What are the natural resources of Georgia?
Some of Georgia's many natural resources include: forests and lumber. rivers and lakes. coastal shores. marshes and wetlands. farmland. marble.
What are the natural resources of the coastal plains?
Other minerals scattered throughout the Coastal Plains include bentonite, bauxite, monazite, and zircon. Oil and Natural Gas Sections of the Gulf Coastal Plains are rich in the highly profitable natural resources of petroleum and natural gas.
What are some interesting facts about Georgia's environment?
A tremendous number of Georgians enjoy outdoor recreation of all types, including hunting, fishing, and boating. Because of that, Georgians are probably more attuned to a clean environment than the average American. Georgia's topography ranges from the mountains in the north to the sea coast and swampland in the south.
What are the geologic features of the ridge and Valley Province?
The province is mostly forested, primarily with mixed oak and oak-hickory communities. The geologic strata include Mississippian-age limestone, sandstone, shale, and siltstone, and Pennsylvanian-age shale, siltstone, sandstone, and conglomerates. The Ridge and Valley Province occupies most of the northwestern area of Georgia.
What natural resources are in the Coastal Plains?
List of Natural Resources in the Coastal PlainsRocks and Stones. Sedimentary rocks, limestone in particular, abound in the Coastal Plains. ... Sand and Clay. Sand, eroded from the Appalachian Mountains, is plentiful along the Coastal Plain's rivers and coastlines. ... Mineral Deposits. ... Oil and Natural Gas. ... Peat Deposits.
What does the Coastal Plain produce?
Coastal Plain clays include fire clay, ball clay, kaolin, and bentonite. Fire clay is used in the production of refractory brick, and ball clay is used to produce ceramic products. Kaolin is used in ceramics, as well as a stabilizing agent or filler in many products.
What crops grow in the Coastal Plains region of Georgia?
Coastal plain farming has undergone many changes since those early days, but agriculture remains the backbone of the region's economy. South Georgia farmers produce about 80% of the state's row crops and are among the nation's leading producers of peanuts, cotton, vegetables, blueberries, and pecans.
What is the Coastal Plain used for?
The coastal plain is normally wet, including many rivers, marsh, and swampland. It is composed primarily of sedimentary rock and unlithified sediments and is primarily used for agriculture.
What natural resources does plains have?
The Great Plains region contains substantial energy resources, including coal, uranium, abundant oil and gas, and coalbed methane. The region's widespread fossil fuel resources have led to the recovery of several associated elements that are often found alongside gas and oil.
What resources are in the coastal region?
Coastal resources include islands, transitional and intertidal areas, salt marshes, wetlands, floodplains, estuaries, beaches, dunes, barrier islands, and coral reefs, as well as fish and wildlife and their respective habitats within these areas.
What crops grow in the Coastal Plains region?
Timber, cotton, corn and soybeans are important crops found throughout the entire Coastal Plain. Rivers closer to the Coastal Zone were once home to rice plantations, perhaps the most historically significant crop produced in South Carolina.
What plants can be found in the Coastal Plains?
Common species include evergreen oaks and members of the laurel and magnolia families. There is usually a well-developed lower stratum of vegetation that may variously include tree ferns, small palms, shrubs, and herbaceous plants. Lianas and epiphytes are abundant.
Which product is the Coastal Plain region best known for?
Overview. The Southeastern Coastal Plain is best known for its oil and gas deposits in and offshore of Mississippi and Alabama. While the Gulf Coast in the Southeast has not been nearly as productive as the Gulf Coast of Louisiana and Texas to the west, it has similar characteristics as a petroleum producer.
What is the Coastal Plain in Georgia?
The Coastal Plains region of Georgia is known for its flatlands, marshes and swamps. One of the best-known wetlands in the United States - the Okefenokee Swamp - is located in this region of Georgia. This area covers the southern and southeastern half of Georgia. It is the largest region of Georgia.
What is the resource of the low Coastal Plain?
The coastal plain is known for its silty clay, pegasse and sandy soil, which is used for planting fruits, vegetables, rice, sugar and coconut. The Hilly Sand and Clay Region: The Hilly Sand and Clay Region is mostly covered in scrub (low) to medium height vegetation.
How does the Coastal Plains contribute to Georgia's economy?
Economic Contributions: The most profitable industries in this region include tourism and forestry. The production of coal and limestone are productive as well. This region is the only known source of coal in the state.
What is the main industry of the coastal plain?
Some of the major industriies are the Timber Industry, Petrochemical Industry and the Petroleum Industry. There is also much work in fishing and shrimping as obviously, the Coastal Plains lye on the coast.
What is the economy in the Coastal Plains?
The Coastal Plains have a varied economy. In the Piney Woods, timber, farming, cattle, and oil provide large sources of income. The Gulf Coastal Plains prosper in farming, cattle, oil, and petrochemicals, as well as ports, shipping, and transportation.
What is the vegetation of the Coastal Plains?
There is usually a well-developed lower stratum of vegetation that may variously include tree ferns, small palms, shrubs, and herbaceous plants. Lianas and epiphytes are abundant. At higher elevations, where fog and clouds persist, the trunks and branches of trees are often sheathed in moss.
What is coastal plain and give examples?
A coastal plain is a flat, low-lying piece of land next to the ocean. Coastal plains are separated from the rest of the interior by nearby landforms, such as mountains. In western South America, a large coastal plain lies between the Andes Mountains and the Pacific Ocean.
What are the geologic features of the Georgia coastal plain?
Running southeastward through the center of the Coastal Plain is the central Georgia arch. This arch is characterized by relatively thin sedimentary layers, as compared to the thickness of strata in both southwest and east Georgia. Eastward from the arch, the Coastal Plain strata thicken, forming the southeast Georgia basin. This sedimentary basin is actually part of the Atlantic Coastal Plain, and its geologic history is closely related to that of the Carolinas. Likewise, west of the central Georgia arch is the southwest Georgia basin. Its geologic story is similar to that of the eastern Gulf Coastal Plain and has much in common with strata in Alabama. The origin of these features lies in the nature of the ancient crust beneath Coastal Plain layers (the basement). Areas of thinner strata, like those in the central Georgia arch area, reflect strong, thick crust which sank only a little under the weight of the sediments; the result was that sediments in this area never accumulated to any great thickness. In the basin areas, however, the underlying crust was weaker and thinner, allowing it to be pushed beneath the strata’s weight so that more and more sediments could be deposited.
Where are the deposits of Georgia?
Deposits of Georgia's Coastal Plain extend with little change into South Carolina to the east and Alabama to the west. Plain sediments occur as layers, or strata, that incline gently into the subsurface toward the south in west Georgia and toward the east in eastern parts of the state.
What is the history of the coastal plains of Georgia?
The earliest history of Georgia's Coastal Plain begins with the breakup of the supercontinent Pangaea during the later part of the Triassic period. As North America broke apart from Pangaea, deep troughs were formed along the line of separation; into these troughs were deposited thick layers of coarse red sandstones, conglomerates, shales, and other nonmarine sediments. Similar sediment-filled troughs (called rift valleys) occurred all along North America's east coast, from Georgia to Nova Scotia, Canada. They probably were similar to the modern East Africa Rift System.
What are the features of the Triassic and Jurassic sediments?
on this analogy, as well as on the nature of the preserved Triassic and Jurassic sediments themselves, scientists believe that these long, deep troughs were volcanically active, with hot springs and other hydrothermal (or hot water) features, broad lakes and swamps, and river plains and forests.
What is the result of a stream eroded into a soft rock?
Since streams can erode more deeply into the soft Coastal Plain rocks than they can into hard Piedmont rocks, the result is steeper stream gradients and waterfalls . Beneath Coastal Plain sediments are harder igneous and metamorphic rocks, such as those found in the Piedmont.
What is the Coastal Plain?
Coastal Plain is the youngest of Georgia's geologic provinces, making up almost half the state's surface area. The province begins at the fall line, which runs from Augusta through Macon to Columbus, and extends eastward all the way to the modern Georgia coast and southward to the Florida state line. The Coastal Plain is composed of undeformed ...
Where is the Late Cretaceous Clam located?
oldest sedimentary strata of Georgia's Coastal Plain that are seen on the surface are of Late Cretaceous age. They occur immediately south of the fall line in the Chattahoochee Valley area of southwest Georgia and may be found almost all the way to Macon.
What is the most abundant material in the Coastal Plains?
Sand and Clay. Sand, eroded from the Appalachian Mountains, is plentiful along the Coastal Plain’s rivers and coastlines. It is one of the ingredients in concrete, and is also used as road fill. Clay also eroded into the Coastal Plains from the Appalachians, and six of the country’s top ten clay-producing states lie in the Coastal Plains.
What is peat used for?
In the U.S., peat is used for packaging produce , and also is a component of potting soil as well as a soil conditioner. Florida produces more peat than any other state in the country.
What are the natural resources of the Gulf Coast?
Sections of the Gulf Coastal Plains are rich in the highly profitable natural resources of petroleum and natural gas. According to the U.S. Energy Administration, the Gulf coast boasts more than 40 percent of U.S. petroleum refining capacity and 30 percent of natural gas processing ability.
What type of rock is found in coastal plains?
Sedimentary rocks, limestone in particular, abound in the Coastal Plains. Although not typically exposed at the surface, in many places soil cover is fairly thin, making the rock easily accessible through quarries. Large blocks of limestone are used in building construction, and crushed stone is used to manufacture cement.
Where are the coastal plains located?
In the United States, vast swaths of coastal plains line the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. The Atlantic Coastal Plain stretches from Massachusetts to Florida, where it connects with the Gulf Coastal Plain and extends westward through Texas and on into Mexico. As their name implies, the Coastal Plains possess a relatively flat, low-lying topography, making the area’s natural resources more readily extractible than in mountainous regions.
Where are phosphate deposits found?
Mineral Deposits. Large deposits of phosphate are present in the Coastal Plains, with perhaps the most extensive deposits in North Carolina and Florida. Although primarily used in fertilizers, phosphates appear in a plethora of other products, among them pesticides, detergents and soft drinks. Thick salt deposits also lie under much ...
What was Georgia's number one export?
In colonial days, rice was Georgia’s number one export. Richard Schultz Jr., talks about helping grow rice, Jackie Edwards, a reenactor at Hofwyl-Broadfield Plantation demonstrates how slaves would separate rice from its hulls, Faye Cowart, tour guide at the plantation, lists other potential disasters in growing rice, and Robbie Harrison, whose family has grown rice at Fife Plantation, discusses the dangers of the coastal climate.
How deep is the granite deposit?
Geologists estimate that the granite deposit is 35 miles long, 6 miles wide, and 2 to 3 miles in depth. Bill Kelly, a historian for the granite history, recounts that area farmers thought of the granite rocks in their fields as big nuisances.
What is Georgia under the ground?
Georgia Under the Ground. Georgia Under the Ground explains how Georgia's geography was shaped and molded by the forces of nature. Sweeping scenes show off the geographic variety of the state east to west and north to south and the presence of fossils aids in understanding the formation of the state. Georgia Rocks!
What are the five major themes of Georgia?
Explore the five major themes of geography, including natural resources, minerals, water, and weather, in the context of Georgia’s unique geographic characteristics. The state is distinguished by a number of dramatic physical features and divided into five physiographic regions: the Coastal Plain, Piedmont, Blue Ridge, Ridge and Valley, and Plateau.
Who is Don Berryhill?
Don Berryhill, science specialist with the Okefenokee Regional Education Service Agency, guides students in a canoe through the Okefenokee Swamp and points out many unique species in this specialized ecosystem. Bill Cribbs, a descendant of a farmer who came to the Okefenokee in the late 1800s, and park ranger Pete Griffin describe life in the swamp when people worked at the Hebard Lumber Company. Like any mysterious place, legends abound, Cribbs and Griffin have a few stories to tell.
Where is the granite capital of the world?
Nestled Between a Rock and a Hard Place: Elberton, Georgia. According to Tom Robinson, executive vice president of the Elberton Granite Association, the abundance of granite in Elberton may also have something to do with Elberton ’s nickname, "Granite Capital of the World.".
Who is Bill Cribbs?
Bill Cribbs, a descendant of a farmer who came to the Okefenokee in the late 1800s , and park ranger Pete Griffin describe life in the swamp when people worked at the Hebard Lumber Company. Like any mysterious place, legends abound, Cribbs and Griffin have a few stories to tell.
Georgia Rocks! The Geology of Georgia
Allen Padgett from the Department of Natural Resources leads a group of students into a cave in Cloudland Canyon in the Appalachian Plateau of northwest Georgia. Along the way he describes how caves and valleys in north Georgia were formed by the forces of nature lifting up massive rocks to create mountains with pockets underneath.
Georgia Under the Ground
Georgia Under the Ground explains how Georgia's geography was shaped and molded by the forces of nature. Sweeping scenes show off the geographic variety of the state east to west and north to south and the presence of fossils aids in understanding the formation of the state.
Georgia's Own Swamp Thing
Don Berryhill, science specialist with the Okefenokee Regional Education Service Agency, guides students in a canoe through the Okefenokee Swamp and points out many unique species in this specialized ecosystem.
Making Rice in Georgia
In colonial days, rice was Georgia’s number one export.
Nestled Between a Rock and a Hard Place: Elberton, Georgia
According to Tom Robinson, executive vice president of the Elberton Granite Association, the abundance of granite in Elberton may also have something to do with Elberton’s nickname, "Granite Capital of the World." Geologists estimate that the granite deposit is 35 miles long, 6 miles wide, and 2 to 3 miles in depth.
The Golden Hills of Dahlonega
Frank Moon, a fifth generation gold prospector, local Dahlonega bookstore owner Bill Kinsland, and Dr. Ray Rensi at Dahlonega’s North Georgia College describe how news of the discovery of gold in north Georgia spread as quickly as a lightening strike and prospectors poured in just as fast.
What is the coastal plain in Georgia?
The Coastal Plain landscape is a low, flat region of well-drained soils with some areas of gently rolling hills and poorly drained flatwoods.
What are the ridges and valleys in Georgia?
The Ridge and Valley Province occupies most of the northwestern area of Georgia. It came about as a result of extreme folding and faulting events creating a series of roughly parallel ridges and valleys that come in a variety of widths, heights, and geologic materials. These materials include limestone, dolomite, shale, siltstone, sandstone, chert, mudstone, and marble. Caves are relatively numerous in this area. The area includes the Chickamauga Valley, Armuchee Ridges, and the Great Valley. The ridge areas are predominantly forested with stands of oak-hickory and oak-pine. The valleys are mostly agricultural, including a mix of row crop and pasture.
What is the parent material for coastal plains?
The parent material for these soils area Cretaceous or Tertiary-age sands and sandy clays that are marine in origin and usually acidic. The Coastal Plain vegetation is a complex mix of upland flatwoods and many wetland communities including bottomland hardwoods and the Okefenokee Swamp.
What is the highest point in Georgia?
Georgia’s highest point is Brasstown Bald at 4,784 feet above sea level and its lowest is sea level along the coast. Georgia experiences a humid and subtropical climate with fairly mild winters and hot moist summers.
What is the state of Georgia?
With an area of approximately 57,000 square miles, Georgia is the largest state east of the Mississippi River. The Georgia landscape runs from the mountains in ...
What is the Blue Ridge Province?
The valleys are mostly agricultural, including a mix of row crop and pasture. The Blue Ridge Province occupies the northeastern portions of Georgia. The mountain peaks range between 2,000 and 5,000 feet, and are the highest in the state. The southern Blue Ridge is one of the richest centers of biodiversity in the US.
Where is the Cumberland Plateau located?
The Cumberland Plateau is found in the extreme northwestern corner of Georgia. It includes Lookout, Pigeon, and Sand Mountains.
Who illustrated fossils of the Georgia coastal plain?
Horace Gardiner Richards, Illustrated Fossils of the Georgia Coastal Plain ( [Atlanta]: Georgia Department of Mines, Mining and Geology, [1969]).
What are the fossils of the coastal plain?
These deposits were laid down during times when the oceans were much higher. Because of this marine influence, the majority of Coastal Plain fossils represent sea life; it is not surprising that the state fossil is a giant shark tooth. Across the Coastal Plain, far from the present shoreline, many types of sharks, bony fish, marine reptiles, and marine mammals are amply represented. The fossils of many terrestrial animals are also found in marine deposits, probably as a result of the animals being transported or drowned.
What are the fossils of marine reptiles?
The fossils of marine reptiles are also present. The vertebrae and teeth of both mosasaurs ( large marine lizards) and plesiosaurs (long-necked reptiles) are moderately common fossils. Some of the most noteworthy fossils found in the nearshore Cretaceous deposits are rare nonmarine animals, including freshwater turtles, primitive alligatoroids, and dinosaurs. Three dinosaur groups that have been identified from the Late Cretaceous period in Georgia include hadrosaurs (duck-billed dinosaurs), a single species of tyrannosaur (a smaller relative of Tyrannosaurus ), and a single ornithomimosaur (an ostrichlike dinosaur). Few of the dinosaur fossils are complete enough to identify genus and species, but the tyrannosaur has been extensively studied and named a new genus, Appalachiosaurus, unique to the southeastern Coastal Plain.
When did humans first arrive in Georgia?
The date at which humans first entered the Georgia Coastal Plain is currently a matter of debate. Artifacts of cultures traditionally dated to 9,000 years of age are widespread in Georgia, and there is some evidence that the earliest humans in the area were hunting mastodons or other very large mammals by the Late Pleistocene.
What is the most impressive Cretaceous fish?
The most impressive Cretaceous fish remains come from a species of giant “bulldog” fish, whose teeth reached lengths of 7 centimeters. The fish itself grew up to 4 meters long. Also common are the jaw parts and vertebrae of a schooling fish genus, which are easily recognized because of their fangs with curved bony bases. Also noteworthy is a huge coelacanth fish, a close ancestor of the famous coelacanth found today in the Indian Ocean. The coelacanth from the Coastal Plain was nearly three times the size of the present-day fish, reaching lengths of at least four meters.