THE CLIMATE AND VEGETATION

Chapter 11: Section 2—Europe

Standards and Objectives

Standards H.S. 14 – Create and use maps, technology, imager, and other geographical

representations to extrapolate and interpret geographic data. HS63. Engage in informed and respectful deliberation and discussion of iss

ues, events, and ideas HS4. Investigate the historical development and impact of major scientific 

and technological

Objectives

1. Compare and contrast the climate of Europe with that of the Oregon coast.

2. Analyze and compare the vegetation of Europe with that of the Oregon coast.

3. Interpret a variety of maps and graphs related to Europe’s climate and vegetation.

4. Examine a current scientific article about modern advances in the understanding of climate.

Bell Work: Pages 230-235

1. Define: chaparralMediterranean climate area of shrubs and short trees

2. In which country is the Black Forest located?Germany

3. What type of climate is found in northwestern Europe? Marine West Coast

4. How has human interaction affected the forests in Europe?Cut trees down for agriculture and industry; pollution kills trees

Europe’s Climate Regions

Climate is closely linked to northern latitude and proximity to large bodies of water

Question: Between what two lines of latitude are most of Europe and the northwest coast of the United States? Near what two large bodies of water are the northwest coasts of Europe and the U.S. located? What factors of climate might be affected by these characteristics:

Therefore….

Europe’s Climate Regions

Most of the continent has a mild climate Cities with the same latitude, like Winnipeg,

Canada, are colder in winter and warmer in summer

This is because Europe is a peninsula surrounded by water; water retains and releases heat much more slowly than land

Europe’s Climate Regions

Major Climate Regions Mostly Marine West

Coast Year-round moderate

temperatures 20-40 inches of

precipitation per year

Caused by winds that blow from the Atlantic

Europe’s Climate Regions

The Gulf Stream and North Atlantic Drift are currents that bring warm water from the equatorial regions

The warm water heats the air above it and prevailing westerly winds blow that warm air over Europe

Even Norway has ice-free ports in winterTromso, Norway, 350 miles north of Arctic Circle

Europe’s Climate Regions

Southern Europe has mostly a Mediterranean climate Hot dry summers, mild rainy winters Alps block moist Atlantic winds In winter winds bring precipitation from the

MediterraneanLos Angeles and Athens at about the same latitude, shortest air route. Question: Since they are on the same latitude, why not just follow that line with the plane?

Europe’s Climate Regions

Siroccos, hot winds from North African deserts, bring dry desert air and dust to Spain, France, and Italy

Mistrals, cold Alpine winds, carry cold air to southern France

Bell Work: Page 237, Locating Places

Directions Use a separate sheet

of paper Number it 18 Title it: Locating Places

in Europe Number 1-10 Match the letter of

each place to the location. Write the letter and the name.

Answers1. B—British Isles2. G—Rhine River3. I—Sicily4. D—Apennine Mountains5. J—Danube River6. F—Mediterranean Sea7. C—Scandinavian

Peninsula8. H—Crete9. A—Iberian Peninsula10.E—Balkan Peninsula

Europe’s Climate Regions

North European Plains area has a humid continental climate Greater differences

in winter and summer temperatures because too far inland from ocean winds

Hot summers, very cold winters

Question: NYC is next to the ocean. Why do you think it such a harsh climate compared to London?

Europe’s Climate Regions

Other Climates Northern Italy has humid subtropical Some areas in Spain have steppe (semi-arid) Parts of Iceland and Scandinavia have

subarctic and tundra climates: extremely cold winters and short, cool summers; these areas are permafrost

A bustard on the Spanish steppe

Europe’s Climate Regions

Alps have a highland (mountain) climate with cooler temperatures and more precipitation Dry winds called

foehns blow down from the mountains

Can cause avalanches

Swiss dry snow avalanche with powder cloud

Europe’s Climate Regions

10 Things You Didn’t Know About Avalanches

Rock Avalanches on Mt. Rainier, Washington

Europe’s Vegetation

Focus on Geographic Themes—P. 232 What areas of Europe have coniferous forest?

Sweden, Finland, Alps area, part of Poland What vegetation area includes the British Isles,

France and Germany? Deciduous and mixed deciduous-coniferous forests

Where in Europe does chaparral vegetation thrive? Portugal, Spain and along the Mediterranean

Where are Europe’s grassland areas located? North European Plains, Spain, hungarian Basin

Europe’s Vegetation

Natural Vegetation Patterns Vegetation areas generally

match climate areas Marine West Coast climate

areas tend to have deciduous forests What are deciduous trees? Trees that lose their leaves, like ash, elm, oak, maple

Elm Tree

Europe’s Vegetation

Coniferous trees (trees with needles) are found in northern Europe and mountain areas—these include fir, pine and spruce

Name U.S. states that have Douglas

fir trees. What climate areas do

these states have in common? Nnnnnnnnnnnnn Compare this to the areas of Europe containing coniferous forest.

Europe’s Vegetation

Mediterranean climates include broad-leafed evergreens, like olive trees They do not lose their leaves in winter Leaves have a waxy coat that helps retain

water

Europe’s Vegetation

Grasslands make up the Northern European Plain; places with more rain have longer grasses and places with less rain have shorter grasses, like the Hungarian Basin

Dry Mediterranean areas have chaparral, or shrubs and short trees

The tundra of the Arctic region supports wild flowers, mosses and lichen in the summer

Europe’s Vegetation

Human Interaction Cut down most of the trees to clear space

for agriculture and to fuel industry Some countries, like Germany in the Black

Forest, regulate logging and require replanting

Unregulated air pollution from industry has ruined forests and other vegetation

Graph Study: Comparing Climate Regions

Paris, France

Directions:Line graph the average high (F), average low (F), precipitation (inches), average precipitation days, average sunshine days. What type of climate is this?

Capstone Project: Current Events

LoggingRead the articles on logging in Europe and logging in Oregon. Answer the questions relating to both articles.

Bibliography

1. Slide 1: Picto Pin—Discover Pictures to Pin

2. Slide 4: Stone, Greg; Prime Time; “Making Free Custom Charts for Your Night Sky;” August 18, 2009

3. Slide 5: Morten; The Community Works: Creating OGC Conformance Test Map; “Straight Lines on a Sphere;” 2008.

4. Slide 6: Pidwirny, Michael; The Encyclopedia of Earth; “Weather and Climate;” January 12, 2011.

5. Slide 7: Visit Norway; Norway Tourist Site; 2008-2014.

Bibliography

6. Slide 8: TimeandDate.com; Distance from Athens to Los Angeles.

7. Slide 9: Wikipedia Encyclopedia; Sirocco; February 14, 2014.

8. Slide 9: Arrow used courtesy ofWikipedia Commons.

9. Slide 10: Wikipedia Encyclopedia; Climate of Missouri; 2007.

Bibliography

11. Slide 11: Munoz, Juan Carlos, photographer; WildWonders.com; March 31, 2005.

12. Slide 12: Wikipedia Encyclopedia; Avalanche; February 20, 2014.

13. Slide 13: Doughton, Sandi; Huge Rock Avalanches Rumble Down Mt. Rainier; Seattle Times; June 28, 2011

14. Slide 15: Wikipedia Encyclopedia; Elm Tree; February 22, 2014.

Bibliography

Slide 16: Wikipedia Encyclopedia; Douglas Fir; February 15, 2014.

Slide 17: Wikipedia Encyclopedia; Olive Tree; March 3, 2014.

Slide 18: Tundra Slide 19: Lonely Planet Slide 20:

Paris Weather Data; Future City Lab