Climate, Vegetation and Wildlife

 

The USA is a very large country, so it has several different climate zones. The coldest regions are in the north and north-east, where much snow falls in winter. The south has a subtropical climate. Hot winds blowing from the Gulf of Mixico often bring typhoons. The climate along the Pacific coast is much warmer than that of the Atlantic coast. The region around the Great Lakes is known for its changeable weather. In general, the climate in North America is much colder than in Europe and the average annual temperature of New York, for example, is 11°C.

In the East the principal trees are spruce, poplar, birch and fir. The Northern Appalachians and the upper Great Lakes region are dominated by mixed forests of birch, beech, maple, hemlock, and pine. Much of southern Florida and the lower Mississippi River valley are covered by marsh grasses. In the Western mountains on the lower slopes are open woodlands. The warm-winter desert areas of Southwest support much cactus. The Pacific Northwest has dense coniferous forests with fir, hemlock, and spruce among the principal trees. Northwestern California has dense stands of giant redwoods (sequoias) along the coast.

Throughout Midwest and in much of Texas the native vegetation has been largely removed to make way for agriculture.

The animal population of the United States was both numerous and prolific in aboriginal times. Since the advent of the white man, with his firearms and with his need of land for agriculture, the animal population has been greatly reduced. Whole species have been exterminated, or preserved in other than the wild state.

The northeastern forests abounded in animals of all kinds and sizes. Deer, recoons, skunks, grey and red squirrels, black bears, rabbits and hares, beavers, minks, and moles were common. Great flocks of birds were present, including migratory wild fowl. Reptiles included turtles, salamanders, and several species of snakes.

In the forests of the Southeast opossums abounded and along the coasts were alligators and sea cows. Crocodiles were present in the extreme south of Florida. Great numbers of large birds, such as the flamingo, the whooping crane, were common in the swamps and marshes.

The Interior Plains had vast herds of grazing animals, especially bisons (“buffaloes”) and antelopes. The higher mountains of the West were the home of the mountain sheep, mountain goat, grizzly bear, marmot, and rock rabbit.

The deserts have a highly specialized world, equipped to avoid heat and reduce water losses to a minimum, like the sidewinder rattlesnake, which keeps much of its body off the ground to avoid contact with that searing surface.

 

Climate in Canada

 

Canada has four distinct seasons all of which occur right across the country although their arrival times vary. The single most significant factor in climate, and even day-today weather, is latitude. In just a few hours travelling north by road, a drop (sometimes a considerable one) in temperature can often be felt.

The warmest area of Canada is along the US border. It’s no accident that nearly everybody lives in this southernmost region. The overall warmest areas of the country are British Columbia’s south and central coast and southern Ontario particularly around the Niagara Peninsula. These districts have the longest summers and the shortest winters.

July and August are the warmest months across the country and generally they are reasonably dry. Along the US border, summer temperatures are usually in the mid and upper 20°C. Each year there are a few days in the 30°C Manitoba through to central British Columbia gets the hottest summer temperatures as well as the most sunshine. The west and east coasts are very wet with 2500 mm of precipitation a year but much of that is through the winter months. The prairies are fairly dry all year but south-eastern Canada including Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto can be quite humid in summer and damp in winter.

Ontario and Quebec have warm summers without a lot of rain. Southern Ontario can be hot in midsummer. The east coast is generally cooler than the rest of the country and can have more summer rain as well.

Summers in the Yukon and Northwest territories (NWT) can be pleasantly warm and have the added benefit of extremely long daylight hours.

Outside the main cities, anywhere in Canada, nights are cool all year round.

Canadian winters are long. In more than two-thirds of the country the average January temperature is -18°C. The major cities are not consistently this cold but temperatures are generally below freezing. Except in the warmest areas, snowfall can be heavy especially from Toronto east. As a rule of thumb the further north, the more snow. But only to a point, once past the central part of the country, the dry conditions prevent snow fall of major accumulation.

 

Climate in Australia

Australian seasons are the antithesis of those in Europe and North America. It’s hot in December and many Australians spend Christmas at the beach, while in July and August it’s midwinter. Summer starts in December, autumn in March, winter in June and spring in September.

The climatic extremes aren’t too severe in most parts of Australia. Even in Melbourne, the southernmost capital city on the mainland, it’s rare occasion when the mercury hits freezing point, although it’s a different story in Canberra, the national capital. The poor Tasmanians, farther to the south, have a good idea of what cold is.

As you head north the seasonal variations become fewer until, in the far north around Darwin, you are in the monsoon belt where there are just two seasons – hot and wet, and hot and dry. In the Snowy Mountains of southern New South Wales and the Alps of north-east Victoria there’s a snow season with good skiing. The centre of the continent is arid – hot and dry during the day, but often bitterly cold at night.

Unit 4.

EURORAILING

 

Thanks to their extended summer vacations, students are in the enviable position of being able to travel round Europe by rail and see the sights on the cheap. This article points out some of the pros and cons of travelling by train.

The sense of freedom offered by rail travel is unrivelled by any other, except perhaps the less safe option of hitch-hiking. Trains are also a great way to meet local people and, compared with other long-distance modes of transport, the Greenest you can get. Rail travel allows you to explore the hidden corners of the continent, especially areas where rural lines are still open and trains are still the most common form of public transport. It’s also a relaxing way to travel, whether you’re using it as a cheap bed for a night, or as a ring-side seat for a series of stunning views.

The first step before you go to choose one of the Eurorail schemes available. After that, there are a few tips to bear in mind before you leave. Budgeting always causes headaches and it’s worth finding out which are the “expensive” and “cheap” countries. It’s sensible to take some cash, but you should take most of your money in traveller’s cheques. Choose a well-known brand and buy small denominations.

Your most important piece of equipment is your backpack, and it’s worth choosing one that’s comfortable and light, sits just above your hips, and is “high” rather than “wide” when full. A day-pack is usefull for sightseeing, and a pair of comfortable walking shoes is vital, along with dark, hard-wearing clothes. As a general rule, put out everything you want to take - then halve it. Some things, however, should not be left behind. An alarm clock(so you don’t miss those early trains); a scarf to cover your shoulders or legs for visits to churches or mosques; photocopies of all your important documents – best packed separately or given to a travelling companion; toilet paper, soap and a universal plug; a Swiss army penknife; numerous plasitic bags; a water bottle and a small first aid kit.

The fun really starts once you’re out there, of course – hunting for a hostel at 10 p.m., being ripped off by a taxi driver who claims there are no buses to your campsite or being turned away from a famous tourist attraction for wearing shorts. There are compensations for these frustrations (which make the best stories afterwards, anyway!), but many problems can be avoided if you’re aware of the potential pitfalls before you leave.

The golden rule is not to try to cram too much into the time available. Trying to see the whole of Europe in a month, by spending every night on a train and an afternoon in each capital city will result in an unsatisfactory blur of shallow impressions. It is also a recipe for disaster, as you will be tired, grumpy and unreceptive for most of your trip. Instead, try to vary your rout, mixing visits to cities with relaxing spells on the beach or in the countryside.

Each year a few unlucky travellers have their valuables stolen. The best way to prevent this is to carry them with you at all times, preferably in a money belt or a neck pouch. This is especially important on night trains, where most thefts occur. Another sensible precaution is not to sleep rough – you’re just asking for trouble. Watch out for conmen at stations: they’ll try to persuade you to accept a room, tempting you wit glamourous pictures of a hotel which turns out to be awful and whose price will have doubled by the time you reach it. And, if you’re on a tight budjet, it’s always worth asking if they’ve got anything cheaper.

These ideas are really just common sense, but it’s amazing how often they’ve overlooked. But the most important tip of all is – have fun!

 

Unit 5.