The features of physical geography in the transitional region between Qinling Mountains and Huanghuai Plain

The features of physical geography in the transitional region between Qinling Mountains and Huanghuai Plain possess transitional characters evidently in two directions: one is from the western mountain to the eastern plain and the other is from southern subtropical zone to northern temperate zone. Torrential rain, especially strong torrential rain is frequent in the transitional region, and there are many torrential rain centers. A majority of torrential rain is distributed among 100-200 m asl. The winter temperature at 100-400 m asl is higher than that in Huanghuai Plain whose altitude is lower than that of the transitional region, and the highest temperature in January appears at 350-400 m asl. The thickness of warm slope belt in the transitional region varies from 100 m to 250 m asl. The formation of torrential rain and warm slope belt is the result of joint action of atmospheric circulation and local terrain. Frequent torrential rains and warm slope belt had tremendous influences on the soil properties, plant distribution and local climate in the transitional region.