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Climate & Vegetation Chapter 3
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Earth-Sun Relationships
Axis – imaginary line that run through the center of the Earth Earth’s axis is tilted 23 ½ ° Earth’s tilt affects the climate since all places do not receive the same amount of direct sunlight.
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Earth-Sun Relationships
Revolution – orbit around the Sun Earth’s revolution takes 365 ¼ days. Revolution causes the changing seasons.
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Earth-Sun Relationships
Rotation – spinning on its axis The Earth’s rotation takes 24 hours. Rotation causes day and night.
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Earth-Sun Relationships
Equinox – either of the 2 times each year (spring and fall) when day and night are of nearly equal length everywhere on Earth Solstice – either of the 2 times a year (summer and winter) when the sun appears directly overhead at noon to observers at the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn
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Weather vs. Climate Weather - condition of the atmosphere at a particular location and time. Climate – the term for weather conditions at a particular location over a long period of time
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Weather Extremes Hurricanes Tornadoes Blizzards Droughts Floods
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Factors that Affect Climate
Latitude – the amount of direct sunlight affects climate Places closer to the Equator receive more direct sunlight than areas closer to the poles which receive slanted rays.
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Factors that Affect Climate
Landforms – mountains can block precipitation which can affect climate. This is called the orographic effect (rain shadow). Ex. - Sierra Nevada range and the Mojave Desert Windward side – wet Leeward side - dry
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Factors that Affect Climate
Wind currents Prevailing winds are winds that blow in a fairly constant pattern. The direction of the winds can determine what type of weather patterns an area will see.
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Factors that Affect Climate
Ocean currents – cold and warm “rivers” of water known as currents, flow in the ocean Cold currents cool the lands they pass while warm currents have a warming effect. Ex. North Atlantic Drift flows near western Europe and gives the area a mild climate despite its northerly latitude
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North Atlantic Drift
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Factors that Affect Climate
Proximity to large bodies of water Water is slower to heat and cool than land. Water temperatures are more constant and uniform than land temperatures. Temperatures of land areas located near oceans do not change as much as interior land areas.
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Factors that Affect Climate
Proximity to large bodies of water Example: City Newport, OR Rapid City, SD Location 44°N, 124°W 44°N, 103°W Average Jan. 44° F Jan. 22° F Temperatures July 57° F July 72° F
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Factors that Affect Climate
Elevation – for every 1,000 feet gained, the temperature drops about 3.5° F. Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa is located near the Equator, but is covered with snow and ice
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Types of Precipitation
Convectional –hot, humid air rises and cools losing its ability to hold water (ex. Tropical rainforest) Orographic – warm moist air is forced up when passing over high landforms Frontal – 2 fronts of different temperatures meet
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Convectional Precipitation
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Frontal Precipitation
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Orographic Precipitation
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Four Types of Vegetation
Forest Grassland Desert Tundra What kind of trees are these?
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Forest Tropical rainforest
Deciduous forest – broadleaf, such as maple and oak Coniferous forest – cone bearing, evergreens Chaparral Chaparral - California
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Forest
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Grassland Tropical grasslands (savannas)
Temperate grasslands (prairies, steppes, pampas)
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Grasslands
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Desert A desert can occur where there is a lack of precipitation, less than 10 inches a year. Deserts can be cold, they do not have to be hot and sandy. Vegetation – plants that can conserve water & withstand heat such as cacti & sagebrush
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Desert
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Tundra Alpine tundra Arctic tundra Vegetation – includes mosses
& lichens
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