Natural environments

There are three climate zones in the Earth

The cold zones

The temperate zones

The hot zone

Large gegraphical areas that share common characteristics related to

However, men had transformed natural environments building, farming

or logging

Natural environments in warm zones

The temperatures are high, around 25 °

Rainfall is abundant and distributed evenly

throughout the year

Rivers in these areas have high, regular flows

The vegetationis in the form of lush

jungle

There are different levels of vegetation

in the jungle

The population in the equatorial

environment is low because of the difficult natural

conditions.

The inhabitants have traditional

economic activities based on hunting,

fishing and gathering

The temperatures are always over 18 °

Precipitation is abundant, but there is a dry season

in winter and a wet season in summer

Rivers have considerable variaon in their flow

The vegetationis in the form tropical

forest or savannah

Savannas are open grasslands with shrubs

and isolated trees

The flora is adapted to seasonal changes in

precipitation

Have you seen The Lion King? How many animals can you remember in the film?

The population practise traditional economic activities, such as shifting cultivation, sedentary rain-fed

agriculture or raising livestock

There are also plantations of cocoa, coffee or tea, owned by foreign companies

The average annual temperature is above 18 °

Precipitation is very infrequent and irregular

Most of the time rivers are dry The flora is small, scarce and dispersed

Plants with spines, like cacti and shrubs are common

Only in an oasis there is abundant vegetation

Deserts are sparsely populated

Traditional economic activities are

haunting, gathering and shepperding

Modern economic activities are the

extraction of minerals, oil and gas

Natural environments in temperate zones

The temperatures are moderate Precipitation is low and

irregular, with a dry season in summer

Rivers have an irregular flow and carry little water

The vegetationis in the form evergreen forest

The most characteristic species are the holm oak, the cork oak and the

Mediterranean pine tree

This environment is densely populated

Traditional activities, like agriculture coexist with modern activities, especially tourism

Continental environment Oceanic environment

The temperatures are mild

Precipitation is regular and abundant

Rivers carry a regular amount of water

Vegetation is formed mainly of decidous forest, heathland, and

grassland

The most common species are the oak, beech, chestnut or elm.

Grassland or meadows are often used as pasture for cattle

The fauna is plentiful and with varied species. Some of them

hibernate

The temperatures are extreme

Precipitation is low and irregular. In winter it usually falls as snow

Rivers can freeze during the winter

Vegetation is formed by the taiga or the steppe

In the North, we can observe the taiga or coniferous forest, compound by species

such as the pine tree, the fir, the larch or the birch

The steppes are extensive grasslands with herbs. They are in the South, with higher

temperatures and lighter rainfall

Natural environments in cold

zones

The temperatures are extremely low Precipitation is very rare

and in the form of snow

There are no riversVegetation only grows during

the warmest period of the year

If the temperature rises above 0°, the surface layer of the ground thaw and so, some small plants can

grow. These areas are called the tundra

If the temperature never rises above 0°, the landscape is permanently frozen

Eskimos live in the tundra of North America, where they form villages dedicated to hunting and fishing

Sami people raise herds of reindeer in Northern Scandinavia

Temperature fall as altitude raise Precipitation is abundant

Three factors affect vegetation: latitude, altitude and the direction the vegetation faces

Environmental problems

Natural hazards

Flood

Tsunami

Hurricans

Thunderstorm

Earthquake

Volcano

Hazards caused by human activity

Acid rain

If air pollution is extremely heavy, that nitrogen oxides and

sulphur from industry enter raindrops

Pollution

Global warming

Experts claim that the warming of the

atmosphere is increasing because of carbon dioxide emissions

Deforestation

Desertification

Human activity causes lots of waste that pollute the water and

the soil

Waste residue

Oil spill

Energy produced by renewable sources can solve

the pollution problem

Sustainable development is the idea that improving our lifestyle today

should not cause a reduction in the quality of life for future generations