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Elements & Global Distribution of Climates Weather - condition of the atmosphere at a given place and time Climate - the average of the weather conditions over a period of time Atmosphere - the layer of gases enclosing the earth Precipitation - dew, rain, sleet, snow, or hail * Location will affect climate - areas near oceans generally have warmer temperatures and more rainfall than interior lands - temperatures fall 3.5 F every 1,000 ft. - windward side of mountain is rainy - leeward side of mountain is dry * Climates are based on four things: 1. warm or cold (temperature) 2. wet or dry (precipitation) 3. maritime or continental (location) 4. highland (elevation) Tropical Climates -located in the tropics Rainforest - always hot and wet Tropical Monsoon - like rainforest but with a drier winter Tropical Savanna - like rainforest but not as much rain and a drier winter Dry Climates - found just north and south of the tropics Desert - hot and dry year round Steppe - more rainfall than dessert Temperate Climates - in middle latitudes - all have warm and cool seasons Marine - rainfall most of the year Humid Subtropical - hot, muggy summer, cool winter Mediterranean Climate - mild and wet winter and hot, dry summer Continental Climates - long, cold winters - short, hot summers Humid Continental Climate - southern part of continental climate - hot summer that provides a great agricultural environment Subarctic - colder winter and less rainfall than humid continental climate Polar Climates - in polar regions - low rainfall Tundra - have at least one month of above freezing temperatures Ice Cap - permanently frozen Highland Climates - cooler temperatures at higher elevations - rainfall is high on windward side - vegetation changes with elevation - tree line is 10,000 feet The earth’s physical geography 4 parts – atmosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere Atmosphere – blanket of air surrounding the earth Lithosphere – earth’s outer shell; land areas Problems – mining Loss of topsoil Deforestation – cutting down forests without replanting Crop rotation – changing crops every few years; allows minerals to be restored to the soil Hydrosphere – all the earth’s water Conservation – careful use of resources Irrigation – manually watering crops Drip irrigation Pesticides – chemical to kill insects that destroy crops Biosphere – all living things and their environments Ecosystem – places where plants and animals are dependent upon one another for survival *Humans are expanding into various ecosystems *Tough balancing act ----- people or environment?? Climate, Vegetation and Soils Vegetation - all plants that grow in an area Temperate Forest - contains deciduous and coniferous trees Prairies - middle latitude grasslands Changing Environments: An Altered Planet People change the environment to fit their needs. This has caused many problems in the environment. Problems in the Atmosphere *increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere traps energy and contributes to global warming co² comes from cars, factories and the burning of wood, oil, and coal *CFCs have caused the depletion of the ozone layer. This leads to an increase in ultraviolet light reaching the earth’s surface. Problems on the Earth Deforestation - the rapid destruction of tropical forests *a reduction of biodiversity ( the loss in the number of species) happens as a result Desertification - the deserts of the world grow as a result of increasing populations and poor land use practices *acid rain in the industrialized world reduces forest growth and affects marine life *soil erosion of agricultural lands is causing the loss of top soil faster than it can be replaced