class 7 Life in Temperate Regions
Class 7, Geography
Chapter 11: Life in Temperate regions
Write the major difference between Prairies and Velds?
| Prairies | Velds |
| The temperate grasslands of North America are known as Prairies. In Latin “Pratum” means Meadow or Grassland | The temperate grasslands of South America are termed as Velds. In Dutch it means “Field” |
| These are located in USA and Canada. They stretch between 400 N and 550N | These lie South in the southern hemisphere between 250 S and 370 S |
| They are located between the Great Lakes and Appalachian Highland in east and foothills of Rocky Mountains in the west. | They are located between the Drakensberg Mountain in South East and Kalahari Desert in Northwest. |
| Winters are extremely cold with -200 C and summers are hot with 210C | The temperature range between 5 to 150 C and goes up to 200 Celsius during summers. |
| Dominant vegetation is only grasses. But in river valleys where water is available, trees such as willow and poplar are grown. | Due to semiarid climatic conditions only, grass covers the major area. In Bush veld, Red Grass and in high veld Marula and Acacia are grown. |
| Wildlife in Prairies are dogs, jackals, coyote, rabbit, hawk, antelope, etc. | Wildlife in Velds are Lion, Giraffe, Leopard etc. |
| Agriculture is the most important occupation. | Sheep and cattle rearing is the major occupation. |
One word questions:
- Chernozems – Soils in Prairies.
- Chinook – Local warm winds of prairies
- Combined harvester – big farming machine.
- Fodder crops – Crops for animals
- Mohair – Angora goat wool.
- Prairies – Temperate grasslands of North America
- Ranches – Huge cattle farm in Canada
- Grasslands covered quarter of total surface area
- Temperate grasslands lie between 23 ½ 0 N of Tropic of Cancer and 23 ½ 0S of Tropic of Capricorn.
- Arctic ocean – North of Prairies
- Gulf of Mexico – South of Prairies
- USA – Prairies are drained by Mississippi River and its tributaries
- Crops cultivated in prairies are Oats, Barley, Wheat, Corn, Rye oil seeds
- Most important crops is Wheat
- Reaping, Threshing, winnowing of the grains are done by combined harvester.
- Wheat of USA is Winter Wheat.
- Fodder crops are Lucerne and Alfalfa
- Soil erosion by strong winds are prevented by Strip cropping, Contour ploughing, Crop rotation.
- Prairies are the granaries of the world due to the surplus wheat production
- Winnipeg is also called as Gateway of Canadian Prairies.
- Silos are the grain collecting sheds.
- In Velds entire region is drained by Limpopo and orange rivers.
- Mohair, long silken hair is obtained from Angora goats.
- Major producer and exporter of Wool in the world is South Africa.
- Velds are rich in gold, diamond, uranium, coal, iron ore.
- Johannesburg is the gold capital
- Kimberley is the biggest city known to the whole world for its diamond and gold mines.
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