Lesson 21:
Walters Zonobiomes
and Leith Climate diagrams
Zonobiome climates of Walter
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ZB I
ZB II
ZB III
ZB IV
ZB V
ZB VI
ZB VII
ZB VIII
ZB IX
Equatorial with diurnal climate
Tropical with summer rains
Subtropical-arid (desert climate)
Winter rain and summer drought (Mediterranean climate)
Warm temperate (maritime)
Typical temperate with a short period of frost (nemoral)
Arid temperate with a cold climate (continental)
Cold temperate (boreal)
Arctic (including Antarctic)
Zonobiome soils and vegetation
An “average
continent”
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Shows assymetry in
vegetation zones in north
and southern hemispheres.
Application of
zonobiome approach to
Australia
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Basic zonobiomes are shown as
Roman numerals I-IX.
Modifications of the basic climate
are shown with small letters.
ZB I
ZB II
ZB III
ZB IV
ZB V
ZB VI
ZB VII
ZB VIII
ZB IX
Equatorial with diurnal climate
Tropical with summer rains
Subtropical-arid (desert climate)
Winter rain and summer drought
(Mediterranean climate)
Warm temperate (maritime)
Typical temperate with a short
period of frost (nemoral)
Arid temperate with a cold climate
(continental)
Cold temperate (boreal)
Arctic (including Antarctic)
Application to North
America
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Alaska has three major
zonobiomes:
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IX Tundra,
VIII Boreal,
VIIIoc Boreal oceanic
Plus the black areas are
Orobiomes in the
mountains
ZB I
ZB II
ZB III
ZB IV
ZB V
ZB VI
ZB VII
ZB VIII
ZB IX
Equatorial with diurnal climate
Tropical with summer rains
Subtropical-arid (desert climate)
Winter rain and summer drought
(Mediterranean climate)
Warm temperate (maritime)
Typical temperate with a short
period of frost (nemoral)
Arid temperate with a cold climate
(continental)
Cold temperate (boreal)
Arctic (including Antarctic)
Application to
South America
ZB I
ZB II
ZB III
ZB IV
ZB V
ZB VI
ZB VII
ZB VIII
ZB IX
Equatorial with diurnal climate
Tropical with summer rains
Subtropical-arid (desert climate)
Winter rain and summer drought
(Mediterranean climate)
Warm temperate (maritime)
Typical temperate with a short
period of frost (nemoral)
Arid temperate with a cold climate
(continental)
Cold temperate (boreal)
Arctic (including Antarctic)
Application to
Africa
ZB I
ZB II
ZB III
ZB IV
ZB V
ZB VI
ZB VII
ZB VIII
ZB IX
Equatorial with diurnal climate
Tropical with summer rains
Subtropical-arid (desert climate)
Winter rain and summer drought
(Mediterranean climate)
Warm temperate (maritime)
Typical temperate with a short
period of frost (nemoral)
Arid temperate with a cold climate
(continental)
Cold temperate (boreal)
Arctic (including Antarctic)
Ecological Climate Diagrams
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Developed by H. Lieth.
Diagrams for all major
cities (8000 climate
diagrams) in the world
are in The Climate
Diagram Atlas World
Atlas by H. Walter and
H. Lieth (1967).
How to make a climate diagram
Use a mm grid.
Left axis: temperature (˚C),
2 cm = 10 ˚C.
Right axis: precipitation
(mm), 2 cm = 20 mm.
Horizontal axis: months, 1
per cm.
Temperature curve: thin
line.
Precipitation curve: thick
line.
Supplementary
precipitation curve (only
in steppe diagrams)
Below the line frost period.