Border Midlands West - Physical

Question 1

Climate

Answer 1

• Cool temp oceanic
• Influence of Atlantic ocean - 5.7 to 14 degrees
• Mountainous relief along west coast - Bluestack mountains - relief rainfall
• 928 - 1100 mm rain - relief rainfall + rain shadow effect
• Atlantic sea + North atlantic drift = no frost + ice free ports

Question 2

Topography

Answer 2

• Mountains found here - Bluestack mntns, Donegal
• Formed during caledonian time period
• Lowland found in areas such as Connemara - usually peat - thin soil - bad for ag
• Coastline made up of headlands + bays - from atlantic

Question 3

Soil

Answer 3

• Blanket peat + Podzol soils
• Heavy leaching created podzol - hard pan + poorly drained
• Glaciation caused drumlin landscape
• Drainage basin of river shannon has alluvial soils - often flooded
• Fluvio-glacial deposits left eskers - well drained dry areas