1. The Climate and Vegetation
Read to Discover… • how latitude and water bodies affect Europe’s climate regions. 
• why Europe’s natural vegetation has changed over the centuries. 
Key Terms mistral, sirocco, permafrost, foehn, avalanche, chaparral
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Section 2-1a

2. The Climate and Vegetation
Identify and Locate Gulf Stream, North Atlantic Drift, Climate regions: marine west coast, Mediterranean, humid continental, humid subtropical, steppe, subarctic, tundra, highland 
Section Objectives Discuss how latitude and water bodies affect Europe’s climate regions. 
2. Recognize why Europe’s natural vegetation has changed over the centuries.
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Section 2-1b

3. Introduction
Europe’s climates vary from the tundra and subarctic regions of Iceland, Scandinavia, and Finland to the Mediterranean coasts of Italy, Spain, and Greece. 
Europe’s northern latitude and its location near large bodies of water are major factors in determining the diversity of its climates and vegetation.
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Section 2-2

4. Europe’s Climate Regions
In spite of Europe’s northern location, most of the continent has a mild climate. 
Europe’s peninsular location in relation to the sea helps explain its relatively mild climate.
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Section 2-3

5. Major Climate Regions
In western Europe–from the Arctic Circle to the Alps and from Ireland to the western parts of Poland, the Czech Republic, and Hungary–there is a marine west coast climate. 
Northwest Europe’s temperate, moist climate is caused by winds that blow across the continent from the Atlantic Ocean. 
Most of southern Europe has a Mediterranean climate.
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Section 2-4

6. Major Climate Regions (cont.)
The mistral, a strong, northerly wind from the Alps, may bring very cold air to southern France. 
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Section 2-5

8. Major Climate Regions (cont.)
Siroccos, hot winds from the North African deserts of Libya, can bring desert air and dust. 
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Section 2-5

9. Major Climate Regions (cont.)
Most of eastern and northern Europe and the southern parts of Sweden and Finland have a humid continental climate.
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Section 2-5

10. Other Climates
A humid subtropical region stretches from northern Italy to the central part of the Balkan Peninsula. 
Parts of Spain’s Meseta have a steppe, or partly dry, climate. 
Most of Iceland and the northern parts of Scandinavia and Finland have subarctic and tundra climates. 
Tundra and subarctic regions have permafrost, soil that is often permanently frozen below the surface.
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Section 2-6

11. Other Climates (cont.)
The Alps have a highland climate with generally colder temperatures and more precipitation than other regions. 
Dry winds called foehns, blowing down from the mountains, can cause an avalanche, a mass of ice, snow, or rock sliding down a mountainside.
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Section 2-7

12. Map Supplement 2.1

13. Chart Supplement 2.1

14. HUMAN/ENVIRONMENT INTERACTION
Europe’s Vegetation
The natural vegetation of Europe consists of forests, grasslands, and tundra plants, which are closely linked to the climate regions. 
Changing climate patterns have affected vegetation, but people have caused even greater changes.
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Section 2-8

15. Natural Vegetation Patterns
Deciduous forests, trees that lose their leaves, are the natural vegetation of Europe’s marine west coast climate region. 
Coniferous forests are common in northern Europe and in mountain areas. 
Mediterranean climates support broad-leaved evergreens, with tough, waxy leaves to conserve moisture. 
Parts of the North European Plain consist of grasslands.
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Section 2-9

16. Natural Vegetation Patterns
Broadleaf Evergreen
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Section 2-9

17. Natural Vegetation Patterns (cont.)
The hot, dry summers of the Mediterranean area produce chaparral, or shrubs and short trees. 
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Section 2-10

18. Natural Vegetation Patterns (cont.)
The tundra region near Europe’s Arctic coast supports little vegetation. 
The upper slopes of the Alps resemble the tundra and support similar kinds of vegetation.
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Section 2-10

19. Natural Vegetation Patterns (cont.)
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Section 2-10

20. Map Supplement 2.2

21. Human Interaction
Europeans cut down most of the natural forests to clear the land for agriculture and industry. 
Today, in much of the once-forested land, there are urban areas and farms. 
Because forests still cover parts of Scandinavia, Finland, Poland, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic, lumbering is an important industry in these regions.
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Section 2-11

22. Human Interaction (cont.)
Some European governments regulate the cutting of trees to protect forests. 
Air pollution poses a serious threat to forests and other natural vegetation. 
In many industrialized countries, such as Germany, Belgium, Poland, and the Czech Republic, auto and factory pollution has brought widespread disaster to many woodlands.
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Section 2-12

23. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the answer.
In which country is the Black Forest located?
The Black Forest is located in Germany.
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Section 2-Review 1

24. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the answer.
How has human interaction with the environment changed vegetation patterns in Europe?
People cut down forests in much of Europe and used the land for agriculture.
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Section 2-Review 2

25. End of Section 2