How Climate Affects Vegetation

Unit 2, Section 4How Climate Affects VegetationClimate and VegetationEach climate has its own type of natural vegetation because different plants require different amounts of water, sunlight and temperatures to survive.There are 5 broad types of climate: Tropical, Dry, Temperate Marine, Temperate Continental, and Polar.

A cactus needs little water but warm temperatures to survive.A huge western red cedar needs lots of water but can survive in cooler climates.Earths Climate RegionsTropical Climates: 2 main types, both are hot. One type has rain all year, the other has wet and dry seasons.Dry Climates: 2 main types, arid (dry) and semiarid (semidry). Hot summers and mild winters. Temperate Continental Climates: 2 main types, humid and subarctic. Humid has moderate to hot summers but cold winters. Subarctic is drier with cool summers and cold winters.Temperate Marine Climates: 3 main types all have mild winters. Marine west coast and humid subtropical are very wet, mediterranean is drier. Polar Climates: 2 main types, both are cold all year round. Tundra have short cool summers, ice caps are bitterly cold all year.Earths Vegetation RegionsTropical Rainforest: lots of sunlight, heat and rain allow for thousands of different species of plants. The uppermost layer of branches is called the canopy.

Tropical Savanna: grassland areas with scattered trees found in areas with dry seasons.

Desert: little or no vegetation at all. Scattered plants absorb scarce water before it evaporates.

Desert Scrub: low desert vegetation that needs little water. Some plants flower only when it rains so seeds have a better chance to survive.

Mediterranean Vegetation: grasses, shrubs, low trees. Must hold moisture rainy season to survive the dry season.

Temperate Grasslands: mix of tall grasses and other plants that is sometimes called prairie.

Deciduous Forest: trees that loose their leaves in the fall.

Coniferous and Mixed Forest: Coniferous trees produce cones and generally have needles to help trees in drier climates.

Tundra: mosses, grasses, and low shrubs that bloom during brief, cool summers.

Highland: vegetation depends on the elevation, since temperatures drop as elevation rises.

Ice Cap and Pack Ice: No vegetation grows here.