Climate Regions and environment

Describing climate graphs

Temperature / Rainfall
1. General trend:
hot/cold/warm
all year/summer/winter / 1. General trend:
dry/wet
all year/summer/winter
2. maximum & month / 2. highest & month
3. minimum & month / 3. lowest & month
4. range / 4. total

Use one of the fallowing sentences.

‘hot and dry all year’ - desert

‘hot and wet all tear’ - equatorial

‘cold and dry all year’ – cold desert (tundra)

‘hot dry summers, warm wet winters’ – Mediterranean

For each climate region you need to be able to

Topic / done / learnt
Know where the climate is found
Recognise and describe the climate graph
Explain the advantages and disadvantages of living in the climate
List the main causes of the environmental problem
Describe the main effects of the environmental problem under these headings - social, economic and environmental
Suggest solutions for reducing the negative impact of the environmental problem

Revision Notes: Equatorial Climate

Equatorial Regions

1.  Climate: Hot and wet all year

2.  Location: Found along the equator in South-East Asia, West Africa and South America – particularly Brazil

3.  Living in climate:

Advantages / Disadvantages
Hot and wet so helps plants grow quickly / Very humid and hot so is uncomfortable
Wide range of plants grow / Soil washes away easily
Not crowded / Difficult to build roads in thick forest.
HEP can be produced / Area is remote
Rivers for transport / Not many ways to make money

4.  Environmental Problem: Deforestation - the cutting down of forests

5.  Causes: Cattle Ranching, Mining, HEP schemes, Road building, Using trees for timber

6.  Effects on Environment: soil becomes exposed to rain and washes away, soil becomes infertile as the nutrients are washed away, rivers become polluted from soil, wildlife loose homes and could die.

7.  Effects on People: Native forest dwellers lose homes, lose animals for food and land for farming, way of life destroyed, undiscovered medicines lost forever

8.  Effects on economy: Governments get money from activities and helps country develop, Forest dwellers without livelihood, long term use of TRF not guaranteed.

9.  Solutions: Ban use of hardwoods from Tropical Rain Forests, protect zones where developments cannot take place, for every tree cut down plant at least another one, encourage sale of sustainable TRF produce such as brazil nuts and fruit, After developments – restore TRF

Revision Notes: Hot Desert

Hot Desert Climate
Know where the hot desert climate is found
Recognise and describe the climate graph
Explain the advantages and disadvantages of living in hot desert climates
List the main causes of desertification
Describe the main effects of desertification on people, the environment and the economy
Suggest solutions for stopping desertification

Hot Deserts

1.  Climate: Hot & dry all year less than 250mm of rainfall

2.  Location: Between 10 and 20o north and south of the equator eg, Sahara in N. Africa, Namib in S. Africa

3.  Living in climate:

Advantages / Disadvantages
farming with irrigation / Very hot leading to heat stroke and dehydration
nomadic herders keep goats and cattle but must move around in search of food and water / Must cover up and drink plenty of water
Few economic activities

4.  Environmental Problem: Desertification (deserts spreading)

5.  Causes: drought, overpopulation (firewood, overgrazing, too much crop growing), poor irrigation

6.  Effects on environment– dry soil blown away & washed away

7.  Effects on people: Animals die or sold, crops fail -famine, migration, refugee camps

8.  Effects on economy: People without livelihood, governments have to provide for refugees

9.  Solutions: Drip Irrigation, stone lines to trap water, drought resistant plants, fence wind breaks, fenced areas to stop grazing, farm training from experts, ban chopping trees down, replant trees as wind breaks

Revision Notes: Mediterranean

Mediterranean climate
Know where the Mediterranean climate is found
Recognise and describe the climate graph
Explain the advantages and disadvantages of living in Mediterranean climates
List the main causes of sea pollution
Describe the main effects of sea pollution on people, the environment and the economy
Suggest solutions for stopping sea pollution

Mediterranean

1.  Climate: Hot dry summers, warm, wet winters

2.  Location: Found on the west of continents 40 north and South of the Equator particularly Spain, Italy South of France.

3.  Living in climate:

Advantages / Disadvantages
Pleasant / drought in summer
growing season in winter / expensive to irrigate crops
with irrigation can grow crops in summer / forest fires in summer
summer sun attracts tourists

4.  Environmental Problem: Loss of coastal habitat

5.  Causes: Tourist developments along coasts

6.  Effects on environment: Large hotels and developments cause natural coastline to be destroyed, water shortages, sea pollution and increase in litter on streets and in landfill sites.

7.  Effects on People: Loss of traditional way of life, some people get jobs, loss of traditional buildings, busy during tourist season, litter and increase in crime. Better services.

8.  Effects on economy: Some people have jobs but they are poorly paid, local area brings in much money

9.  Solutions: Protect certain stretches of coastline, only allow traditional buildings, increase taxes on hotels to pay for water and environmental work.

Revision Notes: Cold Desert Climate

Cold Desert Climate
Know where cold desert climates are found
Recognise and describe cold desert climate graph
Explain the advantages and disadvantages of living in cold desert areas
List the main causes of oil pollution
Describe the main effects of oil industry on people, the environment and the economy
Suggest solutions for stopping the effects of the oil industry

Cold Desert Climate

1.  Climate: Cold and dry all year

2.  Location: Found north of the arctic circle – Greenland, Northern Canada, Alaska, Siberia

3.  Living in climate:

Advantages / Disadvantages
Cold means there are less diseases
Plenty animals for hunting and eating / Cold all year particularly cold in winter
Summer difficult to move around due to marshy and wet
cannot farm due to low temperatures
houses built off ground
pipes have to be insulated and heated
blizzards prevent supplies getting in

4.  Environmental Problem: Loss of pristine environment and pollution

5.  Causes: oil extraction

6.  Effects on environment: Man-made structures cause visual intrusion, risk of oil spills – destroys coastlines, kills wildlife, disturbs wildlife

7.  Effects on People: Loss of traditional way of life, some people get jobs, loss of traditional buildings, busy during tourist season, litter and increase in crime. Better services.

8.  Effects on economy: . More jobs, Oil brings in much money to government, much money in local area

9.  Solutions: Route of pipeline avoids migration route of elk, oil carried by pipeline to avoid sea journey, high safety measures on tankers, recognised routes to avoid collisions, emergency procedures in place for clean-up.

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