Chapter 1.pdf

Climates for everyone America has a variety of climates because it covers so much territory. These provide a wide diversity of natural landscapes inhabited by different species of flora and fauna. Climate is the set of atmospheric conditions of a region. Remember that climate and weather are not the...

Climates for everyone America has a variety of climates because it covers so much territory. These provide a wide diversity of natural landscapes inhabited by different species of flora and fauna. Climate is the set of atmospheric conditions of a region. Remember that climate and weather are not the same thing. Weather refers to the conditions of the atmosphere at a specific time, such as today or this week. Climate refers to the weather in a region over a long period of time, for example over centuries. There are different types of climates on the planet because the sun heats the Earth’s surface at different angles. For example, because the Earth is spherical, the sun heats more at the Equator than at the poles. Another factor that influences climate is the altitude or height of the land above sea level. That is why you will notice that in the mountains, the temperature of the air is usually cooler. Types of climate Because it spans the northern and southern hemispheres, the American continent has almost every possible type of climate. Cold climates are found in the mountains and the edges of the continent. The polar climate is found around the Arctic Circle and at the lower end of South America. The high mountain climate is typical of the highest peaks and the high Andean valleys. Warm climates are found in regions around the Equator. Tropical climates are found in areas close to the Equator, approximately from the south of Mexico to Brazil. This climate is characterized by warm temperatures and abundant rainfall. The desert climate is found in the southwest of the United States (the Nevada desert), in northern Mexico (Samalayuca and Altar deserts), between Chile and Peru (Atacama desert), and in southern Argentina (Patagonian desert). Temperate climates are found mainly in North and South America. The continental climate, with cold winters, is mainly found in the North American Great Plains and Canada. The oceanic climate, with frequent rainfall, is typical of the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of North America, as well as in southern Chile. In some temperate zones, there are more intense dry seasons. America’s biomes Tropical rainforest, Costa Rica Tropical rainforest, Costa Rica Diverse ecosystems grow in the different climatic zones of the Americas. These are classified into different types of biomes. A biome is a group of ecosystems that share similar geographic features, such as climate, flora, and fauna. Forests America is home to a rich variety of beautiful forests. Boreal or taiga forests grow in cold climate zones, especially in the mountainous regions of North America. The main trees that grow there are conifers, such as pines. Temperate forests, by contrast, have broad-leaved, rounded trees, such as oaks, which change color in the fall and lose their leaves in the winter. These are common in the northwest United States. Warm climate zones are home to tropical rainforests. Here, the vegetation is almost always green, with many trees and shrubs. El Yunque National Forest is an excellent example of this type of forest. In contrast, tropical dry forests have less rainfall, so cacti can grow in them. These are found mostly in South America. Tropical rainforests Tropical rainforests are very similar to forests, but here the vegetation is denser, and the treetops form a closed canopy so not much sunlight can pass through. Tropical rainforests also have a high level of biodiversity. The largest in America is the Amazon Rainforest. Tundra Tundra is found in the frozen areas closest to the Arctic Circle, in the Andes, and in the extreme south of the continent. No trees grow there; only low plants, mosses, and lichen. The animals that inhabit the tundra, such as reindeer, seals, polar bears, foxes, and penguins, have fur to protect them from the cold. Prairies and savannahs A prairie is an area of flat land with many grasses and wildflowers. It rains less on a prairie than in a forest and, although there is not much fauna, we can see foxes and bison. This region is found in the United States, Mexico, Chile, Brazil, and Argentina. Savannahs are also flat lands, but they have warmer and drier climates. They contain mainly grasslands and trees, but in much smaller numbers than in the forests. This biome is found mainly in Central and South America. Steppes and deserts Steppes and deserts are very similar, but steppes receive more rainfall than deserts. Also, temperatures in the steppes are high in summer and low in winter, while in the desert, temperatures are high during the day and low at night. In America, we find steppes in the central United States, northern Mexico, and part of Argentina. Deserts are found in the United States, Mexico, Peru, and Chile. America’s bodies of water Mississippi River, United States Mississippi River, United States Rivers and lakes America’s rivers and lakes provide us with most of the water we need to live. Throughout history, these bodies of water influenced how societies developed. American rivers are grouped into three drainage basins: Artic basin: Mackenzie River in Canada is the main body of water in this drainage basin. Atlantic Seaboard basin: This has long, fast-flowing rivers. In North America, the large basin of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers is the most important. In South America, there are the Amazon River, the Orinoco River, and the Paraná – Paraguay system, which, with the Uruguay River, forms La Plata River. Pacific basin: This has short rivers that start in mountains close to the sea. In North America, the main rivers are the Yukon and Colorado. In Central America, the main rivers are the Lempa and Choluteca. The main river in South America is the San Juan. There are many lakes on the continent. The Great Lakes are in North America, between the United States and Canada. The names of the Great Lakes are Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario. Some of the most important lakes in Central America are Nicaragua and Managua. The most important lakes in South America are Lake Maracaibo, in Venezuela, and Lake Titicaca, which is shared by Peru and Bolivia. Lake Titicaca is one of the highest lakes in the world. This physical map of America shows the differences between rivers, lakes, bays, and gulfs. This physical map of America shows the differences between rivers, lakes, bays, and gulfs. Gulfs and bays A gulf is a large area of sea enclosed by the curve of a coastline. Some of the most important gulfs in America are the Gulf of Mexico, the Gulf of California, the Gulf of Panama, and the Gulf of Alaska. Bays are more pronounced sea inlets into the coast. Bays are generally surrounded by land on three sides. On Puerto Rico, we have San Juan Bay and Guánica Bay, among others. In North America, some of the most important bays are Hudson Bay and San Francisco