A. Climate Zones:
Distinct bands of climate spread laterally
around the Earth and separated
geographically.
1. Caused by the tilt of the earth, which
causes uneven distribution of heat
between the poles and the equator.
a. Climate: Specific patterns of
weather located in geographically
distinct environments.
2. Tropics
a. Area between the Tropic of Cancer
(23.5 ° N) and the Tropic of Capricorn
(23.5 ° S)
b. Equator receives the most direct
sunlight
c. No seasonal change in temperature
3. Poles
a. Area above 60°N known as Arctic Circle
b. Area below 60° S known as Antarctic
Circle
c. Poles receive least direct sunlight
1) Sunlight is spread out and weak
 In summer, daylight lasts 20-23 hours
 In the winter, night lasts 20-23 hours
4. Temperate Zone
a. Area located between the poles and
the tropics (between 23.5° and 60°
north and south)
b. Temperatures change seasonally, but
are less extreme than poles or tropics
1) North America is in a temperate
zone
B. Patterns of precipitation are also
affected by the distribution of heat.
1.
Warm air from equator rises,
bringing moisture with it.
2. As it rises, it begins to cool,
condensing into rain clouds.
3. Once the rain falls, the cool dry air
begins to drop, warming up.
4. This distribution of heat is caused by
the Coriolis Effect.
a) Because the Earth rotates on it’s axis,
circulating air is deflected toward
the right in the Northern
Hemisphere, and toward the left in
the Southern Hemisphere.
b. The Coriolis effect causes moist air to
rise from the equator and dry air to
fall around 30°N and 30°S, creating
most of the world’s deserts.
End of Day 1 of Notes
C. Currents can greatly affect
climates.
1. Current: A river-like flow pattern
within a body of air or water.
2. Patterns of air movement create
water currents.
Currents carry warm water from
tropics to poles, and cold water from
poles to tropics.
3.

Ex: The Gulf Stream makes Europe
much warmer than other areas in the
same latitude.
D. Local climate:
A climate that is influenced by
geographic features and is different
from the surrounding region.
1. Major influences include mountains,
city landscapes, and large bodies of
water.
2. Minor influences include coastal
breezes, hills and valleys, and tree
breaks.
Ex: Garberville is much hotter and drier
than Shelter Cove. (On west coast,
rain mostly falls on coastal side of
mountains)
3. Microclimate:
Climate in a specific area that differs from
the surrounding region.
a. Minor differences can be temporary,
such as the shade of a tree, or more
permanent, such as depressions in a
rock or the lee side of a tree.
 Ex: A desert rat’s burrow is cooler, darker
and more humid than the desert above.
E. Biomes are the major types of
ecosystems
1. Each biome is characterized by
communities of plants and animals
that are adapted to its climate and
other abiotic factors.
2. Organisms in the same biome may
vary in different parts of the world.
3. There are 16 major biomes
on Earth
a. Land Biomes
1) Tropical Forest
2) Savanna
3) Desert
4) Temperate
Coniferous
Forest
5) Temperate
Deciduous
Forest
6) Chaparral
7) Temperate
Grassland
8) Tundra
b. Aquatic biomes
1) Ponds and lakes 5) Ocean – Neritic
2) Streams and
rivers
3) Estuaries and
marshes
4) Ocean –
Intertidal zone
zone
6) Open ocean
(Oceanic zone)
7) Coral reefs
8) Deep-sea vents