Chapter 9: From the Andes to the AmazonSection 2: Climate and Vegetation
Today’s preview Chapter 9, Section 2
• Lecture• Climate comparisons• Rain Forest vegetation• Post-test• Closure
Objectives
• By the end of class today, you should be able to:
1.Describe the climate and vegetation of Latin America
2.Identify the characteristics of a tropical climate zone
3.Identify the characteristics of a dry climate zone4.Identify the characteristics of a mid-latitude
climate zone
Climate & Vegetation
• Climate varies greatly– Hot and humid – Dry deserts– Rain forest, desert, savannas too!
• Vegetation differences – Rain forests, grasslands, desert scrub, tundra
3 Climate Zones
• Tropical• Dry• Mid-Latitude
World Climates
Tropical Climate Types
• Two basic types– Tropical wet climate– Tropical wet & dry climate
Tropical Wet
• Area is also called the Rain Forest • Dense trees • Hot and rainy year around• LIST 4 COUNTRIES
Tropical Wet & Dry
• Region is also called the Savanna• Hot climates• Seasonal rain• LIST 4 COUNTRIES
Dry Climate Zones
• Found in Mexico and some of South America• Two kinds of dry climate:– Semi-Arid– Desert
Semi-arid type climate
• Generally dry with some rain• Grassy plains, maybe some desert shrubs• LIST 2 COUNTRIES
Desert type climate
• Very dry• Very little rain• Shrubs growing in gravel or sand• LIST 2 COUNTRIES
Dry Climate Zones
Mid-Latitude Climates
• Four zones in the Mid-Latitudes:– Humid Subtropical– Mediterranean– Marine West Coast– Highlands
Mid-Latitude Climates
Humid Subtropical
• Rainy winters and hot humid summers
• Vegetation is varied • LIST 2 COUNTRIES
Mediterranean
• Hot dry summers and cool moist winters.• Similar to climates in middle or southern
California• Vegetation: chaparral and scrub brush• LIST 1 COUNTRY
Chaparral
Marine West Coast
• Cool rain winters and mild rainy summers
• Similar to Oregon or Washington state
• Vegetation: mostly forests • LIST 1 COUNTRY
Marine West Coast
Marine West Coast
Highlands
• Highland climate zones vary from moderate to cold, depending on elevation
• Other factors: wind, sunlight and landscape• LIST 2 COUNTRIES
Highlands
World Climates
CLIMATE TYPESA. Tropical
Wet/RainforestB. Tropical Wet &
Dry/SavannaC. Semi-arid/SteppeD. DesertE. MediterraneanF. Humid SubtropicalG. Marine
1. Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic2. Tijuana, Mexico3. Puerto Vallarta, Mexico4. Port-au-Prince, Haiti5. Buenos Aires, Argentina6. Montevideo, Uruguay7. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil8. Cape Horn, Argentina9. Brasilia, Brazil10.Georgetown, Guyana11.Seattle, WA12.Houston, TX13.El Paso, TX14.Miami, FL15.Atlanta, GA
Post-test Questions: MATCHING!
A. Dry B. Savanna C. Semiarid D. Climate E. Rain Forest1. Latin America’s _________ ranges from hot and humid to
dry and desert-like.2. The hot and rainy weather of the tropical wet climate
provides perfect growing conditions for a __________.3. Grass-covered plains are often found in a _________
climate.4. Tropical and subtropical regions have grasslands called a
___________.5. Central America and the Caribbean do not have _______
climate zones.
D
E
C
B
A
Closure
• Describe the climate and vegetation of Latin America.• What are the tropical climate zones of Latin America?• What are the dry climate zones of Latin America?• What are the mid-latitude zones of Latin America?• NEXT TIME: Climate worksheet is due• NEXT TIME: Human-Environment Interaction• NEXT TIME: Please read Chap 9, Section 3• NEXT TIME: Please bring your books to class again