Subtropics

The subtropics are among the climatic zones of the earth. They lie in the latitude between the tropics in equatorial direction and the temperate zones towards the poles, approximately between 25 and 40 degrees north or south latitude. These areas are typically tropical summer and non- tropical winter. They can be divided into dry, wet winter and always humid subtropics.

A widely used definition defines the climate there as a subtropical, where the average temperature in the year is above 20 ° C, the mean temperature of the coldest month, however, remains well below 20 ° C.

• 2.1 climate
• 2.2 vegetation
• 2.3 Examples

• 3.1 climate
• 3.2 vegetation

Dry Subtropics

Climate

The climate is semiarid to arid all year. There is a seasonal and solar - climate with winter rainfall.

Vegetation

The dry subtropics have a growing season 5-6 (7 ) months. The diversity of plants is relatively low. There prevails a desert and steppe vegetation. Often you can find bush plants.

Examples

Sahara Desert, Atacama Desert, Middle East.

Mediterranean climate

Climate

Only in summer it is semiarid to arid. There are winter precipitation. See Mediterranean climate.

Vegetation

There is a growing season 6-10 (11 ) months. It is dominated by a specific type of formation, the sclerophyllous vegetation, the Mediterranean areas of the Mediterranean and California by evergreen oak species - is shaped oak, cork oak and kermes oak and semi-evergreen Macedonian oak. In Australia, especially two species of eucalyptus, jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata ) and Marri (Eucalyptus calophylla ), common in Mediterranean regions. In California, many conifers are found under which the sequoia plays special interest. In many areas the landscape is completely treeless by early depletion. The forests of south-western Australia, the Cape region of South Africa, California and the Mediterranean are due to the high Endemitenreichtum the 25 most species-rich of the earth.

Examples

Mediterranean region, central Chile, California, South West Australia, South Africa ( Cape )

East side air

Climate

The maximum rainfall is in the summer months. See eastern climate.

Vegetation

There is a year-round growing season. Species rich laurel forest with numerous lianas, epiphytes but less than in tropical forests. In Australia, typically eucalyptus forests. In the Caucasus, Afghanistan, northern Iran and eastern United States species-rich deciduous forests with a high proportion of tertiary species. In Southeast China, a global center of biodiversity, retains many of its genera that are otherwise extinct, survived.