Ch11

Chapter 11 Vocabulary

Dike: large banks of earth and stone that holds back water.

Polder: low-laying areas from which seawater has been drained to create new farmlands.

Glaciation: the process whereby glaciers form and spread.

Fjord: long, steep-sided glacial valley filled by sea water.

Loess: fine, yellowish-brown topsoil made up of particles of silt and clay, usually carried by the wind.

Timberline: elevation above which it is cold for trees to grow.

Foehn: dry winds for that blow from leeward sides of mountains, sometimes meeting snow causing avalanches; terms used mainly in Europe.

Avalanche: mass of ice, snow, or rock that slides down a mountainside.

Mistral: strong northerly wind from Alps that can bring cold air to southern France.

Sirocco: hot desert wind that can blow air and dust from North Africa to Western Europe’s Mediterranean coast.

Chaparral: type of vegetation made up of dense forests of shrubs and short trees, common in Mediterranean climates.

Permafrost: permanently frozen layers of soil beneath the surface of ground.