West Central Missouri and The Pacific Northwest: Contrasting Physical Geography

by | Nov 29, 2023 | Geography

Compare the climate, soil, and vegetation patterns at two different locations in the United States. You must choose west-central Missouri (with Warrensburg as a representative city) as one of those two sites. For the other site, you must choose one of the following:
• Southern Arizona/Sonoran Desert (with Tucson and/or Yuma as representative cities)
• The Pacific Northwest (with Seattle/Tacoma Washington as representative cities)
Write a hypothesis statement that states whether you think that the two areas will have similar or different patterns. It should be in the format of the following:
West Central Missouri and Region #2 will have different/same physical geography due to differences/similarity in climate, soil and vegetation patterns.
Conduct research on the dominant climate, soil orders, and vegetation structures/species found at your two chosen locations.
• Climate Type: Define the region’s temperature and precipitation regimes. You should consider including
climographs.
• Vegetation: Discuss vegetation in terms of its structure (for example: broadleaf deciduous forest, oak
savanna, etc.), but also provide examples and discussions of a few dominant species types found in these
areas. It is important to recognize that we generally consider natural vegetation in terms of how it looked before European settlement. You should do the same. In other words, describe what types of
vegetation are best adapted to the environmental conditions within the regions, regardless of how people have altered those conditions in modern times.
• Soil: Discuss soil in terms of the prevalent soil order or orders found at your locations (for example, Mollisol, Aridisol, etc.) Note that in most cases there will be more than one soil order present in the
area. In spite of that, you should be able to deduce which orders are most prevalent.
As you describe climate, soil and vegetation, analyze and explain the environmental/ geographical factors that influence their form and distribution at each of the sites you chose. What explains the precipitation and temperature regimes at each site? What environmental factors influence the region’s dominant soil and vegetation patterns?
Finally, as you discuss the conditions at your two sites, you also need to point out comparisons and contrasts in the dominant climate, soil, and vegetation patterns between them. It is not enough to simply describe the conditions at your two sites without pointing out and explaining the differences and similarities between them and explaining why those differences or similarities exist. How do the factors that influence soil and vegetation vary from one place to another, and why? Remember that this is a geography class, so we describe what patterns exist and why. Your paper should do the same: describe the pattern (geography) and then explain why it occurs.

West Central Missouri and The Pacific Northwest will have different physical geography due to differences in climate, soil and vegetation patterns.
1. Pacific Northwest Climate https://wrcc.dri.edu/Climate/narrative_wa.php
2. Peer Reviewed-Wildlife species associated with non-coniferous vegetation in Pacific Northwest conifer forests https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0378112707002824
3. West Central MO Climate http://climate.missouri.edu/climate.php
4. Vegetation West Central MO https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/habitats/forests-woodlands
5. Peer Reviewed Article on Climate in MO https://www.solutionsfromtheland.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/MCC_climate_trends_Feb18.pdf

Sample solution

Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell. 

In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.


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God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.

Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.

To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.

 

References

Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.

Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.

Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.

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West Central Missouri and The Pacific Northwest: Contrasting Physical Geography

West Central Missouri, represented by Warrensburg, and the Pacific Northwest, represented by Seattle/Tacoma, Washington, exhibit distinct physical geography characteristics due to differences in climate, soil, and vegetation patterns.

Climate:
In West Central Missouri, the climate is classified as humid continental, characterized by hot summers and cold winters. The region experiences moderate precipitation throughout the year. According to the Missouri Climate Center, the average annual temperature in Warrensburg is around 54°F, with an average annual precipitation of approximately 40 inches. Precipitation is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year, with slightly higher amounts in spring and summer.

On the other hand, the Pacific Northwest has a marine west coast climate influenced by the Pacific Ocean. The region experiences mild, wet winters and cool summers. Seattle/Tacoma receives an average annual temperature of around 53°F and an average annual precipitation of about 38 inches. The majority of the precipitation occurs during the winter months, whereas summers are relatively drier.

Soil:
In West Central Missouri, the prevalent soil order is Mollisol. Mollisols are fertile soils that develop under grassland or forest vegetation. They are characterized by a deep, dark topsoil rich in organic matter, making them ideal for agricultural purposes. The presence of Mollisols indicates the historical presence of prairies and woodlands in the region.

In the Pacific Northwest, various soil orders can be found due to diverse topography and geological history. However, one prevalent soil order is Alfisol. Alfisols are moderately weathered soils found in temperate regions. They typically have a clay-rich subsoil and are suitable for growing a variety of crops. Additionally, Andisols are common in volcanic areas due to the region’s volcanic activity.

Vegetation:
West Central Missouri is characterized by a mix of forests and woodlands. The dominant vegetation includes hardwood trees such as oak, hickory, and maple. The region is known for its oak-hickory forest ecosystem, which historically covered much of the area.

The Pacific Northwest is renowned for its lush temperate rainforests and coniferous forests. The dominant vegetation in this region includes Douglas fir, western hemlock, western red cedar, and Sitka spruce. These forests are characterized by tall evergreen trees and dense undergrowth of ferns and mosses.

Factors Influencing Differences:
The contrasting climate patterns between the two regions can be attributed to their geographical location and proximity to major bodies of water. West Central Missouri’s continental climate is influenced by its inland position, leading to more pronounced seasonal variations. In contrast, the Pacific Northwest’s marine west coast climate is a result of its proximity to the Pacific Ocean, which moderates temperatures and brings abundant moisture.

Regarding soil patterns, West Central Missouri’s Mollisols reflect the historical presence of grasslands and woodlands that have shaped the soil composition over time. The Pacific Northwest’s diverse soil orders can be attributed to its varied topography and volcanic activity, which contribute to different soil formation processes.

The variation in vegetation patterns is primarily driven by climate and historical land use practices. West Central Missouri’s oak-hickory forests were influenced by the region’s historical grasslands and woodlands. Meanwhile, the Pacific Northwest’s temperate rainforests are a result of the mild, moist climate and abundant rainfall that supports the growth of coniferous trees.

Conclusion:
In conclusion, West Central Missouri (Warrensburg) and the Pacific Northwest (Seattle/Tacoma) exhibit contrasting physical geography due to differences in climate, soil, and vegetation patterns. West Central Missouri’s humid continental climate, prevalence of Mollisols, and oak-hickory forests contrast with the marine west coast climate, diverse soils including Alfisols and Andisols, and temperate rainforests dominated by coniferous species found in the Pacific Northwest. These differences can be attributed to variations in regional climate regimes, geological history, and historical land use practices.

 

 

 

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