The Environment

• Landforms– South America– Middle America

• Latitude & Climate• Climatic Factors• World Climate Zones – Latin America• Altitudinal Zonation

Chapter 2

LandformsI. Andes – 100 million years

– Mt. Aconcagua (6,962 m) (Highest elev. in Americas)

II. Brazilian Highlands– 300 million years– Mato Grosso Plateau– Paraná Plateau – Iguazu

Falls (Paraná R.)– Sertão – São Francisco R. – Patagonian Plateau

III. Guiana Highlands– Tepuis – Mt. Roraima– Angel Falls – 979 m/3,212’

(Highest on Earth)IV. Lowlands

– Amazon Basin – Amazon R.– Llanos – Orinoco R.– Gran Chaco– Pampa – Paraná R.

GRAN

CHA

CO

SERTÃO

PARANÁ PLATAEU

LLANOS

Mt. RoraimaAngel Falls

Iguazu Falls

The Ring of Fire

Plate Tectonics

Subduction

Plate Tectonics in Central America

SIERRA MAESTRA

Middle America

MESA DEL NORTE

MESA CENTRAL

MESA CENTRAL

CENTRAL VOLCANIC AXIS

SIERRA MAESTRA

Latitude & Climate

• Northern Hemisphere Subtropical Belt• Tropical Belt– Humid Tropics – year-round rainfall • Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ)

– Tropical Wet-and-Dry – wet season and dry season

• Southern Hemisphere Subtropical Belt• Southern Hemisphere Temperate Mid-Latitude

Belt• El Niño

Latitudinal Belts

T r o p i c sTropical Wet and Dry – rainy & dry seasons

Tropical Wet and Dry – rainy & dry seasons

Tropical Wet – rainy all year

Tropical Wet – rainy all year

Northern Hemisphere Sub-Tropical Belt

Southern Hemisphere Sub-Tropical Belt

Southern Hemisphere Mid-Latitude Belt

Equator – 0°

Tropic of Cancer – 23.5°N

Tropic of Capricorn – 23.5°S

35°N

35°S

Climatic Factors

• Latitude – Earth/sun relationship• Ocean currents/Gyres • Atmospheric pressure belts• Continentality• Aspect – Rain shadow– Prevailing Winds

• World climate zones• Altitude – Life Zones

Ocean Currents - Gyres

Humboldt

Atmospheric Pressure Belts• Subtropical High• Equatorial Low

(ITCZ)– Northern Tropics

• Wet season:May – October

– Southern Tropics• Wet seasonOctober – March

– Wet season = “winter/invierno”

– Dry season = “summer/verano”

• Prevailing Winds– “Trade Winds”

Humid Tropical (Tropical Rainforest)

Tropical Wet & Dry (Tropical Savanna)

Desert

Steppe

Humid Subtropical/Maritime

Mediterranean

Upland Wet & Dry (Temperate Savanna)

- Found in mountainous Middle and South America- Temperature decreases with altitude- Has a great impact of which crops can be grown where

Altitudinal Life Zones in Tropical Latin America

(Puna & Páramo)