Feedback Mechanisms and Atmospheric Models

Lab 2 - Appendix B

Summary of Additional Biomes
In the previous model, the precipitation function was generated by a semi-arbitrary function.  You find it interesting to insert some real data into the model and look at your results. Below are summaries data collected from representatives of some different biomes. The temperature data will almost certainly need to be converted since most scientific models will not use the Fahrenheit scale.
  • Biome Precipitation data (tabulated)
  • Tropical Rainforest
  • Tropical Savana
  • Mid-latitude Deciduous Forest or Humid Continental
  • Desert
  • Subartic Taiga or Boreal Forest

    • Polar Tundra
  • Biome Temperature data (tabulated)
  • Tropical Rainforest
  • Tropical Savana
  • Mid-latitude Deciduous Forest or Humid Continental
  • Desert
  • Subartic Taiga or Boreal Forest
  • Polar Tundra
    		•
  • Additional Sources of Numerical Data (climographs)
    		•
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    Descriptions of the Biome data shown below:

     
    Biome
    (link to more information)    		 Moisture Temperature Vegetation Soils Plants and Animals
    Tropical Rainforest ample rainfall
    very humid    		 very hot jungle, trees
    and vines    		 not fertile small rodents
    birds, insects
    Tropical Savanna wet season
    dry season    		 very hot tall grasses more fertile big game,
    birds, snakes
    Mid-Latitude
    Deciduous Forest or
    Humid Continental    		 evenly divided
    throughout the
    year    		 warm season
    cold season    		 deciduous
    trees, oak,
    maple    		 fertile mammals
    birds, insects,
    reptiles
    Desert inadequate great daily
    range    		 sage brush,
    cactus    		 poor soils reptiles, birds
    nocturnal
    Subarctic Taiga 
    or Boreal Forest    		 adequate cold winter
    cool summer    		 evergreen
    trees, spruce    		 thin rocky
    soils    		 reindeer,
    moose, elk
    Polar Tundra adequate perpetual cold lichens,
    mosses    		 frozen soils migrating
    herds

    The links in tables lead to more information on those specific biomes from http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/msese/earthsysflr/biomesum.html.  For a clickable map showing the geographic location of the biomes, click here.

    See also http://www.runet.edu/~swoodwar/CLASSES/GEOG235/biomes/intro.html.

    Precipitation Data

     

    Tropical Rainforest

    Singapore
    MONTH
    PRECIPATION
    (cm/mo)
    January
    20.0
    February
    15.0
    March
    16.25
    April
    17.5
    May
    18.25
    June
    16.25
    July
    17.0
    August
    20.0
    September
    16.25
    October
    19.5
    November
    24.5
    December
    25.0

     

    Tropical Savanna 

    Champoton, Mexico
    MONTH
    PRECIPATION
    (cm/mo)
    January
    5.0
    February
    4.5
    March
    1.25
    April
    1.75
    May
    2.25
    June
    12.5
    July
    27.5
    August
    18.0
    September
    17.5
    October
    15.75
    November
    4.5
    December
    4.25

    Subarctic Taiga 

    Moose Factory, Canada
    MONTH
    PRECIPATION
    (cm/mo)
    January
    2.5
    February
    2.0
    March
    2.5
    April
    2.0
    May
    4.5
    June
    5.0
    July
    5.25
    August
    9.5
    September
    7.5
    October
    2.0
    November
    2.0
    December
    2.0

     

    Polar Tundra


    Barrow, Alaska

    MONTH
    PRECIPATION
    (cm/mo)
    January
    0.5
    February
    1.0
    March
    0.75
    April
    1.0
    May
    1.0
    June
    1.0
    July
    2.5
    August
    2.5
    September
    1.0
    October
    1.0
    November
    0.5
    December
    0.75

    Mid-latitude Deciduous Forest or Humid Continental

    Peoria, Illinois
    MONTH
    PRECIPATION
    (cm/mo)
    January
    4.5
    February
    5.0
    March
    7.5
    April
    9.25
    May
    9.75
    June
    9.5
    July
    9.75
    August
    9.25
    September
    9.75
    October
    5.0
    November
    5.0
    December
    4.75

    Temperature Data

     

    Tropical Rainforest

    Singapore
    MONTH
    Temperature

    (F)
    January
    80
    February
    80
    March
    80
    April
    80
    May
    83
    June
    83
    July
    83
    August
    80
    September
    80
    October
    80
    November
    80
    December
    80

     

     

    Tropical Savanna 

    Savanna- Champoton, Mexico
    MONTH
    Temperature

    (F)
    January
    72
    February
    72
    March
    79
    April
    80
    May
    85
    June
    85
    July
    80
    August
    80
    September
    80
    October
    75
    November
    75
    December
    75

    Subarctic Taiga 

    Moose Factory, Canada
    MONTH
    Temperature

    (F)
    January
    -5
    February
    -5
    March
    0
    April
    20
    May
    30
    June
    60
    July
    60
    August
    60
    September
    50
    October
    30
    November
    20
    December
    5

    Polar Tundra


    Barrow, Alaska

    MONTH
    Temperature

    (F)
    January
    -20
    February
    -10
    March
    -15
    April
    -10
    May
    10
    June
    30
    July
    40
    August
    40
    September
    20
    October
    5
    November
    -5
    December
    -15

    Mid-latitude Deciduous Forest or Humid Continental

    Peoria, Illinois
    MONTH
    Temperature

    (F)
    January
    30
    February
    30
    March
    30
    April
    45
    May
    70
    June
    78
    July
    79
    August
    70
    September
    58
    October
    40
    November
    30
    December
    30

    Low Lattitude Desert


    Aswan, Egypt

    MONTH
    Temperature

    (F)
    January
    60
    February
    60
    March
    70
    April
    78
    May
    90
    June
    92
    July
    92
    August
    92
    September
    89
    October
    75
    November
    70
    December
    60

    Additional Sources of Numerical Information (climographs):

    b
    The Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation
    CN 5281, Princeton NJ 08543-5281 - Tel:(609)452-7007 - Fax:(609)452-0066
    Technical contact: lpt@woodrow.org