World Climate Patterns

What is a biome?

• A major type of ecological community mainly defined by distinctive natural vegetation and animal groups

• A specific type of climate found in or near low latitudes in areas otherwise referred to as the Tropics

• A region that receives continual rainfall which strips the soil of its nutrients but contributes to thick vegetation

• Plant life that grows in a certain area if people have not changed the natural environment

Which of the following describes an example of a tropical wet climate?

• Wet and dry seasons and high year-round temperatures

• Warm summers with heavy rain, and harshly cold winters

• Hot and dry conditions with a small amount of plant and animal life

• Warm, humid air with an average daily temperature of 80°

How do geographers distinguish between types of dry climates?

• The average daily temperatures in each

• The proximity of each to the Equator

• The amount of rainfall and vegetation in each

• The geographical location of each

Which of the following best describes conditions found in a high-latitude climate zone?

• mild, rainy winters; warm, dry summers

• year-round freezing temperatures and limited vegetation

• direct sunlight year-round with long summers, but cool temperatures

• cool summers and winters with abundant rainfall

Which of the following is not a temperate climate region in a midlatitude climate?

• humid subtropical

• marine west coast

• permafrost

• Mediterranean

Which of the following statements accurately states the relationship between latitude and vegetation?

• Vegetation decreases as one moves toward higher latitudes.

• Vegetation decreases as one moves toward lower latitudes.

• Vegetation increases as one moves toward higher latitudes.

• Changes in latitude have very little effect on the amount of vegetation.

What keeps humidity levels high in a humid subtropical climate?

• Ocean winds that bring cool summers and wet winters

• The proximity between about 30°N and 60°N and 30°S and 60°S latitude

• Wind patterns and high pressure from nearby oceans

• The varying temperature ranges from winter to summer by 120° F (49°C)

What can be found in marine west coast climates?

• Permanently frozen subsoil known as permafrost.

• Limited vegetation with short grasses, mosses, and lichens.

• Primarily dry regions with an occasional oasis.

• Mixed forests, which have both coniferous and deciduous trees.

Which of the following regions experience a mostly Mediterranean climate?

• The southeastern United States, inland Brazil, China, and India

• Coastal regions of Greece, Italy, France, and Spain

• The southern coast of Chile, the British Isles, and the Pacific Coast of North America.

• Regions with high levels of humidity

What factors naturally and predictably affect Earth's cycles of cooling and warming?

• Increased cloud cover

• Fewer forests

• Greenhouse gas emissions

• Factors such as solar flares and volcanic activity