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Part of the book series: Tasks for vegetation science ((TAVS,volume 16))

Abstract

Regions with mediterranean-type climates have a very restricted distribution but occur in five widely-separated parts of the world. These are: southwestern and Western parts of south-eastern Australia, the southern Cape of South Africa, southern California on the west coast of the United States, central Chile on the west coast of South America, and the entire region surrounding the Mediterranean Basin with extensions to the Black and Caspian Seas and the Persian Gulf. The climates are loosely equivalent to those of the Mediterranean Basin and share a warm to hot, dry summer and a cool, moist winter. The annual rainfall may range from 250 to 1200 mm (up to 1500mm in restricted areas) per year, of which most falls during winterspring. Mean monthly minima range from about 8 to 12°C with occasional snow or frost in some areas and mean monthly maxima of 18 to 30°C. Cold ocean currents are important in determining this pattern.

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Authors

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B. Dell A. J. M. Hopkins B. B. Lamont

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© 1986 Dr W. Junk Publishers, Dordrecht

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Dell, B., Hopkins, A.J.M., Lamont, B.B. (1986). Introduction. In: Dell, B., Hopkins, A.J.M., Lamont, B.B. (eds) Resilience in mediterranean-type ecosystems. Tasks for vegetation science, vol 16. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-4822-8_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-4822-8_1

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-010-8637-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-009-4822-8

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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