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1. The world’s natural environment
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4.2. Climate and biogeography
The east coast is bathed by the cold Labrador Current in the north, and the warmGulf Stream
in the south. The warm Alaska Current in the north Pacific allows life to exist at these high
latitudes. In the south, the cold California current creates a semidesert due to lack of rain.
In North America, cold climates predominate because it is located very far north and
there is very little influence from the sea, due to the presence of coastal mountain ranges
and warm climates.
Climate
Temperatures
Precipitation
Vegetation
Fauna
Polar
<0 ºC
Scarce. Snow
Tundra (grass and scrubland)
Polar bear, caribou, seal, walrus
Continental
AMT 0-10 ºC
Large thermal range
300-800 mm
All year
Forest (fir, birch) and prairies
Bear, wolf, moose, beaver, fox,
bison, deer, birds of prey
Oceanic
AMT 5-15 ºC
Small thermal range
800-2000 mm
All year
Forest (sequoia, fir, oak) and
meadows
Deer, wolf, raccoon, bear
Mediterranean
AMT 10-20 ºC
Medium thermal range
300-700 mm
Summer drought
Forest (pine, holm oak) bushes
and scrubland
Coyote, rabbit, reptiles, birds
of prey
Chinese
AMT 15-25 ºC
Small thermal range
800-1500 mm
Rain in summer
Forest and mangroves
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Manatee, deer, alligator
Desert
Large thermal range
<100 mm
Cactus and thorny bushes
Coyote, snakes
Mountain
Decrease with altitude
600-2000 mm (snow) Cliserie (forest and alpine meadows) Puma, deer, eagle
3000 km
0
1:106 723 000
N
Desert and
semidesert
Mediterranean
Chinese
Oceanic
Continental
Polar
Mountain
Arctic circle
Banff National Park (Canada)
Raccoon
Analyse
13.
Explain why the highest mountain ranges in North
America are in the west. What orogeny formed them?
14.
Explain the difference between the climate in Florida
and the climate in the California peninsula.
Create
15.
Find out why bison were once in danger of
extinction. How were they saved from extinction?
What did the bison mean to the Indians of the Great
Plains? Write an essay about this topic.
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mangrove:
tree that grows in coastal
waters, typically with ariel roots
