World Geography Name: ________________________
Climates and Vegetations Worksheet Due Date: ______________________
Mr. Botkin Period: _________

Directions: Read section three of chapter three. As you read, fill in the blanks of the outline below. One word per blank. This section begins on page 50 of your textbook. DO NOT LOSE THIS SHEET!!!

CLIMATE AND VEGETATION PATTERNS

I. TROPICAL CLIMATES (low latitudes)
A. Tropical Humid Climate (a.k.a. Tropical Wet)
1. Found in areas close to the _________________
a. Regions generally have ___________ temperatures and plentiful ______________ all year
b. Never have truly _________ weather
c. Receives the Sun’s direct rays _______ ________
d. Warm air is always _______________ which brings almost daily __________________ and heavy _______________
2. In some areas, rainfall is ___________________ in one _______
season such as in ___________ and _______________ ______
a. During the _____________ months, ______________ air
flows into these areas from the warm _______________, a
_________-_________________ area
b. Air flow brings ___________ rains to areas along the coast
and inland
c. During the ________________, dry air flows off the cooling
_________________ (_______-______________ areas);
It flows toward the _________ oceans (_____-_________)
which causes ________ conditions on the continent
d. This _________ system, in which winds completely reverse
direction and cause seasons of ________ and _________
weather is called the ________________
3. Warm _____________________ and heavy ________________
create ideal conditions for ______________ growth
a. Dense ______________ _________ _______________
thrive in tropical humid areas
b. These forests are the most ___________ land ecosystems
in the world
c. Thousands of kinds of ___________ and ______________
live there
B. Tropical Wet and Dry Climate
1. Found just to the ___________ and ___________ of __________
____________ climate
2. Results from the ______________ change in the way the ______
rays strike areas just north and south of the _________________
3. During summer, temperatures _________, creating ___________
pressure and ______________, _____________ air which leads
to heavy _________________
4. During winter, _________ pressure replaces ________ pressure
and brings ___________, _________, ____________ air and a
_________ season
5. Alternating pattern of ________ and ________ seasons supports
_______________ which are areas of tropical ______________,
scattered _________ and ____________
II. DRY CLIMATES (low and middle latitudes)
A. Arid means “________”
B. All dry climate regions have low annual _________________; however,
their ____________________ may vary greatly
C. Arid Climate (a.k.a. desert)
1. Most are centered at about _______ degrees north & south of the
equator and is caused by subtropical ________-_____________
zone
2. Little ________ falls
3. Also found in the _______ _______________ of some mountain
ranges
4. Others lie deep in the ________________ of continents because
they are far from ________________-________________ winds
5. Small dry areas are sometimes found along the ________ coasts
of continents where ________ ocean currents create highly stable
atmospheric conditions
6. Plants and animals must be ___________
a. Most desert plants are ____________
b. Soils tend to be _________ and ____________
D. Semiarid Climate
1. _______________ zone between _______ climate and the more
____________ climates
2. Receive more ______________ than deserts but ________ than
the more _____________ areas
3. Where rainfall is ____________ enough, ____________ make up
much of the plant life
4. In the ___________ areas, plant life is more ________________
III. MIDDLE-LATITUDE CLIMATES
A. Mediterranean Climate
1. Exists mainly in ________ kinds of areas
a. ____________ areas of southern ______________
b. Along _________ coasts of continents with _______ ocean
currents
2. Has long, sunny, dry ______________
3. Winters are _________ and storms bring _________
4. Natural plant life is _________________ _______ __________
(includes short ________ and __________)
B. Humid Subtropical Climate
1. Found on the _____________ side of continents with _________
ocean currents
2. Summers and ________ and ____________
3. Winters are __________, with occasional __________ and some
__________
4. Natural plant life includes __________________ forests (2 types)
a. ______________________ forests: lose their leaves during part of the year
b. ______________________ forests: remain green all year
C. Marine West Coast Climate
1. Heavily influenced by ____________
2. Generally found on the _________ coast of continents in _______
___________ latitudes
3. Temperatures are _________ all year
4. Winters are __________, ____________, and ____________
5. Summers can be _________ and ___________
6. ___________ weather supports dense ___________________
forests
D. Humid Continental Climate
1. Found in the _________________ and ____________ coasts of
__________-_____________ latitude continents
2. Invasions of both _________ and __________ air affect this area
3. Experiences four distinct ________________
4. Precipitation is heavy enough to support _______________
IV. HIGH-LATITUDE CLIMATES
A. Subarctic Climate
1. Located generally above ____ north latitude; however, a _______
ocean current _______________ the climate in areas above this
latitude in northern _____________
2. Has long cold ______________
a. Temperatures stay well below ________________ for half
of the year
b. Summers can be _________
3. Has the ______________ annual temperature ______________
4. Supports vast ________________ forests called ____________
forests (TAIGA)
5. Stretches across far northern __________ ________________,
______________ and __________
B. Tundra Climate
1. Located in _______________ areas in ________ latitudes
2. Have long _______________
3. Temperatures are above ________________ only during the
___________ summers
4. In some places, __________ and _________ below the ground’s
surface is _________________ throughout the year (permafrost)
5. Takes its name from the only kinds of ___________________ that
can survive there
a. Made up of ____________, _____________, __________,
and low ______________
b. ____________ cannot grow there
C. Ice Cap Climate
1. Found in Earth’s ___________ regions
2. Areas are always covered by huge flat masses of _________ and
___________
3. Few land ___________ and ____________ can survive
4. Hardy ___________ life may grow on exposed rocks
5. Cold ________ have rich marine _________________ as many
_________, __________, and ____________ mammals live
V. HIGHLAND CLIMATE (low and middle latitudes)
A. Have _________________ climates because ____________________
changes with _____________________
B. Also, prevailing ___________ patterns can affect __________________
on _______________ and ____________ sides
C. Lowest elevations generally have climate and vegetation similar to that of the __________________ areas
D. Higher up, temperatures and air pressure are ____________
1. Cooler temperatures _______________ the kinds of plants that
can grow
2. No trees can grow above a certain level called the ___________
_____________
E. Climate conditions at the ___________________ elevations are similar
to those of the ________ _________ climate
1. _________ and __________ are always present
2. _________ and __________ _______ is ____________
F. Some mountains in the _____________ have _________ all year