Author: Manuj Notebook: Environment and Geography

Created: 3 June 2015 at 9:54:04 PM

Updated: 22 May 2021 at 1:31:18 PM

Geography: Goh Cheng Leong World Climate Types

Manuj Jindal World Climate Types

The Hot Wet Equatorial Climate (Tropical rainforest climate — Af)

Found between 5 degree and 10 degree North and South of the

equator.
Greatest extent found in the lowlands of the Amazon, the Congo,
Malaysia, and the Philippines and Indonesia islands.
Temperature:
Uniformity of temperature is the most outstanding feature.
Mean temperature is always around 27 degrees celsius with
little variation.
No winter.
Precipitation:
Double rainfall peaks, i.e., higher rainfall twice coinciding
with the two equinoxes is a unique feature of equatorial
climates and not found in any other climate.
Convectional Rainfall is common in equatorial regions due
to heating up of the air and much evaporation of water
vapor, which forms into clouds. Caused by towering
cumulonimbus clouds.
Orographic rainfall or relief rainfall is also observed in
equatorial regions with mountains.
Cloudiness and heavy precipitation help to moderate the
daily temperature.
High humidity
Vegetation:
Luxuriant type of vegetation — tropical rain forest
Tropical Forests cover only 3% of the earth’s surface but
contain 50% of its plant and animal life
Tropical Forests do not have fertile soil. They are very thin
 and have highly weathered rock below them.
“selvas” is a term used to describe the extremely rich
vegetation extravagance in this area
Growing season is all year-round: seeding, flowering,
fruiting and decaying all take place simultaneously and not
in seasons like other places.
High variety: Evergreen trees like mahogany, ebony,
greenheart, cabinet woods, and dye woods.
Epiphytes and parasitic plants
Trees compete for sunlight which is hidden by the top
layer or "Emergent layer” of the trees.
Ground is covered with ferns and herbaceous plants
which can tolerate shade
Multiple Species:
Mix species of many trees and plants found within the
same area.
Commercial Exploitation or Timber Harvesting very
difficult
Most of the equatorial countries are actually net
importers of timber
Species variety: This is because commercial
exploitation of tropical timber is most difficult as
different types and species of trees are mixed.
Floating: Additionally, tropical hardwood does not
float readily on water and makes its haulage very
difficult.
No frozen surfaces to facilitate logging.
Agriculture and food resources
Shifting agriculture
Abundant food sources in form of plants, fishery and
animals in the forests
Plantations of rubber, yams, nuts, cane products
etc. becoming common after coming of european settlers.
Rubber: Malaysia and Indonesia are the leading producers
of rubber - 1/3rd production of the world done by each
country
Cocoa: West Africa bordering the Gulf of Guinea (Ghana,
 Nigeria, Cameron, Cote d’ivoire)
Oil Palm: Same as cocoa — West Africa bordering the Gulf
of Guinea (Ghana, Nigeria, Cameron, Cote d’ivoire)

Mediterranean Type

Entirely confined to Western margins of the continents, between

30 degree and 45 degree north and south of the equator.
Cause of this climate type: shifting of the wind belts
While the most extensive area of Mediterranean type is found
around the Mediterranean sea, the best developed form of this
peculiar climatic type is found in Central Chile
Other regions: California (around SF), the south-western tip of
Arica (around Cape Town), southern Australia, and south west
Australia.
Cimate:
Bright, sunny weather with hot and dry summers and
mild, wet winters.
Summer: Dry, warm summer with off-shore trades
Prevailing trade winds are offshore hence no rain
Winter: Wet, lot of rainfall due to shifting of the westerlies
on-shore. (cyclonic rain)
Most outstanding feature of the Mediterranean climate
as rain comes in the Winter not summer.
Local Winds:
Many local winds around the Mediterranean sea
 Vegetation:
Due to half of the year going dry, the trees are small broad
leaves, widely spaced and never very tall.
Mediterranean Evergreens: Open woodlands with
evergreen oaks, of which the cork oaks of Spain and
Portugal are the best known.
Evergreen Coniferous: Pines, firs, cedars and cypresses.
Evergreen, needle shaped leaves and straight trunks.
Mediterranean Bushes and Herbs: Most predominant.
Agriculture and food resources
Orchard farming
Citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons, grapefruit, citron
etc.
Olive tree
Cereals cropping
Grapes and wine production (viticulture)

The Temperate Continental (Steppe) Climate

These are large continental land mass areas in the interior of the
continents, dominated by grasslands.
In Eurasia they are known as the Steppes and stretch over
2000 miles from Black Sea to the foot of the Altai mountains.
In North America, these grasslands are known as Prairies.
In South America, these are the Pampas in Argentina and
Uruguay.
In South Africa, these are known as the Velds.
In Australia, they are known as the Downs
Temperature:
Highly varied due to extensive landmass and absence of
any influence of the moderating sea (Extremes of
temperatures are noticed) — only true for northern
hemisphere. Variations of as much as 30 degrees celsius
from summer to winter are noticed. Even day and night
temperature (diurnal) variations are huge.
In Southern Hemisphere, Steppe climate is not severe.
Precipitation:
 Rainfall is moderate — around 50 mm both in northern and
southern hemisphere with some variations.
Chinook is a wind on the leeward side of the Prairies and
melts the late snow and frost off the mountain side, hence
helping in agriculture and pasturing.
Vegetation:
Treeless and very short grass types
Agriculture and food resources
Traditionally these areas were dominated by nomadic
herders who used to who would rear animals. Eg: the
Kirghiz, the Kazakhs, the Kalmuk.
More recently, these areas have become areas of extensive
agriculture though mechanized wheat cultivation, and are
known as the “granaries of the world"
Wheat and maize are the most extensive crops here.
Pastoral farming: These areas have also become huge
exporters of beef, mutton, wool and hides, milk etc. as they
are suitable for animal farming.
Pampas, due to more even rainfall than the other
grasslands, have become the leading exporters of beef and
huge areas for pastoral industry.

The Warm Temperate Eastern Margin (China Type) Climate

Found in eastern margins of the continents in warm temperate
latitudes, just outside the tropics.
Found in most parts of China, south-eastern USA bordering gulf
of Mexico, Pampas region (Parana-Paraguay-Uruguay Maize
belt), Eastern South Africa (Natal region with cane sugar),
Eastern Australia and Southern Japan.
Also known as Gulf Type or China Type and also Natal Type in
the Southern Hemisphere
Climate:
Warm, moist summer and cool, dry winter
High humidity
More than moderate rainfall, 65 - 150 cm
Rainfall comes from convectional sources and
orographic sources in the summer and due to
depressions in the winter.
The China Type (Central and North China, including
Southern Japan)
South-East Monsoon bringing much rains in the
summer
North-West Monsoon bringing dry and cold winds
Greater annual temperature range of around 30
degrees
Typhoons in the summer — intense tropical cyclones
occurring in the Pacific Ocean
The Gulf Type (South-Eastern USA)
No complete seasonal wind reversal, hence monsoon
type climate not as pronounced as China Type
On shore wind from Gulf help in moderating
temperature and hence temperature differential is
 lesser
Rainfall > 150 cm per year
Hurricanes occur in September and October
Tornadoes occur due to extreme heating of the
landmass (Mississippi basin)
The Natal Type
Southern Hemisphere — South Eastern Africa, Eastern
Australia, and Southern Brazil-Paraguay-Uruguay and
northern Argentina
No monsoonal elements
Even distribution of rainfall throughout the year and
very less variation in temperature
Cold Winds: Southerly Burster in New South Wales
and Pampero in Argentina and Uruguay. Berg Wind in
South Africa
Vegetation
Luxuriant due to adequate rainfall.
Both evergreen and deciduous trees are present
Economic Development
Rice farming in China — largest producer of rice — 33% of
world production.
Chinese peasants raise “wet padi” or swamp rice.
Tea and mulberry leaves gathered for sericulture is also
important
Gulf States (America)
Corn — used for fattening animals
Cotton — hot season, 200 days of frost free, moderate
temperature of about 24 degrees celsius is important
Tobacco — humid atmosphere, well-drained soils are
essential.
The Cool Temperate Eastern Margin Climate (Laurentian)

Found only in two regions: North-Eastern North America

including Canda, north-east USA, and Newfoundland.
Second region is Eastern coastlands of Asia, including
eastern Siberia, North China, Manchuria, Korea and north
Japan (Asiatic region).
Not present in the Southern Hemisphere because only very
limited land is present south of the latitude 40 Degrees
South except eastern patagonia, south of Bahia Blanca to Tierra
del Fuego. But the climatic barrier of South Andes is so
complete, that the Westerlies hardly reach patagonia.
Climate:
Cold, dry winters and warm, wet summers.
Rain is plentiful in summer, winter is dry and cold as winds
are Westerlies that blow out from the continental interiors.
North American Region:
Uniformity in precipitation is distinctive feature with
around 90-100 cm rainfall throughout the year. This is
due to the presence of the Great Lakes and the effect
of the Atlantic Ocean.
Asiatic Region:
Summers are warm and much rainfall occurs in the
summers.
Winters are cold and dry
Japan: Warm Kuroshio current has made the climate of
Japan much less extreme in meeting with cold
Oyashio current. “second Newfoundland"
Natural Vegetation
Cool temperate forests
Lumbering is a major occupation in Northern parts of these
regions. (Canada)
More south, south of 50 degree North, deciduous forests
start. Ferns are also common.
Economic Development
Lumbering
Agriculture is less important
Potatoes, groundnuts, sesame, rape seeds, mulberry,
soya beans etc are grown in Asiatic region
In North America, farmers practice dairy farming
mostly, fruit cultivation etc.
Fishing — Newfoundland, the Maritime Provinces, New
England
Both pelagic fish (living close to surface) and demersal
fish (living at bottom of shallow seas) are caught
Fishing in Japan: North-West Pacific, surrounding
northern islands of Japan
Due to lack of land for farming, mountainous
terrain etc. the Japanese have taken to fishing as
their major food source.
Also harvest, sea weed, mother of pearls, oysters,
whaling etc.
Other reasons:
Non-agriculutral nature of the Japanese
Continental shelves and large fish life
present here due to meeting of Kuroshio and
Oyashio currents
Indented coastlines providing for sheltered
fishing ports, calm waters, and safe landing
places, ideal for fishing industry.
Lack of lowlands an pastures prohibit animal
farming
The Cool Temperate Western Margin (British Type) Climate
This climate prevails mostly due to the influence of the
Westerlies all around the year.
In Western North America, the Rockies confine the climate to the
coastal areas of British Columbia.
In the Southern Hemisphere, the climate is experienced in
southern Chile, Tasmania, and most parts of New Zealand.
Climate
Temperature:
Moderate temperatures
Summer are not very warm but moderate.
Due to the North Atlantic Drift, the marine stations in
Western Europe are considerably warmer than the
interior.
Precipitation:
Considerable rainfall throughout the year, with slight
increase during winter or autumn.
Since the rain bearing winds come from the West,
western margins get highest rainfall.
Four distinct seasons: winter, spring, summer, autumn
Forests and Vegetation
Deciduous forests
Important hardwoods — birch, elm, ash, poplar, beech,
hornbeam, oak
In wetter areas: willows, alder, aspen etc.
Also, chestnuts, sycamore, maple and lime.
Economic Development
Fishing important in Britain, Norway and British Columbia
Market Gardening is a big industry due to dense population
in these areas and demand for fresh vegetables, fruits, etc.
 Highly specialized horticulture industry with high yields
and good transportation and storage systems.
Sheep Rearing

The Cool Temperate Continental (Siberian) Type

Experienced in Northern Hemisphere where continents within the
high latitudes have a broad east-west spread.

Climate
Temperature:
Bitterly cold winter for a long duration and a cool brief
summer.
Extreme differences in temperature ranges of almost
-10 degree celsius to 20 degrees celsius.
Spring and autumn are merely transitional periods.
Precipitation:
Rain is relatively low ranging from 30 cm - 60 cm per
year
Vegetation
Coniferous Forests are most common in this region’s
southern areas.
Most valuable source of softwood for use in building
construction, furniture, rayon, matches, paper and
 pulp etc.
USSR, USA, Canada etc are world’s leading pulp
manufacturers and softwood producers.
Taiga region is the richest source of softwood. — 1/3rd of
world’s trees are in the Taiga region
Four major species of coniferous forests:
Pine
Fir
Spruce
Larch
Coniferous Forests are of moderate density and uniformly
found. Due to the less variety of species in these forests,
timbering is relatively easy.
Almost all confers are evergreen with two year
fructification cycle where seeds are germinated in one
year and pollinated the other year
Conical in shape
Leaves are small, thick, leathery, and needle-shaped
Little undergrowth — acidic and extremely leached soil
as there is hardly any humus as no leaves fall off the
plants.
Economic Activity
Trapping — fur bearing animals such as Muskrat, ermine,
mink and silver fox
Lumbering
Pulp and paper industry
Saw-milling into pltboard, planks, hardboard, sawn
timber etc.
Wood as fuel
Wood as industrial raw material — matches, furniture,
rayon turpentine, varnishes, paints etc.
Why is lumbering so important:
1. Softwood available readily (cuts easily, high
demand and floats easily on water)
2. Not much variety among tree species making it
easy to carry out cutting of woods
3. Most timbering done in winter due to availability
 of logging ad haulage on ice-covered ground from
which timber can be transported.
1. Additionally, sapping stops and its easier to
carry and cut the timber then
2. Part-time labour is available readily in winter
to work on timbering
3. The logs can be floated on partly frozen
rivers and directed easily
4. Cheap hydroelectricity available to carry out
mechanized cutting etc.

Chapparal

In many coastal regions that border on deserts we find fairly

small patches of a biome known as temperate shrubland or
chaparral.
Closeness to the sea provides a slightly longer winter rainy
season than nearby temperate deserts have, and fogs during the
spring and fall reduce evaporation.
These biomes are found along coastal areas of southern
California in the United States, the Mediterranean Sea, central
Chile, southern Australia, and southwestern South Africa

Forests