Biosphere – vegetation distribution by latitude and altitude

GeographySoils, Biosphere & EnvironmentAges 15–16

The top strip is a cross-section from the Equator to the pole: vegetation and soil groups change into zones running parallel to latitude, alongside curves of average annual temperature and rainfall. The bottom strip shows a mountain at the chosen latitude: for every 100 m of elevation, temperature drops about 0.6°C, so vegetation belts repeat with altitude just as they do moving toward the poles. Click the cross-section or the mountainside, drag the latitude, elevation or rainfall sliders, or press Play to climb automatically; the data panel shows temperature, rainfall, vegetation type, soil group and the limits of the biosphere.