CLIMATE EFFECTSIAFNR Plant and Soil Sciences Module

TOLERATING CLIMATE

Plants vary in their ability to tolerate temperature differences and changes

Each plant has an optimum temperature for growth Also have a low and high where growth ceases below or above

Common agricultural plants have been divided into two groups Cool Season

Survive spring frosts and planted in early spring or fall Includes: Wheat, Oats, Cabbage, Collards, Lettuce, Onions

Warm Season Usually killed by frosts and need warmer temperatures to grow

Includes: Cotton, Corn, Beans, Tomatoes, Peppers, Watermelon

What kinds of plants are tolerant

to Indiana Weather?

OTHER WAYS OF TOLERATING CLIMATE

Hardening Cool-season Vegetables can be

made to adapt to lower temperatures by exposing young transplants to stress of slightly wilting or being grown at 10 degrees below normal

Plants become tougher and less likely to be killed by the environment

Dormancy Some plants appear to be dead from

ground up, but are actually dormant Plants will emerge from

underground parts in the spring

Seed Germination Temperature determines seed

germination, all seeds have an optimum germination

Thermoperiod A daily temperature change Plants respond by growing/

photosynthesize during the day and respire at night after temperature change

CLIMACTIC CLASSIFICATION

The United States is divided into Hardiness Zones for growing plants

Hardiness Zones determine kinds of plants that will grow in the area based upon average annual minimum temperatures

The USDA plant hardiness map (next slide) Divides North America into 11 zones

Zone 1- the coldest Zone 11- the warmest

What zones are found in Indiana?

TEMPERATURE STRESS

High Temperature

Injury from lack of light or water Drought

Indiana experienced a severe drought in the Summer of 2012

Low Temperature

Injury from Frost Kills entire plant Damages newest buds, flowers,

or leaves

Image retrieved from: http://www.cnn.com/2012/09/15/us/drought-impact/

Image retrieved from: http://gardengates.info/basic-gardening-terms-and-definitions-hardy-and-tender-plants/

CLIMATE CLUSTERS

CLIMATE CLUSTERS

Five Climate Groups

Further divided into specific types of climates found all over the world Tropical

Rain Forest Monsoon Savanna

Dry Arid Semiarid

Mild Humid Subtropical Marine Mediterranean

Continental Warm Summer Cool Summer Subarctic

Polar Tundra Ice Cap

Image retrieved from: https://www.imagepermanenceinstitute.org/resources/newsletter-archive/v19/preservation-environment-summit

CLIMATE CLUSTERS

Semiarid Steppe

Low precipitation

Enough rain to support grasslands also known as savannas.

This climate can occur when warm, moist air is blocked by mountains Example: Denver, Colorado,

next to the Rocky Mountains

Midlatitude Desert

Very similar to Semiarid Steppe

True Desert Climate

Image retrieved from: http://gec.cr.usgs.gov/archive/

eolian/

CLIMATE CLUSTERS

Humid Continental

Climate Type: Continental

Cold, Long Winters

Warm Summer Wet summer seasons

Cool Summer Cold winds Accustomed to harsh weather

Humid Subtropical

Climate Type: Mild

Found on eastern sides of continents See Map

Hot and humid summers

Winter can be severely cold

Precipitation spread evenly through the year

Hurricanes and other violent storms are common in these regions.

CLIMATE CLUSTERS

Marine West Coast

Climate Type: Mild

Longer, cooler winter than Mediterranean climate

Drizzle falls throughout most of the winter

Temperatures average about 41 degrees Fahrenheit

Mediterranean

Climate Type: Mild

Warm summer, little rain

Short, mild, and rainy winter

Found on the west coasts of and along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea

REFERENCES

National Geographic. (2015). Climate. Retrieved from: http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/encyclopedia/climate/?ar_a=1

Parker, R. (2010). Plant and Soil Science: Fundamentals and Applications. Clifton Park, NY: Delmar.

USDA Hardiness Zone image retrieved from: http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/