World Climates, Environments, & Biomes

​World Climates, Environments, & Biomes

We can divide Earth into five climate zones: tropical, temperate, polar, dry, and highland. Tropical climates appear near the equator, temperate climates are found in the middle latitudes, and polar climates occur near the poles. Dry and highland climates can appear at different latitudes.

​​Major Climate Zones​

​

Humid tropical climates occur near the equator. Some are hot and humid throughout the year. Rain forests need this type of climate to thrive and support thousands of species. Other tropical areas have monsoons—winds that shift directions and create wet and dry seasons.

​​Tropical & Dry Climates

Moving away from the equator, we find tropical savanna climates. A long, hot dry season is followed by short periods of rain. This climate supports savannas, an area of tall grasses and scattered trees and shrubs.

Deserts are hot and dry. At night, the dry air cools quickly; desert nights can be cold. Only a few tough plants and animals survive in a desert. Sometimes steppes—semidry grasslands—are found near deserts.

Temperate, or mild, climates occur in the middle latitudes. In this climate, weather often changes quickly when cold and warm air masses meet. Most temperate regions have four distinct seasons, with hot summers and cold winters. A Mediterranean climate has hot, sunny summers and mild, wet winters. They occur near the ocean, and the climate is mostly pleasant. People like to vacation in these climates. Only small, scattered trees survive in these areas.

Temperate Climates

East coasts near the tropics have humid subtropical climates because winds bring moisture from the ocean. They have hot, wet summers and mild winters, with storms year-round. Marine west coast climates occur farther north on the west coast. They also get moisture from the sea, which causes mild summers and rainy winters. Inland or east-coast regions in the upper-middle latitudes often have humid continental climates. These have short, hot summers, a mild spring and fall, and long, cold winters.

Temperate Climates

There are three polar climates. Subarctic climate occurs south of the Arctic Ocean. Winters are long and very cold; summers are cool. There is enough precipitation to support forests. At the same latitude near the coasts, tundra climate is also cold, but too dry for trees to survive. In parts of the tundra, soil is frozen as permafrost. Ice cap climates are the coldest on Earth. There is little precipitation and little vegetation. Even though it is a harsh place, penguins and polar bears live there. Highland, or mountain, climate changes with elevation. As you go up a mountain, the climate may go from tropical to polar.

Polar & Highland Climates

Plants and animals cannot live just anywhere. They must have an environment, or surroundings, that suits them. Climate, land features, and water are all part of a living thing’s environment. Plants and animals adapt to specific environments. For example, kangaroo rats do not need to drink much water and are adapted to a desert environment

The Environment & Life

​An ecosystem is the connection between a particular environment and the plants and animals that live there. They all depend on each other for survival. Ecosystems can be as small as a garden pond or as large as a forest. Biomes are much larger than ecosystems. They may contain several ecosystems.

The Environment & Life

Each part of an ecosystem fills a certain role in a cycle. For example, the sun provides energy to plants, which use it to make food. These plants then provide energy and food to other plants and animals. When these life forms die, their bodies break down and give nutrients to the soil so more plants can grow.

The Environment & Life

A small change in one part of an ecosystem can affect the whole system. Many natural events and human actions affect ecosystems and the habitats in them. A habitat is the place where a plant or animal lives. Natural events include forest fires, disease, and climate changes

The Environment & Life

Human actions such as clearing land and polluting can destroy habitats. For example, people are clearing Earth’s rain forests for farmland, lumber, and other reasons. As a result, these diverse habitats are being lost. If a change to the environment is extreme, a species might become extinct, or die out completely.

The Environment & Life

Many countries are passing laws to protect the environment. Although these laws do not please everyone, they can have good results. The U.S. Endangered Species Act of 1973 has saved 47 species from becoming extinct.

The Environment & Life

An environment’s soil affects which plants can grow there. Fertile soils have lots of humus and minerals. Humus is decayed plant or animal matter.

Soils can lose fertility from erosion when wind or water sweeps topsoil away. Soil can also lose fertility from planting the same crops repeatedly. When soil becomes worn out and can no longer support plants, desertification can occur. The spread of desert conditions causes problems in many parts of the world.

​

​

Soil & the Environment

​Video on Climate Zones of the Earth

Multiple Choice

Geographers use temperature, precipitation, and plant life to identify:

• Continents

• Borders

• Climate zones

• Ecosystem

Multiple Choice

These climates are wet and warm:

• Dry

• Polar

• Tropical

• Highland

• Temperate

Multiple Choice

These climates receive little to no rain:

• Dry

• Polar

• Tropical

• Highland

• Temperate

Multiple Choice

These climates have the most seasonal change, as in they have the biggest differences between their seasons:

• Dry

• Polar

• Tropical

• Highland

• Temperate

Multiple Choice

These climates are cold and dry:

• Dry

• Polar

• Tropical

• Highland

• Temperate

Multiple Choice

These climates change with elevation:

• Dry

• Polar

• Tropical

• Highland

• Temperate

Multiple Choice

Winds that shift direction with the seasons and create wet and dry periods are called:

• Steppes

• Permafrost

• Monsoons

• Savannas

Multiple Choice

Semidry grasslands or prairies are called:

• Steppes

• Permafrost

• Monsoons

• Savannas

Multiple Choice

Permanently frozen layers of soil are called:

• Steppes

• Permafrost

• Monsoons

• Savannas

Multiple Choice

Which of these terms does not relate to the others?

• Monsoon

• Muggy

• Prairies

• Rain forest

Multiple Choice

Which of these terms does not relate to the others?

• Subarctic

• Tundra

• Desert

• Permafrost

Multiple Choice

Which of these terms does not relate to the others?

• Forest

• Steppes

• Savannas

• Grassland

Multiple Choice

Any place where plants and animals depend upon each other and their environment for survival is called:

• Biome

• Environment

• Habitat

• Ecosystem

Multiple Choice

An area much larger than an ecosystem and possibly made up of several ecosystems is called:

• Biome

• Environment

• Habitat

• Ecosystem

Multiple Choice

A plant or animal’s surroundings, including things like climate and land or water features, is called:

• Biome

• Environment

• Habitat

• Ecosystem

Multiple Choice

A place where a plant or animal lives is called:

• Biome

• Environment

• Habitat

• Ecosystem

Multiple Choice

The slow process of losing soil fertility and plant life is called:

• Humus

• Extinct

• Desertification

• Erosion

Multiple Choice

Decayed plant or animal matter is called:

• Humus

• Extinct

• Desertification

• Erosion

Multiple Choice

When something completely dies out it becomes:

• Humus

• Extinct

• Desertification

• Erosion