climate and soils

Question 1

what is climate

Answer 1

average weather in a region, based on stats of a long period of record

Question 2

what is climate based on

Answer 2

temperature and precipitation

Question 3

what do temperature and precipitation influence

Answer 3

1. vegetation
2. cultivation
3. soil development
4. landform development

Question 4

3 keys to climate

Answer 4

1. latitude - poles and the equator
2. coastal-continental locations - larger ranges in coastal
3. warm air can hold more moisture than cold air - cold air =less precipitation, warm air = more precipitation

Question 5

what are the 7 climate zones in canada

Answer 5

1. pacific
2. cordillera
3. prairies
4. great lakes - st lawrence
5. atlantic
6. subarctic
7. arctic

Question 6

3 types of precipitation

Answer 6

1. frontal
2. convectional
3. orographic

Question 7

transpiration

Answer 7

loss of water vapour directly from leaf pores in plants into the atmosphere

Question 8

what is the moisture deficit

Answer 8

precipitation - evaptranspiration

Question 9

what is the koppen classification system

Answer 9

most widely used way to classify climates, uses natural vegetation zones

Question 10

what are the 5 major climate types

Answer 10

1. tropical moist - all months have an average temperature of above 18 degrees
2. dry climates - deficient precipitation most of the year
3. moist mid-latitude climates with mild winters
4. moist mid-latitude climates with cold winters
5. polar climates - extremely cold winters and summers

Question 11

why are the prairies dry

Answer 11

• distance from the pacific ocean
• orographic uplift (chinooks)

Question 12

what is Dfb

Answer 12

warm summer humid continental

Question 13

what is Bsk

Answer 13

cold semi arid

Question 14

palliser’s triangle

Answer 14

founded by Captain John Palliser
unsuitable for agriculture

Question 15

weather patterns for palliser’s triangle

Answer 15

summer - hot and dry
winter - cold and dry