Do Now At your table, share some good things that have happened this week. You do not need to write this down. Make sure you have turned everything in (syllabus, 5 themes photos, paragraph, quiz corrections).

SEPTEMBER 7, 2012 Climate and Vegetation Regions

The Köppen Climate Classification 3 letter system  First letter = temperature  Second letter = precipitation  Third letter = finer shades of temperature Csa = Mediterranean  C = middle latitude temperature  s = summer dry  a = hot summers (as opposed to warm)

The Köppen Climate Classification A= Tropical (equatorial regions) B=Deserts (arid, semiarid) C=Mesothermal (mild winter) D=Microthermal (cold winter) E= Polar (always cold) H= Highland (mountains, plateaus)

Climate Regions

Vegetation Regions

Tropical Humid Climates (A) 36% of Earth’s total surface Consistently warm Subcategories based on rainfall  Tropical rainforest  Tropical monsoon  Tropical savanna

Climate: Tropical Rainforest High rainfall all year Surrounds Equator

Vegetation: Tropical Rainforest Region: surrounds Equator Vegetation: tall trees, ferns, vines  Highest density of plant species Animals: insects, amphibians, reptiles, birds  More animal species than all other biomes combined Among most threatened biomes

Climate: Savanna Surround tropical rainforests Rainfall: 35-70”/year Desertification

Vegetation: Savanna Region: around tropical rainforests Vegetation: grasses, scattered trees and shrubs Animals: large grazing animals and predators

Dry Arid / Semiarid Climates (B) 33% of Earth’s total surface Water deficits Subcategories  Desert  Steppe

Climate: Desert Wide range in temperature  Hot at low latitudes  Variation at high latitudes Variation in rainfall  < 10 inches/year Desertification

Vegetation: Desert Vegetation: Cacti, small flowers, shrubs Animals: birds, small predators, reptiles

Climate: Steppe More precipitation than deserts Narrower range in temperatures Grasslands Transitions between deserts and humid climates

Vegetation: Grasslands Region: Central North America, parts of Africa, Australia, SE South America (Pampas) Best soil on Earth Vegetation: grasses, some trees and bushes Animals: large grazing animals, burrowing animals, a few predators

Mesothermal Climates (C) 20 % of Earth’s surface “Middle temperatures” True seasons Subcategories based on precipitation  Humid subtropical  Marine west coast  Mediterranean

Climate: Humid Subtropical Hot summer Cold spells Year-round precipitation

Vegetation: Temperate Forest (Deciduous) Region: Western Europe, East Asia, Eastern U.S. Good soil for agriculture Broad leafed deciduous trees: oaks, hickories, maples Animals hibernate and migrate

Climate: Mediterranean Surrounds Mediterranean Sea Dry summers Parts of Australia, South Africa, and Chile

Vegetation: Mediterranean Region: west coast and central California, SW. Australia, tip of South Africa, West Peru, Chile, Mediterranean Vegetation: grassland, scattered trees, shrubs Valuable for agriculture At risk for fires, erosion, and desertification

Microthermal Climates (D) Almost entirely in the Northern Hemisphere Humid continental

Climate: Humid Continental Long, cold winters Moderate precipitation Large temperature range

Vegetation: Coniferous Forest Region: northern parts of North America, Europe, Asia, South America, New Zealand, southern Australia Vegetation: coniferous trees (needle-leaved) Animals: large herbivores, predators Problems: acid rain, logging, oil drilling

Polar Climates (E) < 50°F all year High winds Surround North and South Poles Subcategories  Tundra  Ice caps

Climate: Tundra Very low precipitation 32-50°F

Vegetation: Tundra Region: North of the coniferous forest, high latitudes of northern hemisphere in a belt around the Arctic Ocean, near the coast Permafrost Vegetation: mosses, low grasses, small plants Animals: small burrowing, migratory, some predators

Climate: Ice Caps < 32°F Very little precipitation North and South Poles

Highland Climates (H) Lower temperatures More moisture High winds