Marine West Coast Forest

Mid- Latitude: Marine West Coast Forests

Topographical CharacteristicsClimate

Vegetation coverAnimal 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

II. Marine West Coast Climate• Climate Description• Geographic Distribution• Characteristics• Controlling Factors

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 eco-region. 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 WAverage Annual Temperature (oC) = 9.8Annual Temperature Range (oC) =16Total Annual Precipitation (mm) =1048Summer Precipitation (mm) = 277Winter Precipitation (mm) = 771

Latitude/Longitude =51.3oN; .07o WAverage Annual Temperature (oC) = 10.4Annual Temperature Range (oC) = 14Total Annual Precipitation (mm) = 595Summer Precipitation (mm) = 295Winter 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 north-south 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 FORESTSTree speciescomposition of the temperate coastal forests varies bylatitude, and from north to south, and includes whitespruce (Picea glauca), Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis),western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla), Nootka cypress(Alaska yellow cedar; Callitropsis nootkatensis), redalder (Alnus rubra), western red cedar (Th uja plicata),Douglas-fi r (Pseudotsuga menziesii), and Californiaredwood (Sequoia sempervirens).

Picea glauca

WHITE SPRUCE

SITKA SPRUCEPicea sitchensis

Tsuga heterophylla

WESTERN HEMLOCK

NOOTKA CYPRESSCallitropsis nootkatensis

RED ALDER Alnus rubra

Thuja plicata

WESTERN RED CEDAR

Pseudotsuga menziesiiDOUGLAS-FIR

CALIFORNIA REDWOODSequoia sempervirens

TYPES OF TREES GROWING IN THE MARINE WEST COAST FORESTSMany of these trees canreach large size and live to great age. In the drier rain shadow areas, Oregon white oak (Garry oak; Quercusgarryana) and Pacifi c madrone (Arbutus menziesii)occur with Douglas-fi r. Mountain hemlock (Tsugamertensiana) and Pacific silver fi r (Abies amabilis)

OREGON WHITE OAKQuercus garryana

PACIFIC MADRONEArbutus menziesii

MOUNTAIN HEMLOCKTsuga mertensiana

PACIFIC SILVER FIR Abies amabilis

Alpine tundra is dominatedby 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 ClimateDeciduous 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.