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