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.

	Created by sayenwrong almost 11 years ago

Note on Climate, created by sayenwrong on 04/12/2013.

Climate