WORLD CLIMATIC VEGETATION OR BIOMES

• Climate is a measure of the average pattern of variation in temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure,
wind, precipitation, atmospheric particle count, and other meteorological variables in a given region over
long periods of time.
• Any independent study of each of these elements does not present any comprehensive view of climate. On
the basis of these elements, there could be thousands of types of climates in the world.
• Climate, conditions of the atmosphere at a particular location over a long period of time; it is the long-term
summation of the atmospheric elements (and their variations) that, over short time periods, constitute
weather.
• These elements are solar radiation, temperature, humidity, precipitation (type, frequency, and amount),
atmospheric pressure, and wind (speed and direction).

Climatic Regions of World

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HOT & WET EQUATORIAL CLIMATE DISTRIBUTION

• 50 North – 100 South from equator
• No impact of trade winds, if you go away from this will
have monsoon type climate.
• Basically, hot, wet type of climate but also have cool
places like Cameron highland in Malaysia because these
places are at high altitude.
• Examples of some Countries: Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil,
Peru, Nigeria, Liberia, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia,
Malaysia, Java.

Climate
• There is great uniformity of temperature throughout the year.
• The mean monthly temperatures are always around 24 to 27ºC, with very little variation.
• There is no winter.
• The diurnal and annual range of temperature is small.
• Precipitation is heavy between 6o inches and 10 inches, and well distributed throughout the year.
• The double rainfall peaks, coinciding with the equinoxes are a characteristics feature of it.

Natural Vegetation
• It support a luxuriant type of vegetation – the tropical rain forest.
• Amazon tropical rain forest is known as Selvas.
• It comprises a multitude of evergreen trees that yield tropical hardwood, e.g. mahogany, ebony, greenheart,
cabinet wood. And dyewoods.
• Lianas, epiphytic and parasitic plants are also found.
• Trees of single species are very scarce in such vegetation.

Savanna or Sudan Climate (or Tropical Wet and Dry Climate)

• Savanna or Sudan climate is a transitional type of climate found between the equatorial forests & trade wind
hot deserts.
• It is confined within the tropics (Tropic of Cancer & Tropic of Capricorn) & is best developed in Sudan, where
dry & wet climate are most distinct, hence named Sudan climate.
• It covers much of Africa (Keya, Nigeria, Gambia) as well as large areas of Australia, South America (Brazilian
highlands), and India.
• Savana Climate has a distinct dry season which occurs in winter. All the rainfall in the region is concentrated
during the summer. The long dry season causes many plants to die and streams to dry, which causes
migration of animals.

Distribution
• It is situated within the tropical latitudes on either side of the equator. It is well developed in Sudan, and
hence the name, where there are
distinct wet and dry seasons.
• In the northern hemisphere, this
climate is found in Africa (African
Sudan, East Africa), and South
America (Llanos grasslands of
Orinoco river basin).
• In the southern hemisphere, this
climate is spread through South
America (Campos grasslands of the
Brazilian Highlands), and Australia (in
Northern Australia – south of its
monsoon strip).
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Temperature
• Annual average temperature is around 18 degrees centigrade
• The highest temperature occurs just before the onset of the rainy season i.e., April in the northern
hemisphere, and October in the southern hemisphere. June, when the summer solstice occurs in the
northern hemisphere, does not witness the highest temperature.
• During the rainy season, overcast in the sky leads to drop in the temperatures.
• During the hot season, noon temperatures often cross 37 degrees centigrade.
• Clear skies lead to rapid radiation loss in the night and even in the hot season, the temperatures drop to
below 10 degrees centigrade. Night frost is a common occurrence during this season
• Thus, a typical characteristic feature of Savanna climate is the extreme diurnal range of temperature.

Vegetation
• The typical vegetation of this region is tall grass with short trees. The grassland is also described as ‘bush-
veld’ or ‘parkland’.
• The trees are of the deciduous variety i.e., they shed their leaves during the dry and cool season in order to
prevent transpiration losses. Acacia is a typical example of this variety.
• They are hardwood trees, sometimes thorny, which exude gum like the ‘gum arabic’.
• The grass found in this region is very tall and coarse, reaching heights of up to 6-12 feet. Elephant grass,
which is the tallest variety of grass, can even reach heights of 15 feet.
• The grass is compact, with long roots that reach down in search of water. During the dry season, the grass
appears dormant and springs up during the rainy season.
• As one moves towards the desert, the grasslands eventually merge into thorny scrubs.

Wildlife
• Savanna is home to some of the largest terrestrial animals on this planet.
• The two main groups of animals include – herbivores and carnivores.
• Famous herbivores of savanna are zebra, giraffe, elephant, antelope etc. The herbivores are either endowed
with great speed to run away or have camouflage skills to escape the carnivores
• Important carnivores of this region include lion, hyena, leopard, panther, puma, jaguar etc. They have
powerful jaws and teeth for attacking other animals.
• Along the rivers and marshy lands, one can find reptiles like crocodiles, monitors, giant lizards apart from
rhinos and hippos.

Tropical Monsoon Climate

• Monsoon climate, also known as the
tropical monsoon climate, is found in
the region bounded by the Tropic of
Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn.
• The region is influenced by the
movement of the inter-tropical
convergence zone (ITCZ) and is hot
and humid all around the year
because the sun remains overhead.
• Monsoons are seasonal winds,
blowing over the landmasses from the
seas and vice-versa.
• They are characterized by a seasonal
reversal in the wind direction, leading
to variations in temperature and precipitation.
• Summer, winter, and rainy seasons are the three prominent and distinct seasons of this climatic region.

Distribution
• They are confined within 5 – 30 degrees latitudes on either side of the equator.
• Indian subcontinent, Indo-China (Laos. Vietnam, Cambodia), Thailand. southern China and northern Australia
are the regions experiencing this climate.
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Temperature
• Owing to the region’s proximity to the tropics, it experiences warm to hot summers.
• Average monthly temperature is above 18 degrees centigrade, but in summers the maximum can reach as
high as 45 degrees centigrade.
Precipitation
• The region experiences very high rainfall, which is concentrated in a few months.
• Annual average rainfall is around 200-250 cm. However, some regions have a very high average of around
350 cm.
• In India, Maysynram and Cherrapunji of Khasi Hills (Meghalaya) experience an annual rainfall of over
1000cm. They are located on the windward side of the hills, causing heavy orographic rainfall (caused by a
lift of the monsoon winds). Due to the location in between mountains which causes a concentration of rain-
bearing clouds, also known as the funnelling effect, these places receive very high rainfall.

Monsoon Forests
• Also known as the Tropical Monsoon Forests.
• These are mostly the trees of deciduous variety – they have a distinct season for the shedding of leaves.
They shed their leaves during the dry/drought season to prevent transpiration losses.
• They can be of two types – moist deciduous, where the rainfall exceeds 150cm, and dry deciduous where the
average annual rainfall is less than 150cm.
• They are made up of broad-leaf hardwood trees, similar to the equatorial rainforests. But the forests are not
as dense, and they are more open with less diversity of species (flora as well as fauna).
• Wherever the rainfall exceeds 200-250cm, evergreen rainforests of the equatorial type can be found. These
are prominent in the southern Western Ghats, forests in the northeast, Andaman and Nicobar islands of
India. They are also found in the islands of southeast Asia.
• Wherever the rainfall is scanty, savanna type grasslands are found with scattered trees.
• Hence, monsoon vegetation shows a great variation from dense forests to thorny scrublands (savanna).

Desert Climate
• Desert regions are characterized by very little rainfall and scanty vegetation. The length of the
growing period is limited to a small rainy season.
• The landscape of the region is devoid of trees and animals due to the lack of moisture and food.
• They can be of two types:
• hot deserts – like Saharan desert
• mid-latitude deserts – like Gobi desert.

Hot deserts – distribution

• Important hot deserts of the world are situated on the western
edges of the continents between latitudes 15 to 30 degrees
north and south.
• Sahara desert is the largest of hot deserts, covering an area of
3.5 million square miles. Other prominent hot deserts include
the Great Australian Desert, Arabian desert, Kalahari desert,
Thar desert etc.
• Hot deserts are also found in the Americas. In North America,
they are known by the names of Mohave, Sonoran, Californian,
and Mexican deserts. They extend between USA and Mexico. In
South America, the Atacama desert, or the Peruvian desert is
located.

Hot deserts – Temperature

• These deserts are some of the hottest places on earth and have high temperatures all around the year.
• They do not have a distinct cold weather season.
• The average summer temperatures are always above 30 degrees centigrade.
• The hottest temperature to be recorded was in Libya in 1922. The temperatures rose as high as 57 degrees
centigrade.
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• Cloudless skies, intense insolation, dry air, and a rapid rate of evaporation are the reasons for such high
temperatures.
• However, coastal areas of these deserts have a relatively moderate climate due to the moderating influence
of seas. The cooling effect of cold currents also reduces the mean temperatures experienced in this region.

Hot deserts – Precipitation

• Average annual precipitation in these regions is not more than 25 cm.
• Since these deserts are located within the Sub-Tropical High-Pressure Belts, also known as the Horse
Latitudes, where the air masses are descending, conditions are not favorable for the formation of clouds
which can cause precipitation.
• The prevailing winds in these regions are the Trade Winds which blow off-shore and do not allow any
moisture-laden winds to blow over these regions from the sea.
• Westerlies which are on-shore do not blow over the desert regions, reducing the chances of any
precipitation.
• The winds that blow over the deserts come from colder regions and their relative humidity is lowered as
they blow over the desert. This reduces the possibility of condensation of water vapour, and hence any
precipitation.
• The relative humidity decreases from 60 percent in the coastal areas to less than 30 percent in the interiors.
This increases the rate of evaporation and reduces any chance of precipitation, making these deserts regions
of permanent drought.
• The cold currents which flow along the west coasts of the continents have a desiccating effect on these
deserts. Any moisture-laden winds blowing from the sea get condensed over the cold currents into mist or
fog, and only drier winds blow over the deserts.
• However, convectional rainfall occurs in these regions in the form of violent thunderstorms for shorter
durations. These sudden downpours often have disastrous consequences in the form of landslides.
• Atacama desert is the driest region in the world with an annual precipitation of less than 2 cm.

Mid-Latitude deserts – distribution

• These desert are often situated on plateaux and are a part of
continental interiors.
• They include Gobi desert, Turkestan desert, Patagonian desert
etc.
• In India, Ladakh desert falls under this category.

Mid-latitude deserts – climate

• In many ways, the climatic conditions of these deserts are similar to those of the hot deserts.
• Since these deserts lie at far away locations from the coast or are blocked by high mountains surrounding
them, they are cut off from the moisture-laden winds blowing from the seas.
• Average annual precipitation does not exceed 25 cm.
• However, depression may penetrate into these deserts occasionally in Asia, bringing light rainfall in winters.
Convectional rainfall can happen during the summers.
• These regions have a very range of annual temperatures, greater than that of hot deserts. The reason behind
such extreme temperatures is Continentality – a phenomenon associated with landmasses which are at
great distances from the coast.
• Winters experience freezing temperatures and very strong cold winds blow over these regions. Ice thaws
during the summers sometimes causing floods at many places.

Desert Vegetation
• All deserts have some form of vegetation such as grass, scrub, weeds, etc.
• The most common type of vegetation that is found in both hot and mid-latitude deserts is the xerophytic or
drought-resistant scrub.
• Important species of this type include the bulbous cacti, long-rooted wiry grasses, thorny bushes, and dwarf
acacia.
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• Soils are deficient in humus due to the absence

of moisture which slows down the rate of
decomposition of organic matter.
• The shrub vegetation found in these
deserts have a well-developed system of long
roots which grow in search of groundwater. They
have few or no leaves, and their foliage is hairy,
waxy, or needle-shaped in order to minimize the
loss of water through transpiration.
• The seeds of these plants have special
mechanisms to protect themselves when they lie
dormant, in the form of thick, tough outer
surfaces. As soon as they are moistened by the
rain, they germinate.

Steppe Climate
• The term steppe refers to a region which is a semi-desert with a grassland or shrub vegetation.
• Steppes are intermediate regions, not receiving enough rainfall to support a forest but are also not as dry as
a desert.
• Steppe Climatic region is also known as Temperate Grasslands.
• These grasslands are some of the most developed agricultural fields and are termed as grain baskets.
• Livestock ranching is another major activity carried out in these areas due to the availability of natural
grasses.

Distribution
• Steppes are found in the continental interiors.
• They are usually found in the temperate latitudes and hence come under the influence of Westerly winds.
• Steppes are characterized by vast grasslands which are, by and large, devoid of trees.
• Steppes typically refer to the vast temperate grasslands of Eurasia, which stretch between the Black Sea
coast on the east to the Altai mountains in the west, covering a length of over 2000 miles.
• Steppes are known by their regional names in different parts of the world. They include,
• Prairies – North America
• Pustaz – Hungary
• Pampas – Argentina and Uruguay
• Velds (High Veld) – South Africa
• Downs – Australia
• Canterbury – New Zealand
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Precipitation
• The average annual rainfall over the steppes varies from 25 to 75 cm, depending upon the region.
• During the winters, Westerlies bring in occasional depressions which often cause snowfall over these
regions. However, the overall precipitation in the winters is low, at an average of 25 cm.
• In the southern hemisphere, due to a larger influence of maritime weather, higher rainfall occurs over these
regions as compared to their counterparts in the northern hemisphere.

Temperature
• These regions are under the effect of continentality and hence experience extremities in temperature.
• Summers are warm with the average temperature in the range of 18-20 degrees centigrade.
• Winters are usually cold with occasional snowfall.
• The steppes in the northern hemisphere have a very high annual range of temperatures.
• To its contrast, the steppes in the southern hemisphere, due to maritime influence, have a moderate climate
throughout the year.

Winds
• The prevailing winds of these regions are the Westerlies, which are responsible for precipitation during the
winters.
• Apart from these, there are many local winds which blow over these regions and have a significant impact on
the local weather.
• They are known by various names such as Mistral (France), which is cold dry wind; Loo (Gangetic plains),
Sirocco (Sahara), Foehn (Alps) etc. are warm, dry winds.
• Chinook is a hot, dry local wind blowing over the North American Prairies. It is a Katabatic wind, descending
from the Rocky mountains, and blowing from the south-west direction.
• Since it’s a hot wind, it raises the temperature in the region by over 5 degrees centigrade within a short time
of 20 minutes.
• It is useful for the local agriculture because it melts the snow over the pastures, making it possible for the
animals to graze on them.

Vegetation
• In contrast with the tropical grasslands of savanna, which are interspersed with trees, temperate grasslands
are practically treeless. Also, the grass in these grasslands is much shorter as compared to that in savanna
• However, the grass is fresh and nutritious, unlike the coarse grass found in the savannas. This is mostly true
for the prairies of North America, and also the Chernozem grasses of Ukraine. The prairie soils are also
nutritious black earth soils.
• The grass is lean, thin and scattered.
• This makes them ideal for large-scale livestock rearing, also known as ranching.
• The grass growing season is throughout the year, uninterrupted by seasonal variations in temperature and
precipitation
• Towards the poleward extension of prairies, there is a transitional zone of forests in which conifers can be
found.
• Within the farmlands of steppes, trees are planted around the croplands to shield them from strong winds.

Mediterranean Climate (Western Margin Climate)

• The warm temperate western margin climate or the Mediterranean climate is found between 30o and
45o North and South of the Equator.
• This climate is witnessed in relatively fewer parts of
the world and is almost entirely confined to the
western margins of the continental landmasses.
• The basic cause of this climate is the seasonal shift
of the wind belts.

Distribution
• Central Chile,
• California (around San Francisco),
• The southwestern tip of Africa (around Cape Town),
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• Southern Australia (in southern Victoria and

• Around Adelaide bordering St, Vincent, and Spencer Gulfs), and south-west Australia (Swanland).

Climate
• The Mediterranean climate is characterized by very distinctive climatic features with dry, warm summers
and wet, cold winters and local winds.
• Dry, warm summers with off-shore Tradewinds:
• During the summer months, the sun is overhead the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn.
• The belt of the influence of the Westerlies is shifted polewards, and the rain-bearing tradewinds are
likely to be off-shore.
• Hence the regions are practically rainless in summers and hence remain dry.
• In the interiors, prolonged droughts are common. The relative humidity is generally low.
• Wet, cold winters with on-shore Westerlies:
• In the winter months, the Westerlies belt shifts equatorward and the Mediterranean regions are
under the influence of on-shore Westerlies.
• Hence, these lands receive almost all of their precipitation during the winter months.
• The rain comes in heavy downpours and causes floods in the months of September and October in
Mediterranean Europe.

Local winds
The Mediterranean climatic region in Europe experiences many local winds due to the topography of the region with
the Alps in the North, the Sahara desert in the South, the continental interiors in the East, and the open Atlantic in
the west. These create great differences in temperature, pressure, and precipitation. The two most important local
winds are:
• Sirocco
• This is a hot, dry and dusty wind.
• It blows from the desert interiors of Sahara into the Mediterranean Sea and is usually associated
with the depressions from the Atlantic ocean.
• After crossing the Sea, it is slightly cooled by the absorption of water vapour but is hot enough that it
withers vegetation and crops of the region.
• Hence it is also called “Blood Rain” because it is carrying the red dust of the Sahara desert.
• Mistral
• Mistral is a cold wind from the north.
• It rushes down the Rhone valley and its velocity is intensified by the funnelling effect in the valley
between the Alps and the Central Massif[Plateau in France].
• In some extreme cases, the velocity of the wind is so high that trains can be derailed and trees are
uprooted.
• In winter, if the Mistral is frequent the temperatures could go below the freezing point.
Natural Vegetation
• Trees are with small broad leaves and are widely spaced.
• The absence of shade is a peculiar feature of this climate and the growth is almost restricted to autumn and
spring.
• Plants are in a continuous struggle against heat, dry air, excessive evaporation and prolonged droughts.
• Hence they are generally xerophytic or drought resistant in nature.
• The region is important for fruit cultivation, cereal growing, wine-making and agricultural industries as well
as engineering and mining. The region is a net exporter of citrus fruits and the net importer of dairy
products.
• These regions are known as the world’s orchard lands.
• A wide range of citrus fruits grows in the region. Examples: Sunkist oranges of California, Jaffa oranges of
Israel.
• The olive tree is probably the most typical of all Mediterranean cultivated vegetation.
• Besides these, many nut trees like chestnuts, walnuts, hazelnuts and almonds are grown.
• Other important fruits are peaches, apricots, pears, cherries, plums and figs.
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Warm Temperate Eastern Margin Climate

• It is found along the eastern margins of the continents between 20 and 35 N and S latitude.
• The climatic features in the region are similar to the monsoonal climate with rain during the summer and dry
weather during winter.
Climate
• It is typified by a warm moist summer and a cool, dry winter.
• Occasionally, the penetration of cold air from the continental interiors may bring down the temperature to
the freezing point.
• Rainfall is more than moderate and ranges between 60 cm to 150 cm and there is a uniform distribution of
temperature throughout the year.
• Local storms also occur. Example: typhoons, hurricanes.
• The rainfall is adequate for all agricultural purposes and hence the areas are densely populated.

Variations of warm temperate eastern margin climate

• China Type: Temperate monsoon or China type
found in most parts of China and is a modified
form of monsoonal climate.
• Gulf Type: Though less pronounced, the overall
climate resembles the China Type. It is found in the
south-eastern parts of the USA bordering the Gulf
of Mexico. The continental heating during
summers induces an inflow of air from the cooler
Atlantic Ocean.
• Natal Type: In Southern Hemisphere, this climate
is witnessed in New South Wales, Natal and
Parana-Paraguay-Uruguay basin. This is often
referred to as Natal Type of climate and is
influenced by the on-shore Trade winds all round
the year.

Natural Vegetation
• Due to heavier rainfall, the region supports luxurious vegetation.
• There is perennial plant growth and the conditions are well suited to a rich variety of plant life.
• The lowlands carry both evergreen broad-leaved forests and deciduous trees, similar to the tropical
monsoon forests.
• In the highlands, are various species of conifers such as pines and cypresses which are important softwoods.
• Eastern Australia – Eucalyptus
• South-Eastern Brazil, eastern Paraguay, north-eastern Argentina – Parana pine, wild yerba mate trees.
• Natal: palm trees

British Type Climate

• British-type climatic regions are under the permanent influence of the Westerlies all round the year.
• These are also regions of high cyclonic activity., typical of Britain and thus said to experience the British
climate.
• This climate is also referred to as the cool temperate western margin climate or the North-west European
Maritime Climate.
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Distribution
Northern Hemisphere
• The climatic belt stretches from Britain into North-
West Europe, including northern and western
France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark,
western Norway and also north-western Iberia.
• In North America, it confines mainly to the
coastlands of British Columbia. The Rockies in
North America, prevent the on-shore Westerlies
from penetrating far inland.
Southern Hemisphere
• The climate is experienced in southern Chile, Southern Australia, Tasmania and most parts of New
Zealand, particularly in South Island.
• The surrounding large expanses of water in these regions have increased the maritime nature of the
climate.

Climate
Characteristics
• Moderately warm summers and fairly mild winters. Extremes of temperatures are not likely.
• Adequate rainfall throughout the year.
Temperature
• The mean annual temperature is usually in the range of 5 C – 15 C.
• This range is comparatively small for such high latitudes.
• Summers are never very warm and winters are abnormally mild with no station recording below
freezing point temperatures.
• This is due to the warming effect of the North Atlantic Drift and prevalence of the South-Westerlies.
• Hence, they are some of the most advanced regions of the world.
Precipitation
• Adequate rainfall throughout the year.
• There’s tendency towards a slight winter or autumn maximum from cyclonic sources.
• The rain-bearing winds come from the west and hence the western margins have the heaviest
rainfall.
• The amount of rainfall decreases as one moves away from the sea, eastwards.

Seasons
• There are four distinct seasons.
• Summers are long and sunny followed by autumn which is a roar of gusty winds.
• Winter is the season with cloudy skies, foggy and misty mornings and many rainy days from the
passing depressions.
• This is followed by spring which is the driest and most refreshing season from the depressing winter
and the cycle repeats itself.

Natural Vegetation
• The natural vegetation of this climatic type is the deciduous forest.
• The trees shed their leaves in the cold season. This is an adaptation for protecting themselves against the
winter snow and frost.
• Shedding begins in autumn, the fall season and is scattered by the winds.
• Some of the common species of temperate hardwood include oak, elm, ash, birch, beech, hornbeam, and
poplar.
• In the wetter areas grow willows, alder and aspen.
• The deciduous trees occur in pure stands and have great lumbering value from the commercial point of
view.
• The deciduous hardwoods are excellent for both fuel and industrial purposes.
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Taiga Climate (Coniferous Forests & Lumbering)

• Taiga Climate is also known as Cool Temperate Continental Climate and is popular by various other names
such as Siberian Climate, Boreal Climate.
• This type of Climate is mainly found in the Northern Hemisphere and is absent in the Southern Hemisphere
due to narrow land surface in Southern Hemisphere.
• According to Koppen’s classification, the summer months are warm with temperature more than 10 degrees
C while the winter temperature can be less than 3 degrees C.

Distribution:
• It stretches from 50 N to 70 N along a
continuous belt across central Canada, some
parts of Scandinavian Europe and most of
central and southern Russian.
• On the north or pole wards it merges into the
Arctic tundra of Canada and Eurasia at around
the Arctic circle. Hence this climate is also called
“Sub-arctic climate”.
• On the south, the climate becomes less severe
and merges into the temperate Steppe climate.
• In the Southern Hemisphere, the Siberian
climate is absent due to the narrowness of the
continents in the high latitudes.
• The strong oceanic influence in the Southern
Hemisphere also reduces the severity of the
winter.

Climate
In Taiga climatic region the summer may be warm or cool while the winter is bitterly cold due to the strong wind and
snowstorms which flow from the continental polar and Arctic air mass.
Temperature
• The climate of these regions is characterized by extremely cold winters of long duration, with temperatures
ranging around – 30 C to – 40 C.
• The summers are cool and brief. Spring and autumn are very brief and transitional periods.
• The coolest place on earth, Verkhoyansk is situated in this climatic region.
• With extremely low temperatures for the most part of the year, heavy snowfall and frosts are common in
this region.
• Lakes and rivers are frozen and northerly polar winds such as Blizzards of Canada and Buran of Eurasia blow
violently.
• Conditions are so extreme that Siberian climatic regions are very sparsely populated.
Precipitation
• Maritime influences are nearly absent in the interiors and hence the annual precipitation is low, generally
around 38cm to 63 cm.
• It is well distributed throughout the year, with a summer maximum from convectional rain when the
continental interiors are heated.
• In winter, the precipitation is in the form of snow.

Natural Vegetation
• The predominant vegetation of this region is evergreen coniferous forests.
• Conifers are very well adapted to this region to withstand such inhospitable climate.
• The greatest single band of the coniferous forest is the taiga in Siberia.
• Four major species of coniferous forests grow in the region: pine, fir, spruce, and larch.
• The coniferous forest belts of Eurasia and North America are the richest sources of softwood.

Laurentian Climate
• The Cool Temperate Eastern Margin climate is also known as the Laurentian climate.
• It is the intermediate between the British and Siberian types of climates.
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Distribution
• It is found only in two regions and only in the northern
hemisphere.
• The climate has features of both the continental and the
maritime climates.
• North American region: One region is north-eastern
North America including eastern Canada, north-east
USA, and Newfoundland.
• Asiatic region: The other region is the eastern
coastlands of Asia, including North China, eastern
Siberia, Manchuria, Korea and northern Japan.
• The climate is totally absent in the southern hemisphere because only a small section of continental
landmass extends south of the latitude of 40 S.
• The only possible regions are in eastern Patagonia.
• But the Southern Andes blocks the Westerlies and the region is subjected to aridity rather than
continentality.
• It is a rain-shadow region and its annual precipitation is not more than 10 inches.

Climate
Temperature
• The climate of this type has cold, dry winters and warm, wet summers.
• Snow falls to quite a depth and winter temperatures may be well below the freezing point.
• Summers are as warm as the tropics and are moderated by the cooling effects of the off-shore cold currents
from the Arctic.
Precipitation
• Rain falls throughout the year.
• But there is a distinct summer maximum because the easterly winds from the oceans bring rainfall.
• Two-thirds of the annual precipitation is in summer.
• Winters are dry and cold and westerlies blow out from the continental interiors.

Natural Vegetation
• The predominant vegetation in this climate is cool temperate forests.
• The heavy rainfall, the warm summers and the damp air from fogs all favor the growth of trees.
• Forest tend to be coniferous north of the 50 N latitude.
• South of this latitude, deciduous forests is seen.

Polar Climate (Tundra & Ice Caps)

• Polar climate has cold climatic conditions all through the year.
• Koppen classified Polar Climate as E type in his climatic classification.
• According to Koppen the summer temperature in this region is less than 10 degrees. He further divided the
polar climate as Polar Tundra and Polar Ice Caps.

Distribution
Northern Hemisphere
• The polar type of climate is primarily found north of the Arctic Circle in the northern hemisphere.
• The ice-caps are confined to Greenland and to the highlands of the high-latitude regions where the ground is
permanently snow-covered.
• The lowlands which are ice-free for a few months have tundra
vegetation.
• This includes the coastal strip of Greenland, the barren grounds of
northern Canada and Alaska and the Arctic seaboard of Eurasia.
Southern Hemisphere
• In the southern hemisphere, the uninhabited land of Antarctica is the
greatest single stretch of ice-cap where the layers of permanent ice
are seen.
World Climate Vegetation OR Biomes www.parchamclasses.in

Climate
Temperature
• A very low mean annual temperature characterizes the tundra or polar temperature.
• Only four months have a temperature above freezing point. The ground remains frozen for all but four
months.
• Interiors are much colder than the coastal regions.
• Winters are long and very severe, summers are cool and brief.
• Beyond the Arctic and the Antarctic circles, there are weeks of continuous darkness.
• Frosts and blizzards that occur are very hazardous to the polar inhabitants.
Precipitation
• Precipitation is mainly in the form of snow, falling in winter and being drifted by the blizzards.
• Convectional rainfall is generally absent because of the low rate of evaporation and the lack of moisture in
the cold polar air.
• In summer, there is a maximum and the precipitation is in the form of rain or sleet.
• Cyclones are felt in the coastal areas and there is a tendency towards a winter maximum.

Natural vegetation
• In severe environments like that of Tundra, few plants survive.
• The greatest inhibiting factor is the lack of heat and energy.
• The growing season is for less than three months and there are no trees in the tundra.
• Hence only lowest forms of vegetation are supported like mosses, lichens, and sedges.
• In the more sheltered spots, stunted birches, dwarf willows, and undersized alders struggle to survive.
• In the brief summers when snow melts and the days are warmer and longer, berry bushes and Arctic flowers
bloom.
• They are short-lived but they brighten the monotonous polar landscape into Arctic prairies.

Importance and Recent Development of the Arctic Region

• The Arctic region was once regarded as completely useless to mankind.
• But now the economic importance of the region has been recognized.
• Because of the discovery of minerals, new settlements have come up in the region.
• New railway lines have been constructed to bring shipments of ores mined to the major industrial districts.
• Ports have been established in the Arctic seaboard of Eurasia. Hence it has become possible to ship timber
and fur from Siberia.