The Earth has in different regions, different types of climates. There are countries that enjoy four seasons, while others only have rainy and dry periods. Discover through this post what are the climatic zones of the earth?, their characteristics and much more about them.
What are climatic zones?
climatic regions of the world, to all those zones that are defined according to the characteristic temperature. To classify each of these zones, certain factors are used that are considered and observed for long periods of time.
The temperature of the atmosphere is a key factor in establishing a certain climatic zone of the Earth. The location and height of the region is also decisive.
But as you know, all the factors mentioned above are closely related to certain activities of the planet and that directly affect the climate.
The continuous movements of the Earth help define climatic zones. That is why the rotation movement gives the planet a day and a night. The days being quite hot and the nights very cool.
The movement of the Earth divides the year into 365 days, but also establishes the Seasons, according to certain phenomena that occur, according to the position of the earth with respect to the Sun.
So you have to, what happens in the northern hemisphere, because the opposite will happen in the south. For example, if it is spring equinox in the north, in the southern hemisphere it will be autumnal equinox.
The winter solstice arrives in the southern hemisphere, annually every June and in the northern hemisphere the summer solstice occurs, a clear demonstration of how the Sun and the movements of the Earth affect our climate in different ways.
What are the climatic zones of the Earth?
The climatology of the planet is determined by very particular meteorological phenomena, such as:
- Humidity.
- Temperature.
- Winds.
- Pressure.
- Rains
Of the factors mentioned above, temperature is considered to define precisely, the characteristics of climatic zones. This formula was used by the meteorologist Wladimir Peter Köppen at the end of the XNUMXth century.
This scientific enthusiast established in the year 1900 the existence of climatic zones, according to the temperatures that managed to average in each of the seasons of the year and other factors.
The climatic zones of the Earth are as follows:
- Warm zone, also known as tropical and subtropical.
- Temperate and tundra.
- Cold, subpolar or icy zone.
Characteristics of climatic zones
Each of the climatic zones has its particular characteristics, by which they can be easily recognized. Here you will find very useful information to clarify the questions that arise regarding this topic.
warm zone
The tropical or warm zone is located between the Tropics of Capricorn and Cancer. Within its geographical location you can observe animal and plant life, typical of the tropics and subtropics.
The most significant characteristics of this area are the following:
- Climate: The climate of this area has a high incidence of sunlight, so temperatures are quite high and the average annual rainfall is significant. Average temperatures range between 20 °C and 30 °C.
The rains can easily exceed 900 millimeters annually. Precipitation occurs throughout the year, but is usually concentrated in a specific period. For this reason, the regions with this type of climate have two periods that are dry and another rainy period.
- Biodiversity: bioclimatic zones of the earth, with a greater presence of biomes are found in the warm climate region. The ecosystems with the greatest number of species can be found in forests, both tropical and Rainy weather.
- Flora: The most representative group of plant species are found in this particular area. Among which can be mentioned:
- Cactus.
- bromeliads
- Orchids
- Palms
- Cocoa.
- Café.
- Musaceae.
- Fauna: The animals that have made this climatic zone their home are very varied. There are a large number of families of monkeys, such as howler and spider monkeys.
Often you can see the famous tapir, the jaguar, tigers, snakes, eagles and condors, among other species.
Temperate zone
The temperate zone is located in two geographical spaces, both in the northern hemisphere and in the southern hemisphere. The temperate climate region includes the Tropic of Cancer to the Arctic pole, in the northern hemisphere.
In the southern hemisphere, it covers the Tropic of Capricorn to the Antarctic Circle. In the temperate climate zone, features of the tundra zone can be found.
This climatic zone is considered an intermediate point between the warm zone and the cold zone. Therefore, there is greater biological diversity and climate.
- Climate: The most outstanding characteristics of this area is that the four seasons are well defined. They can really feel the punch of high temperatures, in the summer season and extremely cold in the winter
Rainfall in the temperate climate zone is not as abundant as in the tropical zone. The highest rainfall is concentrated in the autumn and winter seasons.
- Floors: Thanks to the changes caused by the seasons, including rain and the accumulation of organic matter, after autumn. Soils have high concentrations of nutrients that make it optimal for the survival of plants and animals.
- Hydrology: The waters of the seas and lakes of the temperate climate zone have lower temperatures than those of the warm climate and their concentration of nutrients is also high. For this reason, the diversity of species is greater.
- Flora: The number of plant species, both shrubby and woody, is quite large. Pines, cork oaks, chestnut trees stand out, among other species of low-sized shrubs.
- Fauna: The fauna of these climatic zones of the Earth is very rich. They are indigenous to temperate climate regions:
- The Bears.
- Moose.
- reindeer
- Deer.
- Wolves.
- Fox.
- Storks.
- Lynx.
- Hawk.
- Owl.
cold zone
The climatic zones of the Earth where the cold predominates, is called cold or icy zone. Geographically, it can be located in the Arctic Circle, in the Northern Hemisphere, and in the Southern Hemisphere, in the Antarctic Circle.
This climatic zone is characterized by having very little growth of biological processes, given its extreme climatic conditions. On the other hand, the total area of these regions is much smaller than the rest of the climatic zones.
- Climate: The climate is very extreme, winter generally lasts more than 180 days and temperatures can drop to minus 50 °C in the northern hemisphere.
In the summer season, temperatures are usually less intense and range between minus 1 °C and 5 °C, in the southern hemisphere.
The incidence of sunlight is very low and rains rarely occur in these regions. A large part of the landscapes of cold climate zones are characterized by the presence of glaciers.
- Relief: The less superficial layer of the cold climatic zones, they are characterized because they have a layer of soil, which is permanently frozen. Therefore, the development of vegetation is quite difficult, throughout the year.
- Hydrography: The water of the seas and lakes are permanently cold. Most of the year, the water remains frozen or covered with large blocks of drift ice.
- Flora and fauna: Even with extreme weather conditions, there is a development of plants and animals, but these are very scarce. Many animal species, when their mating and reproduction season arrives, have adopted migratory habits, in order to guarantee the continuity of the species.
Among the characteristic animals of this region are: seals, sea lions, polar bears, reindeer, penguins and some birds. Its flora is made up of lichens, mosses and some small bushes.
Curiosities and much more
For many people when they hear the term Climate, they immediately think of rain, glaciers or Sun. In reality, it is also about other factors that can affect the permanence of the human species on Earth. Here we share with you an oddity of nature and that occurs in one of the different climatic zones of the Earth.
- The Lemaire Canal and its columns: The Columns of the Canal de Lemaire, also known as "cemetery of glaciers”. They are the product of the thawing of the glacier, the product of that melting, they are the most spectacular formations in the world.
The pieces of glacier that are trapped in this channel are gradually being melted by the water currents, until they become the beautiful and amazing columns that can be seen from afar.
