Page 18 - The World About Us

Pennsylvania
1.1.1
2.1.2

What is the climate of the temperate biomes?

Temperate woodlands The two climate graphs below show how

con nentality affects temperate biomes.
Temperate woodlands are found
o
o
between 40 and 60 north and south Newport, Oregon (44 N) is coastal and so
of the Equator. The main temperate receives high rainfall. Winters are mild and
woodland areas of the world are summers warm. Meanwhile, Tashkent (41 N)
found in areas which experience is hundreds of kilometres from the sea,
moisture-laden winds blowing in off north of the Hindu Kush mountains. Its
nearby oceans. This includes the fig.45 Temperate deciduous woods. winters are far colder, summers ho er and
Pacific and Atlan c coasts of evolved to cope with a much more rainfall much lower than Oregon.
Northern USA, Western Europe, difficult winter climate
fig.47 The climate of Newport, Oregon, USA.
North East China, Korea and Japan, as
Summer temperatures are
well as islands such as New Zealand 350 35
moderated by the nearby cooler
and Tasmania in the Southern
oceans but frequent summer
Hemisphere. 300 30
thunderstorms are common. The
Rainfall in these areas is rela vely heated ground leads to warm air 250 25
high ranging from 750mm in parts of rising and then cooling, and the
Europe to as high as 8,000mm per forma on of cumulonimbus clouds. 200 20
year in coastal forests of southern Mean monthly rainfall (mm) Mean monthly temperature (
The cold winters have encouraged
New Zealand. 15
trees to evolve a deciduous habit, 150
Where sea temperatures are dropping their leaves in autumn. This,
cooler, winter temperatures may fall in turn, has helped evolve soil 100 10
well below freezing, forcing trees and organisms, such as earthworms, that
other plants to evolve cold and frost feed on fallen leaves. Earthworms 50 5 C) o
tolerance. The North Atlan c Dri not only provide food for many
may now keep deep winter cold out other species but help create rich 0 J F M A M J J A S O N D 0
of areas such as the UK, but our trees and fer le soils.

Temperate grasslands Newport Tashkent

Temperate grasslands are found in
the centre of con nents far from the
0
sea and o en in the lee of mountain
ranges which help to create a rain
shadow. Both factors result in
rela vely low levels of rainfall,
making life difficult for trees. fig.48 The climate of Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
fig.46 North American Prairie.
Temperate grasslands are found 350 35
o
o
between 40 and 60 north and south bi erly cold with temperatures falling
o
of the Equator. The main temperate as low as -40 C. In the summer 300 30
o
grasslands of the world are found in temperatures may soar above 35 C.
the Prairies of North America and This is a result of con nentality. 250 25
Eurasian Steppes, as well as the The further a place is from the sea
Pampas of South America. Some the less the impact of the oceans on 200 20
people consider the Highveld of annual temperatures. The sea warms Mean monthly rainfall (mm) Mean monthly temperature (
southern Africa as a temperate up much more slowly than land but 150 15
grassland. Here the al tude reduces holds its heat longer in the winter. As
both temperature and rainfall, but a result, places far from the sea 100 10
these high grass 'tablelands' are experience great extremes between
strictly a sub-tropical biome. winter lows and summer highs. The 50 5 C) o
Temperate grasslands have rainfall is low, ranging from 250mm to 0 0
extremes of climate. Winters can be around 750mm each year. J F M A M J J A S O N D

18

Ecosystems have distinct distributions and characteristics.