Tropical climates, continued

Fig. 17-2, p. 472Friday, Sept. 3, 2010 2

Fig. 17-6, p. 477Friday, Sept. 3, 2010 3

Fig. 17-7a, p. 478Friday, Sept. 3, 2010 4

Fig. 17-7b, p. 479Friday, Sept. 3, 2010 5

Table 17-1a, p. 480Friday, Sept. 3, 2010 6

Table 17-1b, p. 480Friday, Sept. 3, 2010 7

Fig. 9-2, p. 225Friday, Sept. 3, 2010 8

Fig. 9-14, p. 232Friday, Sept. 3, 2010 9

Fig. 9-14, p. 232Friday, Sept. 3, 2010 10

Fig. 9-15, p. 234Friday, Sept. 3, 2010 11

Fig. 9-22, p. 239Friday, Sept. 3, 2010 12

Fig. 9-22a, p. 239Friday, Sept. 3, 2010 13

Fig. 9-22b, p. 239Friday, Sept. 3, 2010 14

Stepped Art

Fig. 9-22c, p. 239Friday, Sept. 3, 2010 15

Stepped Art

Fig. 9-22c, p. 239Friday, Sept. 3, 2010 16

Fig. 9-23, p. 239Friday, Sept. 3, 2010 17

Fig. 9-24, p. 240Friday, Sept. 3, 2010 18

Fig. 9-24a, p. 240Friday, Sept. 3, 2010 19

Fig. 9-24b, p. 240Friday, Sept. 3, 2010 20

Stepped Art

Fig. 9-25, p. 241Friday, Sept. 3, 2010 21

Fig. 9-26, p. 241Friday, Sept. 3, 2010 22

Fig. 9-30, p. 243Friday, Sept. 3, 2010 23

Fig. 17-2, p. 472

Occur mainly between tropics of Cancer and Capricorn (23.5º N and S)

Warm year-round, no winter Minor or minimal change in temperature

throughout the year All are moist (as opposed to dry) climates All influenced by the rising branch of the

Hadley circulation and the ITCZ

There are 3, based on different degrees of seasonality of precipitation

Tropical wet climate, Af◦ Significant rainfall every month of the year

Tropical wet and dry climate, Aw◦ Pronounced (“winter”) dry season

Monsoonal climate, Am◦ Relative dryness for 1-3 months but enough

moisture that vegetation need not be adapted to seasonal drought

◦ Smaller area than that influenced by monsoons

Largest areas in Amazon Basin, western Africa, islands of East Indies (maritime continent)

Under constant influence of ITCZ No dry period, precipitation convective,

sometimes with orographic uplift (Atlantic coast of Central America

Not the hottest climates because evaporation uses so much energy and cloudiness reflects

Night temperatures stay warm on account of high humidity

Vegetation is tropical rain forest◦ Dense canopy of tree cover◦ Tremendous amount of species diversity

Fig. 17-9, p. 481Friday, Sept. 3, 2010 29

Fig. 17-8, p. 481Friday, Sept. 3, 2010 30

Can be thought of as transitional between tropical wet (Af) and tropical wet and dry (Aw)

Occur along tropical coastal areas with predominant onshore winds

Northeastern South America, southwest India, eastern Bay of Bengal, Phillipines

Not the same as monsoonal winds, which affect a larger area

Precipitation depends on speed convergence as wind approaches the coast

Precipitation also enhanced by orographic uplift

Local convergence from surface heating not important like for Af

Some precip from tropical storms, hurricanes, extratropical cyclones

Among the highest precipitation amounts in the world

Warmest month just before summer monsoon

Usually support dense forests, lush vegetation, jungle

Not so luxuriant or as abundant in species diversity as Af, but much more than Aw

Fig. 9-31, p. 244

Fig. 9-32, p. 244

Occur often along the poleward margins of the tropics between Af and B (dry)

Most extensive in South and Central America and southern Africa

Farther from the equator, more seasonal variation in precipitation and temperature than Af and Am

High sun season: ITCZ favors thunderstorms Low sun season: Subtropical high,

descending air, suppression of convection

“w” is for winter dry season, not wet Closer to subtropical high than Am, so

longer, drier dry season than Am Tropical depressions , storms and

hurricanes can augment precipitation Less precip overall than Am, Af Considerable year to year variability, unlike

Am, Af Within the year, more variability in

temperature than Am, Af; less than others

Diurnal temperature range in dry season much greater than for Af and Am

A unique vegetation type, savannah (not Savannah, Georgia)—grasses interspersed with widely separated trees or clumps of trees. Not necessarily due to the dry season—recurrent fire, waterlogged soil, and hard layers within the soil may be more important

Fig. 17-11, p. 483Friday, Sept. 3, 2010 39

Fig. 17-10, p. 482Friday, Sept. 3, 2010 40