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Biomes
Major Biomes
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Tropical rain forest
Tropical dry forest
Savanna
Grassland
Desert
Temperate woodland and shrubland aka Chaparral
Temperate forest aka Deciduous
Tundra
Northwest coniferous forest (temperate rain forest)
Taiga (boreal)
Tropical Rain Forest
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Hot and wet year round
Nutrient poor soil
Near equator
Dense canopy
Tropical Dry Forest
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Seasonal rainfall wet/dry season
Generally warm year round
Dense canopy
Plants drop leaves during a particular season
Savanna
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Seasonal rainfall
Warm
Compact soil
Grasses
Occasional fire and drought
Large herbivores
Desert
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Low precipitation less than
25cm
Variable temperatures
Cold and hot
Temperate Grassland
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Grasses
Fertile soils
Periodic fires
Large herbivores
Temperate Woodland &
Shrubland (Chaparral)
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Shrubs, grasses, wildflowers
Periodic fires
Hot dry summers, cool wet winters
Nutrient-poor soils
Temperate Forests
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Broadleaf deciduous and coniferous trees (seed bearing cones
& needle shaped leaves)
Rich in humus (formed from decaying leaves and other organic
matter)
Fertile soils
Year round precip
midlattitude
NW Coniferous forest
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Mild temp, moist air
Abundant rainfall
Aka Temperate rainforest
Lush vegetation
Conifers
Rocky acidic soils
Boreal Forest
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Aka taiga
Cold winters
Mild summers
Mostly in northern hemisphere
Mostly conifers
Tundra
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Permafrost (layer of permanently
frozen soil)
Soil thaws only a few cm in short
summer
Plants small and stunted
Cold temps
High winds
Short growing season
Little precip
Climate
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Weather: day to day at a particular place and time
Climate: average conditions of temperature and
precipitation in a particular region
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Caused by trapping of heat
Latitude
Transport of heat by winds and ocean currents
Shape and elevation of mountains
Greenhouse Effect
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Carbon dioxide, methane, water
vapor trap heat energy and
maintain Earth’s temperature
range.
Natural situation w/o gases
earth would be 30 °C colderyikes
Effect of Latitude on Climate
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Three main climate
zones
– Polar
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Sun’s rays strike at a very
low angle
Effect of Latitude on Climate
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Three main climate
zones
– Polar
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Sun’s rays strike at a very
low angle
– Temperate
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Between polar and
tropical
Effect of Latitude on Climate
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Three main climate
zones
– Polar
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Sun’s rays strike at a very
low angle
– Temperate
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Between polar and
tropical
– Tropical
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Near the equator
between 23.5° N and
23.5° S
Direct or nearly direct
sunlight year round
Heat Transport
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Unequal heating of Earth’s surface drives winds and
ocean currents
Warm air rises and cool air sinks causing winds to
form
Coriolis Effect
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In the northern hemisphere deflects to the right
Opposite in southern
Result of earth’s rotation
Ocean Currents
Rain Shadow
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caused by mountains
As air rises, it cools and
condenses causing
moisture and rain.
Cool, dry, air sinks and
warms up on the
leeward side
Rain Shadow
Upwelling
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transport of colder deeper water to more shallow
water.
Brings nutrients to surface
Land and Sea Breezes
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Sea breeze: During the day, the land gets hotter faster, and
the hot air rises, creating an area of lower pressure. Wind
blows from the sea to the land.
Land and Sea Breezes
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Sea breeze: During the day, the land gets hotter faster, and
the hot air rises, creating an area of lower pressure. Wind
blows from the sea to the land.
Land breeze: At night, the land cools off faster than the sea.
Cooler air descends creating an area of higher pressure. Wind
blows from the land to the sea.