2.4 How Climate Affects Vegetation Geography

Journal Entry Write a paragraph correctly using each of the following words: –Theirtowhere –Theretoowere –They’re two Describe the climate in your area Ex. PA is in the Northeast region of the United States. There are many very cold days, but there are many hot days too.

2.4 How Climate Affects Vegetation Vocabulary –Vegetation –Canopy –Tundra –Vertical climate

How does climate affect plants? Climate and Vegetation –A climate must provide plants with water, sunlight, and certain nutrients, or elements, plants use as food. –Plants have adaptations which enable them to live in their particular climate. That means that over a very long time, small, accidental changes in a few individual plants made them better able to survive in a particular place.

What are the 5 types of climates? –Geographers predict the kinds of plants they will find in a climate. They discuss five broad types of climates: tropical, dry, moderate, continental, and polar. Each has its own vegetation, or plants that grow there naturally.

Where are the tropical climates located? Tropical Climates –Low latitudes –Two types, both are hot and wet. –Tropical wet and dry climate also has two season: one with much rain and one with very little rain.

In the rainforest, where do trees/plants that need shade grow? –The vegetation associated with these is tropical rainforest. Growing conditions are perfect with much light, heat, and rain. Thousands of plants grow in a rain forest. Some trees rise 130 feet into the air Their uppermost branches create a canopy. Little sunlight can break through this dense covering of leafy branches. Other trees which are adapted to the shade grow to lower heights Thousands of vines and ferns strive

Give 3 ways that plants survive in dry climates. Dry Climates –Arid and semiarid climates are very hot but receive very little rain –Vegetation in dry regions is sparse –Plants grow far apart in sandy, gravelly soil –Shallow roots are adapted to absorb scarce water before it evaporates in the heat –Some plants have small leaves, which lose little moisture into the air through evaporation. –Other plants flower only when it rains so that as many seeds survive as possible

Where are the moderate climates? How many climates are found there? Moderate Climates –Found in the middle latitudes –Three types Mediterranean marine west coast, and humid subtropical. All three climate types, rain is moderate Seasonal changes, but temperatures hardly ever fall below freezing. Wide variety of vegetation Forests of deciduous trees, which lose their leaves in the fall

Which climate has the most precipitation? Tall shrubs, low bushes—or scrub—wildflowers, and a variety of grasses. The Mediterranean climate receives most of its rain in winter and summers are hot and dry. Plants have leathery leaves, which hold in moisture during the dry summers Of the three moderate climates, the humid subtropical climate has the most precipitation, heat, and humidity Supports many types of vegetation. Most marine west coast climates are mountainous— cooled b y ocean currents—they support more forests than grasss.

Where are Coniferous forests found? Continental Climates –Summer temperatures are moderate to hot –Winters can be very cold –Supports grasslands and forests –Grasses tend to be tall –Certain areas in this climate region support large deciduous forests –In areas where winters are colder, coniferous forests are found

2.4 How Climate Affects Vegetation –Coniferous trees have needles, not leaves, an d have cones to produce seeds. These adaptations provide protection through the winter –Regions with sub arctic continental climates are much drier, with cool summers and cold winters –Grasses are much shorter –Some sub arctic continental areas have huge coniferous forests, others have few trees

What vegetation grows in the polar climates? Polar climates and their vegetation –Cold year around –Tundra which lies along the arctic circle, has short, cold summers and long, even colder winters –No trees grow here –Low shrubs b loom during brief summers. –Mosses and strange plants call lichens grow on the surfaces of rocks –Northern regions of the tundra is even colder and precipitation is very scarce –Only low grasses, mosses, lichens and a few flowering plants grow

2.4 How Climate Affects Vegetation Complete 2.4 review Make sure that vocabulary is finished You will have until tomorrow to finish your journal entry. Please have it word processed without error by tomorrow. Complete worksheet in class