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.