Ch 26-2 East Asia Climate and Vegetation

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Ch 26-2 East AsiaClimate and Vegetation

• Coach Greens World Geography Class

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Climate Regions

• Climate Regions are dominated by Latitude and
  Physical Features
• Mountains, Highlands, Coastal Regions
• Dry Highlands and Grasslands dominate the north
  and west
• Humid and temperate forests dominate the south
  and east

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Mid Latitude ClimatesMaps on Pg 652 653

• Lower southeast quarter of East Asia has humid
  subtropical climate
• Upper northeast quarter has humid continental
  climate
• Forest regions of mid latitude region is mixed
  coniferous and deciduous
• Bamboo, a tree like grass, is very important in
  the warmer area

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Desert and Steppe Climates

• Desert and Steppe climates range across Mongolia
  and Northern China
• Any rain from the Pacific is blocked by the rain
  shadow effect caused by the surrounding mountains
• The Gobi Desert and Taklimakan desert are often
  cold and windy
• Grasses and sparse trees make up the vegetation

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Highland Climates

• Highland areas have cold climates due to high
  elevation
• Highland climate in East Asia is found on the
  Plateau of Tibet
• Home to meadows of dotted trees, flowers and
  grasses in the lower mountain areas
• Colorful lichens and mosses grow above the
  timberline

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The History of Rice and Soybeans

• Two of East Asias most important food crops
• Rice and Soy Beans have been grown in this region
  since 5000 B.C.
• Rice was very important to East Asias early
  civilization
• Soy beans, a great source of protein, was
  thought to be a 5th food group to live a long and
  healthy life

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Dragon Backbone Rice Terraces
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Monsoons

• Monsoons Prevailing wind patterns that bring
  seasonal patterns to East Asia
• Monsoons blow in one direction for half of the
  year, and then switch directions
• April through October strong down pour from the
  southeast to northwest
• November to March cold arctic air from the
  northwest to the southeast
• Timely rains are very important to the economy
  of East Asia

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Ocean Currents

• Ocean currents influence South Asias climate
• Japan Current Kuroshio- brings warm water
  north during the winter months
• Kuril Current brings cold water south and fog
  during the summer months
• Typhoons violent tropical storm in the Pacific
  the blows across East Asia
• Typhoons are formed by ocean currents and winds
• High winds and torrential rainfalls

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Open Note Quiz

• In what climate regions do most people in East
  Asia live in
• What part of east Asia is this ( North, South,
  East, West, Northwest, Southwest, etc)?
• What part of the region is steppe and Desert?
• What two foods are important to the region?
• What are monsoons? What months are the wet
  months of the region?
• What was the name of the terraces in the
  mountains that held the water?