BCS10_C01_F 3/11/08 12:44 PM Page 16

Climatographs
Temperature and precipitation are two important factors that determine
Suggested Activity climate. Climate is the average pattern of weather conditions that occur
Conduct an Investigation 1-1C
in a region, which are observed and recorded over a period of years.
on page 30 (You will learn more about climate in Unit 4.)
A climatograph is a graph of climate data for a specific region
and is generated from data usually obtained over 30 years from local
weather observation stations. A climatograph includes average monthly
temperature and an average of the total monthly precipitation for each

Month Average Average

Precipitation Temperature
(mm) (°C)
J 436 4 Climatograph
Tofino, British Columbia, 49ºN
F 382 5 600 25
M 355 6
Average Precipitation (mm)

Average Temperature (ºC)

500 15
A 249 8
M 165 10 400 5

J 138 12 300 –5
J 77 14
200 –15
A 94 15
S 134 13 100 –25
O 340 10
0 –35
N 475 7 J F M A M J J A S O N D
Month
D 462 5
Figure 1.9 The statistics for this graph
came from Tofino, British Columbia, which
is in the temperate rainforest biome.

16 MHR • Unit 1 Sustaining Earth’s Ecosystems

BCS10_C01_F 3/11/08 12:44 PM Page 17

month. Comparing climatographs can give you a greater understanding

of the temperature and precipitation patterns in regions within a
biome. You can also use climatographs to compare temperature and Did You Know?
precipitation patterns in regions that are in different biomes, as shown
Osoyoos is home to Canada’s only
in Figure 1.9 on the previous page and Figure 1.10 below. On a
desert. It is the uppermost part of
climatograph, the month of the year is shown on the horizontal axis.
the Great Basin Desert and is
Average temperature is shown on the right vertical axis, and average called the Pocket Desert.
precipitation is shown on the left vertical axis.

Month Average Average

Precipitation Temperature
(mm) (°C)
J 12 !2 Climatograph
Osoyoos, British Columbia, 49ºN
F 18 1 600 25
M 20 6
Average Precipitation (mm)

Average Temperature (ºC)

500 15
A 23 11
M 37 15 400 5

J 36 19 300 –5
J 24 22
200 –15
A 21 21
S 16 16 100 –25
O 17 10
0 –35
N 26 4 J F M A M J J A S O N D
Month
D 17 !1
Figure 1.10 The statistics for this
graph came from Osoyoos, British
Columbia, which is in the desert biome.

Chapter 1 Biomes and ecosystems are divisions of the biosphere. • MHR 17

DATE: NAME: CLASS:

CHAPTER 1
Practise Reading Climatographs BLM 1-8

Goal • Compare climatographs from three locations that are typical of different biomes.

Question
What inferences can you make by comparing the climatographs from three locations?

What to Do
The following climatographs give temperature and precipitation data for three typical locations
within three biomes. Use the data from the climatographs to complete the table below. You will
have to estimate values.

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DATE: NAME: CLASS:

BLM 1-8
continued

Biome 1 2 3
Warmest average monthly 16 C 18 C 7 C
temperature (°C)
Month with warmest average JULY JULY JULY
temperature
Coldest average monthly -19 C -7 C -28 C
temperature (°C)
Month with coldest average JANUARY DECEMBER FEBRUARY
temperature
Total precipitation (mm) in J: 20mm J: 24mm J: 22mm
January, March, August, and M: 20mm M: 28mm M: 26mm
October A: 60mm A: 40mm A:60mm
O:24mm O: 18mm O: 40mm
Driest month and total Month:February Month: February Month: March
amount of precipitation for Total Total Total
this month (mm) precipitation: precipitation: precipitation: 20mm
80mm 18mm
Wettest month and total Month:July Month: June Month: August
amount of precipitation for Total Total Total
this month (mm) precipitation:
80mm
precipitation: precipitation: 60mm
70mm
Start and end of growing Start: March Start: March Start: March
season (months where End: November End: December End: October
temperatures first rise above
or fall below 5°C)

Analyze
1. Which biome is the closest to the equator? Assume that there are no great differences in
altitude among the three locations. Explain your answer.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Biome 2 because its average temperatures are higher compared to the
other
_______________________________________________________________________________
biomes.

2. Which biome has the most northerly latitude? Explain your answer.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Biome 3 because its average temperature is less than the other biomes and it has the shortest
growing season
_______________________________________________________________________________

3. Which biome receives the most annual precipitation? Explain your answer.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Biome 2 receives the most annual precipitation because according
to the climatograph, it receives the highest precipitation all year
_______________________________________________________________________________
compared to the other biomes.

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This page may be reproduced for classroom use by the purchaser of this book without the written permission of the publisher.
DATE: NAME: CLASS:

BLM 1-8
continued

4. Which biome receives the least annual precipitation? Explain your answer.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Biome 3 receives the least annual precipitation because according
to the
_______________________________________________________________________________
climatographs, it doesn't get as much precipitation as the other
biomes.
5. Which biome has the longest growing season? Explain your answer.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Biome 2 has the longest growing season because it has an average temperature above -5°C for
the most number of months
_______________________________________________________________________________

6. Which biome has the shortest growing season? Explain your answer.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Biome 3 has the shortest growing season because it has an average temperature above -5°C for
the least number of months
_______________________________________________________________________________

7. In which biome would animals need to have structural and behavioural adaptations to survive
long, cold winters? Explain your answer.
_______________________________________________________________________________
In Biome 3 the animals living there would need adaptations because they need to keep their body
temperature warmer than the outside temperature for a long time.
_______________________________________________________________________________

Conclude
8. Infer the biome that is represented by each climatograph. Provide two reasons why you made
each inference.
(a) Biome 1
____________________________________________________________________________
Temperate forest because of the moderate average temperatures, average precipitation and
moderate growing season
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________

(b) Biome 2
____________________________________________________________________________
Tropical Rainforest because of the warm average temperatures, high precipitation and long
growing
____________________________________________________________________________
season

____________________________________________________________________________

(c) Biome 3
____________________________________________________________________________
Tundra because of the very low average temperature, moderate precipitation and short
growing
____________________________________________________________________________
season

____________________________________________________________________________

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This page may be reproduced for classroom use by the purchaser of this book without the written permission of the publisher.