South America Climate Zones Puzzle: Geography Game
The South America Climate Zones Puzzle is a free educational map game designed to help you explore the vast habitable zones and terrestrial vegetation of the South American continent. Test your environmental knowledge in this interactive drag-and-drop exercise! It is an excellent tool for online geography lessons, biology classes, and studying the incredible biodiversity of the Neotropical region.
Climate and Biomes of South America
South America's climate is largely dictated by its position; the most extensive part of the continent is located within the equatorial zone. This results in more areas of equatorial plains than any other region on Earth. The distribution of average temperatures remains remarkably constant from the 30° parallel, with temperate latitudes experiencing milder winters and warmer summers compared to North America.
Rainfall distribution is intimately linked to wind regimes and air masses. East of the Andes, winds blowing from the Atlantic carry moisture that triggers abundant rainfall across the tropical regions. The Andes themselves act as a massive physical barrier, creating distinct rain shadows and unique alpine biomes that vary significantly from the humid lowlands of the Amazon.
How to play South America Climate Zones Puzzle
At the start of the game, 10 movable pieces representing different South American biomes will appear on the left side of the screen. Your goal is to drag and drop each piece onto its correct slot on the terrestrial map of South America on the right. When you select a piece, the information window will display a high-fidelity landscape representing that specific environment.
Knowledge Achievements:
Correctly place at least 3 biomes to earn +1 Knowledge Level on Planeta 42.
Difficulty Level: Minute to win it.
Did you know?
• The Andes Rain Shadow: The Andes Mountains are so high that they prevent moisture-laden clouds from the Pacific from reaching the eastern side in the south, and moisture from the Atlantic from reaching the western side in the north, creating the hyper-arid Atacama Desert.
• Amazonian Lungs: The Tropical Rainforest (Amazon) biome produces roughly 20% of the Earth's oxygen and is home to one in ten known species on the planet, making it the most biodiverse land biome in the world.
• The Pantanal: This region contains the world's largest tropical wetland area, falling under the "Floodplains" category. During the rainy season, over 80% of the Pantanal is submerged, creating a unique aquatic ecosystem.
