Download - Climate Zones and Vegetation
Climate Zones and Vegetation
Ch. 2, Sec. 3Pp. 61-68
Tropical Climates Area along equator
from 23½° N to 23½° S
2 types – rainforest and savannah
Rainforest receives 100 inches of rain per year
Savannah has wet season and dry season
Tropical Rain Forest Climate
Year-round rain in some parts Millions of kinds of plants and animals Thick forest canopy means little sunlight reaches
the forest floor Largest rain forest is in the Amazon River basin
Tropical Savanna Climate Southern India
and eastern Africa Rain only falls a
few months each year (wet season)
Savannas are broad grasslands with few trees
Mid-Latitude Climates Most of the world’s people live here Variety of climates because of a mix of air masses
(warm from the Tropics and cool from the polar region)
Temperatures change with the seasons
Marine West Coast Climate Winters are rainy
and mild, summers are cool
Deciduous (lose leaves in fall) and coniferous (evergreen with cones and needles) thrive here
Mediterranean Climate
Mild, rainy winter and hot, dry summers
Chaparral (scrubs) and short trees grow here
Humid Continental Climate Inland North
America, Europe, or Asia
Long, cold, and snowy winters
Short, very hot summers
Deciduous trees and vast grasslands
Humid Subtropical Climate Rainfall throughout the year, but heaviest during
hot, humid summer Winters are short and mild Oaks, magnolias, and palms grow here
High Latitude Climates
Mostly in high latitudes of each hemisphere
Generally cold, but some are more severely cold than others.
Subarctic Climates Very few people live
here Very cold and bitter
winters Temperatures do rise
above freezing during summer
Taiga (huge evergreen forests) grow here
Tundra Climates Closer to the poles Vast, treeless plains Harsh and dry Permafrost –
permanently frozen ground
No trees, only sturdy grasses and low bushes
Ice Cap Climate
Antarctica and Greenland Monthly temperatures average below freezing No vegetation, but lichens (fungus-like plants and
mosses) can live on rocks
Dry Climates Receive little or
no rainfall Extremely hot
during the day and very cold at night
Can be found at any latitude
Desert Climate Receive less than 10 inches of rain per year Scattered plants, like scrub and cacti
Steppe Climate Dry grassland and
prairies Can surround
deserts Russian word
meaning “treeless plain”
10-20 inches of rain per year
Bushes and short grasses
Highland Climate
Cool to very cold, even on the equator
Timberline – last elevation where trees can grow