1. 11.2: Climate and Vegetation

2. Factors that affect climate:  Wind  Latitude  Mountain barriers  Ocean currents  Distance from large bodies of water

3. Water and land:  Tundra/ Subarctic Climate-Iceland, Norway, Sweden Finland, and Northern Europe  Mediterranean Climate- Italy, Spain, and Greece  Warmth in climate in Europe has to do with the distance of the country from the Atlantic Ocean  ( Ocean brings warmth and moisture to the wind)

4. Natural vegetation

5. Continuation:  What type of vegetation is most common in central Europe?  Deciduous and mixed forests  Northern Vegetation?  Coniferous  Southern Vegetation?  Chaparral

6. Western Europe:  Most of Europe has a marine west coast climate:  mild winters, cool summer much rain.  Gulf Stream- a powerful, warm, and swift Atlantic Ocean current that originates in the Gulf of Mexico  North Atlantic Drift- powerful warm ocean current that continues the Gulf Stream northeast.  These currents carry moist air over Europe

7. Trees and Highlands  Deciduous- lose their leaves, thrive in marine west coast climate, leaves change colors  Coniferous: thrive in cooler climate, cone/needle –like leaves  Timberline: elevations above which trees cannot grow

8. Trees and Highland Cont.  The Alps- one of the great mountain ranges of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east; through Italy, Switzerland, and Germany; to France in the west.  Have a highland climate =generally cooler than lowlands of the same latitude and more precipitation.

9. Cont.  Highlands have dry winds known as Foehns blowing down the mountain into the valley which can trigger an avalanche.  Avalanche-destructive masses of ice, snow, and rock sliding down a mountainside

10. Southern Europe:  Climate- Mostly Mediterranean  Northern Italy- central part of Balkan peninsula- humid subtropical climate  Southern Europe- not as moist as the northwest since the alps protect this region from the moist Atlantic winds

11. Winds affecting southern climate:  Mistral- strong wind from the Alps= cold wind in southern France  Siroccos -Dry wind from N. Africa= hot weather

12. Eastern Europe:  Mostly humid continental climate- cold, snowy winters+ hot humid summers  Atlantic doesn’t affect it as much—too far away= summer and winter temperatures vary more widely  Vegetation=mixed forest-  Coniferous in colder climate (Scandinavia)

13. Northern Europe:  Tundra and subarctic climate- cold winters and cool short summers (N. Scandinavia and Iceland)  Permafrost soil-frozen below surface  Tundra region (located in the north)= Little vegetation due to harsh cold weather- only shrubs, mosses  Subarctic region= coniferous forest