16 MHR • Unit 1 Sustaining Earth’s Ecosystems

ClimatographsTemperature and precipitation are two important factors that determineclimate. Climate is the average pattern of weather conditions that occurin a region, which are observed and recorded over a period of years. (You will learn more about climate in Unit 4.)

A climatograph is a graph of climate data for a specific region and is generated from data usually obtained over 30 years from localweather observation stations. A climatograph includes average monthlytemperature and an average of the total monthly precipitation for each

Aver

age

Prec

ipita

tion

(mm

)

J F M M J A S O N DJAMonth

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

ClimatographTofino, British Columbia, 49ºN

5

15

25

Aver

age

Tem

pera

ture

(ºC)

–5

–15

–25

–35

Figure 1.9 The statistics for this graphcame from Tofino, British Columbia, whichis in the temperate rainforest biome.

Conduct an Investigation 1-1Con page 30

Suggested Activity

Month Average AveragePrecipitation Temperature

(mm) (°C)

J 436 4F 382 5M 355 6A 249 8M 165 10J 138 12J 77 14A 94 15S 134 13O 340 10N 475 7D 462 5

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Chapter 1 Biomes and ecosystems are divisions of the biosphere. • MHR 17

Figure 1.10 The statistics for thisgraph came from Osoyoos, BritishColumbia, which is in the desert biome.

5

15

25Av

erag

e Te

mpe

ratu

re (º

C)

–5

–15

–25

–35J F M M J A S O N DJA

Month

Aver

age

Prec

ipita

tion

(mm

)

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

ClimatographOsoyoos, British Columbia, 49ºN

month. Comparing climatographs can give you a greater understandingof the temperature and precipitation patterns in regions within abiome. You can also use climatographs to compare temperature andprecipitation patterns in regions that are in different biomes, as shownin Figure 1.9 on the previous page and Figure 1.10 below. On aclimatograph, the month of the year is shown on the horizontal axis.Average temperature is shown on the right vertical axis, and averageprecipitation is shown on the left vertical axis.

Did You Know?

Osoyoos is home to Canada’s onlydesert. It is the uppermost part ofthe Great Basin Desert and is

called the Pocket Desert.

Month Average AveragePrecipitation Temperature

(mm) (°C)

J 12 !2F 18 1M 20 6A 23 11M 37 15J 36 19J 24 22A 21 21S 16 16O 17 10N 26 4D 17 !1

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DATE: NAME: CLASS:

CHAPTER 1 BLM 1-8

Practise Reading Climatographs

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Goal • Compare climatographs from three locations that are typical of different biomes.

Question

What inferences can you make by comparing the climatographs from three locations?

What to Do

The following climatographs give temperature and precipitation data for three typical locations within three biomes. Use the data from the climatographs to complete the table below. You will have to estimate values.

DATE: NAME: CLASS:

BLM 1-8 continued

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This page may be reproduced for classroom use by the purchaser of this book without the written permission of the publisher.

Biome 1 2 3

Warmest average monthly temperature (°C)

Month with warmest average temperature

Coldest average monthly temperature (°C)

Month with coldest average temperature

Total precipitation (mm) in January, March, August, and October

J: M: A: O:

J: M: A: O:

J: M: A: O:

Driest month and total amount of precipitation for this month (mm)

Month: Total precipitation:

Month: Total precipitation:

Month: Total precipitation:

Wettest month and total amount of precipitation for this month (mm)

Month: Total precipitation:

Month: Total precipitation:

Month: Total precipitation:

Start and end of growing season (months where temperatures first rise above or fall below 5°C)

Start: End:

Start: End:

Start: End:

Analyze

1. Which biome is the closest to the equator? Assume that there are no great differences in altitude among the three locations. Explain your answer.

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2. Which biome has the most northerly latitude? Explain your answer.

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3. Which biome receives the most annual precipitation? Explain your answer.

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DATE: NAME: CLASS:

BLM 1-8 continued

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This page may be reproduced for classroom use by the purchaser of this book without the written permission of the publisher.

4. Which biome receives the least annual precipitation? Explain your answer.

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5. Which biome has the longest growing season? Explain your answer.

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6. Which biome has the shortest growing season? Explain your answer.

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7. In which biome would animals need to have structural and behavioural adaptations to survive long, cold winters? Explain your answer.

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Conclude

8. Infer the biome that is represented by each climatograph. Provide two reasons why you made each inference. (a) Biome 1

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(b) Biome 2

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(c) Biome 3

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