TOrnadoe's effects on Texas Ecoregions
This page will describe the effects that tornadoes have on Texas ecoregions around the state.
WHat is a tornado?
When moist, hot air and cool, dry air from different directions meet, it creates a wind shear and the two winds rotate together and spin around in a horizontal direction. It spins faster and creates a funnel cloud and then touches down to the ground. A tornado is a spiraling vortex extending from a thunderstorm to the ground. The winds in a tornado spiral around a center of low atmospheric pressure and the winds spiral upwards creating a "internal vacuum that then sucks up anything it passes over".
EFfects
Tornado winds can range up to 300 mph or in serious cases even more! These strong winds can throw around cars and trains considerable distances as if they were weightless. The winds also rip open houses and throw them off their foundations. Giant trees are uprooted and toppled over and tornadoes pick up anything lying around (like glass bottles, trash cans, etc) and turn them into lethal missiles which are a big threat to people and animals as well.
- Animals left unprotected from tornadoes are also picked up and tossed around which eventually kills them
- wipes out herds of animals
- trees and plants are killed
- trees kills that took many years to grow will be hard to replace
- animals and plants lose their habitats or lives
- species population decreases
- disrupt the environment and food chain/webs
- soil erosion: winds blow away soil and deposit them elsewhere
- destroys farm (crops,vegetation,livestock,etc) : food shortages around that area
- water contamination by blowing debris into water sources (serious problems to humans, plants, and animals
Fires
Tornadoes are the cause of damaged power lines and gas leaks which lead to fires. Fires can contribute to global warming by giving off carbon dioxide into the air
Bibliography
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- Hubbard, Lex. "The Effects of Tornadoes on Humans & Nature | EHow." EHow. Demand Media, 08 June 2011. Web. 09 May 2013.
- "Natural Disasters- Tornadoes." Environmental Impact. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 May 2013.
- "What Is a Tornado?" National Geographic Education. National Gepgraphic Society, n.d. Web. 09 May 2013.
- "What Is a Tornado?" ThinkQuest. Oracle Foundation, n.d. Web. 09 May 2013.