NORTH AMERICA: Humans and the Physical Environment
Chapt 4, Sect 2
1. What type of climate zones can be found in the United States and Canada?
Climate zones in the U.S. and Canada range from the polar climate of Northern
Canada to the desert climate of southwestern U.S.
2. What are the four types of natural vegetation zones that can be found in the
United States and Canada?
Tundra: far north areas of Canada and Alaska
Grassland: Great Plains, Interior Plains
Desert Scrub: desert areas of Great basin
Forests: northern Pacific coast, Great Lakes across southern Canada; New England
down to southeastern U.S.
rain shadow
are on the dry sheltered side of a mountain that receives little rainfall
tropics
area between 230 North and 230 South; usually hot climate
tundra
cold, dry region in the far north that is covered with snow for more than half of the
year.
permafrost
permanently frozen soil
prairie
region of flat or gently rolling land covered with grasses
tundra
prairie
Polar
climate
Moderate
climate
Vegetation
Zones
desert
scrub
Dry climate
forest
Continental
climate
Nuggets:
 What can affect the climate of a region?
o Size of region
o Latitude: the farther from the Equator, the colder the region
o Mountains: may block the moderating effect of wind, keep away rains on
the rain shadow side of the mountain
o Oceans: areas near the oceans have milder climates; since water
warms/cools slower than land, winds over the oceans either warm up cold
land or cool off hot land; moderates the temperature, thus the climate
NORTH AMERICA: Humans and the Physical Environment
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Chapt 4, Sect 2
What type of climate zones can be found in the United States and Canada?
Wet winds from the Pacific Ocean drop their moisture before they cross the
western mountains, leaving the region east of the mountains warmer, dryer, and
more like a desert.
Short, cool summers of the tundra allow mosses, grasses, and wildflowers to
grow.
Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba in Canada are known as the Prairie
Provinces.
Forests cover 1/3 of the U.S. and almost 1/2 of Canada.
Natural vegetation is more varied in the U.S. than Canada, as the U.S. has more
climate zones.
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SUMMARY: The wide range of climate and vegetation zones found in the U.S. and Canada is caused by a variety
of factors, including: latitude; wind/water (ocean’s effect); mountains; and size of region.