Climates Of The World And Their Associated Ecosystems

The course will investigate the
reasons why certain climates are located where they are, 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.

WEEK2   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 .

WEEK7 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.

 

WEEK9 
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.

 

WEEK10  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.