1. Climate Zones and Vegetation
Ch. 2, Sec. 3 Pp

3. Tropical Climates Area along equator from 23½° N to 23½° S
2 types – rainforest and savannah
Rainforest receives 100 inches of rain per year
Savannah has wet season and dry season

4. Tropical Rain Forest Climate
Year-round rain in some parts
Millions of kinds of plants and animals
Thick forest canopy means little sunlight reaches the forest floor
Largest rain forest is in the Amazon River basin

5. Tropical Savanna Climate
Southern India and eastern Africa
Rain only falls a few months each year (wet season)
Savannas are broad grasslands with few trees

6. Mid-Latitude Climates
Most of the world’s people live here
Variety of climates because of a mix of air masses (warm from the Tropics and cool from the polar region)
Temperatures change with the seasons

7. Marine West Coast Climate
Winters are rainy and mild, summers are cool
Deciduous (lose leaves in fall) and coniferous (evergreen with cones and needles) thrive here

8. Mediterranean Climate
Mild, rainy winter and hot, dry summers
Chaparral (scrubs) and short trees grow here

9. Humid Continental Climate
Inland North America, Europe, or Asia
Long, cold, and snowy winters
Short, very hot summers
Deciduous trees and vast grasslands

10. Humid Subtropical Climate
Rainfall throughout the year, but heaviest during hot, humid summer
Winters are short and mild
Oaks, magnolias, and palms grow here

11. High Latitude Climates
Mostly in high latitudes of each hemisphere
Generally cold, but some are more severely cold than others.

12. Subarctic Climates Very few people live here
Very cold and bitter winters
Temperatures do rise above freezing during summer
Taiga (huge evergreen forests) grow here

13. Tundra Climates Closer to the poles Vast, treeless plains
Harsh and dry
Permafrost – permanently frozen ground
No trees, only sturdy grasses and low bushes

14. Ice Cap Climate Antarctica and Greenland
Monthly temperatures average below freezing
No vegetation, but lichens (fungus-like plants and mosses) can live on rocks

15. Dry Climates Receive little or no rainfall
Extremely hot during the day and very cold at night
Can be found at any latitude

16. Desert Climate Receive less than 10 inches of rain per year
Scattered plants, like scrub and cacti

17. Steppe Climate Dry grassland and prairies Can surround deserts
Russian word meaning “treeless plain”
10-20 inches of rain per year
Bushes and short grasses

18. Highland Climate Cool to very cold, even on the equator
Timberline – last elevation where trees can grow