Meaning And Types Of Lowlands | Formation, Importance

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Hi, welcome to this hall on the meaning and types of Lowlands

Table Of Contents

  1. Meaning and types of Lowlands
  2. Identify the major types of Lowlands
  3. Characteristics of lowlands
  4. Formation Of lowlands
  5. Importance of lowlands to man.

Meaning And Types Of Lowlands

Definition: Lowlands refers to the areas below 300m above the sea level. A lowland is an extensive area of level or gentle undulating land, usually a few meters above the sea level.

Based on the mode of formation, there are three major types of Lowlands or plains. These are:

  • Structural Plains
  • Erosional Plains
  • Depositional Plains.

1. Structural plains

Mode of formation: These are relatively undisturbed horizontal surface of the earth, formed by bedding sedimentary rocks. Examples are the Russian platform and the great plainss of the U.S.A.

2. Erosional Plains

Mode of formation: These plains are formed by the agents of denudation such as rivers, wind, reigns, glacier and ocean waves which wear out irregular rock surfaces and smoothen them into plains known as erosion plains. Plains, resulting from the action of this agents of denudation are called peneplain while those formed when wind blows and reduces a highland to a flat or level but a gentle land is called pediplain. Examples of erosional plains are Canadian shield, Reg and Hamada of Sahara Desert.

3. Depositional Plains

Mode of formation: These are plains formed by the deposition of materials or sediments transported there by the various agents of transportation such as rivers, winds, waves and glazier.

Depositional plains are grouped into the following categories

  • Alluvial Plains: These are formed from deposition of sediments eroded from the upper course of a river to the lower course of that river. The deposited materials on the lower course of a river form the alluvial plain.
  • Flood Plains: These are also formed from the deposition segments eroded from the upper course of river and deposited on the lower course, especially when the rivers overflows it’s banks. It can also be formed from deposition of sediments carried by running water, e.g, flood.
  • Deltaic plains: These are formed from the deposition of sediments brought down by a river onto the mouth of that river. Alluvial, flood and deltaic plains are all rich and fertile soil which are very good for serious farming activities.
  • Outwash plains: These are formed from the deposition of materials brought down by glaziers.
  • Aeolian plains: These are formed in arid or desert and semi-arid regions where wind-blown sand is deposited to form an expensive plain.
  • Lacustrine plains: These are formed from the deposition of sediments which cover the beds of lakes that have become dried.
  • Coastal plains: These are formed from the deposition of segments brought by ocean waves on the continental shelf. Coastal plains can also be formed by uplift of part of the sea-floor bordering a continent.

Importance Of Lowlands Or Uses

  1. Human habitation: Plains, especially level ones are good for human habitation. Population and settlements are usually concentrated on plains.
  2. Sources of minerals: Some plains are rich sources of minerals like petroleum and coal.
  3. Intensive agriculture: Plains, especially depositional plains are rich fertile soils which favor intensive agriculture.
  4. Communication: Plains generally favor communication as roads, railways and Airport are better built on level lands.
  5. Rearing of animals: In areas of low rainfall, rearing of animals are carried out in plains as they favor the growth of pasture.
  6. Drinking water: Rivers in plains provide water for drinking and transportation.
  7. Employment: Rivers in plains (basins) provide jobs, e.g. fishing.
  8. Centres of population concentration: Plains are centres of population concentration, e.g. the flood plains of rivers.
  9. Concentration of manufacturing Industries: It supports concentration of manufacturing Industries.

Disadvantages Of Lowlands Or Plains

  1. Some plains, especially in delta areas may be flooded with water and this reduce human activities.
  2. Some may pose serious barriers to communication, especially in areas flooded with excess water either from rivers or after rain. It therefore increases the cost of developing such areas, e.g. construction of flyovers.
  3. Some plains may be barren, e.g. outwash plains in some parts of Netherlands may be water-logged.
  4. Plains are not good defensive centres.

Areas Of Lowlands Or Plains In Nigeria

Their altitude or height are as follows:

  1. The Sokoto plain in the Northwest (200 – 300m).
  2. The Niger Delta trough/Valley (100 – 300m).
  3. The Chad basin or Bornu plain (100 – 300m).
  4. The Niger Delta (0 – 100m).
  5. The Cross River Basin (120 – 180 m).
  6. The interior coastal lowland of Western Nigeria (100 – 300m).
  7. The coastal plain (0 – 100m).

Rocks Associated With Lowlands

  1. Coastal plains – sedimentary rocks on alluvial deposits.
  2. Niger Benue trough – sedimentary rocks of limestone, standstone and shale.
  3. Sokoto plain-sand, clay, sandstone and the limestone.
  4. Chad basin – made up of sand and clay. Rocks, generally known to be associated with lowlands are the sedimentary rocks.

Revision Questions

  1. (a) Name two types of lowlands. (b) Describe the characteristics of lowlands and mode of formation of Lowlands mentioned in (a) above.
  2. (a) Write short note on: tectonic Lowlands, structural lowlands.
  3. (a) What is lowlands? State four uses or importance of lowlands to man.
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