the environment landforms – south america – middle america latitude & climate climatic...
TRANSCRIPT
The Environment
• Landforms– South America– Middle America
• Latitude & Climate• Climatic Factors• World Climate Zones – Latin America• Altitudinal Zonation
Chapter 2
LandformsI. Andes – 100 million years
– Mt. Aconcagua (6,962 m) (Highest elev. in Americas)
II. Brazilian Highlands– 300 million years– Mato Grosso Plateau– Paraná Plateau – Iguazu
Falls (Paraná R.)– Sertão – São Francisco R. – Patagonian Plateau
III. Guiana Highlands– Tepuis – Mt. Roraima– Angel Falls – 979 m/3,212’
(Highest on Earth)IV. Lowlands
– Amazon Basin – Amazon R.– Llanos – Orinoco R.– Gran Chaco– Pampa – Paraná R.
GRAN
CHA
CO
SERTÃO
PARANÁ PLATAEU
LLANOS
Mt. RoraimaAngel Falls
Iguazu Falls
The Ring of Fire
Plate Tectonics
Subduction
Plate Tectonics in Central America
SIERRA MAESTRA
Middle America
MESA DEL NORTE
MESA CENTRAL
MESA CENTRAL
CENTRAL VOLCANIC AXIS
SIERRA MAESTRA
Latitude & Climate
• Northern Hemisphere Subtropical Belt• Tropical Belt– Humid Tropics – year-round rainfall • Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ)
– Tropical Wet-and-Dry – wet season and dry season
• Southern Hemisphere Subtropical Belt• Southern Hemisphere Temperate Mid-Latitude
Belt• El Niño
Latitudinal Belts
T r o p i c sTropical Wet and Dry – rainy & dry seasons
Tropical Wet and Dry – rainy & dry seasons
Tropical Wet – rainy all year
Tropical Wet – rainy all year
Northern Hemisphere Sub-Tropical Belt
Southern Hemisphere Sub-Tropical Belt
Southern Hemisphere Mid-Latitude Belt
Equator – 0°
Tropic of Cancer – 23.5°N
Tropic of Capricorn – 23.5°S
35°N
35°S
Climatic Factors
• Latitude – Earth/sun relationship• Ocean currents/Gyres • Atmospheric pressure belts• Continentality• Aspect – Rain shadow– Prevailing Winds
• World climate zones• Altitude – Life Zones
Ocean Currents - Gyres
Humboldt
Atmospheric Pressure Belts• Subtropical High• Equatorial Low
(ITCZ)– Northern Tropics
• Wet season:May – October
– Southern Tropics• Wet seasonOctober – March
– Wet season = “winter/invierno”
– Dry season = “summer/verano”
• Prevailing Winds– “Trade Winds”
Humid Tropical (Tropical Rainforest)
Tropical Wet & Dry (Tropical Savanna)
Desert
Steppe
Humid Subtropical/Maritime
Mediterranean
Upland Wet & Dry (Temperate Savanna)
- Found in mountainous Middle and South America- Temperature decreases with altitude- Has a great impact of which crops can be grown where
Altitudinal Life Zones in Tropical Latin America
(Puna & Páramo)