Climate Flashcards
(24 cards)
Name a hot climat
The sahara
What is the temperature in the sahara
Hot, 30 degrees celcius all year long.
What weather conditions does the sahara have
Hot deserts are located between 15 and 30 degrees north and south of the equator so the sun shines from overhead throughout the year.
Clear skies cause the ground to reach very high temperatures during the day. However it gets bitterly cold at night as heat escapes due to absence of cloud.
What is the precipitation in the sahara like
Dry with 0, to 25 mm per year
Reasons: The trade winds blow constantly over the hot deserts.
The trade winds blow towards the equator and as they blow from continents they are dry winds.
Some hot deserts are in the rain shadow of high mountains eg the Kalahari.
Cold ocean currents offshore cause winds to lose moisture at sea.On reaching dry land they are dry winds and form deserts.
Describe the vegetation in the sahara
Cactus, thorn shrubs, creosote bush.
Date palms and figs.
These plants have adapted to their environment in the following ways:
Cacti have a sponge inside for storing water,grooves in the skin allow them to swell and waxy skin to prevent moisture loss.
Desert plants have long roots which reach deep into the ground for water and waxy skin ti prevent moisture loss.
Lush vegetation and food crops grow where water is close to the surface eg at oases.
Desert plants survive on soils with little nutrient value.
Describe the people in the desert
Oasis dwellers: Some areas of hot deserts have local water supplies eg wells, water holes or rivers. People use this water supply to grow crops such as dates, cereals and figs.
Nomads: The bedouins of Arabia travel from place to place with their animals, eg sheep and goats. They live in tents.
Oil workers: Recent discoveries of oil have led to the development of oil fields and the recruitment of workers.
Name a warm temperate oceanic climate
The Mediterranean
Describe the weather in the temperate climate
Hot summers of 25 degrees, warm winters of 12 degrees
Dry summers and wet winters
Why are there hot dry summers in the Mediterranean?
The trade winds blow over the Mediterranean areas. As the trade winds come from land areas and blow towards the equator, they are dry winds.
High pressure covers this area in summer. This brings hot, dry and sunny weather.
Mediterranean areas are close to the tropics, so it is hot.
Why are there cold, wet winters in the Mediterranean?
The southwesterly anti- trades blow over Mediterranean areas in winter. These winds come from the sea, so they are wet.
The winds come from a lower altitude, so they are warm winds.
Describe the vegetation in the Mediterranean
Mediterranean woodland- cork, oak and chestnut
Sparse scrub- like grass and herbs such as lavender
Describe the wildlife in the Mediterranean
Sheep and goats- they can survive on sparse and poor quality vegetation
Describe the people in the Mediterranean
Farmers grow vines (for wine and fruit) and citrus fruits eg lemons, oranges. They keep sheep and goats for milk and meat.
Tourism: many people are employed in hotels, guesthouses. Others are employed in the construction of accommodation for tourists eg hotels, villas ect.
Why are Mediterranean areas important tourist centres?
Eg benidorm, Spain
The hot, dry summers offered garanteed sunshine for tourists.
Well developed facilities.
Low living costs.- package holidays
Golden beaches and warm water appeal to people from cooler countries.
Famous places - Roman ruins and cities like Venice and Rome.
What are advantages of tourism in the Mediterranean
Employment in hotels, guesthouses and travel agencies.
Industries such as construction
Farmers sell produce to retailers and direct to tourists, so raising a standard of living
Services such as roads, airports, water and sewage works are improved which aid both tourists and local people.
Farmers sell their land as development property and so make money.
Different nationalities meet and enjoy each others cultures and languages, so reducing barriers and division between people.
What are disadvantages of tourism in the Mediterranean
Tourism in seasonal, so many people earn low or no wages for some months during off season.
Cost of living, especially food and housing, is high for the local population.
Services such as water supply are difficult to maintain during the peak season.
Once- unspoiled beaches are now overlooked by ugly concrete apartment blocks.
Land values rise too high to be purchased by locals.
Sewage disposal is a major problem. As a result sea areas such as the Mediterranean are polluted.
Name an example of a cold climate.
The Boreal
Describe the weather in the Boreal
Short, warm summers (16 degrees) long days, very cold winters (-25 degrees) long nights.
Why are summers in the boreal short and warm
Boreal areas are far from the equator.
In the summer this region is tilted towards the sun, giving long, warm days.
Why are winters in the boreal long and cold
In winter this region is tilted away from the sun. This causes long, cold nights.
Boreal lands are in high latitudes. Between 50 degrees n and the arctic circle. The suns rays are at a very low angle and so have little heat.
What is rainfall like in the boreal
Heavy rainfall near the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Very little rain in places far from the sea. Heavy snowfalls in winter.
Vegetation in the boreal
Coniferous forest eg spruce, pine and fir. These conifers are adapted to their environment because: They are cone shaped, which allows heavy snow to slide off.
They have needle shaped leaves which prevent moisture loss in winter. They keep their leaves in winter so they are ready to grow once spring arrives.
Conifers grow quickly with straight trunks.
The soil has few nutrients, but conifers grow well on poor soil.
Animals in the boreal
Reindeer, caribou, boar
People in the boreal
Lumberjacks: they cut down the coniferous trees with chainsaws. The trunks are cut into short lengths easy for handling and lifted by machines onto trucks for transport. They are turned into feul, pulp, planks and furniture.
Trappers: they trap animals such as mink and fox for their fur, which they sell.
Miners: minerals such as iron ore and oil are extracted from the ground.
