Test: The Cool Temperate Continental or the Siberian Type Climate - UPSC MCQ

The Laurentian type of climate has a distinct summer maximum in rainfall, which is caused by easterly winds from the oceans. The uniformity of rainfall in the North American region is due to the Atlantic influence and the Great Lakes, while the rainfall distribution in the Asiatic region is far less uniform, with cold and dry winters and warm and wet summers.

The Laurentian type of climate is found only in the northern hemisphere, specifically in North-East North America (Eastern Canada and N-E USA) and the eastern coastlands of Asia (Eastern Siberia, North China, Manchuria, Korea, and northern Japan). It is absent in the southern hemisphere because only a small section of southern continents extends beyond 40 degrees South, and the maritime influence is so high that neither continental nor eastern margin type of climate exists.

The predominant vegetation of the Laurentian type of climate is cool temperate forests. Generally, the forests tend to be coniferous north of 50 degrees North latitude, while south of 50 degrees North latitude, the coniferous forests give way to deciduous forests with oak, beech, maple, and birch as the principal trees.

Lumbering and its associated timber, paper, and pulp industries are the most important economic undertakings in the Laurentian climatic region. Agriculture is less important due to the severity and long duration of winters, while fishing is a significant economic activity in certain areas, such as Newfoundland and Japan.

The meeting of warm and cold ocean currents, such as the Gulf Stream and Labrador Current in Newfoundland and the Kuroshio and Oyashio currents in Japan, creates favorable conditions for the growth of planktons, which are a vital food source for fish. This abundance of planktons in the shallow waters adjacent to land masses supports a thriving fishing industry in the Laurentian climatic region.

Potatoes, oats, and barley are hardy crops that can be sown and successfully harvested before the onset of the cold winter in the Laurentian climatic region. Wheat, on the other hand, is not as well-suited to the colder temperatures and shorter growing season.

Japan is known for its pearl culture, which is an interesting aspect of the country's fishing industry. Pearl oysters, a type of shellfish, are cultivated for their pearls and mother of pearl. Japan accounts for a significant portion of the world's total annual fish catch and has taken to seaweed cultivation as well.

The uniformity of precipitation in the North American region of the Laurentian climate is largely due to the Atlantic influence and the presence of the Great Lakes. The warm Gulf Stream increases the moisture content of easterly winds from the open Atlantic, and the prevailing westerlies carry depressions over the Great Lakes to the New England states, promoting wet conditions, especially in winters.

The Gulf Stream is an important factor in the North American region of the Laurentian climate, but it does not play a significant role in the Asiatic region. The Asiatic region's climate is characterized by cold and dry winters, warm and wet summers, and rainfall that is mostly confined to five summer months, similar to tropical monsoon conditions in India.

Fishing is the most important economic activity in the Laurentian climatic region of Japan, particularly in Hokkaido, where the climate is too cold for active agriculture. The scarcity of meat and religious reasons have made fish the principal item of diet and the chief protein food in Japan. The country's fishing industry is supported by the rich plankton found in the continental shelves surrounding the islands, due to the meeting of the warm Kuroshio and cold Oyashio currents.