Local Physical Geography of Centre County
Write a 4-5 page report presenting the results of your observations and research. Your
report must include three sections:
1. Regional Physical Geography (1-2 pages): an overview of the physical geography of
the State College area, including the climate, geology, landforms, soils, vegetation,
and land uses. (You may use your field trip notes in addition to independent research)
Climate & typical weather patterns: Koppen climate classification, seasonal patterns
of precipitation and temperature, typical weather for study period
Geology & landforms: bedrock types, landform types, geologic history.
Water Resources: Seasonal water balance, hydrology, names of local and regional
watersheds
Soil orders: Common types, parent materials, connections with vegetation and land
use.
Vegetation & Ecosystems: biome classification, main ecosystem types, connections
with landforms, bedrock, soils, and human land uses.
2. Observations: This section is a thorough report of your field observations, in 1 page.
Your reader should know exactly when, where, and how you made your observations,
as well as what you observed. Depending on how detailed your notes are, you may
have to select the most important pieces of information to highlight.
**Note: when you reach this point in your report, you definitely want to have too much
data recorded, rather than too little. You will have a much easier time if your field
notes are very detailed and extensive!**
This part (Observations) has 3 main components:
• Summarize observations from the 3 separate field trip locations (and any locations you
chose for extra credit). You should use the weather observation charts, as well as the
main themes of the field trip itself that you answered lab questions on. What were the GEOG 10 SP 14
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most significant features of the sites we visited and why did we bother seeing them in
the first place? Why was this site an important illustration of the physical geography of
the region?
• Ecosystem Observations
You visited several types of ecosystems during your fieldtrips (meadow, wetland,
riparian forest, upland forest, planted forest, etc.). Recall the vegetation you observed
on your field trips, and describe them in detail. You can also find information online
about the specific sites, and general information about what vegetation looks like at a
mountaintop, wetland, riparian forest etc… Your notes should include all of the
following:
• Description of the setting: topography, vegetation type, evidence of human
impact.
• Densities of understory versus canopy vegetation (recall discussion of old
versus new forests in the area)
• Dominance of shrubs versus trees versus grasses at each location
• Using library and online resources as well as course material, assemble a
comprehensive picture of the climate, geology, water resources, soils, and vegetation
of the area. For example, look at: http://www(dot)dcnr(dot)state(dot)pa(dot)us/topogeo/field/index.htm
3. Analysis & Interpretation: The final section of your report is an interpretation of your
observations, in light of the regional patterns you have identified in Section 1. In other
words, how do the observations from the study sites connect with the climatic,
geologic, and ecological scheme of the region? You will need to make 4 specific
connections in 2-3 pages.
• Mechanics: Your paper must have 1 inch margins (top, bottom, & sides), be double
spaced, typed in 12 pt Times New Roman font, and not exceed 5 pages.
• Writing quality: Your paper must be written in complete sentences and paragraphs
with no spelling, grammatical, or usage errors. You must have an introduction,
conclusion, and transitions between sections.
**NOTE: the Undergraduate Writing Center
(http://www(dot)psu(dot)edu/dept/cew/writingcenter/UWC/index2.htm) is a great
resource for helping improve your writing. You are highly encouraged to visit
the Center with a draft of this paper. When you meet with a tutor, a report is
sent to your professor. You will get extra credit for visiting the writing center.**
• References (at least 7): You must cite your source for any information you gather
from library or Internet resources. Your sources must be trustworthy—ask your TA if
you have questions about any of your sources. You may use any style for your
citations, as long as you use it correctly and it is clear and unambiguous. APA style is
common in Geography, but if you are more familiar with a different style from your
discipline, you may use that instead. The links below have guidance for using various
citation styles.
• Style for Students Online: https://www(dot)e-education(dot)psu(dot)edu/styleforstudents/GEOG 10 SP 14
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• PSU Citation Guide:
http://www(dot)de2(dot)psu(dot)edu/faculty/saw4/reference/CitationGuides.html
When completed, this report should give ideas of how the general topics of physical
geography we’ve explored in class specifically connect to the things you actually observed
and analyzed in lab during the field trips.
Local Physical Geography of Centre County: state college, PA
Name
Course
Instructor
Date
Regional physical geography
The weather patterns that characterize the area affect the climate of the region over time, and climate depends on the altitude, latitude, local conditions and human activities. In State college, just like in most areas of the county the climate is typically humid continental (Smith & Davis, 2005). Observations of weather patterns validated previous observations of this weather pattern. Essentially, there are various changes in temperature daily and during seasons. The cold winters and warm summers are some of the climatic features that are common in the region, whereby in most cases there is abundant precipitation. The changes in the cloud cover, sunshine as well as direction of speed of wind show the variations in the area that occur on a daily basis.
There are various ridges and valleys in the region, with each having its own distinct name. The Great Valley is found in the Centre County, running all the way through the Valley region as well as the Pennsylvania ridge. At the same time, there is clear visibility of some sections of the Appalachian Mountains from State College. In the Allegheny section there are various forms of hills consisting of narrow valets some that rise in the form of escarpments. This includes some sections of Centre County where the major rock types are the sandstone, shale and siltstone.
On the other hand, the section that contains the Appalachian Mountain has numerous narrow ridges combined with valleys (Peters, 2000). However, the ridges tend to be bigger with elevations much higher in the mountain sections, and sandstones are the common features of this section. In the valleys, there are some siltstones and shale which are softer, but in other sections of the valleys there are limestone and dolomite. Soil erosion is a common feature in the areas with shale and siltstones unlike those with sandstones. Since the Allegheny sections is most prominent in State College, there are also layers of clay and coal especially in the northern areas.
The underground waterways in Centre County provide flows and reserves that increase the potential for existence of community groundwater reserves. The increased yield of groundwater in the carbonate areas enables a steady stream flow that nourishes the community even during dry seasons. The Moshannon creek watershed is a major source of water supply for the community of Centre County (Gelber, 2002). The Beech creek is also a major source of water resource for this county. The county also has several wells that act as important water resources for this county.
The Centre County is mostly covered by forest vegetation. The main types of ecosystems of Centre County are forests, rivers and lakes. The forests that are found in this county support a diverse plant and animal life. The major species of trees that are found in the forest cover include maple, cherry and oak. Most lakes that are found in Centre County are either large ponds or man-made reservoirs that have a diversity of living organisms such as fish, plants, amphibians and invertebrates. The rivers that flow through the centre county such as Ohio River are important sources of fresh water (Centrecountypa.gov, n.d. ).
Observations
On the 5th and 6th of December, I undertook an observation in Lederer Park where there was light rain, light wined while the weather was cloudy with the temperature cold. However, on the 7th of December there was no rain and it was sunny, although the temperature was still cold with the wind being moderate to light. On the 8th of December there was no wind or rain, but it was cloudy and cold in the Thomps...