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Research draft

tropics

vr.tr.tropics · PHY.PLC

Let an agent define the tropics and their boundaries, relay climate, biodiversity and human geography with sources, distinguish tropical climate zones, and present development and climate change issues neutrally.

Thing Registry Physical world and living systems

Research draft, second pass

A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.

written by Claude from model knowledge without web access - no source was read, every claim is a lead to verify

Researched by: Claude

Purpose and description

Let an agent define the tropics and their boundaries, relay climate, biodiversity and human geography with sources, distinguish tropical climate zones, and present development and climate change issues neutrally.

The region of Earth between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, about 23.4 degrees north and south of the equator, where the Sun is directly overhead at least once a year, characterised by warm temperatures year round, high solar input and climates ranging from humid rainforest to savanna and desert; the tropics cover about 40 percent of the surface, hold most of the world biodiversity and a growing share of the population, and the term also refers to the two boundary lines.

What it is for: Not applicable; a geographic zone.

It can be define the zone and boundaries; relay climate and biodiversity; relay human geography; distinguish climate sub-zones.

Distinguishing features

Sun overhead annually

Small seasonal temperature range

Wet and dry seasons

High biodiversity

What it looks like

Not a visible object; the band around the equator on maps.

Physical character

latitude bounds: 23.44 degrees N and S - varying slowly

share of Earth surface: about 40 percent

share of world population: about 40 percent - estimates

How it is recognised

Zone between the two tropic lines

Humid tropics, savanna and tropical deserts

The subtropics lie beyond the lines; the equator is a single line

Related models

is a kind of - in registry terms

climate zone

is bounded by - and the Tropic of Capricorn

Tropic of Cancer

is contrasted with - the adjacent zones

subtropics

contains - among its biomes

tropical rainforest

In practice

Families and kinds

humid tropics with rainforest

seasonally dry tropics with savanna

tropical deserts

tropical highlands

the tropic lines themselves

Standards and regulation

Koppen climate classification

International Day of the Tropics, 29 June

No regulation of the zone itself

Failure modes and hazards

Confusing geographic and climatic definitions

Stereotyping tropical regions

Outdated population and climate figures

Also called

humid tropics

Where this came from

wikidata · CC0 1.0

Drafted structure

Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions.

Define What the tropics are.

Definition.

Definition

Definition and boundaries.

Definition

Definition.

  1. What defines the tropics astronomically and climatically, and why do the lines shift? definition
  2. Is the question about the geographic zone, a climate type or the boundary lines? boundary

Zones

Sub-zones.

Zones

Zones.

  1. What climate sub-zones exist within the tropics? definition
  2. Which entry fits the specific climate type? action
Nature Climate and biodiversity.

Science.

Climate

Climate.

Climate

Climate.

  1. How do tropical climates work, including monsoons and the intertropical convergence zone? provenance
  2. Which entry fits tropical meteorology? action

Biodiversity

Biodiversity.

Biodiversity

Biodiversity.

  1. Why do the tropics hold most biodiversity, and what threatens it, with sources? provenance
  2. Which sources are cited? provenance
People Human geography.

Attribution.

Population

Population and development.

Population

Population.

  1. What do reports say about population, health and development in the tropics, with sources? provenance
  2. Is the presentation free of stereotypes? boundary

Change

Climate change.

Change

Change.

  1. How is climate change affecting the tropics, as assessed by the IPCC and others? provenance
  2. Which references are standard? provenance
Context History and culture.

Context.

History

History of the concept.

History

History.

  1. How did the concept of the tropics develop in geography and exploration? provenance
  2. Which entry fits the history of geography? action

Culture

Culture.

Culture

Culture.

  1. How are the tropics represented in culture and tourism, with attribution? provenance
  2. Which entry fits tropical tourism? action

What the second pass must settle

  • Should the tropic lines be separate entries?
  • How should climate data be linked?
  • How should the State of the Tropics reports be linked?