This document provides information on the physical and biological geography of North America. It discusses several mountain ranges, plains, and other landforms found across the continent. It also describes the distribution and habitats of various plant and animal species, including the bull thistle, shining sumac, Loebner's magnolia, osage orange, muskox, rock ptarmigan, and Gila monster.

1. NORTH AMERICA

2. PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY
Geomorphology
 Alaska Range – mountain of south- central
Alaska that extend from the Alaska peninsula to
the border of the Yukon territory, Canada.
 Mt. McKinley – the highest point of North
America. 20,320 ft. (6,194m).
 Appalachian mountains – 1,500 miles in length
from Alabama, USA to New England State and
Canadian provinces of New Brunswick, New
Found land and Quebec.

3.  Brook Range – mountains of Northern
Alaska, Mt. Isto, 9,060 ft. (2760m).
 Canadian Shield – plateau of region of
eastern and northern Canada and the great
lakes area of North America mainly includes
rough and rocky surfaces, large areas is
forest.
 Cascades – a mountain range stretching
from north eastern California across Oregon
and Washington.

4.  Coast Range – mountains running along the
pacific ocean coast line of California, Oregon
and Washington.
 Costal Plain – area of southern and eastern
US extends to the continental shelf and is
generally characterized by level land with
assorted mixed forest include bayous, deltas,
marshes, mud flats and swamps.

5.  Continental Divide – imaginary lines that sits a
top a continues ridge of mountain summits that
divide the continent into two main drainage
area.
 Great Plains – the land is generally smooth with
large treeless areas and sloping shallow river
valleys.
 Rocky Mountains – about 3,00 miles in length,
extend from the US state of new Mexico up
trough the western United States and on into
the northernmost reaches of Canada’s British
Columbia.

6. PHYTOGEOGRAPHY

7.  Bull Thistle (Cirsium vulgare)
Alien: Native of Europe.
Identification: Flower heads ovate, topped with a spray of
lavender to purple florets. Flower head bracts elongate, tipped
with yellow spines, lower bracts curving downward. Stem covered
with isolated spines and isolated plates with spines. Leaves
heavily incised, each lobe tipped with a long spine. Leaves pale
green or white and woolly below. Plant 2 to 6 feet in height.
Distribution: Throughout North America.
Habitat: Bull Thistle is a species of disturbed sites including
fields, pastures, and roadsides.
Flowering period: June to September.

8. SHINING SUMAC

9. Shining Sumac or Winged Sumac, is a
species of flowering plant in the cashew
family, Anacardiaceae, that is native to
eastern North America. It is a deciduous tree
growing to 3.5–5.5 metres (11–18 ft) tall and
an equal spread with a rounded crown

10. LOEBNER'S MAGNOLIA

11. Loebner's Magnolia can grow to 50 feet, but
cultivar 'Leonard Messel' generally tops out
at 25 feet. A cross of M. kobus and M.
stellata 'Rosea', this lovely ornamental has
star-shaped flowers with 12 narrow petals,
white on the inside and purplish-pink on the
outside; the transition of color from bud to
bloom is a beautiful study in color. This tree
is flowering on April 5th, near Chicago.

12. OSAGE ORANGE

13. Osage orange (Maclura pomifera), a native
North American tree with multiple fruits that
are similar in structure to the breadfruit and
jackfruit. The bumpy surface of the fruit is
due to many tightly-packed ovaries, each
with separate styles that appear like black
hairs.

14. ZOO GEOGRAPHY

15. MUSKOX BULLS
Muskox bulls reach weights of about 380 kg
(835 lb.) and stand up to 1.5 m (5 ft.) at the
shoulder. Cows are about 60% of the weight of
bulls and stand about 1.2 m (4 ft.) at the
shoulder.
Adult males have massive horn bases, which
are used in head-on clashes during fights over
herd leadership. The sharp horn tips of the
adults are used primarily in defence against
wolves and polar bears, their only predatory
enemies besides humans.

16. Muskoxen are renowned for their underfur of
extremely fine and long hair. This thick
undercoat is covered by long guard hairs and
protects the muskox during long, cold
winters. Humans prize it because it can be
spun into very warm and lightweight fabrics.

17. ROCK PTARMIGAN

18. The Rock Ptarmigan is Nunavut's official bird. It is truly a
bird of the Arctic because, unlike most other Arctic birds, it
remains there year-round.
The Rock Ptarmigan is about 27 to 40 cm (11 to 16 in.)
long. The end of its tail is square, and it has a small black
bill. Unusually, this species has three seasonal
plumages—most birds have only two: the Rock
Ptarmigan's feathers moult and change colour for
summer, autumn and winter. The colours help the birds
blend into their surroundings, thereby helping them keep
safe from predators.
During the breeding season in spring, females change to
the summer plumage that has a barred pattern of brown,
black and gold. Males stay white longer, but by late
summer they look similar to the females.

19. In winter, both the males and the females are white, except for black
feathers in the tail that are visible when the tail feathers are spread.
Males, and some females, also have a black stripe that extends from
behind each eye to the bill. The stripe apparently reduces glare in the
eyes.
Both males and females have a red comb above their eyes, but it is
barely visible in females. The comb is always quite visible in males, and
it becomes especially evident when they are courting or defending their
territory because it engorges with blood, and so grows (temporarily)
larger and more prominent.
Rock Ptarmigans have feathers covering their legs and feet that help
them survive the Arctic climate. Not only do these feathers help keep
them warm in winter, but they help the birds walk on top of the snow
because the feather-widened feet act like snowshoes, distributing the
bird's weight over a larger area.

20. GILA MONSTER

21. The Gila monster is one of only two species of venomous lizards (its
cousin, the Mexican beaded lizard, is the other). It can bite quickly and
hold on tenaciously. Rather than injecting venom through hollow fangs
like venomous snakes do, Gilas have enlarged, grooved teeth in their
lower jaw. When they bite, their powerful jaws chew the venom in
through capillary action along the grooves is introduced in a Gila bite.
The dorsal coloration of the Gila monster is black with pink or orange. In
the southern subspecies, the reticulated Gila monster, the light
markings, or bands, are broken up to form a reticulated pattern. In the
northern subspecies, the banded Gila monster, the light markings
generally form an unbroken band across thin these teeth. Gila monster
venom is about as toxic as that of a western diamondback rattlesnake.
However, a relatively small amount of venom e back. Gila monsters
most often prey on small birds and mammals, eggs, lizards, frogs,
insects, and carrion. They may live 20 or more years
Reproduction
In late April to early June, courtship and male-to-male combat take place.
Females lay two to 12 leathery eggs that overwinter below ground and
hatch ten months later
in the next spring. Hatchlings are about six inches (15 cm) long and are
miniature replicas of their parents.