, Faial, Graciosa, Pico, Santa Maria Terceira, Flores, which only has a population of about 4,000 inhabitants, and Corvo, which is the smallest of the islands, with a population of 400. Due to their location in the Atlantic Ocean they are considered the most remote group of islands in the North Atlantic. They sit atop of the Atlantic ridge and are of volcanic origin. They are separated into three groups: the Eastern group of São Miguel and Santa Maria, the Central group of Terceira, Graciosa, São Jorge and Faial, and the Western group made up of Flores and Corvo.

The climate is moderate with mild annual temperatures of 58 ° F from January to March, 62° F from April to June, 69° F in July, 70° F for August and September, and 62° F from October till December. Although they do not have quite the same temperatures as many tropical islands there is one plus to these mild temperatures, they do not receive snow, but do get an annual rain fall range of 30mm in July to 130mm in November till January.

The islands are home to only a few native plants, a quarter of them being vascular plants and three quarters being trees. Eight out of the eleven species of trees are only found in the Azores. As far as native animals are concerned only a few call the Azores “Home”. The Azores Bullfinch is just one of the several native birds, along with one native bat, the Azores noctule. images%3Fq%3Dthe%2Bazores%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DX%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:en-us%26biw%3D1259%26bih%3D627%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1&iact=rc&dur=407&ei=pending&oei=CV61TMDvIoL48AahucnwCQ&esq=3&page=3&ndsp=15&ved=1t:429,r:4,s:30&tx=73&ty=39

http://www.azores.com/azores/azores.php
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/wildworld/profiles/terrestrial/pa/pa0403.html
http://www.azores.com/azores/terceira.php

Audrey Lorenz
Big Thompson River

Big Thompson River
The Big Thompson river is located in Colorado, it’s approximately 78 miles long. The river flows East beginning in Forest Canyon in Rocky Mountain National Park in Larimer County. It also travels to Estes Park through a town called Moraine Park. The tributary runs East, trough a town called Glen Haven, it connects together in the Big Thompson Canyon.
In July of 1976 the Big Thompson Canyon flooded. The flood was caused by a thunderstorm near the top of the canyon. The thunderstorm rained and hailed nearly 1 foot in less then four hrs. This flood took the lives of over 143 people, destroyed 400 cars, 418 house and 52 businesses.
The Big Thompson is very popular for all the different activities people do such as fly fishing, trout fishing, and tubing down the river. There’s also many different sights to see while driving through the Big Thompson. From the beautiful mountains and cliffs surrounding the river to the wildlife that roam there. There are tons of hummingbirds, big horn sheep, mule deer, elk and occasionally a mountain lion and even bears.
http://coloradoinfo.com/estespark/bigthompsoncanyon
http://www.larimerco.com/5visitors/51004big_thompson.htm
http://wayfarer.fit2paddle.com/big_t/bigt.htm

New Jersey

The South

Fabian Guerrero

Maui Islands

Marilyn Horinek

Anatolia Region
Central Anatolia is semiarid with high-altitude plateau.
In southwest Asia, around 7000 B.C., horses, sheep, cattle, and camels were already domesticated. The Anatolia mountains foothills are where Turkey’s sheep and goats were first raised.
In Anatolia, wild ancestors of many cultivated crops can be found today. There is over 30 species of the wild version of wheat still growing in Anatolia making Turkey the gene center for wheat and barley.

Climate: Turkey has a variety of weather conditions depending on their location. The Mediterranean area have cool, rainy winter with hot dry summers while the interior has cold winters and hot, dry summers. The mountain areas have bitter cold winters and extremely dry, hot summers.
The temperature ranges from 107 degrees F. to -33 degrees F.

Wildlife: Ancient wildlife migrated to the south towards warmer climate. The Anatolian leopard is nearly extinct and can be seen in national parks where they are protected. Some may be in the Taurus Mountains or in the Kackar Mountains of The Black Sea region. The Anatolian leopard was once used by the Romans in their gladiator fights.

Domestication of Flora and Fauna:
Agriculture: Latin names for some plants came from areas where the wild plants were found in Turkey. The expansion of farmland increased at the expense of grassland and meadows. This expansion resulted in severe erosion, and dust-bowl conditions. This affected all of Turkey; including the mountain provinces which took the hardest hit and some areas lost all of their topsoil.
The clearing of trees, for the purpose of increasing cultivated farm ground has caused erosion and mud slides.
Livestock: In southwest Asia, around 7000 B.C., horses, sheep, cattle, and camels were already domesticated. The Anatolia mountains foothills are where Turkey’s sheep and goats were first raised. Over-grazing of available grasslands, mountain meadows, wasteland s and forests resulted in damaging the soil and less productive animals. The goat numbers have declined because of grazing restrictions in forests and the government policies encouraging herd reduction.

Resources: http://en.wikipedi.org./wiki/Ankara
www.answers.com/topic/ankara

Bonny State Lake By: Brianna Elliott & Skyler Weisshaar

Bonny State Lake in Colorado is located in Eastern Colorado in Yuma, County. Bonny State Lake is located just inside the Kansas/Colorado Border. The Lake is approximately 900 Square-acres today and is a manmade lake. When first constructed the lake totaled 1,900 Square acres but due Kansas and Nebraska the water level has gone done badly, due to a dispute over whose water was whose.

Bonny Lake is located “in the South Fork of the Republican River Valley of the western Great Plains, and fed by the S. Republican River and Landsman and Armknecht creeks. The park occupies a gently rolling plain recently mantled with thin, silty loess and thick eolian sand deposits. Pleistocene loess deposits, known as the Sanborn Formation, cap underlying Ogallala Formation silt, sand, gravel, caliche and clay beds. In some areas of the park, the Sandborn Formation is buried under dune sands, which form a series of low hills and terraces as much as 200 feet high.”
Bonny State Lake is known as the “Oasis on the Plains” because of its numerous amounts of wildlife, plants, and fish.
“Bonny Lake State Park is an excellent place to see all types of wildlife, from white-tailed deer and turkeys near the Foster Grove (east) end of the lake, to blue herons, white pelicans and osprey on the North shoreline of the Lake Mule and white-tailed deer are common, as well as cottontail rabbit, jackrabbit, coyote, beaver, muskrat, raccoon, weasel, opossum, and thirteen line ground squirrel.
More than 300 species of migratory and resident birds are known to inhabit this area, including the plains species of lark bunting, horned and meadow lark, several raptors, waterfowl and shorebirds attracted to the reservoir. The park is one of the best places in Colorado to observe eastern woodland songbirds such as the cardinal and eastern bluejay. The rare bald eagle, white pelican, burrowing owls and prairie falcon may also be observed here.
Many anglers are attracted by the warm-water fishing opportunities, which include walleye, largemouth and white bass, channel catfish, northern pike, drum, bluegill, black bullhead, carp and gizzard shad stocked as forage fish.
Ecologically, park uplands are dominated by loess and sandhills prairie communities. Loess prairies are rare in Colorado and those in the park have been designated Bonny Prairie Natural Area. Dominant species of the loess prairie community include little bluestem, sideoats and blue gamma, purple threeawn, switchgrass, western whatgrass, needle-and-thread grass and buffalograss. The rare prairie moonwart, a small fern, grows in the loess prairie. Sandy soils of low dunes support sand bluestem, needle-and-thread grass, sand dropseed, sandhills muhly, western whatgrass, sand-bur and purple threeawn. Some dune areas are becoming invaded by sand sagebrush, Spanish bayonet and prickly-pear cactus. Diverse wetland, riparian and aquatic plant communities have become established along the South Fork of the Republican River, Landsman Creek, around the reservoir and below the dam.”

http://parks.state.co.us/Parks/BonnyLake/Pages/BonnyLakeHome.aspx

The Ural Mountains
By: Lindsay Hoff

Bioregion- An area that constitutes a natural ecological community with characteristic flora, fauna, and environmental conditions and bounded by natural rather than artificial borders.

The Ural Mountains run north and south and are considered a boundary between Europe and Asia. The word “Ural” is Turkic, and means “stone belt”. This is why the mountains are sometimes also referred to as “The Great Stone Belt”. The Ural Mountains are divided into 5 regions, including the South, Middle, North, Subarctic, and Arctic. The Southern Urals are often visited by tourists, and is an agricultural area where wheat and potatoes are harvested. They are moderately high. The Middle Urals are relatively low and several routes from Russia to Siberia are found here. The Northern Urals are scarcely populated and are rarely traveled to and from. The Subarctic and Arctic areas almost have no population.
These mountains extend 1,552 miles from Kazakhstan to the Arctic Ocean coast. The highest peak is Mount Narodnaya at 6,217 ft. A great amount wealth has been found in the Urals, thanks to exposure due to erosion. These mountains possess large deposits of coal, nickel, gold, oil, and platinum. The Central and Southern Urals are one of the largest industrial regions of Russia and developed rapidly during World War II.
Most people live West of the Ural Mountains. The indigenous people of the Ural Mountains include the Bashkir, Komi, Nenets, and a few others. Their traditional way of life is to raise reindeer, hunt, and fish, as well as breed horses. The indigenous people now only account for about one-fifth of the total population of people living in the Urals. The majority of those living there today are Russians.
The Urals are considered the backbone of Russian wilderness, with a diverse plant and animal population. Steppe soil, grasslands, boreal forests, and moss are all found in the mountains. As for animals, the snowy owl, arctic fox, wild ducks and geese, the brown bear, and elk all roam the Urals. The climate range is extreme in these mountains. Arctic conditions are in the North, and hot, windy temperatures in the summer in the South.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ural_mountains
http://www.rusnet.nl/encyclo/u/urals_people.shtml
http://www.peakbagger.com/map/premade/r37.gif
http://media-2.web.britannica.com/eb-media/73/373-004-99BC97B9.gif

Jenna Mackley: Pikes Peak

Pikes Peak

Pikes Peak is the most visited mountain in North America and the second most visited mountain in the world behind Japan's Mount Fuji. Pikes Peak forms a beautiful sight for Colorado Springs and the Garden of the Gods. It has an altitude of 14,110 feet above sea level, Pikes Peak is the 31st highest peak out of 54 Colorado peaks. It is the farthest east of the big peaks in the Rocky Mountain chain, which contributed to its early fame among explorers, pioneers and immigrants and made it the symbol of the 1859 Gold Rush to Colorado with the slogan, "Pikes Peak or Bust". The 8.9 mile Cog Railway started operating year round in 2007 if the weather cooperates.

Animals

-Yellow - Bellied Marmot (whistle pig)
The “whistle pig” is a close relative of the woodchuck of the East and Midwest and the largest of the ground squirrel family. They are brown in color with white areas on the chin and a yellowish belly (where they get their name from). Adults can weigh up to 11 pounds and can be 26 inches in length. When in hibernation the marmot will loose half of its summer weight. If a marmot loses too much weight or burrows too shallow to prevent freezing they will not arouse in the spring. Mating season starts as soon as there is green forage available. Gestation takes 30 days and females have anywhere from three to eight babies (normally) and are weaned in 20 to 30 days. Marmots prefer to eat flowering stalks and assorted grasses. They live in colonies with a single male and several females. Marmots are protected by their rocky habitat and do not have many predators, more die from the stress of hibernation than anything else.

-Bighorn Sheep
The Bighorn Sheep is the state animal. Colorado is the home to the largest population of the species than anywhere else. They are 5 to 6 feet long with a tail 3 to 6 inches long. Males weigh from 150 to 250 pounds and females weight from 123 to 200 pounds. Males are 3 feet high at the shoulders and females slightly less. The sheep are grayish brown in color with a white rump patch. Their big, coiled horns make up 10% of their body weight. Big Horn Sheep are grazers and eat over 100 different types of plants, feeding in meadows, open woodland and alpine tundra. Pikes Peak has a herd of about 250 to 300 sheep that stay near timberline year round. The mating season takes place in the late fall, with the males butting their horns to assert their dominance in order to get their chance of breeding. Females breed after they are 3 years old; gestations period is 6 months; a single baby is born in May or June.

-Black Bear
The Black Bear is Colorado’s largest carnivores. They grow from 4 to 6 feet long and weigh from 200 to 450 pounds. They are black or brown in color. Black Bears are omnivores, eating almost anything the can - fruit, nuts, honey (including the bees and waxy comb), young deer and elk, birds, eggs, and insects. Mating occurs in the summer; 2 or 3 cubs about the size of 3 fists are born during hibernation. The cubs will emerge from the den five weeks later after their weight has doubled four to five times, weighing in at 6 to 9 pounds. The young play among themselves and don’t reach full size until about five years of age. Females breed every other year. They can live in the wild for more than 20 years.

History

Pikes Peak is not a volcano (I guess some people think it is). The mountain is made of granite rock that was once hot molten rock located as deep as 20 miles beneath the earth’s surface. The molten rock hardened and cooled below the earth’s surface as much as one billion years ago. Forces with the earth’s crust pushed the rocks upward through a process called uplifting which created a dome-shaped mountain covered with a thick layer of soil and softer rock. Erosion and weathering loosened the softer layers and carried them away. After hundreds of thousand of years of erosion and weathering, a tall granite mountain lay exposed. Any seeing this ancient mountain would not have recognized it as the mountain we know today as Pikes Peak. It took the movement of huge glaciers that once existed on the peak to sculpt the mountain. The glaciers lasted about one million years and gouged out the rock and left deep basins that are the pits and peaks that are known today.

Resources

http://www.crh.noaa.gov/pub/ltg/ildc_fig1_topomap.jpg

http://www.springsgov.com/SectionIndex.aspx?SectionID=18

Fabian Guerrero

Rocky Mountains

The Rocky Mountain maple is a shrub or small tree.
Quaking Aspen
The quaking aspen's leaves tremble in the slightest breeze. The soft smooth bark is sometimes marked by bear claws
Red Osier Dogwood
This plant is also called the red-twig dogwood. It is a large, spreading, thicket-forming shrub. The branch tips of this tree will root upon touching the ground and form new shoots.
Colorado Blue Columbine
This produces beautiful blue and white flowers with petals shaped like sugar scoops. It blooms from June to August and grows best in aspen groves in the mountains.

Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Utah,Colorado, New Mexico
The Rockies were formed about 70 million years ago
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocky_Mountains
http://www.nwf.org/Get-Outside/Outdoor-Activities/Garden-for-Wildlife/Gardening-Tips/Using-

Katelyn Schiltz
The Great Dividing Range of Australia

The Great Dividing Range is located in eastern Australia and is the fourth longest mountain range in the world. It stretches from northeastern Queensland to the New South Wales border, which is more than 2,175 miles, and consists of mountain ranges, plateaus, upland areas, and escarpments.

Originally, the Great Dividing Range was home to the Australian Aboriginal tribe, made evident by decorated caves, campsites, and trails. Much of the area of the Great Dividing Range consists of national parks and reserves.

Many animals roam the Great Dividing Range. A few are: dingo, koalas, kangaroos, cookaburas, cockitoos, wombats, wallabies, and many more.
Koalas are interesting creatures, similar to a sloth. They are marsupials which live almost entirely on eucalypt leaves. Male koalas generally reach 12 to 14 pounds, and females rarely exceed 11 pounds.

Resources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Dividing_Range
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koala

Lake Scott State Park
-Jordon Hockersmith

History:
A naturally fed lake by spring water hidden deep in the prairie by Scott City, surrounded by bluffs and canyons, was a perfect place for a tribe to come about. The Pueblo Indians made this are their home for many years, as well as Taos and Picuris Indians. The springs are around 58 degrees making them somewhat bearable to swim and bathe in. Once the Indians time had come and passed the white settlers came into the area. The last Indian battle in Kansas happened at the beaver creek and soon settlers began to make their way to the area. The first to settle the area was the Steele family, who later helped to create what the park is today. The State park is 1020 acres full of all kinds of different areas to see, with a 100 acre spring fed lake.

Animals:
There are many different types of animals in this area. A few of these animals include: Wild turkey, bobcat, beaver, white tail deer, mule deer, thirteen-lined ground squirrels, black-billed magpies, turkey vultures, and much more. The fish in this area that is unique is the trout in the springs. Not many lakes have a numerous amount of trout in Kansas so it’s quite fun to catch some so close to home. There is more then just trout in this lake, a few more examples of fish would be: pan fish, white perch, sucker and bluegill. All in all the most unique of animals / bugs is the riffle beetle. The optioservus riffle beetle has only been reported to live in a specific spring at this lake, it lives no were else throughout the world. This bug is very different from most, it remains a larva with gills for 2-3 years, it soon after develops wings and fly’s a short distance. Once the bug fly’s its short distance, it forever loses flying abilities.

Vegetation & Landscape:
Upon entering Scott Lake, you will see many bluffs with a lake hidden away in a valley. It is quite rocky with cliffs and hills surrounding the lake. The area is filled with lush vegetation from small plants to huge cottonwood trees. A few other varieties of trees you may see are: ash, cedar, elm, walnut, and willow trees. On the outskirts of the lake you will see a prairie landscape with tall grass and brush covering for hundreds of acres. Closer to the banks of the lake you will see shorter green grasses and bushes hidden away within trees. You may even come across some ancient ruins of Indians or original settlers if you are lucky.

Resources:
http://www.kdwp.state.ks.us/news/State-Parks/Locations/Scott
http://www.naturalkansas.org/lake.htm
http://skyways.lib.ks.us/genweb/scott/

Bryan Dillinger
Beaver Creek Bioregion of the Smoky Hill Upper Republican Watershed

Map of Beaver Creek area/bioregional=flora and fauna, natural
biological diversity
Plants animals, terrain,
three paragraphs of desciption where it is, what is there

two web sites at least

http://www.lasr.net/travel/city.php?City_ID=KS0408001&VA=Y&Attraction_ID=KS0408001a014

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=39.814338,-101.038513&spn=0.184072,0.308647&t=h&z=12

Boone Moser and Brent Luedke Cedar Bluff State Park
Cedar Bluff Reservoir located in the Great Plains is full of wildlife. There are ducks, geese, shorebirds, hawks, turkey voulters, both mule deer and whitetail deer. You will also find eastern cottontail rabbits, blacktailed jackrabbits and coyotes. These are just a few animals located at Cedar Bluff Reservoir. There are also many different species of fish all year around. (http://www.naturalkansas.org/cedar.htm

There are very tall limestone bluffs that make the scenery and view very beautiful. There is 6,000 acre lake, almost 9,000 acres of wildlife area and 1000 acres of park area. There are many different plants located at "The Bluffs" to make the scenery beautiful. (http://www.lasr.net/travel/lake.php?Lake_ID=KS08lk005

There are many different types of plants at Cedar Bluffs State Park there are cottonwood trees, willow trees, and non-native tree the salt cedar. The salt cedar was introduced to this area by humans and the seeds were rapidly spread by birds and other wildlife. It is ironic that this invasive species of tree could become so populated that the state park was named after it. There are many other plants there as well to name a few there is the Indian carpet flower, yucca plants, buffalo grass, poison ivy, pear cactus, and cane breaks.

Meghan Clothier
Wild Russia

Tundra Map

The tundra is a cold and dry climate. The summer only lasts six to ten weeks. The highest temperature is 45 or 50° F. The warm weather causes the ice to thaw out into permafrost, thus, creating bogs and shallow lakes that don't drain. The wind blows constantly. Winter temperatures don't reach above 20° F and average -20° to -30°F. Precipitation totals 6-10 inches of rain a year. The tundra climate spans from most of Greenland to parts of Alaska, northern Canada, and northern Russia.

The plants that grow in the tundra are small compact. They hover close to the ground for refuge from the elements. Arctic moss is an aquatic plant that grows on the bottom of lake beds. The bearberry plant is a low growing evergreen plant that stays out of the wind. Its fine silky hairs and leathery leaves keep it warm in the cold. The Diamond-leaf willow looks like a bumpy, fuzzy carpet covering the ground. It only grows a few inches tall due to the wind exposure.

There are few animals in the tundra due to the extremes of the climate. The Arctic fox has a round body covered with a thick coat of fur and a short muzzle and legs. He has high amounts of body fat and increased circulation in paws that help maintain core temperature. He also has fur on his paws that allow him to walk across ice easily. He has very keen hearing that better enables him to hunt, and his fur changes color with the seasons; going from white in the winter, to brown in the summer. White hare: has a coat that is various shades of brown. That changes into white for the winter. The hares graze on twigs, bark, and grass if available. Lemming: a small rodent that has long, soft fur, and a very short tail. The lemming feeds on leaves, shoots, grass, sedges, roots, and bulbs.

Links
http://www.marietta.edu/~biol/biomes/tundra.htm
http://www.radford.edu/~swoodwar/CLASSES/GEOG235/biomes/tundra/tundra.html

Scarla Nero
Trinidad and Tobago

Maps of geography and landmarks.

For descriptions of flora and fauna go to the two links:
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/wildworld/profiles/terrestrial/nt/nt0171.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropical_and_subtropical_dry_broadleaf_forests

Sean McCurdy
Coca Habitat

map

Animals in coca habitat effected by cultivation.

links
http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~content=a913841654

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/wideangle/episodes/an-honest-citizen/map-colombia-cocaine-and-cash/colombia/536/

Alan Crawford
Komodo Islands

These islands are located in the lesser Sunda, halfway along the Indonesia archipelago, east of Bali and west of Timor. Human populations are small on these three islands. The island of Komodo contains about 1,700 dragons, Rinca has 1,300, and the tiny island of Gili Motang possesses around 100 dragons. Komodo National Park consists of these three islands and various other islets. Around 2000 more Komodos live on the island of Flores located to the east (Ciofi, 1999). These unique animals are only found on the island of Komodo and three nearby islands in Indonesia. These islands are located in the lesser Sunda, halfway along the Indonesia archipelago, east of Bali and west of Timor. Human populations are small on these three islands. The island of Komodo contains about 1,700 dragons, Rinca has 1,300, and the tiny island of Gili Motang possesses around 100 dragons. Komodo National Park consists of these three islands and various other islets. Around 2000 more Komodos live on the island of Flores located to the east (Ciofi, 1999).

In Indonesia there is a type of lizard that can reach sizes that you may have thought only existed in fairy tales. These unique reptiles have been able to develop in an area where there is little for large animals to live on. They were there long before humans but like many organisms around the world they are subject to the growing human populations. These monitor lizards are known as Komodo dragons.
The Komodo dragon, also known as Varanus komodoensis, may reach lengths of up to three meters and may weigh as much as 500 pounds. They have claws that may be as long as ten centimeters, teeth that operate like little scalpels and saliva that contains a deadly bacteria, staphylococcus (Cherrington, 1997). These monitors are known to be strong swimmers and may dive down to depths of 15 feet. Most importantly they possess great intelligence, displayed best when they hunt or search out their next meal. There meals mainly consists of deer or wild boar.

Prickly pear cactus represent about a dozen species of the Opuntia genus (Family Cactaceae). All have flat, fleshy pads that look like large leaves. The pads are actually modified branches or stems that serve several functions — water storage, photosynthesis and flower production. Chollas are also members of the Opuntia genus but have cylindrical, jointed stems rather than flat pads.

http://www.sfsu.edu/~geog/bholzman/courses/316projects/komodo.htm

http://www.desertusa.com/magoct97/oct_pa/du_prkpear.html

Riley Sholtz
Southeastern Indochina Dry Evergreen Forests

The Southeastern Indochina Dry Evergreen Forests is an amazing place, located in Southeastern Asia around Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand, where you can go and find some of the worlds most amazing fauna. Amongst all these amazing creatures is the massize Asian Elephant, the world's largest herbavore. These forests also have the world's largest carnivore, the tiger, prowling its lands. Another amazing animal is the endangered Javan rhinoceros. Other animals that live in this amazing area include such animals as deer, leopards, sun bears, the banteng, gaur, and many species and different types of birds and insects. In fact there are like 455 known bird species in this area.

These amazing Evergreen Forests not only have some pritty amazing animals but it also contains many amazing plants. Of course in these forests you will find Evergreen trees, but alot of the trees in these forests are a canopy tree species.These canopy trees usually reach around 30 to 40 meters high, and nearly forms a dome over the forest ground. In these forests Bamboo is common to find along with some Palm trees. The Palm trees are mostly found along the water fronts.

This area is threatened by agriculture, but its biggest threat comes from logging. Although these two occupations do hurt the forests there is alot of ground that is protected and cannot be touched by such occupations. In fact there are thirty one protected areas in these forests. Combining all of these areas it calculates to be 22,230 km squared that is protected. This is a very important fact because this helps to protect and preserve the amazing plants and animals of this land.

http://ecoswiss.org/images/MAP%20Mergui%20small.jpg
http://www.worldwildlife.org/wildworld/profiles/terrestrial/im/im0210_full.html

Chris Harris

Huntington Beach, CA

Plants and Wildlife

Huntington Beach, CA is the place when it comes to wildlife and nature. No there aren’t meadowlarks, sunflowers and prairie dogs but there are some very interesting plants and animals. For example redwood trees which are a coastal region tree; the average height is usually in the range of 165–280 feet. Also of course the palm trees which there many different varieties are found. The King, Queen, and Sago palms to name a few. They are very cool looking and often you can buy them and plant them.

There are not very many “wild animals” along the beach unless you count drunken college kids during spring break. Pelicans, falcons and hawks frequently roam the beach and other California wetland regions. Grizzly bear and other “wild animals” tend to reside in the forests or remote locations. Development has affected some animals way of life and they are forced to adapt. If they are unable they are usually taken to sanctuaries and zoo out of the wild.

Also along the beach are the piers which are a very busy area. The are surf shops, restaurants and many other interesting attractions. Many teens also hangout with their friends and family. You can also see many of the aforementioned birds and plant life that I previously described.

Websites to check out:

[http://brookerpalmtrees.com/palms.php]

[http://www.beachcalifornia.com/wetlands-california-birds-photos.html]

Live feed of the beach:

[http://www.ci.huntington-beach.ca.us/visitors/beach_info/livebeachcondition.cfm]

Robert Borneman & Eli Wise

Plants:
Due to its levels of plentiful precipitation, Indiana enjoys a wide variety of assorted plants, ranging from many trees, such as:
White Pine, Tulip Poplar, Oak, and Walnut. There are also many other types of plants, such as shrubs, such as Dogwood, Ninebark, and Spicebush. Vines are also common. Usual varieties include: Virginia Creeper, Trumpet Creeper, and Wooly Dutchman's Pipe.

Wildlife:
Due to the lush habitat, many animals exist in Indiana. Examples include: White tail deer, Southern Flying squirrel, red fox, river otters, coyotes, bobcats, badgers, and chipmunks. Due to increasing agricultural growth, dangerous animals such as badgers are decreasing in population. There are many protected animals in Indiana, examples include: wood rats, swamp rabbits, and evening bats.

http://www.indianawildlife.org

http://www.naturalheritageofindiana.org/learn/map_physiography.jpg

Jeremy Chase
Iguanas of the Galapagos Islands

The Iguanas of the Galapagos Islands
The Galapagos Islands are located by the equator. It is west of Ecuador, scattered above and below the equator. There are 15 main islands, 3 smaller islands, 107 rocks and islets that make up the group. It is on top of a mantle plum, and has a lot of volcanic activity. The unique characteristic that the islands have is that many plants and animals are very similar but differ evolutionary. Although there are many islands to observe, I will only observe two of the main ones. I will specifically examine certain iguanas on the differing islands.
The Baltra Island (South Seymour Island) is very flat and dry. The animals and plants that populate the island are similar to that of traditional desert bioregions. There are palo trees, saltbrushes, and prickly pear cacti. The Iguanas that are native to the island are very interesting. The Land Galapagos Iguana is a basic reptile. Although they can differ in color, most of them have a yellowish tint to them. They are mostly herbivore; but have been known to be omnivores on occasion. The iguana’s diet is mainly cacti, but it no plants are around they have been known to eat insects. The land iguanas sometimes have a problem with ticks and parasites. This is solved by some of the birds that live on the island. They eat the ticks and parasites off of the iguana. During WWII, some of the native iguanas were moved north to another island. While the military inhabited the island, the iguanas died off on the island. In the 1990’s, the iguanas were reintroduced into their native island and are slowly growing in population.
The next island is the Espanola Island. It is the oldest is island out of them all at 3.5 million years old. This island is the most southern and is very isolated from the rest of the environment. Therefore; the wildlife is exclusive and have strictly adapted to their environment. This island is home to the Marine Iguana. This iguana is unique because it feeds in the ocean; almost no other iguana does that. They mainly feed on algae. Due to being coldblooded; they can only feed for short periods at a time. Another unique characteristic of the Galapagos Marine Iguana is the ability to change color during mating season. They are mostly black; this is to help warm up faster when they get out of the water. During mating season, there color changes to a dark red and green. Also, during this mating period, the males become much more aggressive than normal. During periods of famine, the iguanas can shrink to make up for the lack of food.
These two iguanas are very different, but due to environmental issues, the two have become similar. The male marine iguanas have been known to breed with the female land iguanas. This interbreeding actually created an iguana that can both eat cacti and algae from the sea. Could this new iguana breed out the two older divisions? Only time will tell.
[[<imagesize="small"]]
Sources for pictures
Land Iguana- http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisirmo/307201152/
Marine Iguana- http://www.hickerphoto.com/galapagos-marine-iguanas-490-pictures.htm
Galapagos Islands- http://www.promaptraveler.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/galapagos_islands_map.jpg

Matt Stevens and Steff deDroog
St. Vrain River

St. Vrain Creek, also known as the St. Vrain River by locals is 40 miles long and contributes to the South Platte. The river drains from the foothills of the Rockies through the towns of boulder and Longmont. The river forms from the south and north St. Vrain Creeks. They converge in Lyons, a small foothill town that I enjoy visiting. The river runs through farmlands and prairies. It finally meets the South Platte near Platteville Colorado.

Some local vegetation of this region includes ponderosa, juniper, and white oak and cottonwood trees. The area also has many weeds like the dandelion and the thistle. Some common wild flowers include the cattail the black eye Susan and the bergamot, oregano de la sierra. To most natives of the area, the area is widely used for recreation and leisure activates.

The river is very interesting. It has a short life but goes through many busy cities. Longmont a good sized foothill town has embraced the river in many ways. St. Vrain is a commonly used name in the area. The school district is the St. Vrian School District and in town you won’t go far without seeing a St. Vrain Something. In the end the Vrain has a short life but a large impact.
Links
http://warnercnr.colostate.edu/geo/front_range/index.php
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Vrain_Creek

CCC 2009 students looking forward to international travel/events:

The 2016 World Olympic Games will be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The translation of the video in Portuguese is next.

Active Volcanoes in the United States
-C. McLean
There are about 1500 potentially active volcanoes worldwide, aside from the belt of volcanoes on the ocean floor. The United States contains 169 active volcanoes. Out of the 169, 54 volcanoes are a very high threat to public safety. According to United States Geological Survey, volcanic activity has killed more than 29,000 people worldwide since 1980. Many are not killed by lava itself, whether the debris flows, lahars, tephra (ash and coarser debris), and pyroclastic surges. For example, the hot acid water
produced by a stratovolcanoe breaks down rocks into soft, clay-rich material. They are especially dangerous, because they can occur without any volcanic or seismic warning. These bursts travel faster than a speeding vehicle.

As the population increases, so does the development of the surrounding land and aviation routes. The National Volcano Early Warning System (NVEWS) monitors volcanic activity with the cooperation of universities and stage agencies. Volcanologists conduct field observations by analyzing the ground cracking and new areas of avalanching rocks. They track seismic activity, ground deformation, volcanic gases, and changes in water levels and chemistry. Preparations in the event of a volcano eruption are continuously being made to prevent the loss of a life and property.

The designated 18 highest threat volcanoes in the United States: MAP
1. Akutan Volcano: A stratovolcano in AK - Last eruption in 1992. - 54°8′4″N 165°59′10″W
2. Augustine Volcano: A lava dome in AK - Current activity/unrest. - 59°21′48″N 153°26′0″W
3. Makushin Volcano: A stratovolcano in AK - Last eruption in 1995. - 53°53′27″N 165°55′22″W
4. Redoubt Volcano: A stratovolcano in AK - Last eruption in 1990. - 60°29′7″N 152°44′31″W
5. Spurr Volcano: A stratovolcano in AK - Last eruption in 1992. - 61°17′58″N 152°15′4″W
6. Lassen Peak: A stratovolcano in CA - Last eruption in 1917. - 40°29′17″N 121°30′18″W
7. Long Valley: A caldera in CA - Last eruption during the Pleistocene. - 37.6°N 118.8°W
8. Mount Shasta: A stratovolcano in CA - Last eruption in 1786. - 41.409°N 122.193°W
9. Kilauea Volcano: A shield volcano in HI - Current activity/unrest. - 19.452°N 155.292°W
10. Mauna Loa Volcano: A shield volcano in HI- Last eruption in 1984. - 19.5°N 155.6°W
11. Crater Lake: A caldera in OR - Last eruption about 2290 BC +/- 300 years. - 42°56′N 122°07′W
12. Mount Hood: A stratovolcano in OR - Last eruption in 1866. - 45°22′24.65″N 121°41′45.31″W
13. Newberry Volcano: A shield volcano in OR - Last eruption about 620 AD. - 43°42′N 121°30′W
14. South Sister: A stratovolcano in OR - Last eruption about 50 BC (?). - 44°06′N 121°46′W
15. Mount Baker: A stratovolcano in WA - Last eruption in 1880. - 48°46′38″N 121°48′48″W
16. Glacier Peak: A stratovolcano in WA - Last eruption about 1700. - 48°06′45″N 121°06′50″W
17. Mount Rainier: A stratovolcano in WA - Last eruption in 1825. - 46°51′11″N 121°45′35″W
18. Mount St. Helens: A stratovolcano in WA - Current activity/unrest. - 46°11′28″N 122°11′39″W

The Indus River
By: Tasha Wagoner

The Indus River is the longest river in Pakistan. It is approximately 1,976 miles long and starts in Tibet and travels through India and Pakistan and finally ends in the Arabian Sea. It gets its water from the glaciers and snow from the Himalayas. This all depends on the weather though. The water level is usually lower in the winter and overflowing in the summer and early fall. Not only is the Indus River the longest, it is also the most important for Pakistan. It is important for Punjab and Sindh too, for agriculture and food creations such as farm fishing.

Animals: Many fishes live in the Indus River, such as the Palla fish, but no fish is more popular than the blind Indus River Dolphin. The reason they are blind is because the dolphins have no crystalline eye lens. So they use light for sense of direction. There is around 965 dolphins or more in the river. The Indus River Dolphin is the only cetacean to live in the river and one of the worlds’ most endangered mammals. The dolphins aren’t usually hunted but they have been caught and used for meat, oil, and medicines.

Agriculture: Around the Indus River, farmers grow wheat, barley, sesame, mustard, dates, field peas, cotton and rice. Since being close to the river, farmers have to be alert of floods. If the Indus River overflows then the farmer’s crops can be destroyed and they could be left with no fertile soil. So the farmers use ways of irrigation to control the river’s water. They built dirt walls and channels to keep the waters from sweeping away their crops.

Sources: http://geography.howstuffworks.com/asia/the-indus-river.htm
http://www.mahalo.com/indus-river
http://www.wildlifeofpakistan.com/RiverDolphin.html
http://www.freewebs.com/indus_and_haung_rv/indusrivervalleyeconomy.htm

Shikoku Island of Japan
Sally Jones

Shiloku is the smallest island of the four major islands comprising the country of Japan. Over half of Shikoku is mountainous. A mountain range runs east to west essentially dividing the island in two. This range is the result of volcanic activity, leaving the island with fertile soil. Because of this, much of Shikoku is covered with beautiful primary and secondary forests. Yoshino River is the main waterway on this Island. This swift flowing river has its source near Mount Ishizuchi, the highest mountain on the island, running eastwardly until it reaches the Kii Channel where it then empties into the Pacific Ocean. There is little flat land on this Island, so most cultivation must take place on the hillsides.

One Japanese fish common to the rivers of Shikoku is the sweetfish or also known as the ayu. It is unique to the paleoarctic ecozone, which covers approximately the top third of the Eastern Hemisphere. This fish has a sweet flavor to its flesh and possesses a melon or cucumber aroma, making it a coveted food fish. Sweetfish%2C_Plecoglossus_altivelis.jpg This fish is an omnivore which eats insects, algae, sponges, crustaceans, and worms. The ayu is mostly consumed in East Asia.

The camellietea japonicae, more commonly refered to as the Camellia japonica grows in the south east limestone area of Shikoku. In nature, this plant 20-30 feet tall (6-9 meters). The leaves range approximately in length from 7.5 – 12 cm and in width from 3 – 7 cm. They are elliptical in shape with a dark green top and a slightly lighter green on the underneath side. The uncultivated version of the camellietea japonicae had only 5-6 petals and is generally found in red.

One unique animal originating in Japan is the Shiba Inu dog. DNA testing has been performed on this breed revealing that it is one of the oldest dog breeds that can be traced as far back as the 3rd Century BC. The Shiba was originally bred to track and flush small game out of the underbrush. This is a sturdy, compact dog with strong yet smooth muscling. It has a double coat with the outer coat being stiff and the undercoat being soft, thick, and downy in texture. The tail curls up over the back and the tail hairs are brushlike. They come in three color combinations: red, tan and black, or red with black tipped hair (sesame). They generally have a gray or beige undercoat. Something that makes them unique is their characteristic Shiba “scream” which is high pitched and voiced when they are unhappy or agitated.

www.env.go.jp/en/nature/npr/wetland/archi.html

[http://www.example.com http://geography.about.com
/gi/o.htmzi=1/XJ/Ya&zTi=1&sdn=geography&cdn
=education&tm=317&gps=185_463_1021_497&f=
10&tt=14&bt=1&bts=1&st=24&zu=http%3A//lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/jptoc.html]

http://www.springerlink.com/content/w48128641661v264/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Japan

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayu

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shikoku

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camellia_japonica

Cascadia Bioregion: (Ashley Heier)

Location: Cascadia bioregion is located from the Alskan Panhandle to the northern part of California.
Land ranges: The Cascades are part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, the ring of volcanoes and associated mountains around the Pacific ocean. Mount St. Helens reserve in this area of the Ring of Fire.
Rivers: Columbia, Willamette and Frazer.
Plants: Plants grow so quickly in the moist climate that some trails have to be cleared each year. Loddgepole Pine, Ponderosa Pine, White Fir, California Red Fir, Giant Sequoia, California Black Oak, Quaking Aspen, Manzanitas, Ceanothuses, Snow Plant, Lupines, Giant Red Paintbrush, Leopard Lily, Western Red Cedar, Pacific Silver fir, Western Hemlock, Mountain Hemlock.
Silver Fur:

Grizzly bears, spotted owls, northern goshawks, Deer Mouse, Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel, Marten, Black Bear, Mule Deer, Pygmy Owl, White-throated Swift, Acorn Woodpecker, Olive-sided Flycatcher, Steller's Jay, Clark's Nutcracker, Mountain Chickadee, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Western Tanager, Fox Sparrow, Mountain Goat.

Pygmy Owl:

http://cascadia-bioregion.tripod.com/

http://www.gonorthwest.com/visitor/about/bioregion-map.htm

Madagascar-

By: Kurtis Baker, Pat Pallotto, Griffin Campbell, Mitchell Bean, Ryan Beecroft, Josh Jurado, & Cassie Smatana
cas3

Welcome to one on the most amazing and adventurous places on earth. Madagascar is the forth largest island in the world, located off the coast of southeastern Africa in the Indian Ocean. Its size is about 227,800 sq miles, making it smaller than the US state of Texas, but bigger than California. Madagascar generally has a tropical climate with the annual rainfall of the Menabe region which is around 1000 mm. The climate is hot with maximum daily temperatures between 30-33°C and minimum daily temperatures between 18-21°C.. Madagascar’s natural resources are gold, phosphates, kaolin, salt, limestone, and uranium. It is a mountainous island with some high plateaus and it is ringed by a narrow coastal plain.

Madagascar has rainforests that are home to many unusual animals. The animals consist of many varieties of birds, mammals, reptiles, arthropods and, amphibians. Such as; lemurs, aye-ayes, comet moth, giraffe beetle, humpback whales, sperm whales, dolphins, tropical fish, Nile Crocodile, tortoises, geckos, chameleons, snakes, giant jumping rat, Tenrecs, flying fox bats, fosa, fanaloka, tenrec, ploughshare tortoises, Madagascar hissing cockroaches, over 300 species of frogs, and over 250 species of birds (including bee-eaters and couas). Some of the islands extinct animals are the dwarf hippopotamus and elephant birds. The plant life includes huge palms, 8 species of baobab trees, and many orchids. The National Tree of Madagascar is the Baobob tree.

On the east coast, rivers are short and run swifty because the slope of the land is steep. Major west coast rivers include the Mananara and Mangoro rivers (which flow from the central highlands to the east coast into the Indian Ocean) and the Maningory River (which flows from the Lake Alaotra to the east coast and the ocean). On the west coast, the rivers are longer and run more slowly because the slope of the land is less steep. Major west coast rivers include the Betsiboka, the Sambirano, the Mahajamba, the Mania, the North and South Mahavavy, the Mangoky, and the Onilahy. In the south, there is the often-dry Mandrare River. The biggest lake in Madagascar is Lake Alaotra; it is approximately 40 km long. The highest point in Madagascar is Maromokotro, which is 2,876 m above sea level. The lowest points in Madagascar are at sea level. Surrounding Madagascar is the Indian Ocean.

All these things make up the bioregion of Madagascar. We hope this information has been beneficial and if one ever wishes to escape to an exotic island, Madagascar is top on the list.

LINKS:
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/africa/madagascar/colormap.GIF&imgrefurl=http://www.enchantedlearning.com/africa/madagascar

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madagascar

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.wildmadagascar.com

African Bioregion-Sahara

Nick, Wes, Tate, Kelsie

Bioregional- ecologically and geologically defined area cover large area of land or water and contains characteristics geographically distinct assemblage of natural communities and species. These boundaries are natural set boundaries rather then human dictates.

Sahara Desert- The Sahara desert is the largest hot desert. It covers most of Northern Africa, it stretches from the Red Sea including parts of the Mediterranean Sea to the outskirts of the Atlantic Ocean. The Sahara desert is a very hot place with temperature can rise 122 degrees Fahrenheit or 50 degrees Celsius and temperatures can fall below freezing in the winter. During the day it can be very not and then in the night it can bring a chill. The Sahara desert is rocky with varied elevation. There are some sand dunes that can reach height of about 180 meters. The desert received only 8 inches or rainfall per year. Some of the animals that live in the are camels and goats are the most domestic animals in the Sahara. There is also scorpions, monitor lizards, and sand vipers. There are also lots of poisonous snakes and different birds such as Barn Owl, Desert Eagle and Nubian Bustards. This is a very hard climate to adjust to but somehow these animals do a good job of surviving in it. The Sahara Desert covers over 3.5 million square miles and has only 2.5 million people who live in it. The people who live in these places are considered to be nomads which mean that they are always on the move in search of better living conditions.

This information courtesy of
http://www.eoearth.org/article/Sahara_desert
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sahara

African Bioregion-Congo River

Trey, Lexi, Ben, Duell

At 2914 miles long the Congo River formerly known as the Zaire, is the 5th longest in the world. Beginning at the junction of the Lualba and Luvus Rivers, in the Atti Mountains and flowing into the Atlantic Ocean. Spliting the Zaire and the Republic of Congo.
It is also 2nd most volumtious in the world, ranging in width from .5 to 10 miles, and discharging about 1,500,000 cubic ft/sec out of its draining basin of 1.5 million surface miles.
The Congo River is populated mainly by the tribal peoples such as The Pygmies of the Ituri Forest/ northern Zaire, The Mbuti who rarely get taller than 5 feet and the Aka in the northern Congo, all of whsih have tribes of about 15-70 people.
Although there are people living in the Congo, it is most populated by it many diverse animals, such as black hippos, manaties, water snakes, various reptiles, crocodiles, tortoises, over 200 species of fish, and the Congo clawless otter, wich is almost extinct, for their water animlas. And for more land based animals you have things such as pigs, elephants, giraffes, gazels, zebras, buffalo, antalope, and over 250 types of birds. Also in the Congo are numerous bugs including, mosquitos and gnats.

This information is courtesy of
http://rainforest.mongabay.com/congo/congo_people.html
http://rainforest.mongabay.com/congo/congo_river.html
http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/articles/geography/congoriver.html
http://web.bryant.edu/~langlois/ecology/lifeonthecongo.htm

Africa Bioregion - Kalahari Desert

Regis, Ulrike

The Kalahari desert is a large arid to semi-arid sandy area in Southern Africa. It’s size is about 900,000 square kilometers and it’s covering much of Botswana and parts of Namibia and South Africa.
The Kalahari desert is part of the huge Kalahari basin that reaches from the Orange River up to Angola, in the west to Namibia and in the east to Zimbabwe. The sand masses were created by the erosion of soft stone formations. The wind shaped the sand ridges, which are so typical of the landscape in the Kalahari. Only in recent geological history, 10 to 20,000 years ago, were the dunes stabilized through vegetation, so the area should actually be called a dry savannah. Unlike the dunes of the Namib Desert, those of the Kalahari are stable and not wandering. The Kalahari basin covers an area of more than 2.5 million km2 of the interior of central southern Africa.
The term Kalahari is a corruption of the word ‘Kgalagadi’, the name of a black tribe who inhabit Botswana. In the Setswana language the word means ‘always dry’, although the meaning of the word has been interpreted in a variety of other ways, such as ‘wilderness’, ‘thirstland’, ‘the land that has dried up’ or ‘salt pans’.

Animals and plants in the Kalahari Desert
The Kalahari Desert supports some animals and plants, because most of it is not true desert.
The animals of the Kalahari Desert don’t today include the complete big five of Africa, except in areas where they have been re-introduced. Although there are plenty of lions; elephants are restricted to the northern parts of the Kalahari Desert in Botswana. The same goes for rhino and African buffaloes. The leopard is quite common in all parts of the Kalahari Desert, including the south Kalahari, although you may not be so lucky to see one, because they are extremely shy and secretive animals.
The "Big five" of the Southern or South Kalahari Desert, are the Gemsbok, the Kalahari Desert lion, the springbok, the eland and the leopard of the Kalahari desert.
The important plants in the Kalahari fit roughly into one of 2 groups. Either plants that are important because they occur mainly in the Kalahari Desert (like the Camel thorn) or plants that occur elsewhere as well, but which are so abundant or typical in the Kalahari that you cannot ignore them (like the Shepherd tree).
The plants in the Kalahari are surprisingly "species poor". No members of the Aloe family, so ubiquituous elsewhere in South Africa, occur in the Kalahari, and very few above ground succulents. The bushmen candle Psilocaulon and the "Ghaap" Hoodia are the rare exceptions to this rule of thumb.
Shifting sand seems to be a major barrier to many species. Plants in the Kalahari tend to have extremely deep roots (up to 40 m deep for the Camel thorn) and a single species seems to have various growth forms that can exploit water at a specific depth. Many plants in the Kalahari, for instance, occur as both a large tree and as a shrub. In most cases this is controlled by shifting sand and by animal and other damage, and not by age.
An alternative to "deep and hidden" survival strategy, is followed by plants such as the "devil thorn" Tribulus that develops extremely rapidly and completes its whole life cycle from germination, to flowering to seed-formation, within as short a period as two weeks.

Climate of the Kalahari Desert
It may come as a surprise to many people to learn that only the most Southern and Western edges of the Kalahari Desert have an annual rainfall of below 200 mm per year. The Kalahari forms part of the temperate savannah or grasslands of Africa and can have an annual rainfall of up to 500 mm in the wet part of the 13 to 15 year weather cycle. In the intervening dry cycle the mean annual rainfall can dip to well below 100 mm.
Rainfall in the Kalahari occurs in localized patches, this is also typical of the drier areas to the west of the Kalahari, such as Namaqualand, the Richtersveld and indeed much of the Karroo.
Although it occurs more frequently that a localized rainstorm will form puddles in the Auob, Nossop, Kuruman or Mollopo Rivers, or that one of them may fill with water for some kilometers before it disappears into the sand it is only in exceptionally wet years, with wide-spread rain that all of these rivers will flow and reach as far south as Abiekwaputs.
It is believed that it is more than a hundred years since the Molopo has last reached the Orange River. The gorge where the Molopo River used to enter the Orange River is clearly visible just below the Augrabies waterfalls and on a map its path can be traced for about 200 km. It then becomes unclear and covered by sand. In the area between Abiquaputs and Swartmodder, one can only guess as to the real direction of the Molopo River.
Temperature wise, the Kalahari is a place of extremes. Although an average summer temperature of above 32 degree Fahrenheit is quoted, and an average winter temperature of 28 degrees Celcius, this does not tell the full story. In the Kalahari Gemsbok park, where the most extensive records exist, a maximum of day temperature of 42 degree Celcius was measured in the shade. Under these conditions, the temperature on open sand can become as high as 70 degree Celcius.
A few centimeters below this, the sand temperature may be 20 to 30 degrees lower. Many small animals and insects make use of this difference in temperature to survive.
The lowest temperature measured has been -11 degrees Celcius. Besides the extremes in temperature (both day and night and between winter and summer) and between wet and dry periods, the shifting sands is the main obstacle that rooted plants have to overcome.

This information is courtesy of
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalahari_Desert
http://abbott-infotech.co.za/index-kalahari.html ]]

Atlas Mountains

Brendan Miller, Holly Kibel, James Hirsch
Location-mountain range across northern stretch of Africa extending 1500 miles through Morocco, Algeria and Tunsia.
Highest peak is Jbel Toubkl (13,671ft.) southwest Morocco Atlas mountain separate the Mediterraneon and Atlantic coastlines from the Sahara Desert.
Physiography- The atlas Mountain system makes the shape of an extended oblong. That has a vast complex of plains and plateaus .
The Northern section is formed by the Tell Atlas where there are rainforests. From east-west there ar several massifs occur.
Er-Rif-half moon shaped arc in Morocco between Ceuta and Melilla, crest line exceeds 5000 ft. above sea level at several pts. Reaching 8,058ft. at Mount Tirdirhine.
East of the gap formed by the Moulaya River is where the Algerian ranges begin. Oversenis Massif(6,512ft), Great Kabylie(7,52ft) at the peak of Lalla Khedidja, and mountains of Kramirrein Tunisia.
Southern section which has desert influences is called Saharan atlas in the centre a polvade formed by shorter ranges (Ksar and Ouled-Nail mountains) grouped into massifis between two ranges- the Moroccan High Atlas in the west and Aures Mountains in the east.
Drainage- Runoffs feed streams that have great erosive capacity and that have cut their way down through the sediment and formed deep narrow gorges.
Soil- Good soil is sparse at higher attitudes. Most often nothing is to be found except bare rock, debris, and fallen materials by landslide two materials predominate-limestone and marls(challay clay) the best soils are the alluvia fand onterraced slopes and valley bottoms
Climate- 2 different arr masses-humid and cold polar air masses that came from the north. Hot and dry tropical air masses from the south.
Rain is more plentiful in the Tell Atlas than in the Saharan atlas.
Highest Rainfall east of Tell Atlas (aynad-Darahim in Kroumirie mountains receive 60 inches a year) With increased altitude the temperature drops rapidly.
At 6,575ft its covered with snow 405 months while Moroccan High Atlas retains snow until summer winters are hard.
Plant and Animal Life- Only about 39,000 sq. miles of land are forested on er-Rif and the Kabylie has moist forests of cork oaks cover an undergrowth of arbutus and heather shovb and carpets of rock roses and lavender are found. When rainfall is less than 30in. there is limestone, green oak and arboritaee cover the soil, forming light dry forests with a thin and bushy undergrowth. Cedar predominate at higher altitudes. On dry summits in the Saharan Atlas Vegetation is reduced to scattered stands of green oak and juniper trees.
Animal life is not high. Only a few jackals, some tribes of monkeys(Barbary apes) at higher elevations and occasional herds of wild boars in the oak woods

Photo -
http://cuba.ija.csic.es/~danielgc/topoatlas/wikipedia_Atlas-Mountains.jpg

Information -
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/41302/Atlas-Mountains
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlas_Mountains

African Bioregion- Madagascar

David, Jessica, Kyle

Madagascar is the worlds fourth largest Island, it’s about the size of the state of Texas. It’s also one of the most diverse regions in the world with over 250,000 different kinds of species with 70% only located on the island. Climates include Arid in the south, Tropical coasts, and Temperate inlands. It has almost 5,000 km of coastline and over 17 million people.
There are five major geographical areas in Madagascar: the east coast, the Tsaratanana Massif, the central highlands, the west coast, and the southwest. The east coast is a narrow strip of lowlands. It has cliffs, bluffs, ravines, shores, bays, and beaches. The Tsaratanana Massif is the northern part of the island, and it characterized by mountains and volcanoes. Central highlands fill the middle. Plains, rolling hills, volcanoes, and marshes fill up this area. The west coast is a lot more indented than the east coast so a lot more harbors are on this side. The southwest has two regions to it: the Mahafaly Plateau and a desert region.
The wildlife and vegetation is what makes Madagascar such a unique and interesting place. Although it’s located very close to Africa it doesn’t have much of the wildlife and plants that Africa is known for. Most of the island used to be comprised of mostly jungles but deforestation for farming has cleared a lot of land but many plants and trees are still unique here.

http://www.wildmadagascar.org/overview/geography.html

+ The Nile River
By Lindsay Frahm and Jake Cox

The Nile River, located in Northeast Africa, is the longest river in the World. It flows Northward through Egypt. This river begins in Burundi and drains into the Mediterranean Sea. The Nile measures 4,132 miles in length.

There are three major rivers that form the Nile. Those are The White Nile, The Blue Nile, and The Atbara. The Nile River Basin occupies nearly 1/10 of Africa. The Nile River is used for the source of transportation, flowing through Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, Zaire, Kenya, Uganda, The Sudan, and Egypt.

It has an estimated drain area of 1,293,000 sq. miles. Because of the fertile soil and water supply, many civilizations started along the Nile. These people were one of the first to utilize the plow.

The Nile flooded Egypt lands, leaving black sediment. In turn the Egyptians called it the River of Ar or Aur, meaning black. The Nile got its real name from the Greek word “Neilos,” meaning River Valley.

Congo Basin

Joe
Melissa

The Congo Basin covers 1.8 million square km in Africa. It is the second largest rain forest in the world, only the Amazon is bigger. It is a tropical climate. Two thirds of the rainforests in the Congo Basin are in excellent condition.

The Congo River runs through the Congo Basin. There are swamp forests, savannas, mountains, and volcanoes. The forests provide food, water, and shelter for wildlife and humans who have co-existed for a long time together. Some animals found are pygmy antelope, dwarf crocodiles, goliath frogs, forest elephants, hippopotamuses, mountain gorillas, western lowland gorillas, bonobo, okapi, and the leatherback turtle.

The Congo region is 300,000 square miles (777,000 square kilometers) in size. The climate is tropical. The population of the Congo basin increases by 1.7 million people each year, which creates a demand for food, fuel, and shelter. The Congo Basin occupies Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, and the Republic of Congo. It looses close to 1.5 million hectares of forest habitation each year, which is roughly twice the size of Belgium. The Democratic Republic of Congo is the largest country in the Congo Basin and contains 12.5 percent of the world’s remaining tropical rainforest. The forests of the Congo Basin contain the greatest number of mammals, primates, birds, amphibians, fish and swallowtail butterflies in Africa. More than a 1,000 species of bird can be found here. The Congo Basin is the only place to shelter all three subspecies of gorilla: the lowland gorilla, the endemic eastern lowland gorilla and the endangered mountain gorilla. 50 per cent of the Congo Basin forest has now been allocated for logging. The Congo River that flows through the forest is the second largest river in the world.

http://www.conservation.org/explore/priority_areas/wilderness/Pages/congobasin.aspx
http://www.worldwildlife.org/what/wherewework/congo/species.html
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://rainforests.mongabay.com/congo/congo_basin_countries2.jpg&imgrefurl=http://rainforests.mongabay.com/congo/conservation.html&usg=___3vbiroRDLx4vcCMJ5Gf5YgLKj4=&h=450&w=394&sz=47&hl=en&start=1&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=LMU8AOaRX6yo-M:&tbnh=127&tbnw=111&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcongo%2Bbasin%2Bmap%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26tbs%3Disch:1

The Great Barrier Reef

Charliey Staab

The Great Barrier Reef is located in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland, in northeast Australia. The Barrier Reef is approximately 344,400 sq. kilometers (133,00 sq mi). The reef that you see today can be seen from outer space and was formed about 18 million years ago, do to climate and environmental changes, and have been growing since the last Ice Age.
Habitat
The Great Barrier Reef is a part of the class Anthozoa which includes corals, anemone, and scupens. The coral reef has about 900 islands and over 3000 individual coral reefs. All of the plants are aquatic plants and thrive in salt water, so most of the plants tend to be sea grass and algae. Of the 60 different types of sea grass known, over 15 are found here, which is a major part of the diet of both there dugong turtle and green turtle. There is also around 500 different types of algae, the most common found is the red, green, brown, and golden algae.
The reef also has a wide variety of animal life, such as around 30 species of whales, 215 species of birds, 6 species of sea turtles, 125 species of sharks and sting rays, 49 species of pipefish, 17 species of sea snakes, and around 1,500 types of fish. The Barrier Reef has some of the largest populations of Dudgongs that visit the reef. Dudongs are classified as marine mammals and are related to elephants.

www.buzzle.com/articles/facts-about-the-great-barrier-reef.html
www.barrierreefaustralia.com/the-great-barrier-reef/coralfacts.htm
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Barrier_Reef
www.factsmonk.com/Great_Barrier_Reef_Plants

The Badlands
Kedra Marcotte

The badlands are located in the southwest part of South Dakota near Rapid City. The Badlands preserve 244,000 acres and are the home to the largest protected mixed grass prairie in the United States containing 56 different species of grass. Very few plants live in the badlands all of the plants that do live there have had to adapt to high winds, long spells of dry weather, and frequent fires.

The Badlands wilderness protects 64,144 acres and is the sight for the reintroduction of the most endangered land mammal in the United States, the black-footed ferret. Other animals living in the Badlands include the bighorn sheep, bison, and the swift fox. Most of these animlas graze on the grasslands, but some have to depend on catching other animlas for their food source.

http://www.usa-camper.com/images/Badlands%20National%20Park%20%5BSouth%20Dakota%5D.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Badlands_National_Park

*Vancouver Island*
Matt Balogh

Vancouver Island is a large island in British Columbia, Canada, one of several North American locations named after George Vancouver, the British Royal Navy officer who explored the Pacific Northwest coast of North America between 1791 and 1794. It is the world's 43rd largest island. Vancouver Island's major cities include Nanaimo, Port Alberni, Parksville, Courtenay, and Campbell River. Vancouver Island lies in the temperate rainforest biome.

On the southern and eastern portions of the island, the type of vegetation and trees you see are Douglas-fir, western red cedar, madrone, Garry oak, salal, Oregon-grape, and manzanita. Where as the northern and western regions consist of coniferous trees associated with British Columbia's coast — western hemlock, western red cedar, Pacific Silver Fir, yellow cedar, Douglas-fir, grand fir, Sitka spruce, and western white pine.

Wildlife on this island ranges from grizzly bears to killer whales. Mountain goats, porcupines, moose, skunks, coyotes, and numerous species of small mammals are also common. The island does support most of Canada's Roosevelt elk, however, and one species — the Vancouver Island Marmot — is unique to the island.

http://www.hellobc.com/en-CA/RegionsCities/VancouverIsland.htm
http://www.vancouverisland.com/

The Rocky Mountains

Robert Robledo

Climate:
In general, as one ascends a mountain, temperature drops by about 10° C for every 1000 meters in altitude gained. This means that if you start at sea level at 30° C and go up 1,000 meters the temperature will be 20° C; at the top of a 3,000 meter mountain the temperature will be 0° C. Rainfall also varies considerably; as the rising air cools it loses the ability to retain moisture and clouds form, with the result of increasing precipitation on the side of a mountain exposed to winds.On the other side, the descending air (already dried by its trip over the mountains) warms and removes moisture from the ground - this is one of the driving forces behind the deserts in the American Southwest.

Plants:
Up the mountain a tree line occurs; above this point climactic conditions are too harsh for trees to grow, and a tundra-like plant community develops. Plants here include various wildflowers, mosses, succulents (adapted to the harsh dry conditions that often prevail), and other low-growing plants. Lichens can also be important. As one moves up a mountain, the first indication one has that you are entering an alpine area is the appearance of coniferous trees. Able to shed snow easily, and retaining photosynthetic needles that are able to start photosynthesis quickly as soon as the temperature exceeds the freezing point, conifers such as firs and pines are ideally adapted for cool environments.

Animals:
Many of the animal species one encounters in the mountains are similar to those that would be found in taiga or tundra habitats. Others, however, have specific adaptations to the mountains. Steller's jays and the Chickaree are two species one often encounters in coniferous forests in the western mountains of the United States. The hoary marmot, is a montane species as compared to the western golden marmot which is found at lower elevations. A close relative of the groundhog found in the eastern United States, the hoary marmot makes its burrows among the rocky fields at high elevations.
Grouse of various species may also be encountered in the western US mountains, as this ruffed grouse (inset) was in Grand Teton National Park.
Mountain goats, below, have a host of adaptations that allow them to live on the most precarious of cliffs. Chief among those adaptations are special pads on their hooves which are both cushioned (to absorb the shock of jumping from rock to rock) and slip resistant.

<http://www.marietta.edu/~biol/biomes/alpine.htm>
<http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/alpine.htm>

Ame Nickelson
The Congo Forest

www.envirosecurity.org/images/assessments/SYG

The Congo Forest is one of the world’s largest contiguous moist tropical forests. It stretches for over one hundred eighty hectares reaching from the Atlantic Ocean to the mountains of Albertine Rift. There are some sixty million inhabitants in the forest alone.
It comes in second behind the Amazon Basin in tropical forests of Central Africa. This forest is an important economic resource for Africa and the twenty million people that inhabit this region. There are many roles that the forest plays, some being cleansing the water absorbing carbon dioxide and holding the soil in place.
This forest contains a very diverse group of plants and animals in Africa. This entire basin includes endangered species and rare species such as the white rhino, mountain gorilla, chimpanzee and the lowland gorilla. Many of the plants and animals are subsequently invaluable for many reasons that include biochemical and genetic information which could spark countless advances in agricultural, industrial and medical technology.
There are many treasures in the Congo Basin but the forests are coming under growing pressures. A decade ago these forests were virtually untouched. Logging operations today have been driven a growing Asian demand for tropical hardwood, these forests are shrinking. The loggers are taking out the Congo Basin Forest areas at a rate of twice the size of Rhode Island each and every year.
This information courtesy of:
http://commdocs.house.gov/committees/intlrel/hfa85639.000/hfa85639_0f.htm
http://rainforests.mongabay.com/congo/
http://www.voanews.com/uspolicy/2009-06-10-voa1.cfm

Heidi Rumback
France
France is a country in Western Europe. The Typographical area is surrounded by Spain, The Mediteranean sea and Germany, Belgium and the English Channel, and Italy. France has an area of 551,670 Sq miles.France has many natural resources and flora and fauna. The natural resources include; iron deposits, oil production, and coal. France is also known for its champagne and cheese. Champagne is a sparkling wine basically served at many celebrations. France’s Flora consists of many of the same trees and vegetation as in North America. France’s forests mainly consist of Oak, Birch, Poplar, and Willow. These trees are mainly located in north central France. While there are many bushes and shrubs that include; olive trees, vines, fig trees, and mulberry trees these types of vegetation live in the Mediterranean. The Pyrenese Mountains are the home to Brown Bears. While a Chamois is a goat like species that lives in many places through Europe, for instance the mountains in Romania. A Marmot is a ground squirrel that lives near the rivers of France. The Meditereanean Sea is home to many lobster and crayfish. Not only France is important to the world production, but also historically. In historic France roughly about 17,500 years ago according to carbon dating, cavemen painted horses, cows, and few stick figures indicating themselves hunting cavemen. These figures were drawn on from a chalky substance. This is one of the world’s oldest paintings and the site is called Lascaux Cave paintings.
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3842.htm http://www.sacred-destinations.com/france/lascaux-caves

—-
Danyelle Mazanec and Laura Schmid
Japan

The country of Japan is also called Nippon by the Japanese, which means “Source of the sun.” The reason why the Japanese call it this is because there was a myth that said the sun first shone on the island of Japan. Like the United States, Japan has four seasons, but they have colder winters in the far north. This country is covered about eighty-five percent with mountain ranges. Some of the lofiest peaks are found in the center of Honshu at the Japanese Alps. The Japanese Alps is a popular mountain that people climb. In the Alps zinc and lead are found there, and in the Chugoku Mountain to the west tin is found there. Mount Fuji is one of the highest reaching to about 12, 389 feet. Mount Fuji is a dormant volcano, whose most recent eruption was in 1708. The mountain range is on the border between Yamanashi and Shizuoka.
In Japan there is a variety of flora and fauna. So of the popular flora are Sakura also known as a cherry blossom. This plant is Japan’s unofficial national flower and symbol. Other popular plants are Ume the Japanese Plum. This plant usually comes out in the early spring. Momiji, also known as the Japanese Maple, This plant is known for its autum colrs and is used as a decorative tree in the gardens. Matsu which is pine and Take which is Bamboo.
Popular fauna found in Japan are: brown bears, tropical snakes, Japanese monkeys, cranes, Japanese deer, Kitsune also known as fox, and Tanuki also known as a raccoon dog.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2172.html
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2122.html
Matthews, Tagliapietra, Creason. Geography for Christian Schools. Second Edition. Bob Jones Univeristy Press. Greenville, South Carolina 1998

Alyssa Babcock, Anna Zillinger, and Levi Schneider

Hannah Thornton, Ethan Eisenberth and Levi Schneider
Bioregion on Australia- Tasmanian

The world is split into 14 terrestrial habitats of which eight are shared by Australia. The Australian land mass is divided into 85 bioregions and 403 sub regions. One of the most famous bioregions in Australia is the Tasmanian Central Highland Forests. They are found on Tasmanians large central Plateau, a cool, high surface underlain by Jurassic dolerite and Tertiary basalts. The climate in Tasmania is harder and colder than the surrounding low-lying areas. Winter temperatures are standard for this area. The island is Australian’s stronghold of glaciated landscapes. Much of the beauty of Tasmania's landforms can be attributed to the action of ice during previous ice ages. The variety of rock types, landscapes, soils and land and soil forming processes are dominating influences on biodiversity, while many of the plants and animals found in Tasmania today are a legacy of the process of continental drift and the breakup of Gondwana.
Tasmania has many unique mammals found nowhere else in the world. Some, like the Tasmanian devil and Tasmanian tiger are well-known. Others, such as the eastern quoll, pademelon and bettong are less well-known, but equally fascinating.The Tasmanian devil is the largest surviving carnivorous marsupial in Australia. It has a squat and thick build, with a large head and a tail which is about half its body length. The devil has long whiskers on its face and in clumps on the top of the head. These help the devil locate prey when foraging in the dark, and aid in detecting when other devils are close during feeding. Hearing is its dominant sense, and it also has an excellent sense of smell, which has a range of a kilometers. Tasmanian devils are widespread and fairly common throughout Tasmania, but are quickly dying from a contagious facial cancer.

http://www.environment.gov.au/parks/nrs/science/bioregion-framework/ibra/index.html
http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/index.aspx?base=7766
http://www.eoearth.org/article/Tasmanian_Central_Highland_forests
map9.pdf

Andrea Albers and Milissa Lobato
Tasmania
http://www.youtube.com/user/deanpreston

Tasmania is located south east of Australia its coordinates are 42° south and 147° east. It is the only island state in Australia and the 26th largest island in the world. The Capital of Tasmania is Hobart it is located in the south east corner. The population is about 505,400 and over half of the population is located in Hobart. About 37% of Tasmania is a reserves,nationalparks, and World Heritage Sites. In Tasmania there plenty of National parks and unspoiled land .They are also known for plants and animals only found there.

The plant we choose to cover is called Athrotaxis laxifolia (Tasmanian Pencil Tree). This tree is only found in Tasmania. It is a part of the Evergreen family. They can grow to be 10-20m high the trunks can get about 1m in diameter. The trees are threatened due to brush fires and logging.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Athrotaxis_cupressoides.jpg

We decided to cover the Tasmanian tiger, or thylacine, is an enduring symbol of Tasmania and a testament to the damage that mankind can do to other living creatures. They are classified as extinct meaning they haven’t been sighted for 50 years but there are still unsubstantiated sightings. Thylacines had sandy brown fur, with 12 to 15-centimetre dark-brown stripes across their back and rump. They were Australia’s largest carnivorous marsupial, a title now held by the Tasmanian devil.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vqCCI1ZF7o