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World Climate Zones and Biomes

Created by: Sean Morris

What are Climate Zones and Biomes?

INTRO

A climate zone is determined by the temperature, humidity and types of precipitation. They are usually classified by the Koppen Classification system, there are 5 major climate groups (A,B,C,D,E) and each one is divided into multiple sub-categories. A biome is the climate zone and all the plant and animal life within. The changes that occur in these zones have a vast affect on the worlds climate and can affect life around the world.

TROPICAL

Tropical climates are hot all year round and include high levels of rain. Tropical climates are typically located close to the equator and stereotypically have rainforests or rich vegetation. Famous locations include Brazil, Malaysia and Hawaii.

Sub-categories:

-Tropical Rainforest

-Tropical Monsoon

-Tropical Savanna

CLIMATE A

DRY

CLIMATE B

This climate zone is typically desert conditions. Very low rainfall, very hot temperatures all year round and low plant life. Locations include Arizona, Alice Springs and Dubai.

Sub-categories:

-Desert

-Semi-arid

TEMPERATE

CLIMATE C

Temperate climate zones are mild zones that have 4 clear seasons with an even amount of all weather, although there are many sub-categories in this group that can be found all over the world in many different countries, with some variation between them. Locations, London, Istanbul, Paris, Washington and Vancouver.

Sub-categories:

-Mediterranean

-Oceanic

-Humid

-Highland

CONTINENTAL

CLIMATE D

Continental climates include hot summers and cold winters. These zones occur usually in the interior of large land masses and are rare in the Southern Hemisphere. Locations include; Stockholm, Montreal and Boston.

Sub-categories:

-Boreal

-Hot Summer

-Warm Summer

POLAR

Polar climates are very cold, including perma-frost and contain very little vegetation and are located at high elevations and near the poles. Locations include; Iqaluit, Mount Everest, Svalbard and Scott Base.

Sub-categories:

-Ice Cap

-Tundra

CLIMATE E

What is the relationship between climate zones and climate change?

RELATIONSHIP TO CHANGE

The correlation between the two is clear, when a climate zone changes the overall climate of the earth changes and this is common and regular, however some areas are changing at extreme rates and can cause huge issues to the worlds climate. An example of this is the Canadian Boreal climate zone, the reducing permafrost in Canada and Alaska at a rate of 80 miles in the last 50 years. Not only does this make the ground unstable and susceptible to collapse but it is releasing a huge amount of methane gas into the atmosphere which is a major greenhouse gas. The methane gas released by the melting ice is making the earth warmer, causing more ice to melt.

What are the effects on life?

EFFECTS ON LIFE

Changing climate zones can have a major affect on all life, human, animal and plant. These changes can destroy homes and habitats, this decimates the biodiversity and functionality of the eco-zone. For example the melting polar regions are having a huge affect on human and animal life. The melting ice causes a rise in sea level, this means that land is being lost to the sea, land which is home to animals and humans, meaning they have to relocate and in many cases the animals may die or face a disruption in the food chain due to habitat loss. Furthermore some animals are even facing extinction, such as polar bears, the melting ice means they are losing habitat and are being driven to swimming for days with no solid land. Polar bear numbers are now lower than ever due to this subtle change in the climate by just a few degrees. Although they are currently ranked as vulnerable rather than endangered, the whole of the Arctic is expected to be gone within the next 100 years, leaving polar bears no-where to live.

CURRENT INITIATIVES

INITIATIVES

There are many different initiatives around the world to combat climate change, a notable Canadian initiative is the NEG-ECP Climate Change Plan 2001. This involved the governors of New England and the premiers of the provinces of Eastern Canada making an agreement to cut emissions and pollution drastically within set time zones. The next checkpoint in this time frame is to be 10% below the emissions figure for 1990 by 2020. They aim to have decreased the 1990 figure by 85% in 2050. Another initiative is the Kyoto Protocol, an international agreement to lower greenhouse gasses involving 192 parties from all around the world, brought into effect in 2005. Unfortunately this initiative is losing pace as many countries are considering or have already left the agreement.

FUTURE EXPECTATIONS

In the near future we can expect to see the same increase in temperature and similar climate trends to what we are currently seeing. In the long term future, if we don't drastically change as a collective world, we're going to see loss of agriculture and land due to melting ice and warming, we can also expect mass extinctions of many life forms, eventually including our own. The earth is going to become increasingly hotter and less livable every year until we run out of life.

FUTURE EXPECTATIONS

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