Task 1: Recap on Climate
Remember, climate is the average state of the atmosphere for a specific place. This means it is the average weather. The map below shows the different climate zones found on earth. We are going to learn what some of the these climate zones are like. Each Climate Zone corresponds to a Biome or Ecosystem.
1) Open the document below. It is a scan from an older edition of Geog 2. You can also use pages 86 and 87 in your book.
Answer questions 1-7. You may need to go back and check your notes on the factors affecting climate in order to answer them properly. Answer in full sentences.
Task 2: Biomes and Ecosystems
An Ecosystem is a natural unit made up of the living and non living environment, for example a forest, a desert, a lake.
A Biome is a very large Ecosystem, usually on a global scale, for example Equatorial Rainforests, Tropical Deserts, Polar.
The map below shows the worlds major Biomes.
1) a) Here is a Google Earth Overlay that allows you to explore these Biomes.
Koeppen-Geiger-GE.kmz
(this overlay is from geographyalltheway.com)
If you zoom in and click on photo’s you will be able to see what these Biomes look like.
b) Which one would you most like to live in? Why?
c) Which Biome do you think the most people live in? Why?
We will be looking 2 Biomes in class. The Tropical Rainforest , the Arctic Tundra.
Task 2: Climate Graphs
1) Produce a climate graph for each of the places below. Click on the symbols to get the temperature and rainfall data for each location.
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Use the excel template below to make your climate graphs.
City |
Temperature data |
Rainfall Data |
|---|---|---|
| Timbuktu |  |
===
 = |
| Belem, Brazil |
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| Basel, Switzerland |
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| Iqaluit, Canada |
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Important:
The temperatures are average monthly temperatures and the rainfall is average monthly rainfall.
Beneath each graph you should then describe the graph and the geographical location of each place.
2) Climate Graph Description:
Write a description for each climate graph including;
- Maximum and minimum temperature,
- Temperature range,
- Hottest and coldest month with respective temperatures,
- Wettest month with rainfall,
- Driest month with rainfall
- Average annual rainfall
- Average temperature.
Make sure you give accurate data with the correct units.
3) Geographical Description
- Describe the location of each location. (Where in the world it is)
- Decide which of the four biomes shown on page 54 of your book each climate graph represents and explain why.
Extension
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Try and find locations and climate data for the other Biomes shown in the map at the top of the page and produce climate graphs for them.
You can find climate data for locations all over the world by clicking on the map below.
Make sure that you use the temperature data in degrees Celsius. Use the highest.
Task 3: Climate and Ecosystems
A place’s climate influences the types of vegetation and animals that live there. It is possible to divide the world into a number of climatic zones or biomes, each with their own characteristic climate, vegetation and wildlife.
Ecosystems can be small-scale, covering a small area (such as a pond) or large-scale covering a large area (such as a tropical rainforest). The world is divided up into ten major ecosystems. These large-scale ecosystems are called biomes.
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| Mission: Biomes Navigation |
You can find out more about these Biomes here.
1) Open a word document and set the page up to be A3 landscape orientation.
2) You are now going to transfer the information from the climate graph spread sheet you made in Task 2 into this word document. One page for each Biome.
3) Insert the information from the excel sheet for the location of your choice into the word document. (Data table, graph, descriptions)
4) Use this page to find a location map for the biome and insert it into your document. You will need to scroll down and click on the specific biome to find the map.
4) Use the internet to find a photograph of the natural environment around your chosen location and insert this into your word document. Give the photograph a title and label the key features (eg Deciduous trees)
5) Read the information about the relevant biome for your chosen loaction from the, “Mission Biomes,” website above.
6) Add the information on Temperature, Precipitation, Vegetation, Location, Other to your word document, below your picture.
7) Now read the description of the biome and make notes on this, adding the information to your word document.
Task 4: What is an Ecosystem?
An ecosystem is the relationship between the living (plants and animals) and non-living (climate, soil and rocks) parts of the environment.
1) Read the,”Climate and Ecosystems,” pdf below and answer questions 2-4.
Climate and Ecosystems.pdf
Within each ecosystem there is a complex relationship between all the living and non-living components. Look at the following diagram and see how many relationships you can identify.
2) Answer questions 1-6 on the pdf below.
Introducing Ecosystems.pdf
3) Complete this worksheet.
Food Webs.PDF