CONTINENTAL CLIMATE: CHARACTERISTICS, TYPES, FLORA AND FAUNA - GEOGRAPHY - 2025

The continental climate is one that has the marked presence of the well-known four seasons, namely: spring, summer, autumn and winter. This subtype of climate occupies most of the northern hemisphere, so it is present in central and western Europe, central Asia, China, Iran, the United States and Canada.

There are also some areas of the southern hemisphere that have a continental climate; such is the case in some areas of North Africa and in the interior of Argentina. This shows that the continental climate occurs in places that are outside the intertropical zones. For this reason it is characteristic of the middle latitudes; that is to say, what is known as the temperate zone, both in the northern and southern hemispheres.

Location of the continental climate. Beck, HE, Zimmermann, NE, McVicar, TR, Vergopolan, N., Berg, A., & Wood, EF, via Wikimedia Commons

As for the temperatures, they are quite marked. There is a very cold and very dry winter that contrasts with a hot and rainy summer; this is how heavy downpours fall in that season that turn into storms.

Because the continental climate extends over vast areas, modifications occur that give rise to different types, such as continental Siberian, monsoon, humid, Mediterranean and arid.

characteristics

The continental climate is one in which temperatures have a marked difference between summer and winter; this is how they reach a maximum of 30 ° C in the summer and the minimum can be below zero during the winter.

With regard to rainfall, this type of climate presents abundant rains that occur in the summer in the form of stormy downpours.

In areas with a continental climate, the phenomenon of the four seasons occurs, each with its quite marked characteristics:

Spring

With regard to temperature, it ranges between 5 ° C and 15 ° C with little rainfall, even less than in the rest of the year.

Summer

The maximum temperatures reach about 32 ° C and the minimum ones do not drop below 15 ° C. During this season the rains make their presence, reaching even between 50 and 100mm / month.

Fall

It is the rainiest season of the year in this type of climate, when rainfall can reach about 70 mm / month. As for the temperatures, they begin to show lower: between 20 ° C and 10 ° C.

Winter

They are the three coldest months of the year for areas that have a continental climate. There is a marked presence of frost and snowfall, since temperatures are usually below zero and even less than -10 ° C.

Due to all these characteristics, the territories that have a continental climate present an amazing landscape, full of species of flora and fauna, very peaceful to look at and that offers the wealth of enjoying the four seasons.

Types

Because it is a climate that extends over most of the northern hemisphere, it presents certain modifications in its characteristics throughout the different territories, which gives rise to the classification that subdivides it into the following types:

Continentalized Mediterranean climate

It is the one that is present in the Mediterranean region, in northern Italy and in Greece, as well as in the Saharan Atlas.

It is characterized by having very dry summer months, with little rain and very warm; there are even a few dry months during the year. As for winter, it is quite cold with the presence of frost.

Manchurian continental climate

The annual temperature ranges between 10 ° C and 0 ° C. This subtype of climate is typical of some Russian cities and North Korea, as well as North China.

It is important to note that it is a variety of the monsoon climate, so that in the areas where this type of climate occurs, the contrast between a hot and rainy summer is evident as opposed to a cold and dry winter.

Humid continental climate

This subtype has many similarities to the Manchurian mainland; It only differs in that temperatures tend to be cooler and there is usually less rainfall, which makes it drier.

This type of climate occurs in most of eastern and central Europe, as well as southeastern Canada.

Arid continental climate

It is the last subtype of the continental climate. Unlike the others, it is the hottest in the summer and the coolest in the winter. Central Asia and Mongolia are some of the areas where this climate occurs.

Location

The continental climate is present in a large part of the northern hemisphere of the planet with a small sample in the south, specifically in the interior of Argentina and in the north of Africa.

In this sense, this type of climate is located in mid-latitude zones, above tropical latitudes.

In addition, these areas are characterized by presenting what is known as mountain barriers, which are monumental mountain formations that prevent the passage of the influx of the sea and also of polar winds that can dramatically cool temperatures.

Due to its location, the areas that have a temperate climate are the following:

- Central and Eastern Europe.

- Central Asia, with the interior of China and also of Iran.

- In North America it is the climate of the interior of the United States and Canada.

It is important to emphasize that the continental climate is present in everything known as the temperate zone, with the exception of the western coast, which has a more oceanic influence.

Flora

With regard to the flora characteristic of the continental climate, it is what is known as the taiga ecosystem or coniferous forest, which is the largest forest mass on the planet composed of trees highly resistant to low temperatures, thanks to the different adaptations that have made over time.

This is how pines, birches, firs and similar species are the typical flora of the continental climate, which is why it has become the most lush biome thanks to the fact that its evergreen leaves make it green all year round.

Although this type of plant is predominant, it does not escape the diversity that may exist due to local adaptations to the environment. This is how these large territories are covered by a flora with common features but, in turn, with plants of local origin.

Taiga

Coniferous forest

The continental climate zones have formed one of the most extensive biomes in the world: the taiga.

This biome is known by the name of coniferous forest or deciduous forest, which are made up of large trees that have undergone modifications over millions and millions of years to achieve their survival in a climate that presents temperatures with such variations. extreme.

It is an area of ​​great plant diversity in which there is presence of cedars, birches, cypresses, firs, pines, redwoods, junipers, kauris, mañíos and yews. There is also a wide range of perennial shrubs and herbs.

Scientists have discovered that these are very ancient species, even older than broadleaf trees, and that over the years they underwent modifications to adapt to the climatic conditions of the areas where they are found.

Coniferous forests are made up of trees and shrubs that have a conical shape both in their leaves and in their branches and in their fruits, which gives rise to their name.

Leaves

Conifers are what is known as evergreen trees; This means that they are species that do not lose their leaves with changes in temperature, that is why these forests are always lush.

Another peculiarity of its leaves is that they have a special resin that prevents water loss during the hottest season. In addition, in their outer cells they have a substance that serves as an antifreeze so that they do not freeze in extreme winter.

In terms of their shape and size, their needle-like leaves have very little surface area, which prevents the accumulation of snow that could break them due to weight. This also favors them during the summer, because they have less surface area exposed to the sun's rays and, consequently, evaporation is reduced.

Conical shape

The general conical shape of the tree makes both snow and torrential downpours slide and fall to prevent them from being damaged by the weight.

It is important to note that in the subtypes of continental climate that are a little warmer, the shape of conifers is considerably modified: their branches and leaves open more to take advantage of more light in the photosynthesis process and because they do not have to deal with with the threat of snow accumulation.

Economic importance

Coniferous forests are of great importance for the economy of the areas that host them, since their wood is used as a raw material in various industries. Another element that is highly usable are its resins, which are used to manufacture various materials.

There is also an important opportunity for the exploitation of wood, both for the sustained development of the nation that markets them and for the recovery of areas that need to be reforested, since the coniferous species are ideal for planting in spaces that will be recovered. because they prevent soil erosion.

Due to all this economic potential, in many places these forests have been indiscriminately cut down, which has caused serious damage to the ecosystem.

Fauna

Coniferous forest fauna

Bear, wolf, elk, weasel, wildcat, squirrel, lynx, deer, fox and rabbit are some of the main species that make up the fauna that makes life in the territories of continental climate. There is also a great variety of birds, among which the owls and the hawk stand out.

As for reptiles, snakes, salamanders, frogs and worms abound, among others. Insects like worms and butterflies are also present in this type of climate. It is important to note that many animal species migrate to warmer areas during the winter, or to hibernate in order to withstand low temperatures.

As has been seen, in the continental climate the ecosystem is quite rich, with the presence of a wide range of mammals, birds, insects and reptiles. This is because, as there is an important variety of plant species present in the taiga biome, there is a diversity of food for the different species.

Total adaptation

Animals that live in continental climate zones are fully adapted to climatic conditions. In the case of birds, when winter worsens, many species migrate to warmer areas to avoid putting themselves at risk from cold temperatures.

With regard to mammals, in the temperate climate there are several species that practice dormancy or dormancy in order to survive. This is a process that consists of considerably slowing down the rhythm of life, reducing their physical activity and that of their body.

Although there are several types of dormancy, the best known is the hibernation practiced by bears and squirrels. In the case of the brown bear, during the pre-winter seasons it accumulates fat so that its body can nourish itself with it during the period of lethargy. When you wake up you will be thinner, weaker and hungrier.

In the case of certain species of squirrels, hibernation is different. Although they go into torpor, they wake up periodically to ingest some fruits that they accumulated inside their burrow.

Not all mammals that live in areas with a continental climate go into dormancy. There are species that simply look for a place that serves as a refuge for them during the cold winter; This is the case of foxes, reindeer, deer, weasels and lynx, among others.

Threatened animals

Given the richness of this ecosystem, since ancient times it has served as a settlement for the human species, which on many occasions has exploited the space it occupies in an excessive way.

For this reason, many animals have been displaced and many others are threatened and in danger of extinction. Such is the case of the panda, the wild cat, the wild boar, the deer and the dormouse, among others.

References

1. Continental weather at Climate-data.org. Retrieved on February 3, 2019 from Climate-data.org:es.climate-data.org
2. "The continental climate" (May 27, 2016) in Online Meteorology. Retrieved on February 3, 2019 from Meteorology online: meteorologiaenred.com
3. "Humid continental climate" in Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved on February 3, 2019 from Encyclopedia Britannica: britannica.com
4. Juste, I «What animals live in the temperate forest» (March 19, 2018) in Green Ecology. Retrieved on February 3, 2019 from Green Ecology: ecologiaverde.com
5. «Taiga; Climate, fauna, flora and their characteristics »in Ecosistemas Ovacen. Retrieved on February 3, 2019 from Ecosistemas Ovacen: ecosystemas.ovacen.com