Do Now
At your table, share some good things that have happened this week.
You do not need to write this down.Make sure you have turned everything in
(syllabus, 5 themes photos, paragraph, quiz corrections).
SEPTEMBER 7, 2012
Climate and Vegetation Regions
The Köppen Climate Classification
3 letter system First letter = temperature Second letter = precipitation Third letter = finer shades of temperature
Csa = Mediterranean C = middle latitude temperature s = summer dry a = hot summers (as opposed to warm)
The Köppen Climate Classification
A= Tropical (equatorial regions)B= Deserts (arid, semiarid)C= Mesothermal (mild winter)D= Microthermal (cold winter)E= Polar (always cold)H= Highland (mountains, plateaus)
Climate Regions
Vegetation Regions
Tropical Humid Climates (A)
36% of Earth’s total surfaceConsistently warmSubcategories based on rainfall
Tropical rainforest Tropical monsoon Tropical savanna
Climate: Tropical Rainforest
High rainfall all yearSurrounds Equator
Vegetation: Tropical Rainforest
Region: surrounds EquatorVegetation: tall trees, ferns, vines
Highest density of plant speciesAnimals: insects, amphibians, reptiles, birds
More animal species than all other biomes combinedAmong most threatened biomes
Climate: Savanna
Surround tropical rainforestsRainfall: 35-70”/yearDesertification
Vegetation: Savanna
Region: around tropical rainforestsVegetation: grasses, scattered trees and
shrubsAnimals: large grazing animals and predators
Dry Arid / Semiarid Climates (B)33% of Earth’s total surfaceWater deficitsSubcategories
Desert Steppe
Climate: Desert
Wide range in temperature Hot at low latitudes Variation at high latitudes
Variation in rainfall < 10 inches/year
Desertification
Vegetation: Desert
Vegetation: Cacti, small flowers, shrubsAnimals: birds, small predators, reptiles
Climate: Steppe
More precipitation than desertsNarrower range in temperaturesGrasslandsTransitions between deserts and humid
climates
Vegetation: Grasslands
Region: Central North America, parts of Africa, Australia, SE South America (Pampas)
Best soil on EarthVegetation: grasses, some trees and bushesAnimals: large grazing animals, burrowing
animals, a few predators
Mesothermal Climates (C)
20 % of Earth’s surface“Middle temperatures”True seasonsSubcategories based on precipitation
Humid subtropical Marine west coast Mediterranean
Climate: Humid Subtropical
Hot summerCold spellsYear-round precipitation
Vegetation: Temperate Forest (Deciduous)
Region: Western Europe, East Asia, Eastern U.S.
Good soil for agricultureBroad leafed deciduous trees: oaks, hickories,
maplesAnimals hibernate and migrate
Climate: Mediterranean
Surrounds Mediterranean SeaDry summersParts of Australia, South Africa, and Chile
Vegetation: Mediterranean
Region: west coast and central California, SW. Australia, tip of South Africa, West Peru, Chile, Mediterranean
Vegetation: grassland, scattered trees, shrubsValuable for agricultureAt risk for fires, erosion, and desertification
Microthermal Climates (D)
Almost entirely in the Northern HemisphereHumid continental
Climate: Humid Continental
Long, cold wintersModerate precipitationLarge temperature range
Vegetation: Coniferous Forest
Region: northern parts of North America, Europe, Asia, South America, New Zealand, southern Australia
Vegetation: coniferous trees (needle-leaved)Animals: large herbivores, predatorsProblems: acid rain, logging, oil drilling
Polar Climates (E)
< 50°F all yearHigh windsSurround North and South PolesSubcategories
Tundra Ice caps
Climate: Tundra
Very low precipitation32-50°F
Vegetation: TundraRegion: North of the coniferous forest,
high latitudes of northern hemisphere in a belt around the Arctic Ocean, near the coast
PermafrostVegetation: mosses, low grasses, small
plantsAnimals: small burrowing, migratory,
some predators
Climate: Ice Caps
< 32°FVery little precipitationNorth and South Poles
Highland Climates (H)
Lower temperaturesMore moistureHigh winds
