Abstract
An anomalous pattern of high warm-season precipitation centered on the city of La Porte, Indiana, has recently been described in the literature.' The presence of this pattern was attributed to rainfall augmentation as a result of atmospheric pollution by the heavy industrial complex in the vicinity of Gary, Indiana (Figure one). Other natural gradients in addition to that of rainfall exist in the La Porte area, however, and possibly suggest that the former pattern has had a longer-term existence. The present study was part of a broader investigation designed to examine biogeographical patterns which might reflect on the degree of permanence of the La Porte rainfall anomaly. Perhaps the most conspicuous feature of the plant geography of northwestern Indiana is a peninsula of mesophytic forest, consisting primarily of Fagus grandifolia (beech) and Acer saccharum (sugar maple), which extends southwestward fro m Michigan along the Valparaiso moraine (Figure one) through La Porte County. This peninsula is surrounded on three sides by forests in which more xerophytic species, particularly Quercus velutina (black oak), Q. alba (white oak), and Q . macrocarpa (bur oak) predominate
Recommended Citation
Elton, Wallace
(1970)
"FOREST DISTRIBUTION AND SOIL TEXTURE ALONG THE VALPARAISO MORAINE IN NORTHWESTERN INDIANA,"
The Geographical Bulletin: Vol. 1:
Iss.
1, Article 7.
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/thegeographicalbulletin/vol1/iss1/7