2. Describing Climates & Biomes

Climate Zones?

Polar regions ?

Climate Zones

• Regions with similar long-terms weather pattern

Polar regions

• are colder than equatorial ones due to less direct sunlight

Climatographs?

Useful because ?

Climatographs

Climatographs are

• graphs of climate data for a specific region,

• usually obtained over 30 years from observations made at local weather stations.

Useful because they show

• how temperature & precipitation change throughout the year.

Köppen Climate Classification System?

Köppen Climate Classification System

• Method of identifying and describing climates based on observable features such as temperature ranges and rates of precipitation

Divides the world into 5 regions based on: 

• Avg. monthly temp

• Avg. monthly precipitation

• Avg. annual precipitation

Köppen Climate Classification System 5 Main Types:

5 Main Types:

• A - Tropical Moist

  • All months average temperatue above 18° C,

  • annual precipitation greater than 1500 mm.

• B - Dry climates

  • Very little precipitation during most of year,

  • temp range from -40°C in winter to 40°C in summer

• C - Moist Mid-Latitude climates with Mild Winters

  • Warm to hot summers,

  • winters below -3°C

• D - Moist Mid-Latitude climates with Cold Winters

  • Warm to cool summers,

  • winters below -3°C

• E - Polar climates

  • Very cold winter and summers,

  • warmest month below 10°C

• Biomes are?

• Canadian Biomes:?

7

Biomes

• Large regions with similar plants, animals, temp, and rainfall

Canadian Biomes:

• Permanent Ice

• Tundra

• Boreal Forest

• Temperate Deciduous Forest

• Temperate Rainforest

• Grassland

• Rainforest

Bioclimate Profiles?

such as:

Bioclimate Profiles

• Graphs showing local climatic conditions,

such as:

• Min/Max/Mean temperature

• Frost probability

• Monthly precipitation

• Rain/snow days

• Water surplus/deficit

Ecozones vs. Ecoregions

Ecozone - ?

Ecoregion - ?

Ecozones vs. Ecoregions

Ecozone

• Large area shaped by geological history (e.g. oceans, deserts, mountains)

Ecoregion

• Smaller unit within an ecozone, defined by local landforms (e.g. rivers, plains)