Climate Zones Shape Life: How Temperature and Rain Define Regions

气候带塑造生命：温度与降水如何定义地域

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课文

Earth’s climate zones form mainly because of uneven solar heating and atmospheric circulation.

地球的气候带主要由太阳辐射分布不均和大气环流造成。
Tropical zones near the equator stay warm year-round and receive heavy rainfall almost daily.

赤道附近的热带全年温暖，几乎每天都有强降雨。
In contrast, deserts lie around 30° north and south where dry air sinks and blocks clouds.

相比之下，南北纬30°左右的沙漠地区因干空气下沉、抑制云层形成而干旱少雨。
Temperate zones experience four distinct seasons due to shifting jet streams and frontal systems.

温带因急流和锋面系统季节性移动，呈现分明的四季。
Polar regions remain frozen most of the year because sunlight strikes at a very low angle.

极地常年冰封，因为阳光以极低角度照射地表。
Each zone supports unique ecosystems—from rainforest canopies to tundra mosses and lichens.

各气候带孕育独特生态系统——从热带雨林树冠到苔原苔藓与地衣。
Climate also influences architecture, clothing, agriculture, and even cultural festivals around the world.

气候还影响建筑、服饰、农业乃至全球各地的文化节日。
Farmers in Mediterranean climates grow olives and grapes during dry summers and mild winters.

地中海气候区的农民在干燥夏季和温和冬季种植橄榄与葡萄。
Modern climate change is shifting these zones, pushing forests, insects, and diseases into new areas.

当前气候变化正推动这些气候带迁移，使森林、昆虫与疾病向新区域扩散。
Mapping climate zones helps scientists predict how ecosystems and societies may adapt over time.

绘制气候带图有助于科学家预测生态系统与人类社会的长期适应路径。