CLIMATE EFFECTSIAFNR Plant and Soil Sciences Module
TOLERATING CLIMATE
Plants vary in their ability to tolerate temperature differences and changes
Each plant has an optimum temperature for growth Also have a low and high where growth ceases below or above
Common agricultural plants have been divided into two groups Cool Season
Survive spring frosts and planted in early spring or fall Includes: Wheat, Oats, Cabbage, Collards, Lettuce, Onions
Warm Season Usually killed by frosts and need warmer temperatures to grow
Includes: Cotton, Corn, Beans, Tomatoes, Peppers, Watermelon
What kinds of plants are tolerant
to Indiana Weather?
OTHER WAYS OF TOLERATING CLIMATE
Hardening Cool-season Vegetables can be
made to adapt to lower temperatures by exposing young transplants to stress of slightly wilting or being grown at 10 degrees below normal
Plants become tougher and less likely to be killed by the environment
Dormancy Some plants appear to be dead from
ground up, but are actually dormant Plants will emerge from
underground parts in the spring
Seed Germination Temperature determines seed
germination, all seeds have an optimum germination
Thermoperiod A daily temperature change Plants respond by growing/
photosynthesize during the day and respire at night after temperature change
CLIMACTIC CLASSIFICATION
The United States is divided into Hardiness Zones for growing plants
Hardiness Zones determine kinds of plants that will grow in the area based upon average annual minimum temperatures
The USDA plant hardiness map (next slide) Divides North America into 11 zones
Zone 1- the coldest Zone 11- the warmest
What zones are found in Indiana?
TEMPERATURE STRESS
High Temperature
Injury from lack of light or water Drought
Indiana experienced a severe drought in the Summer of 2012
Low Temperature
Injury from Frost Kills entire plant Damages newest buds, flowers,
or leaves
Image retrieved from: http://www.cnn.com/2012/09/15/us/drought-impact/
Image retrieved from: http://gardengates.info/basic-gardening-terms-and-definitions-hardy-and-tender-plants/
CLIMATE CLUSTERS
CLIMATE CLUSTERS
Five Climate Groups
Further divided into specific types of climates found all over the world Tropical
Rain Forest Monsoon Savanna
Dry Arid Semiarid
Mild Humid Subtropical Marine Mediterranean
Continental Warm Summer Cool Summer Subarctic
Polar Tundra Ice Cap
Image retrieved from: https://www.imagepermanenceinstitute.org/resources/newsletter-archive/v19/preservation-environment-summit
CLIMATE CLUSTERS
Semiarid Steppe
Low precipitation
Enough rain to support grasslands also known as savannas.
This climate can occur when warm, moist air is blocked by mountains Example: Denver, Colorado,
next to the Rocky Mountains
Midlatitude Desert
Very similar to Semiarid Steppe
True Desert Climate
Image retrieved from: http://gec.cr.usgs.gov/archive/
eolian/
CLIMATE CLUSTERS
Humid Continental
Climate Type: Continental
Cold, Long Winters
Warm Summer Wet summer seasons
Cool Summer Cold winds Accustomed to harsh weather
Humid Subtropical
Climate Type: Mild
Found on eastern sides of continents See Map
Hot and humid summers
Winter can be severely cold
Precipitation spread evenly through the year
Hurricanes and other violent storms are common in these regions.
CLIMATE CLUSTERS
Marine West Coast
Climate Type: Mild
Longer, cooler winter than Mediterranean climate
Drizzle falls throughout most of the winter
Temperatures average about 41 degrees Fahrenheit
Mediterranean
Climate Type: Mild
Warm summer, little rain
Short, mild, and rainy winter
Found on the west coasts of and along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea
REFERENCES
National Geographic. (2015). Climate. Retrieved from: http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/encyclopedia/climate/?ar_a=1
Parker, R. (2010). Plant and Soil Science: Fundamentals and Applications. Clifton Park, NY: Delmar.
USDA Hardiness Zone image retrieved from: http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/