Tropical Climates & Biomes

Question 1

What is the symbol for the Tropical climate?

Answer 1

(A)

Question 2

What are the 3 types of Tropical climates?

Answer 2

Tropical Rainforest (Af)
Tropical Monsoon (Am)
Tropical Savanna (Aw)

Question 3

Where are the Tropical Climates located?

Answer 3

Between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn

Question 4

What are the temperature patterns of Tropical climates?

Answer 4

• consistency in intensity and duration of insolation (no “seasons”)
• very limited seasonal temperature variation
• temperature changes more in a day than from season to season.

Question 5

What are the precipitation patterns of Tropical climates?

Answer 5

-frequency, intensity and predictability of precipitation in tropical areas
(rains at the same time every day)

Question 6

Tropical Rainforest

Answer 6

(Af)

• consistent warm temps
• short, intense precipitation
• consistently warm and wet
• no dry season
• along the equator
• in the middle of the ITCZ

Question 7

Tropical Monsoon

Answer 7

(Am)

• consistently warm
• wet/dry season
• dry season lasts at least 1 month
• adjacent to Af, coastal

Question 8

Tropical Savanna

Answer 8

(Aw)

• long dry season, shorter wet season (wet summer, dry winter)
• seasonal moisture defecits

Question 9

What are the 3 Tropical Biomes?

Answer 9

Tropical Rainforest = wetter
Tropical Seasonal Forest = intermediate
Tropical Savanna = strong dry

Question 10

Tropical Rainforest Biome

Answer 10

“Fern Gully”

• wetter tropical climates (Af, Am climates)
• diverse plants and animals
• biomes bursting with life, competition to access resources
• always green
• trees competing for insolation (canopy forests where you can’t see the sky)
• infertile soil due to the constant water dissolving the nutrients and running off

Question 11

Tropical Seasonal Rainforest Biome

Answer 11

• Intermediate between mild and stronger dry season tropical climates (Am, Aw climates)
• enough precipitation to support forests
• trees may drop leaves during dry season
• Orchard-like trees (shorter, further apart to get sun light)
• more likely to see dense undergrowth
• tree dwellers and large grazing herbivores (giraffe)
• low fertility soils

Question 12

Tropical Savanna Biome

Answer 12

“Lion King”

• Strong dry season climate (Aw)
• large grasslands with occasional trees
• huge, tropical grasslands
• diversity of hoofed animals
• seasonal adaptations of plants/animals (migration, hibernation, etc.)