marine west coast forest

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Mid- Latitude: Marine West Coast Forests
Topographical Characteristics Climate Vegetation cover Animal Life

Objectives:
In this report we will: • Describe the topographical characteristics of the Marine West Coast Forests and investigate its relationship with the climate. • Elaborate the Marine West Coast Forest Climate by using graphs and charts and find the significant difference in the climate situation of two West Coast Forest. • Explore the Marine West Coast Forest’s vegetative cover and investigate its relationship with the Climate.

Report Outline
I. The Topography of Marine West Coast Forest
• • • • • • • • Topographical Characteristics Soil Condition Aquatic Ecosystem Terrestrial Ecosystem Climate Description Geographic Distribution Characteristics Controlling Factors

II. Marine West Coast Climate

III.The Significant difference in the climate situation in North America and Europe
• • • Latitude and Longitude Temperature Precipitation

IV. The Relationship between the Marine West Coast Forest Topography and Climate. V. The Marine West Coast Forest Vegetative Cover VI. The Relationship between the Marine West Coast Forest Vegetative cover and Climate.

The Topography of Marine West Coast Forest

The Topography of Marine West Cost Forest
Topography is mountainous bordered by coastal plains. Soils range from very nutrient rich to nutrient poor; nitrogen (N) is the nutrient most commonly limiting to plant productivity, although some areas are naturally very rich in N. The maritime influence of the Pacific Ocean results in high precipitation (600 to 5000 mm yr-1), a long growing season, and moderate mean annual temperatures (5 to 9 oC). Within North America, all of the wettest climates, many of the most productive forests, and all temperate rain forests occur in this ecoregion. Many low land aquatic ecosystems in this region sustain a diversity of anadromous salmonids , where as upland aquatic ecosystems are often nutrient poor. Terrestrial ecosystems range from mild, humid coastal rain forest to boreal forests, to cool sub-alpine forests and alpine conditions at higher elevations.

REMARKS :
Salmon are anadromous,
meaning they divide their lives between freshwater and the ocean. They are born in freshwater, mature at sea and return to their natal streams to spawn a new generation. In freshwater ecology, upland rivers and streams are the fast flowing rivers and streams that drain elevated or mountainous country, often onto broad Alluvial Plains

A low land aquatic ecosystem The generally more turbid, warm, slow-flowing waters and fine sediment beds of lowland rivers encourage fish species with broad temperature tolerances and greater tolerances to low oxygen levels.

A terrestrial ecosystem is an ecosystem found only on landforms. Six primary terrestrial ecosystems , texist: tundra, taiga, temperate decidous forest, tropical rain forest, grassland and desert.

Marine West Coast Climate

Marine West Coast Climate
• The marine or humid west coast climate is exactly what its name describes. This climate is found on the west coast of mid-latitude continents and is very humid through most of the year. Its geographic location places it in the path of westerly winds from the ocean that bring cloudy skies, much precipitation, and mild temperatures. The distribution of the climate is greatly influenced by the orientation of mountain systems in North America and Europe.

Marine West Coast Climate
I. Geographic Distribution • Coastal Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, and southern Alaska • Southern Chile; interior South Africa • southeast Australia and New Zealand • northwest Europe

II. Characteristics • • • • Mild winters, mild summers. Low annual temperature range. Heavy cloud cover; high humidity. Frequent cyclonic storms, with prolonged rain, drizzle and fog.

III. Controlling Factors • West coast location; year round influence of the Westerlies. • Warm ocean currents along some coasts. • Windward orographic influence in North America. • Located further inland in Europe due to east west orientation of mountains.

The Significant difference in the climate situation in North America and Europe
There is a significant difference in the climate situation between Vancouver and London, both Marine West Coast climates, arises from location, local topography, and ocean current influence. The dry summer in Vancouver is due in part to subsiding, subtropical high pressure lying to the south. Precipitation is nearly double that of London due to local orographic uplift of air. Milder winter temperatures in London arise from the moderating influence of the North Atlantic Drift.

The Significant difference in the climate situation in North America and Europe
Latitude/Longitude = 49.1o N; 123.06o W Average Annual Temperature (oC) = 9.8 Annual Temperature Range (oC) =16 Total Annual Precipitation (mm) =1048 Summer Precipitation (mm) = 277 Winter Precipitation (mm) = 771 Latitude/Longitude =51.3oN; .07o W Average Annual Temperature (oC) = 10.4 Annual Temperature Range (oC) = 14 Total Annual Precipitation (mm) = 595 Summer Precipitation (mm) = 295 Winter Precipitation (mm) =300

The Relationship between the Marine West Coast Forest Topography and Climate.

The Relationship between the Marine West Coast Forest
Topography and Climate.

. The orientation of mountains has a large effect on the geographic distribution of the climate. In North and South America, mountains tend to be northsouth oriented, whereas in Europe they tend to run more west to east. The north-south orientation acts as barrier to oceanic air masses in the Westerlies forcing them to rise and cool producing cloudy, rainy conditions along the coast. In Europe, the oceanic air masses can penetrate further inland, moderating the climate of a much larger region.

• The Westerlies, anti-trades,[1] or Prevailing Westerlies, are prevailing winds in the middle latitudes between 30 and 60 degrees latitude, blowing from the high pressure area in the horse latitudes towards the poles. • The Westerlies play an important role in carrying the warm, equatorial waters and winds to the western coasts of continents, especially in the southern hemisphere because of its vast oceanic expanse. • The maritime influence of the Pacific Ocean results in high precipitation (600 to 5000 mm yr-1)

The Marine West Coast Forest Vegetative Cover

TYPES OF TREES GROWING IN THE MARINE WEST COAST FORESTS
Tree species composition of the temperate coastal forests varies by latitude, and from north to south, and includes white spruce (Picea glauca), Sitka

spruce (Picea sitchensis), western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla), Nootka cypress
(Alaska yellow cedar;

Callitropsis nootkatensis), red alder (Alnus rubra), western red cedar (Th uja plicata), Douglas-fi r (Pseudotsuga menziesii), and California redwood (Sequoia sempervirens).

WHITE SPRUCE
Picea glauca

SITKA SPRUCE
Picea sitchensis

WESTERN HEMLOCK
Tsuga heterophylla

NOOTKA CYPRESS
Callitropsis nootkatensis

RED ALDER
Alnus rubra

WESTERN RED CEDAR
Thuja plicata

DOUGLAS-FIR

Pseudotsuga menziesii

CALIFORNIA REDWOOD
Sequoia sempervirens

TYPES OF TREES GROWING IN THE MARINE WEST COAST FORESTS

Many of these trees can reach large size and live to great age. In the drier rain shadow areas, Oregon white oak (Garry oak; Quercus

garryana) and Pacifi c madrone (Arbutus menziesii)
occur with Douglas-fi r. Mountain hemlock (Tsuga

mertensiana) and Pacific silver fi r (Abies amabilis)

OREGON WHITE OAK
Quercus garryana

PACIFIC MADRONE
Arbutus menziesii

MOUNTAIN HEMLOCK
Tsuga mertensiana

PACIFIC SILVER FIR
Abies amabilis

Alpine tundra is dominated by shrubs, herbs, mosses, and lichens.

The Relationship between the Marine West Coast Forest Vegetative cover and Climate

The Relationship between the Marine West Coast Forest Vegetative cover and Climate
Deciduous Forest Marine west coast, humid subtropical, and humid continental climates all support forests of deciduous trees, or trees that lose their leaves in the fall. Coniferous and Mixed Forest These same climates also support areas of coniferous and mixed forest. Coniferous trees are trees that produce cones to carry seeds. They generally have needles, not leaves. These features protect trees indrier climates. Mixed forests combine both coniferous and deciduous trees. Tundra The tundra is an area of cold climate and low-lying vegetation. Tundra vegetation includes mosses, grasses, andlow shrubs that bloom during the brief, cool summers.

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