Natural landscapes

Natural landscape
Refers to the Visible features of the environment
Varies from place to place and form patterns which
can be described/mapped

Includes interacting components or elements,

including
Relief
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Climate
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Soils
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Vegetation
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Relief
Height and shape
of the land
Processes that
have formed the
land over
geological time

Climate
Average atmospheric
conditions over a long
period of time
Rainfall, temperature,
sunshine hours,
humidity, wind etc

Soils
Weathered or eroded materials from rocks
Of interest is soil type, fertility, drainage

Vegetation
Plant cover of an area
Vegetation
types and
their distribution

Interaction
Elements of the landscape affect one another in different
ways
As a consequence of interaction the natural landscape of
an area can be seen as a system
Relief

Vegetation

Climate

Interactions in
the
natural
landscape
Direct interaction
Indirect interaction

Soils

Activity
1.
2.
3.

Define natural
landscapes
Define interaction
Study photo and
answer the following
a)
b)
c)
d)

4.
5.

Describe two relief

features of the area
Describe one
feature of the
climate
Describe one
vegetation feature
Describe one soil
feature

Describe how relief is

interacting with
climate in the area
Describe how climate
is interacting with
relief in the area

Head of Lake Wakatipu, Dart River

Cultural landscapes

Cultural landscapes
The activities and ways which people have influenced the
landscape are known as its cultural landscape
Cultural features are established by people as they modify the
natural landscape
In order to use it

The main cultural features are (leave two lines between each)
Land use
Transport features
Population and settlement

Natural features in the area will affect the cultural features

Very few people live in the hottest or coldest climates

Cultural factors can influence features of the environment as

people and the environment interact
An opencast mine changes the relief features of the environment

Land use
Patterns made by people as they use the
land for mining, farming, forestry etc
For example
Altering the vegetation by clearing forests to
make pasture

Transport features
Networks of roads, railways, canals,
shipping lanes, airports etc
Known as infrastructure

Population and settlement

Patterns of population, its distribution and
the location of settlements
Such as
Farmsteads
Villages
Towns
Cities

Activity
1. Define cultural landscape
2. Study the photograph of The Canterbury Plains
3. Describe 2
natural
features
4. Describe 3
cultural
features
5. Show an
example of
a. Influence of
relief on
climate
b. Influence of
relief on
farming