I. Climate and vegetation
• Most of the region lies between Tropic of Cancer and Capricorn
A. Tropical Regions
• This climate and vegetation dominate southern Mexico, eastern Central America, Caribbean Islands, and parts of South America
• Hot temp. and lots of rain year round
B. The Rainforests
• Wet tropical areas – dense cover of rainforests
• Includes tropical hardwoods, palms, tree ferns, and bamboos
• broad leafed and needle leafed evergreen trees
• Creates a canopy – a continuous layer of leaves
• Amazon Basin covers largest rainforest, 1/3 of South America
• Months of heavy rains during June and July leads to severe flooding of the Amazon R.
• Normally 1 to 6 mi. across,
-reaches up to 30 mi. during flooding
•Habitat for many reptiles…
C. Tropical Savanna
• Located in SW Mexico and Caribbean Is., and north central South America
• Hot temp. and lots of rain but also has dry seasons
• Vast grasslands like the Llanos in Columbia and Venezuela
D. Humid Subtropics
• Much of SE South America – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to the pampas of Argentina and Uruguay
• Winters: short, mild• Summers: long, hot, humid
• Mainly short grasses and few trees.
• Europeans grazed cattle on ranches. Overgrazing left short clumps of grass and dust storms sweep the nation.
E. Desert and Steppe Areas
• Northern Mexico, coastal Peru and Chile
• Rain Shadow Effect of the Andes produced the Atamaca Desert – no rainfall ever recorded
• Northern Mexico, NE Brazil, and south central South America – receive little rainfall, but are steppe climates with hot summers, cool winters and light rainfall.
II. Elevation and Climate
• Climate varies due to elevation
• Tierra caliente – hot land between sea level and 2500 ft. Temp. 68 to 91 and rainforests
• Crops: bananas, sugar, rice, cacao
• Tierra templada – temperate between 2500 ft and 6500 ft. Temp. 60 to 72
• Broad-leafed evergreen trees lower level• Needle-leafed cone bearing trees at
upper level• Most densely populated of all 3 zones
and has coffee and corn as main crops
• Tierra fria – cold land, 6500 to 10000 ft. Temp. frost common during winter
• Crops: potatoes and barley grow well.