Africa – Climate and Vegetation

1. Baca Africa – Climate and Vegetation How do we modify the physical geography of Africa?

2. Sahara Desert • Largest Desert in the world. • 136.4˚ in summer • 20% sand, rest is plains, Mountains and rock • Other deserts – Namib and Kalahari The Deserts At these temperatures, you could fry an egg on the sand!

3. Aquifers – large bodies of water about 6,000 feet under the desert. When it comes to the surface of the earth, it is called an oasis. The Deserts

4. Why are camels the most reliable form of travel in the desert? Camels

5. 90% of the continent lies between the tropics Cancer and Capricorn. • Temperature difference between night and day are more varied than temperatures between seasons! • Night time is the “winter” of the region. The Tropics

6. Extreme! Some parts don’t get much rain. Others, flood. Central Africa can get up to 6 months of a rain season. West coast – 120 inches of rain (20 inches in other parts) Most of Africa has one or two rainy seasons. * some children raised in the Sahara may not see rain until age 5 * Rainfall

8. Northern and southern tips of the continent. Mediterranean climate

9. Serengeti Plains • Northern Tanzania A grassy continent

10. Mostly in Congo basin Most of sun is blocked by canopy. Composition is much quicker (12 months v. 6 weeks for a fallen leaf) CANOPY – highest level of branches. Monkeys, birds, flying foxes. Rain Forest

11. Congo Basin http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jc61s9UsLJA Write two-three sentences summarizing the video. Consider: - What resources are found in the Congo Basin’s rain forest? - How are humans straining this environment?

12. SNAKES: African Viper, Black-necked cobra • Animals that live in Canopy: • Monkeys, flying foxes, birds Rain Forest Biodiversity Can spit venom 8 feet!!!

13. Slash and burn – almost complete destruction of Madagascar’s forests. Over half of Africa’s rain forest has been destroyed. Rain Forest Destruction

14. The Sahel “shore of the desert” Used for farming and herding Human – Environment Interaction

15. Sahel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HJj6INmc2c How is UNICEF trying to prevent a crisis in the Sahel?

16. Oil! Wealth, but killing environment and people with mismanagement. Much of oil is shipped to the U.S. 80-90% of Nigeria’s income. 4,000 oil spills over past 4 decades Fires acid rain soot respiratory diseases Harming the Environment in Nigeria

17. Nigeria: Blood Oil http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNnJb5fbQr4

18. Egyptians built first Aswan Dam in 1902. Four miles down = Aswan High Dam (1970). Lake Nasser shared with Sudan. Dam – farmers get regular supply of water = 2 or 3 harvests a year! Increased farmable land in Egypt by 50%! Controlling the Nile

19. People had to move (Nubians). Temples of Abu Simbel had to be moved! Smaller, ancient treasures could not be saved … (they are at the bottom of Lake Nasser!). ` Problems with the Dam

20. Decreased fertility of soil. River no longer deposits its rich SILT (sediment) on farmland. $ fertilizers. Field drains because salt from deep in the earth have decreased fertility (used to be washed away by the floods). Problems with the Dam

21. Rates of malaria and other diseases have increased because of the number of mosquitoes which LOVE the lake and canals. Problems with the Dam

22. Very deadly Every 60 seconds, a child in Africa dies from a malaria infection Easy to prevent - Donate a net! http://www.nothingbutnets.net/ Why Yes, I will give you a 100 quiz grade if you donate a net! (bring me your purchase confirmation sheet with your name on it as proof). Malaria

23. Think-Pair-Share * Do you think that the Aswan Dam has been for the better or worse for Africans?*