Climates Of The World And Their Ecosystems 2025

The
course will investigate the reasons why certain climates are located where they
are, will look at global atmospheric circulation patterns, climatic graphs, and
seasonal temperature and rainfall patterns. Analysis will be made of the
associated vegetation types and structures, as well as the operation of the
resulting biomes and ecosystems for selected climatic zones.

 

Week 1 the general
atmospheric circulation:

The basics of climate, how it differs from weather,
the radiation variations, pressure differences, forces governing movement,
hadley cell, itcz, upper westerlies and the jet stream, the general atmospheric
circulation.

 

Week 2 equatorial rain
forest:

The reasons for the climatic pattern, intertropical
convergence zone, convectional rainfall, vegetation, structure of the
rainforest, latosols, rainforest destruction.

 

Week 3 tropical
continental climate (savannah):

Where this climatic zone is located, the reasons for
the dry and wet seasons, the climatic graph, the vegetation types and
variability in the savannah.

 

Week 4 the hot desert
climate:

Why do deserts exist? The major deserts of the
world. Their relationship to the global atmospheric circulation. Desertification.

 

Week 5 the Mediterranean
climate (warm temp western margin):

Global location in northern and southern
hemispheres, reasons for the long hot dry summers and mild wet winters.
Vegetation in the Mediterranean zone and changes due to human impact.

 

Week 6 cool temperate
western margin (deciduous forest):

The climate of the British Isles and Western Europe.
Temperature and rainfall patterns, the influence of the Atlantic Ocean, wood
land ecosystems, soils brown earths and podzols.

 

Week 7 cold continental
interior climate:

Where this climate zone is found. The reasons for
the large seasonal temperature range, the effect of continentality. The
adaptations of the vegetation, the taiga biome.

 

Week 8 tundra climate:

The geographical location, the reasons for the very
low precipitation, the pressure and temperature conditions. How is the
vegetation adapted to the climatic conditions? Permafrost. Human impact on
ecosystem.

 

Week 9 monsoon climate:

The workings and causes of the monsoon. The
monsoon's relationship to the global atmospheric circulation, pressure
differences.  Variations in the monsoon from year to year. Reference to India
and Bangladesh.

 

Week 10 mountain
climates:

What happens to temperature and precipitation at
higher altitudes?  An analysis of alpine climates and microclimates in the
Alps, windward and leeward sides, vegetation changes with altitude.