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1. The world’s natural environment
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3.2. Climates and biogeography
This is due to the geographical situation (between the Tropic of Cancer and the Arctic
Circle, and the influence of the sea.
The west coast is bounded
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by the Atlantic Ocean. The warm waters of the Gulf Stream
favour abundant rains and mild temperatures. The south of the continent is bounded by
the Mediterranean Sea, which creates less rain but higher temperatures. In addition, the
seas penetrate the continent (the Baltic, Adriatic and the Black Sea). As a result, almost no
point in Europe is more than 1000 km from the sea. In the interior, there is a continental
and mountain climate.
With exception of the extreme north of the continent, which has a polar climate,
the
climates
in Europe are
temperate
(Mediterranean, oceanic and continental) or
mountain climate.
Climate
Temperatures
Precipitation
Vegetation
Fauna
Polar
AMT <0 ºC
Scarce. Snow
Tundra (grass and brush)
Reindeer, lemming, seal, whale
Continental
AMT 0-10 ºC
Large thermal range
200-700 mm
All year. Snow
Taiga (forest) steppe (plains) and
mixed forest
Brown bear, wolf, fox, sable,
mink, deer, birds of prey
Oceanic
AMT 0-15 ºC
Small thermal range
800-2500 mm
All year
Forest, bushes, scrubland
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,
moorland, meadows
Deer, fox, salmon, seal,
aquatic birds
Mediterranean
AMT 7-20 ºC
Medium thermal range
300-700 mm
Summer drought
Maquis, forest, dehesa, bushes
and scrubland
Lynx, fox, wild boar, fallow
deer, deer, reptiles, birds
Mountain
Decrease with altitude
Months with <0º
800-2500 mm
Snow
Forest and alpine meadows at
high altitude
Deer, wolf, bear, ibex, marmot,
eagle
Mediterranean
Oceanic
Continental
Polar
Mountain
4 000 km
0
1:168 766 000
N
Arctic Circle
Greenwich meridian
European plain
Brown bear
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bounded:
having limits or borders
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scrubland:
area covered mainly with
shrubs
Analyse
10.
There are fewer rivers in the east of Europe, but they
are longer and have a larger flow than those in Central
or Western Europe. Explain why.
11.
The climate on the coast of Norway is warm, but on the
other side of the Atlantic, in North America, it is polar.
What is the reason for this? How does this affect the
fauna and flora? How does it affect the presence and
activity of humans?
Create
12.
Spain has the highest diversity of fauna and flora
in Europe. Make a list of the factors that make this
possible. Make a table with the main species of each
bioclimatic region. Write a short report on this topic,
pointing out the value that Spain has for European
biodiversity.
