Climate

Seite 1

Weather VS Climate

Weather= atmospheric conditions at a specific point in time.

Factors

Prevailing winds

Lattitude

Distance from the Sea

Prevailing Wind

Factors influencing local climate

Altitude

World Climates

Hot Climates

Climate

= Atmospheric conditions of a region over a long period of time

Atmospheric conditions= temperature, rainfall etc

Winds that influence the temperature and precipatation that an area recieves

Ireland's prevailing wind comes from south America but it cools down by the time it travels the distance from South America to Ireland

Latitude

Defn: Distance north or south of the Equator

Distance from the Sea

Land heats & cools faster than the sea. As a result, the further away from the sea you are, summers are always warmer & winters colder.

Aspect

Altitude

Altitude is the height above sea level

The higher the place is aove the sea level the colder it is. This is because, as altitude increases, air becomes thinner & is less able to absorb & hold heat

Aspect

Aspect refers to the direction a slope faces in relation to the sun's rays

Temperate Climate

Cold Climates

Hot Desert climate

Vegetation

Animals

Desertification

Vegetation

Cactus , Palm Tree, Joshua tree

Thick waxy skin, leaves that absorb the water (needles),

taproots

grow deep in the ground to find moisture

Animals

Camels, rattle snakes & desert fox

Some animals only come out at night, because the temperature is cooler EG. Desert Fox

Desertification

Desertification is turning land into desert

Desertification is caused by a combination of climate change and human factors

Climate Change

Rain fall= unreliable

Higher Temperature

(global warming)

leading to increased evapouration and less condensation

As a result, several droughts have occured

Rivers & water holes have dried up

Human Factors

People keep large herds of cattle & goats, leading to overgrazing of the land

Farmers change their way of farming. They change from grazing to growing tood crops. Without fertilizers, the soil sppn loses its nutrients amd the crops fail.

Trees & shrubs are cut down for cooking & heating. As a result, soil erosion is speeding up.

Results of Desertification

100's of people died of famine

Millions migrate in search of food or aid

Many moved into urban areas, leading to the growth of slums

Animals have died

Land now unable to suppirt agrilture

Towns & villages swallowed up by the advancing sand.

Solutions to Desertification

slow down soil erosion by planting trees as shelter belts

Plant grasses that are resistant to drought

Dig deeper wells to find water for irrigation

Introduce new brees of animals to produce more milk

Temperate Climate

Most temperate climates are found in the mid latitudes (15°C - 30°C North and South of the Equator). They include temperate oceanic climate (Mediterranean Climate) and cool temperate oceanic climate (Ireland)

Vegetation

Animals & Crops

Vegetation

Evergreen and woodland

Cork oak tree, Cypress tree, Cedar tree & Cyprus Tree.

They adapt to the climate because they:

Absorb & store moisture during winter

Have thick bark & waxy leaves to prevent moisture loss

Are widely spaced to avoid competition for moisture

Animals & Crops

goats & sheep.

fruit & vegetable farming takes place throughout the year

Irrigation schemes have been introduced to overcome the problems of summer drought

Main crops grown are Citrus fruits, tomatoes and vines.

Other crops such as wheat, maize and sunflowers are also grown

Boreal Climate

Found mainly in the northern hemisphere excluding Antartica.

Vegatation

Wildlife

People

Vegetation

Natural vegatation is evergreen forests called taiga.Trees are

con

iferous trees (also known as Christmas trees) They are trees that have cones

The roots spread & gather as much moisture as possible.

Roots are shallow, because there is only a thin layer of soil above the permanent frozen ground

Trees have a cone shape

needles prevent moisture loss

Wildlife

Some animals such as the grizzly bear, avoid the stresses of winter by hibernating

Fur acts as an insulating layer, keeping an animal's body warm in winter & cool in summer

Some animals have hooves that spread out to act as snowshoes

Birds migrate to the south during winter

People

In Boreal climates there is very few people because of the harsh climate.

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