Definition of
Plain
A plain it’s a field either land no ups or downs. It is, therefore, a surface dilated that is characterized by its equality.
It is known as a plain or plain flat geographic area or whose undulation is less than 150 meters above sea level. If it presented a higher elevation, we would be facing a plateau.
- Abyssal plain
- Classification according to type
- Examples of plains
- Differences and similarities with the plateau and the valley
- Related Topics Tree
Abyssal plain
The plains account for about 55% of the continental surface and 40% of the bottom of the land that makes up the ocean bed.
The one found at the bottom of the ocean is called abyssal plain either platform and it has a depth that goes from 2,200 to 5,500 m. In the case of the plains of the earth’s surface, their origin comes from the ancient rocks that were part of the stable interiors of the continents. They are the result of millions of years of erosion.
It can help you: Lithology
Classification according to type
There are different types of plains, such as pedillanurasthe peneplainsthe corrosion plainsthe panplainsthe littoral platforms and the cryoflattening surfaces.
The pedillanuras They are surfaces that arise from the retreat of escarpments and pedimentation (the formation of concave platforms with gentle slopes at the foot of steep slopes). The peneplainson the other hand, are surfaces that almost do not present topographic accidents.
The corrosion plains They derive from other pre-existing plains, arising after chemical weathering processes and the dismantling of eroded material. The panplains cover the flat surfaces that appear as a consequence of the union of alluvial plains, while the littoral platforms They are those created by the erosive action of the waves.
Lastly, the cryoplanation surfaces they are developed with the deposition of weathered material in depressions.
See also: Backtracking
Examples of plains
With all this it is evident that the quality of the land in a plain varies according to the type of soil that makes it up, with some of immense fertility qualities and others of low fertility.
Some of the most famous plains on the planet are the Gulf Coastal Plain (Mexico), the Pampean Plain (Argentina), the Sabana Made (Venezuela) and the La Mancha Plain (Spain).
Follow in: Gulf
Differences and similarities with the plateau and the valley
Just as a plain resembles a plateau in some ways, it also has similarities to valleys, although they are clearly two different landforms.
In a flat terrain there can be certain elevations but between the height of these and that of the rest of the territory there cannot be much difference. Those elevations within a flat terrain receive different names according to their characteristics, they can be hills, buttes or hills.
At the same time, as we have already said, there can be plateaus (they have a certain height and have an abundance of grasslands and little tree vegetation) and depressions (they are perceived as small unevenness in the terrain that is surrounded by the mountain; they have a extensive vegetation and are usually very fertile).
Within the various depressions there is a very particular classification that is that of the valleys. These are characterized by being low and flat parts of land cloistered between the mountains at a lower height than the rest of the adjoining lands and with elongated diameters. In turn, they are isolated from the rest of the territories and the only way to access them are the so-called mountain passes, which are trails marked by the thaw that are used for transit.
In any case, surely one of the fundamental characteristics of the valleys is their great fertility, possibly fueled by this difficult access and by the feeding of rivers and streams that come down from the mountains, providing the necessary water for the proliferation of all kinds of vegetation.
See also: Proliferation