Climate

What is the difference between: Climate and Weather?

What are the two major components of climate?

What are the two major components of climate? 1. Temperature

What are the two major components of climate? 1. Temperature 2. Precipitation

What do we want to know about these two major components?

What do we want to know about these two major components? 1. Magnitude

What do we want to know about these two major components? 1. Magnitude 2. Timing

What do we want to know about these two major components? 1. Magnitude 2. Timing Averaged over as long a period as possible

Consider:

The climograph

We use a climograph when we are interested in the climate at a specific location.

What do we use to generalize about the climate of an extended area?

The climate classification system

The climate classification system consists of upper case (capital) letters and lower case letters that have the following meaning

A = Hot or tropical BW = Desert (Very dry)

BS = Steppe (Moderately dry)

C = Warm or subtropical D = Cold or midlatitude

ET = Tundra

EF = Icecap
H = Highlands

The lower case letters: f = continually wet s = summer dry w = winter dry m = monsoon
For the dry areas: h = hot k = cold

Summer temperatures a = hot b = warm c = cool

What do you think would be the upper case letter representing our climate in Southern California?

What do you think would be the upper case letter representing our climate in Southern California?

What do you think would be our precipitation pattern?

What do you think would be our precipitation pattern? s (For summer dry)

What do you think is our summer temperature?

What do you think is our summer temperature? a (hot!)

So our climate designation is Csa

Now let us look at the climates of the world.

What does climate most control? Humans? Animals? Plants?

Consider the following general types of vegetation Trees Shrubs Grass Desert shrubs

What does it take to grow a tree?

What does it take to grow a tree?

Lots of water.

In what climate zones are the most trees found?

In what climate zones are the most trees found? Af, Cf, Df

Consider four general types of trees

Broadleaf (palms, oaks, maples, citrus)

Consider four general types of trees

Broadleaf (palms, oaks, maples, citrus) Needle leaf (pines, firs, junipers, redwood)

Consider four general types of trees

Broadleaf (palms, oaks, maples, citrus) Needle leaf (pines, firs, junipers, redwood) Evergreen

Consider four general types of trees

Broadleaf (palms, oaks, maples, citrus) Needle leaf (pines, firs, junipers, redwood) Evergreen Deciduous

When there is an abundance of water the year round, what type of vegetation is produced?

When there is an abundance of water the year round, what type of vegetation is produced? Forests

What happens when the available water is reduced? Fewer trees grow. There is more space in between them. We call this a woodland. In between the trees, grass and/or shrubs usually grow.

What other type of vegetation is often produced when the available water is reduced to this level?

What other type of vegetation is often produced when the available water is reduced to this level? Shrubland (A shrub is a small plant with woody stems which are usually branched.)

What vegetation is produced when the available water is even further reduced?

What vegetation is produced when the available water is even further reduced? Grassland (This may be a steppe or savanna)

And if we reduce the available water even more?

And if we reduce the available water even more? Desert shrub

One other type of vegetation you should know Riparian (Vegetation along a perennial stream, especially in a dry area.)

The End