Unit 5 - World landscapes

Unit 5 - World landscapes

1- What types of climate are there?WORLD CLIMATES

Hot climates- It is the area between the Tropics.- Temperatures are generally high and there is little difference in temperatures in different seasons.- Sunlight reaches the Earth at a perpendicular angle all year round.-MAIN CLIMATES:.Equatorial.Tropical.Desert

Temperate climates- It is the area between the Tropics and the polar circles.- Temperatures change because sunlight reaches the Earth at different angles throughout the year.- MAIN CLIMATES:.Oceanic.Mediterranean.Continental.Chinese

Cold Climates- It is the area between the polar circles and the poles.-Sunlight strikes the Earth at an oblique angle.- Temperatures are always very cold.- CLIMATE:.Polar Climate (also in mountains)

Climate graphsClimate graphs are a combination of a bar graph and a line graph.Temperature is shown on a line graph, with the figures being shown on the right side of the graph. Rainfall is shown by a bar graph, with the figures being shown down the left side of the graph.

Interpreting climate graphsIn the exam you may be asked to look at the information in a graph and describe the area's climate.Look for patterns in the temperature data:Is the temperature the same all year round? If it is different, how many seasons does the location experience?Which season is the warmest? Is it warm (10 - 20C), hot (20 - 30C) or very hot (above 30C)?Which season is the coolest? Is it mild (0 -10C), cold (-10 - 0C) or very cold (below -10C)?What is the range of temperature? (Subtract the minimum temperature from the maximum temperature).Look for patterns in the rainfall dataDoes the rainfall occur all year round?What is the pattern of the rainfall? Check which season(s) is/are drier or wetter than others.What is the total annual rainfall? Add each month's total together to get the annual total.Then put the rainfall and temperature information together - what does it tell you about this area?

3. Describe the patterns in temperature and rainfall, including how they relate to each other. You now have a description of the climate.Now look at the climate graph below. What can you deduce about the climate?

ActivityExercise 1 on pages 48-49.

2- What are rainforests like?Equatorial climate- As its name said, it is found near the equator.- Temperatures are always hot, the average is around 27C.- There is very little variation in temperatures.- Precipitation is abundant and regular, more than 2000 mm a year.

RainforestsA rainforest is a dense forest found in tropical or equatorial areas of heavy rainfall. The trees are broad-leaved and evergreen, and the vegetation tends to grow in three layers (undergrowth, intermediate trees and shrubs, and very tall trees, which form a canopy).They have a lot of species of animals and plants.These landscapes are almost uninhabited because of the heat and humidity. However some native peoples live by hunting or gathering plants.

Parts of the
rainforest ->

3- What is the savannah like?TROPICAL CLIMATESThey are found both Tropics.Temperatures are always high.Rainfall is abundant (500-2000 mm) but not regular. There are two seasons: the rainy season and the dry season.Rivers have a smaller, more irregular flow than equatorial rivers.

SavannahTropical savannahs are open grasslands, usually with scattered bushes or trees, characteristic of much of tropical Africa.They are home to many herbivores as well as carnivores.Most people live on the coast or near the rivers. There are small towns.

ActivitiesExercise 1 on page 50.Exercise 1 on page 51.

4- What are desert landscapes like?DESERT CLIMATESThere is very little precipitation.There are two types:.Hot deserts are near the tropics and temperatures varies a lot from day to night..Cold deserts are in temperate zones, and they have two seasons.DESERT LANDSCAPESVegetations and animal life are scarce because of the lack of water.However there are species that have adapted to dry conditions.They are almost uninhabited, but some nomads live in deserts.Some towns have developed in deserts around the oil and natural gas industries.

ActivitiesExercises 1, 2 and 3 on page 52.

5- What are Mediterranean landscapes like?MEDITERRANEAN CLIMATESIt is found around the Mediterranean sea. However it exists in other parts of the world.Temperatures are very high in summer and mild in winter.Precipitation is not abundant and mainly in autumn and spring, summers are dry.Droughts are a big problem.MEDITERRANEAN LANDSCAPESRivers have an irregular flow. It depends on the season. Floods are a danger.In mediterranean forests there are different trees, shrubs and plants. However this landscape has changed a lot because of human action both inland and on the coast.

ActivitiesExercise 1 on page 53.

6- What are continental landscapes like?CONTINENTAL CLIMATESThese are located in the temperate zones in the Northern hemisphere.Temperatures have a great range, they are extreme.Precipitation generally occurs in summer.Rivers could be frozen during winter.CONTINENTAL LANDSCAPES1- Coniferous forests or taigas: long winters. Coniferous trees. Very small population.2- Prairies: inland plains, in wetter and warmer areas. Tall grass. Most people live there.3- Steppes: dry areas, low grass.

Coniferous forest or taiga

Prairies

Steppes

HomeworkExercises 1 and 2 on page 58. Pay attention, number 1 is just to help you doing number 2...

7- What are oceanic landscapes like?OCEANIC CLIMATESThey are located in the west coasts of temperate zones.Temperatures are mild.Precipitation is abundant and regular.Rivers have a regular flow.OCEANIC LANDSCAPESVegetation is abundant and green.Types:-Meadows.-Deciduous forests.-MoorsTheses areas are densely populated.

Meadows

Deciduous forest

Moors

8- What are polar landscapes like?POLAR CLIMATESThey are found in both poles.They are the coldest on Earth. It is always cold.It is night for six months.There is little precipitation and it is in the form of snow.POLAR LANDSCAPESTheir main characteristic is ice and snow.Vegetation cant grow, and only a few animals live there.Near the polar circles where it is hotter there is the tundra landscape, with some vegetations and more animals.Human life is very difficult.

Arctic landscape

Antarctic landscape

Tundra

HomeworkExercise 1 b on page 56.

9- What are alpine landscapes like?ALPINE CLIMATESLocated in the highest mountain ranges.Temperatures are very low in winter and cool in summer.There is abundant precipitation.Temperatures and precipitation change with altitude.ALPINE LANDSCAPESVegetation changes from one part of the mountain to another, it changes with:-altitude-sunny or shady slope-windy areasPopulation depend on climate.

HomeworkExercise 2 on page 57.