17.2 WORLD CLIMATES

Learning Targets

1. Describe the relationship between the climate zones and the factors that influence climate

2. Discuss the relationship between climate zones and biomes

3. Discuss the different biomes based on a general description

Climate Zones and Biomes1. Climate zone: areas with similar

temperatures, humidity, precipitation, and seasons

2. Vegetation reflects particular climate zone

3. Biome: climate zone plus native plants and animals

4. Found in bands of similar latitude N or S

a)30° deserts; 90-75°polar tundra

Climate Zones1. Tropic Moist (tropical moist)2. Dry (Arid)3. Moist Subtropical (Humid) mid-

latitude4. Continental5. Cold

a) Sub-polarb) Polar

Tropical Moist Climates1. ~25° N to 25° S (near equator)2. High temperatures and lots of

rainfall3. Tropical wet4. Tropical monsoon

a) Both are Tropical Rainforest Biome

5. Tropical wet drya) Biome - Savanna

Arid (Dry) Climates1. ~25-35° N and S

a) Hadley convection cell drops cool dry air

2. Hot days, cold nights; very little precipitation

3. Deserts4. Biome - Steppe

Moist Subtropical Mid-latitude1. ~30-40° N and S

a) Higher along the coast

2. 4 separate seasons; plenty of precipitation

a) Mediterraneanb) Humid subtropical (Southeast

US)c) Marine West Coast

Continental1. ~40-70° N

a) No continental climates in Southern Hemisphere; land is too narrow

2. Humid but colder than humid mid-latitude

3. Not warmed by ocean currentsa) Cold winters; hot summers

4. Affected by surrounding land – low specific heat

Cold1. 70-90° N and S2. Very little precipitation3. Subpolar

a) Taiga; many coniferous forests; meltwater streams

4. Polar Tundraa) Mosses and ferns; frozen most of the

yearb) Permafrost - Permanently frozen ground

5. Ice Cap

Microclimate

1.When climate conditions in a small area are different from those of the surroundings, the climate of the small area