GEOG 3318 Project: Biogeographic Pattern

Mount Haleakalā, Maui County, Hawaii            Mount Haleakalā is a shield volcano on the island of Maui, HI (USGS, n.d.). The summit of Mt. Haleakalā reaches 3,055m (10,023ft)(USGS, n.d.) and the mountain's climate ranges from alpine desert to tropical rainforest (NPS, 2015a). Hawaii’s climate is largely controlled by the Tradewinds that run east to west (Gotsch, 2014), making the eastern side of Mt. Haleakal ā  the windward side. Notably, all soils on the island are andisols (UCDavis, n.d.; USGS, n.d.)—soils formed from volcanic rock and ash (MacDonald, 2003). The first location of interest, a ranger station in Haleakalā National Park, has an elevation of 2,122m (6,962ft)(NOAA, n.d.) and is located north of the summit, falling slightly towards the leeward side of the mountain. The dominant soil type in this area is Kaipoioi loam (UCDavis, n.d.), which has a deep, illuviated B horizon (MacDonald, 2003). Further, the A and B horizons are very dar...

    This is my study area in the Mississippi River delta. Three points have been marked in the study area to contrast the climate, soil, and landforms in the area.      The landforms in this area include a meandering river, oxbow lakes, natural levees, back-swamps, and more. The landforms are continually changing due to sediment distribution and redistribution from both the Gulf of Mexico and the Mississippi River (NPS, 2017). The landforms are similar throughout the study area. However, there is an approximate 1-foot drop in elevation every 10 miles or more in the Mississippi River as it flows down towards the Gulf of Mexico (NPS, 2017). You can see the sediment surrounding the delta and coast on the map of the study area. From the data given by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Climographs below), the climate seems to favor hot summers that average approximately 80*F in June to September, as well as the wettest months in all three location...