Geography and Climate of the Great Plains

A detailed Summary of Geography and Climate of the Great Plains

The geography and climate of the Great Plains area of the United States has seen some changes in the past, and will assuredly see changes in the future. These changes have affected the people and land of that area, and forced them adapt, improvise and overcome.

As a primary example, the native Indian tribes of the Great Plains area would have to adjust their lifestyle due to a climate or geography changes and the impact upon varieties of plants, animals and sacred sites used for traditional economies and religious purposes. Cultural and ceremonial traditions often require specific indigenous species and access to specific locations, and if said locations or species of plants etc are disturbed, the Great Plains Indians have a cultural problem.

Tribal obligations between the peoples of the area raise the relationship between what might happen to distant regional environments and the local reservation. Many members have therefore left the reservations to look for work in urban areas once a climate or geographical change has occurred. This was dramatically seen in the extreme weather conditions of the winter and spring of 1997. Many northern Plains tribes, such as Standing Rock and the Cheyenne River Reservations, were hit with extr

Extreme weather events and natural hazards in the Great Plains area are frequent. The economies are heavily based on natural resources and agriculture. Climate therefore is always at the forefront of the consciousness of all residents. How well the region copes with climate changes has national significance, because the present day Northern Great Plains provide the basic human needs of food, fiber, minerals, energy, and water. Large percentages of the United States' agricultural produce are exported from the Northern Great Plains, as well as the Southeastern Great Plains area. The record of adaptability by the agricultural sector to change is outstanding so far, and if it can be sustained into the future, the Great Plains producers can be leaders in easing the effects of local climate change. The trend toward greater efficiency through precision farming and a watchful eye on climatic trends holds promise as a solution.

Winter livestock protection is a critical issue for the Great Plains people. Ranchers know that exotic animals such as cattle have harder times dealing with severe winters than do indigenous species such as buffalo. The buffalo has a greater sustainability under climatic extremes, and will almost certainly survive even the harshest, abnormal winter temperatures. Cattle will most certainly not survive if the Great Plains is hit with a colder than normal winter. Most Indian reservations now have significant

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Approximate Word count = 964
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Science