Seasonal Forests
Comparing Climatographs
Three types of forests were featured in this episode of Planet Earth. Taiga, which have the longest and
coldest winters, temperate deciduous, which enjoy a growing season long enough to support broadleaf
trees, and dry deciduous, which have seasons based on precipitation instead of temperature.
For this assignment, you will be given data from three specific locations on the Earth. For each location,
construct a climatograph, a combined chart showing the precipitation and temperature levels across an
average year.
Boston,
Massachusetts
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
High Temperature (F)
39
41
48
59
68
79
84
82
75
64
54
45
High Temperature (C)
4
5
9
15
20
26
29
28
24
18
12
7
Precipitation (inches)
3.3
2.8
3.9
3.7
3.7
3.1
3.2
3.0
3.7
3.7
3.2
3.4
Precipitation (mm)
85
72
99
94
94
79
81
77
94
95
82
87
Source: www.myweather2.com
1. Does the data suggest this location is a taiga, temperate deciduous forest, or dry deciduous forest?
Explain.
2. Define when each season occurs during the year based on this data. Define spring, summer,
autumn, and winter for temperature-based seasons, or dry season and we season for precipitationbased seasons.
Antananarivo,
Madagascar
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
High Temperature (F)
81
81
81
79
75
72
70
72
75
81
82
82
High Temperature (C)
27
27
27
26
24
22
21
22
24
27
28
28
Precipitation (inches)
13.0
11.5
7.4
3.0
1.9
0.2
0.5
0.3
0.9
2.2
6.3
12.1
Precipitation (mm)
331
291
188
76
47
4
12
7
23
55
160
308
Source: www.myweather2.com
1. Does the data suggest this location is a taiga, temperate deciduous forest, or dry deciduous forest?
Explain.
2. Define when each season occurs during the year based on this data. Define spring, summer,
autumn, and winter for temperature-based seasons, or dry season and we season for precipitationbased seasons.
Ottawa,
Canada
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
High Temperature (F)
7
9
11
14
1
72
70
72
75
81
82
82
High Temperature (C)
27
27
27
26
24
22
21
22
24
27
28
28
Precipitation (inches)
13.0
11.5
7.4
3.0
1.9
0.2
0.5
0.3
0.9
2.2
6.3
12.1
Precipitation (mm)
331
291
188
76
47
4
12
7
23
55
160
308
Source: www.myweather2.com
1. Does the data suggest this location is a taiga, temperate deciduous forest, or dry deciduous forest?
Explain.
2. Define when each season occurs during the year based on this data. Define spring, summer,
autumn, and winter for temperature-based seasons, or dry season and we season for precipitationbased seasons.